If you happen to find yourself in Santa Barbara, CA, (aka America's Riviera) carve out a couple of couple of hours to check out the County Courthouse. No, not to hang out and gawk at folks at court. But to soak in the beauty and history of the building. This place is gorgeous. Spanish colonial architecture, mural paintings, tower overlook, clock room, sunken garden, and you might catch a glimpse of a wedding or two. I saw four. I held back on wedding crashing though. Apparently you can rent the Mural room or Sunken garden terrace for weddings. Plus small wedding ceremonies are allowed in the public areas of the Sunken garden lawn, in first come first serve basis. The 4 story Spanish Moorish style building was built in 1929. It was built after the original courthouse, that was built in 1872, suffered damage in the 1925 earthquake. -Sunken garden The foundations of the original courthouse is where the sunken tropical gardens are currently. There is a big swath of lush green lawn. The multitude of palm trees that tower around the garden are from various countries. 35 specimens of palm trees. -Sandstone water fountain In the front of the courthouse building facing Anacapa Street is a sandstone water fountain "Spirit of the Ocean". It was built by a Venetian sculptor in 1929. -Free tours Step inside the building to see take a tour, a free self guided tour or join a free docent led tour. There was a huge crowd of folks waiting to get in, the crowd included an entire wedding party along with the tourists and everyday county residents. Security funneled everyone quickly through the security checkpoint. - Clock tower viewing platform I chose to do a self guided tour and took the elevator to the 4th floor to the clock tower viewing station. There was an option to climb stairs, which I choose to take going down. From that vantage point, I noticed that downtown Santa Barbara has no high rise buildings. This building was the tallest. The 360 degree views of the mountains, ocean and valley were beautiful. -Bison Schnell clock gallery display room Then I took the stairs down. On the 3rd floor was Bison Schall clock gallery. The room is a display showing the tower's functioning Seth Thomas clock timepiece and the history of classic cos and timekeeping. It's super cool to see the actual clock hammers move and strike. The room is not always open since it's staffed by volunteers. But not to worry, the glass wall allows you to view the clock and room contents from the stairwell. - Mural room and hallway I entered the 2nd floor and began walking down a hallway with huge oil painted framed murals depicting the early days of European contact with the Native Chumash. The hallways were vast with its high vaulted ceilings and arches The Mural Room is located in this floor. This is where folks rent out for wedding ceremonies. It has wooden pews. murals covering its walls and high vaulted ceilings. I didn't go in because a wedding was just finishing up. -Tiled staircase I then took the outdoor spiral, Spanish tiled, staircase to the first floor. But right next to the staircase is a beautiful mosaic tiled wall alcove. Don't miss that photo opp. On the first floor near the elevators is another set of stairs, this one is an interior set with beautiful tiles. read more

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One of Santa Barbara's must see. It's a beautiful and historic building. When I visited, they were prepping for a wedding. People are allowed to go up to the tower, there is no charge. And the views from the tower is beautiful. You'll get to overlook Santa Barbara. Highly recommend a visit to this place when you are in Santa Barbara read more

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Cool free activity to do in Santa Barbara. This place is huge and you can wander around the courthouse for as long as you like. The place is beautiful and a great part of Santa Barbara. A must if you're in the area! read more

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This beautiful courthouse is a definite great spot to visit if you're visiting Santa Barbara! It's beautiful, free, and the tours are free too! Sometimes you might see a wedding party here if you come on weekends, but that's to be expected. You can find 75 min free parking in the nearby parking garage, or find some street parking nearby. Make sure you visit all the floors for the spiral staircase, murals, and staircase leading to the glass wall with a view of the clock workings, and then climb all the way up the watchtower to get a view of downtown SB! When I came, the elevators were down, so do make sure you're able to climb at least 9 ish half flight of stairs to get up to that tower part~~... Well worth the visit if you're here in Santa Barbara read more

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这座古老的殖民时期建筑美极了，比我想象的要大得多、高得多。非常适合拍婚纱照以及举办各种其他活动。从这里还能欣赏到该地区绝佳的景色。照片真的无法展现这地方的真实美感。 Absolutely gorgeous old colonial building. Much much bigger and taller than what I was expecting. Really perfect for wedding photos and a host of other activities. Also offers fantastic views of the area. The pictures really don't do this place justice. read more

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The SB Courthouse is absolutely beautiful! The architecture is amazing and it was so cool to go up to the tower. Stunning views of SB on every angle and my personal favorite part of visiting, was sitting peacefully in the grass area. Lots of people hanging out and about 6 couples getting married or taking their wedding photos. Such a beautiful and serene experience! read more

