This place should not be classified as a park, theres no flowers, trees, bushes or even grass! Its centrally located downtown, & may be considered a cultural icon, but its an environmental dead zone. Why anyone wants to preserve & showcase the ugly old ways of colonialism is beyond me. Ive always considered this an eyesore to a city that is so lush with greenery. I wish this were a real park, it would enliven the downtown SB experience a great deal.

This is a must! This experience is by far one of the richest in history and culture! The visitors center is the first place to stop and buy your admission to the self-guided tour. This is on the corner of Santa Barbara street and Canon Perdido right in Downtown Santa Barbara between Anacapa and Santa Barbara St.We found parking on Casa de la Guerra at. The visitors center attendee was well-informed and calmly explained the tour to us. He pointed out all of the points of interest and have us a walking tour book.The booklet tells you everything you need to know. My kids got in free because they are under 16, and my admission was only $5! Well worth it! We also bought some souvenirs in the Visitors Center.Park a couple blocks away and walk through, you will have memories to last a lifetime. I am so intrigued that I purchased several books on the Anza trail, the local Natives, and the Spanish, Mexican, and American history of this area!Enjoy!

It was closed when we wanted to visit but just peeping into where we could see was awesome.

Well preserved site giving a good idea of how Spanish soldiers and their families settled and lived. The adobe bricks, ovens, tiles, chapel and utensils are some of the things worth checking. You have to pay about $5 for full access to the site (which in my opinion is worth it), but there are sections you can check out for free as well. The lady at the front desk is very friendly and gives a great overview of the historical background and how to best explore the place.There are a few things which I found a bit problematic and would be good to keep context of while you are doing the tour. In how it glorifies the settlers and their intentions, this is practically a shrine to early settlers and their lives, and hence to colonialism. There is little mention of the native Chumash people, and whatever there is, seems to be a bit whitewashed (e.g. how the fort was built by Spanish soldiers with the help of the native people). There is one display right at the end which talks a bit about native peoples (in pics), but barring that it would seem as if everything was hunky-dory and everyone co-existed peacefully, which, as history tells us, was certainly not the case.I would still recommend the tour, since it puts you in the same space and rooms occupied by people a century back, but take everything with a pinch of salt.

Great amount of signs and information all over the park. Worth the visit

This is mostly a reconstruction of part of the presidio with just a few pieces that survived all of these years. The price is very affordable and visitors get to go at their own pace. If youre going to wander through downtown, this would be a worthwhile stop.

Nice historical place. My family and I spent a fun day walking a number of historic sites. El Presidio gives us a great presentation on how these people lived and worked before becoming a US State.

Nice historic building made of Adobe. A nice walk in Santa Barbara.

For many couples who may be planning their Santa Barbara wedding remotely, it helps to read reviews and see photos. I thought it might be helpful to offer a different perspective of El Presidio from a light and lines point through the eyes of a wedding photographer.For many years I lived downtown just up the road from El Presidio. I love capturing the Spanish architectural style that Santa Barbara is known for. We have been branded the American Riviera. There are so many beautiful spaces that capture this Spanish history of our gorgeous town, but not with as many historical ties as El Presidio. The story of El Presidio is engrained in Santa Barbara. One of the most interesting facts is that the old foundation crosses the street and can still be seen in the asphalt.As an artist who experiences spaces for their lines, composition and textures, El Presidio embraces Santa Barbara’s Spanish energy. The aggressive texturing of the white walls and old wooden beams and branches of the exterior overhang give off rustic yet elegant backgrounds. Their attention to detail carries throughout from the rooms with thick beam tables to the stick fences. The intimacy of the space creates photos that feel like you’re time traveling back to Santa Barbara’s earliest years when it was just founded. The loft inside the church allows me to capture a unique perspective of the ceremony above the guest’s heads and create a wider variety of angles.El Presidio’s location in downtown Santa Barbara makes it a perfect spot to plan your dream reception anywhere. If you’re looking to create incredible wedding photos that capture the heart of Santa Barbara’s Spanish architecture, El Presidio’s history and architecture are directly at the center. I love photographing here!

Fun trip. We had to go here for a class my wife was taking. There really isnt much parking here, but it was interesting to see.

A historical beauty more in california. that thanks to the government of california for preserving these places

So beautiful! We’re used to seeing this sort of constructions around California but this one is specially nice!

Site of the original Spanish Fort (Presidio) in Santa Barbara. Not very elaborate but interesting exhibits and great gift shop. Easily worth 30 or 40 minutes.

Great piece of local history. Free for the public to enjoy.

One of the original early Spanish forts, El Presidio is in the heart of the Presidio Neighborhood. Explore history and enjoy the beautiful architecture and grounds. Lots of cool events too!

It is a wonderful place, but the hends in the back garden have not had water or food recently, sad.

Vero interesting place, it helps to understand better the history of the city and how it has become the city we can see today.

Nicely preserved portion of the presidio.

What an excellent California historic home and museum! Located in Beautiful Santa Barbara downtown, this gem will most certainly take you back in time. One will again appreciate all the creature comforts we have grown accustomed to as Californians. You pay a Five Dollar Fee for both sites but the History lesson you get is well worth it. Take the whole family and stay locally for all the other jewelry of this historic costal town. Cheers! GOD Bless!!

