Santa Barbara Ghost Tours "The Veil is Lifted" History, Mystery!

Discover the hidden history and spooky legends of Santa Barbara on a ghost tour. Hear stories from different cultures and encounter visiting ghosts on this unique and enchanting walking tour.

Duration: 2 hours
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • Santa Barbara Main Post Office - We will hear tales of the history of the most haunted building in California.
  • El Presidio de Santa Barbara State Historic Park - El Cuartel and the Chapel
  • City Hall - We will hear the true tale of the beheading of the Cobbler’s wife on the grounds of the Post Office before it was built.
  • Santa Barbara Historical Museum - The historical museum is the location of Chumash visiting spirits and a Spanish era lady
  • El Paseo Building - We will be walking around the haunted visiting area of Santa Barbara called historical El Paseo.
What's Included
  • Experienced guide
Additional Information

Welcome to the City of Friendly Ghosts!

All guests receive a complimentary gift bag curated by Professor Julie Ann Brown, filled with candy, cookies, and a spiritual protection package.

We do not “summon the dead.” However, our visiting ghosts may occasionally drop by to surprise you!

Our 2-hour early evening walking tour features curated content from first-hand accounts. You’ll hear stories dating back to the Old Spanish Days and from the various cultures that have called Santa Barbara home.

This tour combines traditional history with ghost and legend storytelling.

Your guides come from diverse backgrounds, including experience as a guide on the Queen Mary and as a docent at Old Mission Santa Barbara.

This tour is organic and enchanted, not script-based. Each tour is unique, filled with imagination, and may include encounters with visiting ghosts. Our ghosts do not linger; they return (often during your tour) for a sentimental visit.

Are you ready to discover a side of Santa Barbara that most visitors miss?

  • Stay home if you are sick
  • Please keep your distance and remain 6 feet apart at all times
Location
836 Anacapa St
Anacapa Street
We meet on the steps of the downtown post office. This is an "outdoor" walking tour only.
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.8
(31 Ratings)
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Tina_g
Apr 13, 2024
Must do while in Santa Barbara! - We had a wonderful time! The Kana Light turned on and turned back off for us as we were getting back into our car last night. Spooky 😀
Review provided by Viator
X6284jwjeffg
Mar 28, 2024
Best Ghost Tour in Santa Barbara! - Julie is amazing! This was a great tour of the Presidio and downtown Santa Barbara. My wife and I learned so many interesting facts and history of Santa Barbara from its founding to present day. Julie has true passion for Santa Barbara, and she is genuinely excited to share stories and chronicles of the town. We saw some strange things, maybe not any "ghosts," but we did have a very, unexplained camera incident at the hanging tree... The experience is very well worth it.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Iryna
Jul 27, 2023
Ghost stories from real teacher - Unique and super interesting story with a lot of ghost proof videos and photos. Amazing experience. My kids said it was the best thing ever in Santa Barbara. Thank to you Julie Brown - you made our trip special!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Paulaft9210kk
Jun 21, 2023
Ghosts and history - It was amazing! Ghosts and history of Santa Barbara. Santa Barbara came alive with the stories of the town
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Shanew8052019
Feb 4, 2023
When it comes to the history and renowned ghost stories of SB, Julie is unmatched in her knowledge and expertise! - My group and I had an unforgettable experience on a ghost tour in Santa Barbara led by Julie on Halloween night. Julie's passion and knowledge of the city's history really added to the overall spooky atmosphere of the night. She shared intriguing tales and legends about each stop on the tour, and her storytelling skills kept the group captivated throughout the journey. The Halloween festivities only added to the excitement and made for a truly fun adventure. Julie's tour is a must-do in Santa Barbara!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Melanie
Sep 8, 2022
Good fun way to learn about the town. Lovely guide - Really enjoyed just a nice amount of walking and learning ! Had a laff! Julie is a well researched guide and she has a certain mystique about her and so does Santa Barbara
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Cassandra
Aug 5, 2022
Great Combo of History and Ghosts - This tour was a great way to get some interesting Santa Barbara history in a fun way! I love history and ghosts and this was the perfect combo. The tour is dog friendly which I love, and was something I was looking for. We even stopped in a museum and my dog was allowed in. You'll also learn some places to stop by later on your trip. Great tour!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Erik_a
Aug 5, 2022
Beyond great! - She was beyond great. The history behind the stories was my favorite part. Everything is centralized and easy to walk to.
Review provided by Viator
Jennifer_f
Aug 4, 2022
Happy Ghosts - We loved learning about the history and all of the awesome stories about ghosts. It is obvious how passionate Julie is about the people and places that once lived on these grounds.
Review provided by Viator
J3600msshawnb
Mar 17, 2023
Leave the Veil In Place - We took "The Veil is Lifted" tour on 3/16/23. Julie Brown served as our guide. THE GOOD: Julie oozes love and appreciation for Santa Barbara and its rich history. And she plainly possesses a wealth of knowledge about that history. THE BAD: Our four-person group found Julie to be a disjointed, confusing storyteller. Some may call it stream of consciousness. Others may call it verbal diarrhea. The point is that we found her presentation very, very difficult to follow. Part of that stemmed from her weaving in lots of irrelevant details, like the fact that one of her friends married a guy who specializes in rheumatology, has conducted a variety of Vitamin D research, and recently emigrated from Germany. It was really, really tough to sort through the blizzard of words and identify what was important. And regrettably, Julie gave us a reason to question her credibility. Towards the beginning of the tour, she described a previous encounter that she had with a ghost. She specifically stated that she only "feels" the presence of ghosts and does not actually "see" them. Then, midway through the tour, she described a different encounter with a different ghost who wore a sparkly backpack, asked her a question, and appeared to be attempting to open a door with a key. So, within 45 minutes, she stated both that she has never seen a ghost and that she saw a ghost. We don't know which story was true and which wasn't, but obviously, both can't be true. THE UGLY: For our taste, Julie talked about herself way too much and displayed an uncomfortable level of self-aggrandizement. She emphasized that she only buys her clothes in London, that she is a member of prestigious yacht and social clubs, and that she is a professor. She also went into too much detail (again, for our taste) regarding her daughters (one of whom is apparently difficult), her careers (she once carried a Screen Actors Guild card and participated in lots of talent showcases), and her separate personal interests (church, community committees, etc.). Simply stated, we found it off-putting and irrelevant. BOTTOM LINE: There are worse ways to spend $220 ($55 x 4), but we would not take this tour again and do not recommend it for anyone who is primarily interested in ghosts and the paranormal. The value simply isn't there. If your primary interest is Santa Barbara's history, this tour could be worthwhile, particularly if Julie can find a way deliver relevant information in an orderly, understandable manner.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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up to 15 guests
1 Adult
September 2024
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