Santa Barbara County Courthouse - Grass Area - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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Gorgeous building inside and out! Historic, beautifully decorated, well maintained with a Spanish theme that is to die for. For me it's a must visit to when in Santa Barbara! I always make sure to come when in SB and if I'm showing friends or family SB. Views are gorgeous on a good day or regardless it's just nice to see the city. There is an elevators to get there or stairs, you choose your battle haha I've personally done both and their stairs definitely get your glutes burning haha Don't hesitate to stop by, there are many other reasons people come here, weddings, photoshoot's and more so it's a place with many things to do/see. read more

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Usually courthouses bring me anxiety but since this was for leisure and more so to climb to the clock tower for the views, it was worth it. It is free to tour and they offer a self-tour by scanning a QR code and they also offer daily tours. The clock tower is 4 floors up and you can take the stairs up to stop and look at the rooms and paintings that are on each floor or you can take the elevator. At the top it is windy but beautiful views of all of Santa Barbara. There isn't really much to the lawn and I assumed there would be more cool gardens to see in it but there really wasn't. There is a big green lawn in the courtyard and there happened to be a wedding starting soon when we went. Even for weddings, they are not allowed to rope it off and have to allow tourists on the lawn. Cool tip: you can park in the parking garage across the street for free for the first 75 min. It takes less than that to tour the courthouse. read more

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What a beautiful place to get married. My daughter and son-in-law just got married there. Very organized and beautiful. Very picturesque. This was our first time there. read more

I've been to a lot of different cities and the last thing anyone recommends me to go checkout is the courthouse. When I read online that the Santa Barbara courthouse was a must while I was in town, I figured why not go and check it out. I did not know what to expect, but I was pleasantly surprised by it all. I mean just from outside, it looked really different from the superior court of Los Angeles as it was a lot smaller, but what caught my eye was how antiquated the building looked. I liked seeing the big murals on the walls and chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. I found it interesting that despite its older structure, it's still in use. Walking around inside was a lot of fun but the highlight was the tower with views of the city and everything. You can take an elevator or go up the stairs to get there. One other thing that really stood out to me about this place was the gardens right outside. There was a lot of people taking photos there or just hanging out on the lawn. I mean, they are really beautiful and well kept and seem like a great place in town to hang out and kill time. Also, the older woman at the information booth was really helpful. She narrowed down some activities for me to do while I was in the city and even recommended me places to go and eat food. She was sweet and took her time showing me a map of the city with all the points of interest. Give her a raise! read more

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Recently attended a wedding here. We were kind of wondering: why a courthouse? Well as soon as you walk in, you know. It's lovely and so historic. Beautiful artwork and murals. The wedding was so unique. read more

Beautiful courthouse, we did a quick stop, went up the elevator to the top to see the view then checked out the 2nd floor to see the historic courthouse. They also have free tours available if you're interested. It's worth a visit. read more

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Let me be clear: I have never stood trial here (phew), nor have I filed anything remotely legal. So if you're looking for a breakdown of courtroom efficiency or how judge-y the judges are, this ain't it. BUT--if you're looking for an absolutely magical, jaw-droppingly beautiful place to wander, take photos, propose to someone (or to life in general), or pretend you're living in a Mediterranean fairytale--the Santa Barbara Courthouse is your spot. Where do I even begin? Architecture: Straight-up Spanish Colonial Revival perfection. This place looks like it was plucked from a European postcard and gently dropped into downtown Santa Barbara. Red tile roofs, wrought iron details, hand-painted ceilings, mosaic tiles, spiral staircases... it's like a museum, only free and not pretentious. Grounds: Immaculately manicured lawns, palm trees, tiled fountains, and lush gardens. There's even a sunken garden that hosts events and weddings--yes, people want to get married at a courthouse because this is the courthouse. Clock Tower: Take the elevator (or climb the stairs if you're feeling bold) up to the top of the clock tower. The panoramic views of Santa Barbara, the ocean, and the mountains are ridiculous. Bring a camera or risk living with regret. Interior Details: Even the inside feels like an art installation. The mural room alone is worth the visit--it's like stepping into a technicolor history book painted by someone who really wanted to impress you. Photo Ops: Oh yes, influencers and wedding photographers already know. You'll find couples doing engagement shoots, people in quinceañera gowns, and tourists happily snapping away. And you'll absolutely join them. Pro Tip: Go on a weekday morning for a quieter experience. Or go during golden hour if you want that perfect dreamy lighting. So no, I didn't come here for legal proceedings... but if I had to go to court for something, I'd want it to be here. (Just maybe for a parking ticket or something low-stress.) 10/10 would recommend--whether you're into history, architecture, photography, or just pretending you live in a Spanish palace for an hour or two. read more

