Old Mission Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara (must see)

Old Mission Santa Barbara, founded in 1786, is often referred to as the “Queen of the Missions” for its setting and architecture. The front façade, with its twin bell towers and classical Ionic columns, faces a wide open lawn and rose garden. Remnants of the original aqueduct and outbuildings still stand nearby. Behind the main entrance, a series of self-guided paths leads through the Sacred Garden, the historic cemetery, and a stone church completed in 1820. Inside the church, Chumash-painted details and decorative altarpieces highlight the mission’s layered past.

The grounds also include a nine-room museum housed in former living quarters. Exhibits feature Chumash baskets, reconstructed colonial interiors, early photographs, and earthquake damage from 1925. Juana María-whose story inspired Island of the Blue Dolphins-is buried behind the bell tower, among the graves of early settlers and thousands of unmarked Chumash burials. The mission continues to serve as an active parish and Franciscan residence.

Tips:
Photography is allowed in all tour areas, but restrictions may apply to garden areas that are on City property.