old mission santa barbara

Something totally different compared to other part of the Santa Barbara. First we saw youngsters do skateboarding near the Pier, then we explored the vibrant city center and after all this we drove to the calming peace of Santa Barbara Mission.

My husband’s family is from Santa Barbara so when we got engaged in the mission's rose garden it was fate for us to get married in the mission.The mission is beautiful and the wedding pictures are gorgeous. It looks like I had a wedding like Princess Diana.If you are Catholic I recommend getting married here. The price is high, I think it was $5,000. The priest we worked with Father Charles Talley was amazing. He made our bi-lingual marriage ceremony come true where both sides of our families felt connected. The music and cantor (singer) were amazing (but they are an additional cost). The music director Roy Spicer was easy to work with and very informative and made a great program for our guest to follow along. The cantor, Bryan Lane had a beautiful voice and was also bi-lingual. Cannot say enough about these two gentlemen and how seamless they made the sacrament for our guest. No one complained about our FULL MASS CATHOLIC WEDDING! Our guest really enjoyed the ceremony, which we were happy to hear as most people don’t say that until the reception!My only downside is the required wedding coordinator. She was scatter brain, unorganized, and not easy to work with…don’t want to mention her name but they really need to hire someone else…sorry!

The Old Mission in SB is beautiful. They are doing great work trying to restore the grounds back to their original state while also maintaining the garden in a water-friendly manner. The museum had a great collection of 18th-19th century artifacts. I think the admission price was fair as well. The self-guided tours were also well-laid out.

One of the attractions in Santa Barbara is the Old Mission established by the Spanish Franciscans, one of 21 missions’ ups and down the California coast. The mission is still active, as well as being tourist friendly. There is a small fee to take a self-guided tour that takes about 30 minutes, or there are paid guided tours.Parking is free and there is a small gift shop. Walking the outside one can see that there has been extensive maintenance and preservation works, the main entrance look like new, there have been several grants to restore the buildings and rooms. The is a large "lavanderia" (stone washing tub) in the grounds, built and used by the Native Americans who frequented the Mission as a place to wash their clothes.

The Mission is one of the high points of Santa Barbara and at 225 years old it is as historic as it gets for the region. A reasonable entrance fee provides an opportunity to learn about the success of Franciscan monks to settle and convert the native indians in this popular region of California. An interesting way to wyle away an hour or so.

This mission is beautiful and rich in history. This was are favorite stop on our eight day trip from L.A. to Cambria. it was like visiting Italy again. Thank you.!!!!

Terrible gift shop, better things to tour and do. Sad they ruined outside by using paint that bled. Not managed well for a historic site.

They don't call it the "Queen of the Missions" for nothing. Mission Santa Barbara is beautiful, very well maintained, and the museum has a lot to see and is very educational (but I agree the tour is a bit pricey). The graveyard is very interesting, many early Santa Barbara families are buried there so you'll see many of the same names on street signs and historical adobes around town. Make sure you take the time to go across the street and check out the historical ruins. Bring a picnic lunch and enjoy it at the Mission Rose garden across the street, one of the most beautiful spots and views in Santa Barbara.

This is a great photo op of a historical mission in Santa Barbara. You pay $9 for an adult to get a walking tour pamphlet. I would recommend the film which is the first stop since it gives you the history of the place. It loops so we started in the middle and then left where we started. You tour the courtyard and cemetery. Amazing huge tree there. From there you enter the church proper. Masses are Saturday at 4:00 and on Sunday at 7:30, 9:00 and 11:00. If you tour during these times, you will not be allowed to tour the church. The museum has some interesting authentic items related to the Franciscan monks. A quiet reflective visit.

A little disappointed that there was a charge to see a religious site. However,understandable, since the mission is so well maintained. The gardens, the church and the rooms seem to appear to be quite authentic. The church is beautiful.

We swung in here just after arriving in Santa Barbara. We snuck in right before 3. It was a beautiful day and ultimately we are glad we went. It was $14 for my wife and I to see the tour. The tour is self guided and took about 20-30 minutes. It's got a great history with the missionaries who came to the area long ago and it was neat to learn about that. Overall, pretty cool but overpriced for the short time it took.

We brought our 10 and 7-year-old boys to visit as our 4th grader is working on his mission project. I must agree with others, Mission Santa Barbara does live up to her name, Queen of the Missions. There is evidence at every corner that so much care and love has gone into preserving this beautiful piece of California history. We paid for and took the tour and meandered through and finished it all in about 90 mins. It was lovely to see many 4th graders working on their projects. All of the visitors were very respectful of the grounds and each other. Every display had great info, really bringing you back to mission times. My husband was not into this trip at all while we were planning but as soon as we arrived, he loved it. After our visit, we strolled down State Street for a delicious lunch and great family exploration. Tip: We just missed the ringing of the bells. If that's important to you, take note and plan your day accordingly. We would have loved to have heard them in person. I really wish they wouldn't allow cars to park in front of the beautiful church. I was rather disappointed to have cars in all of our pictures. Looking forward to visiting again.

Mission Santa Barbara is truly the most beautiful of all the missions...with the mountains as a backdrop, situated on a slight hill fronted by rolling lawns and gorgeous rose gardens..there is nothing more beautiful.. Once inside, the poignant history of the missions and Padre Serra's untiring efforts to help educate and improve the lives of the local Indians is revealed in a modest museum...including the Spartan living quarters of the Franciscan friars who lived there. Old adobe paths and gardens mark the inner courtyard, and there is an historic cemetery in the mission side yard...But the real jewel of the tour is found inside the mission itself.. where the log-beamed ceilings and painting call to mind the architectural feats of several hundred years ago...and the beautiful statues and art remind you of the specialness.. and the sacredness ..of this amazing place.

Great little side trip. A must if your in Santa Barbara! Very interesting self guided tour of one of the oldest missions in the US. The church/ chapel was magnificent. Only negative was it was raining the day we went and couldn't walk the gardens. :( will be back on a nicer day!

I didn't think this would be worthwhile, but we decided we'd go see it just because we always like historical sites. But it was really interesting! The little museum has a lot of info, and it's definitely worth the $7 price of admission just to be able to wander around the mission grounds, which are beautiful.