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Went for the Summer Arts and Lectures movie night and it made my week. Set up your blankets starting at 12 and then come back about an hour before to relax and enjoy drinks and snacks with friends. Then you can watch the sun go down on a scenic outdoor area with the locals chilling next to you! This building also houses the original jail and an awesome overlook of the city! read more

Santa Barbara County Courthouse - Movie night - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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What a beautiful building and we were lucky to be able to attend the free tour. The tour gave us information regarding the building in history. We also saw many couples getting married in the sunken garden, and we were able to get to the top of the tower with some lovely views of the city. read more

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THE most beautiful spot for a wedding!! Not easy to book (as many have the same idea) but we were flexible with our dates & I think that helped. read more

When my boyfriend put the Santa Barbara County Courthouse on the list of something to do when visiting Santa Barbara I thought it was weird... but apparently this place is one of the top rated attractions for those who are visiting Santa Barbara. During our visit there was a wedding, so the mural room and some of the hallways and exterior were crowded with wedding guests. And unfortunately the clock tower was closed off for renovations. This made the visit probably quicker than it would have been without the construction and wedding service. I can see how this place has historical value but it really needs some renovations to maintain. Especially the bathrooms. They were old and dated. I would have waited if I didn't super need to pee. I can't believe people actually have to come here to report for jury duty. It seems like it would be really crowded and inconvenient. A nice free stroll, but honestly not my cup of tea. If you are visiting Santa Barbara and you have time restrictions, you can probably skip this place. If you have extra time to spare, it's free to visit. read more

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The Santa Barbara Courthouse is such a beautiful wedding venue. I've captured multiple weddings and elopements here--varying from zero to 30 guests. The space is obviously incredible and totally blows away other courthouses. While it isn't the cheapest spot, it's still affordable compared to traditional venues. If you do get married here, don't forget to check the hours the building is open if you want to see the staircase and clock tower. Plus, it's a delight for wedding photographers like me. read more

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Great, historic (yet still functioning) courthouse that offers spectacular views of the city and a really neat mural room. It is free and in an accessible part of town. It is free and I would highly recommend coming here if on a trip to Santa Barbara. There is also a really nice green lawn area surrounding the building. read more

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A beautiful and historic building in the heart of downtown Santa Barbara and well worth a visit. Plus it's free! Nice surrounding grounds to sit and have a sack lunch too. read more

Court Authority Built in 1929 in a Spanish Colonial Revival style, the Santa Barbara Courthouse is easily one of the countries most beautiful public buildings, and is listed in several historical collections including the National Register of Historic Places (1981), City of Santa Barbara Historic Landmark (1982), CA Historic Landmark (2004) and National Historic Landmark (2005). We actually weren't planning on visiting due to being unaware of its existence, but after driving-by we knew it was a must-see. The Good: *Free to visit *You'll definitely get some steps in, especially if you climb the stairs to the top to visit the clock tower for its panoramic views of the area. *Free self-guided tours, as well as one-hour guided tours *The exterior and interior are both spectacular and worth visiting both and dealing with the hassel of entering (see "The Ugly" below). *Available for rent (popular for weddings) *Great location near DT Santa Barbara with lots of shopping and dining nearby. The Meh: *You'll most likely have to pay for parking (90-minutes free street parking is available if one can find it) The Ugly: *As with all functional courthouses, you'll have to go thru a security check to visit. Conclusion: A great place to visit, especially if one is into architecture and history. read more

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I highly doubt I'll ever review a courthouse again in my life but there's a reason hundreds (thousands?) of people visit this facility each day, and it isn't to fight parking tickets or argue that they really weren't that drunk when they got pulled over. Yes, it's a working courthouse with real judges and real lawyers but it's also an amazing architectural gem with some terrific art inside. Do yourself a huge favor and partake in one of the freeeeee docent-led tours they offer. The tour is one hour long and is very informative and entertaining. Frankly, the building is so unique, the tour could probably last two hours long but one hour works out very well. Before or after the tour, take the stairs or elevator up to the top of the clock tower. The view is 360 degrees around and it's spectacular. Put this on your list when you come to SB. It is well worth it. read more

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The Santa Barbara County Courthouse is a beautiful building. I love the old Spanish architecture and design. You also can get a sense of Santa Barbara's history from looking at the various murals in the building. If you go all the way to the top of the building to the clock tower, you can see a beautiful gorgeous view of Santa Barbara. If you're visiting Santa Barbara, you should definitely come here. read more

