DOWNTOWN SANTA BARBARA
experience santa barbara
A thoughtfully curated walk through the heart of Santa Barbara — history, food, wine, and good conversation.
ABOUT ARI
A Santa Barbara local with deep family roots.
My connection to this place shapes how I see it and how I share it. I believe the best way to understand Santa Barbara is to walk it, taste it, and sit at its table.
For the past decade I have worked in travel and hospitality — booking destination travel worldwide, coordinating private wine tours, and creating dining experiences and retreats.
I'm not a historian or a tour guide in the traditional sense. But I know Santa Barbara well, I care about the businesses that make it special, and I genuinely enjoy hosting people.
EXPERIENCES
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A relaxed 3.5-hour walk through the heart of Santa Barbara — adobe buildings, Spanish Colonial history, two wine tastings, artisan cheese, local bites, and a seated finale at La Paloma. We begin at Casa Covarrubias, built in 1817 for my ancestors.
$175 per person · Max 6 guests · Ages 21+
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The Saturday farmers market, the best local kitchens, and the chefs Ari actually calls friends. Chef collabs, curated tastings, and the hidden spots that don't appear on any list.
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Private Santa Ynez Valley wine tours with winemaker access and exclusive tasting experiences. Including Grassini Family Vineyards — voted Best Winery six years running — and beyond.
From $1,699 · Private groups
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Jesusita Trail, Cold Springs, Butterfly Beach to Summerland — guided and curated. Future partnership with REI Outdoor Club Santa Barbara for a quarterly hiking series.
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The Santa Barbara Bowl, SOhO Music Club, and the Funk Zone. Curated live music picks, sunset concerts, and seasonal events — places most visitors never find.
Seasonal · Always updated
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Golden hour on State Street. Sunrise at the Mission. The shots locals know and visitors miss — guided with a local eye.
The Stops
Downtown with Ari · The Stops
Eight stops. Three and a half hours. A city you'll understand differently by the end.
01 Casa Covarrubias
Built 1817 · We begin here
Built for Domingo Carrillo, comandante of the Santa Barbara Presidio. One of the city's oldest adobes, now part of the Historical Museum.
My ancestor.
02 Wine & Cheese
First tasting
Santa Barbara wines paired with artisan cheese in a locally loved setting. Supporting independent businesses is part of the experience.
03 El Presidio
Founded 1782
Spain's final military fortress in California. The beginning of Santa Barbara's colonial chapter.
04 The Pickle Room
Layered history
Once housed Jimmy's Oriental Gardens, in what was downtown's Chinatown and Japantown. A reminder that Santa Barbara's story is layered.
05 Lobero Theatre
California's oldest continuously operating theatre, has been a cultural cornerstone of Santa Barbara since 1873.
06 Grassini Family Vineyards
24 El Paseo · Second tasting
Family-owned Bordeaux varietals from their Happy Canyon estate vineyard. Voted Best Urban Tasting Room 2024. Sun-soaked patios in the historic El Paseo courtyard.
07 Casa de la Guerra
Built 1818–1828
Built for José de la Guerra and María Antonia Carrillo. Once the social and political heart of Mexican-era Santa Barbara.
My family.
08 La Paloma Cafe
Est. 1940 · Finale
A longtime gathering place. We close here with food, wine, and conversation.
The best way to end.