Such a cool unique cultural treasure in Santa Barbara. I learned so much about Santa Barbaras history, especially colonial and 20th century information. Worth the price, well maintained, and well situated in a vibrant area of downtown SB. My only critique is maybe their informational videos could be updated to feel more modern and engaging.

Great historical landmark. The self tour is very educational and includes a nice walk.

Very historic mission in Santa Barbara. Parts still under restoration.

An historical venue, filled with amazing displays. Visited during the Old Spanish Days last August 2018

Interesting place with lot of history. Girl at the counter was a wealth of information.

Lots of California history here, well thought out renovation.

Nice place to know how people used to live here

Nice place to visit!

Neat part of CA history, they did a good job of preservation and restoration for part of the Presidio, but too bad allowed development to destroy most of it, could have been a great tourist draw like old town in San Diego, but now even hard to find. Liked the self guided tour with lots of informative posters and plaques. Also liked how they preserved the outlines of the old walls in the streets so could get a better idea of what the original was like.

Nice historical place to visit I. Santa Barbara.

Historical location. Walking through the fort brings back how smart and accomplished people were so many years ago. Worth a visit and the tour.

Its amazing these Spanish Adobe buildings are still here & in nice shape for their age. I love history being kept up so people can get a sense of what it looked like in old days when our history was being built.

This is a great historic place and, during Old Spanish Days, there are events held here

It was so unique, even the ground was so ancient, the church shows authenticity..a great visual view of previous centuries, antique, some baroque and vizantine Art, religious belief. It was very humble and unique, someone must visit again!

If you want to know true history you must visit these little gems in town. It will help map the bigger picture to what you seek.

Adobe building made of Earth bricks, it used to spanish military trainging place with place for living

The Presidio in Santa Barbara dates from the original Spanish settlement of the town, and many original buildings still exist or have been reconstructed. A guided tour is the best way to visit, and to understand how the town has developed and changed over time.

Great historical fort. Its old and small but it gives you a sense of what life must have been like in the exploration days.

Enjoyed walking around the old buildings and learning about how they lived. Great history.

It was fun to walk around there and to learn our history.

Second oldest building in CA, landmark, close to lots of shopping and restaurants.

What a cool place to visit! Stumbled into 200 years ago by accident. Meeting the chickens in the garden is a nice surprise! This historic park offers a real glimpse of what life was like in the 1800s. None of that commercialized revitalization attempts.

They are selling you a dream that one day this reconstruction will complete, please use your imagination in the mean time. Theres no actual artifacts and no actual value, just some random stuff probably picked up from a yard sale. This is no doubt the most pointless destination on this trip. Two stars for giving them credit on squeezing any possible tourism value off a some old lot.

Fantastic historical experience. Recommend to take the self guided tour

Such history in the middle of town. Had a Great day with my family!

Historic, the last fort built by a king of Spain in this hemisphere.

Nice place to visit

A very impressive and neat site to visit. Sprawling grounds and well laid out (buildings and context) for the walking tour.

Interesting place to visit. Did not appreciate the docent needing to share her current political opinions while she spun wool. Not only was it out of character, it was distasteful and inappropriate.

With guided tours of the park AND Casa de la Guerra admission included on the weekends, this is one of the best deals in town.So many people that live in Santa Barbara dont even know what the Presidio is and drive/walk right by it every day. This is where our city started!! What an amazing opportunity to learn our own history in a tangible, really convenient way.

This is a very special place.

Interesting hystorical place with plenty of documentation displayed on site.

Extremely overrated. The place is nice and ok to spend good 10 minutes, but they try to sell it like its THE tourist attraction...is not.

Historic

Santa Barbara starts from here.

Interesting to see what the defences would have been in Hispanic times.

Interesting and lovely area to learn about and view things about in early Spanish life in California

Theyre hard at work with their restorations. Staff are knowledgeable and friendly.

Very knowledgeable staff, great tour, lots of history there.

Came here an hour before it closed, on a rainy day. They were closing early because of the rain, but the lady who worked there was really kind and told us about the story of the buildings and settlement of different ethnic groups. I think they charge an entrance fee.

It is Santa Barbara, so there is at least 200+ years of history! You will love it.

Interesting historical buildings.

Extremely interesting site.

Great info, self guided tour, worth the trip to learn the history of Chumash Indians and Santa Barbara

A nice place to explore local and California history first hand!

Not much here but very interesting.

Amazing museum and excellent docents!

Fantastic for who love history!

Should not be missed if you are in the area. Beautiful.

Good experience - would be better with a guide.

Beautiful place located in the center of downtown Santa Barbara.

Amazing part of Santa Barbara history! A must stop for any visitor!

Really nice.

Beautiful place with great scenery, green grass and trees, a nice Lake, Hills

Viva all people!

A must see place when visiting Santa Barbara

Lovely venue for a concert!

Very nice place

History is lived everyday here.

A journey to the past.

Historic but small

Historic park in downtown Santa Barbara.

Great. !

Awesome

Historic

Visit the place Santa Barbara STARTED

Old world charm

Lots of history right in the downtown area.

A great bit of local history in Santa Barbara!

Old, historic yet beautifully reatored.

Awesome place lots of history

Beautiful place