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You need to go through a security check in the beginning because this is indeed a courthouse. This is a nice place to visit for free on a walking tour of Santa Barbara, and I am thankful my gracious friend showed me here. The views are gorgeous and the interior architecture is splendid. There is so much history here, and I hope to experience more of Santa Barbara in the years to come. (I am manifesting something here in this Yelp review.) read more

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Santa Barbara Courthouse is one of the iconic landmarks in the city.It is located in the downtown. The courthouse was built in Spanish architectural style, in 1929. It has a spacious elegant and well designed garden. The building is famous for the clock tower and the Spanish arches all around the building. The interior of the building has the Spanish architecture starts with tiles to paintings to the Spanish  decorative spiral staircases  to elegant ornate chandeliers. The tower is open to the public. This is the best place .The tower offers magical views of the city all the way from downtown, to  the ocean and the mountains. I wish I could stay for longer time in the tower. There is a map in every direction explaining what are the landmarks you can see from this particular direction. It is the most enjoyable and indescribable experience in my visit to Santa Barbara. read more

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During my research of things to do in Santa Barbara, I wondered why so many people recommended visiting the Court House. But when in Rome, do as the Romans do. To be completely frank, the pictures online do not any justice to the absolute beauty of the Court House. When you step into the courtyard, you can see how beautiful the architecture of the building is and with the mountains in the background. The inside of the building is beautiful as well. There's so much intricate designs that is so breathtaking. The mural is amazing as well. The steps up to the clock tower is a doozy if you're out of shape (my calves were crying), but the view up top is totally worth it. You get to see so much of the city and those beautiful mountains again. Such a worthwhile visit and hey, it's also free! Just an FYI, you do have to go through a metal detector and scan your bag. It was a little annoying to take out my electronics, but it is a courthouse so you gotta follow the rules. read more

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Parking was hard to find. It was a bit hard to find the way up to the lookout area. The grounds and the architecture were impressive. The views from the bell tower area were not the greatest due to morning fog. I'm happy I checked it out but won't return. read more

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I was introduced to this from the landshark tour. The history behind the courthouse was very interesting and they have great picture moments here. Definitely grabbed some in front. Even saw a wedding was going on here. read more

One of the most gorgeous buildings in Santa Barbara both day and night. You simply have to check out the view from the tower though, it's one of my favorites. read more

My wife and I got married at the courthouse back on November 2021. We specifically chose this location for various reasons but the top being for its appearance. Although we wanted a big traditional wedding, we opted in for a small intimate gathering and dinner. To get married here, you are given various locations that are completely FREE. No need to reserve or reach out to anyone. They do have a map of where you can get married. We got married and had about 25 people there, with lawn chairs set up from a local vendor. Not once we're we disturbed. You do get occasionally an audience as people walk throughout the courthouse. We couldn't have asked for a better location. One year later, my wife and I brought our baby girl. We took a stroll down the whole courthouse and soaked in the sun. It's great coming back and seeing its beauty. read more

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Such a pretty courthouse we loved walked about and seeing all the history. You can go and walk around on your own or take a tour. read more

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I went to a friends wedding at the Mural Room this past weekend here and it was beautiful! However, I saw the security guard (overweight/heavy, gray hair, hostile, old white woman) ripping the cord from the violinist's amp (I assume she needed power and the venue didn't tell one about needing her own power source?) but anyway it was hard to watch the security guard at the mural room be so rude and hostile towards the musician and I saw the guard even follow her out of the venue like the guard was going to harass her. Beautiful venue and ceremony, but I wouldnt be surprised if someone gets sued for destruction of equipment or harassment for how the security guard was acting. It was truly a shame to see her act so excited to be hostile and represent the venue in that way. There's a way to be professional and represent the venue and company while still enforcing policy. From someone watching everything happen, it just looked like the guard was trying to cause a scene for no reason and look for a reaction she wasn't going to get. Kudos to the violinist for being more professional than courthouse security. read more

This is the most beautiful courthouse I've ever seen, and I'm a lawyer, so I've seen more than my fair share. It's no wonder they book up with weddings - the setting is stunning and the location is ideal. I highly recommend the docent-led tours. Tours take place daily, and they are (currently) at 2pm on weekends. Check the website in the event that anything changes from my visit to when you do. The volunteer docents are extremely knowledgeable, and a tour from them will enhance your visit. read more

We were in Santa Barbara for a day a week or so ago on a mini road trip across some of California and decided to wander in to the Santa Barbara County Courthouse. It's definitely worth a visit! It's open to the public, but you do go through metal detectors/security to visit. The courthouse is simply beautiful. It was built in 1929 in a Spanish Colonial Revival style. The mural room and the clock tower (and its views) are must sees, but there are other surprises: ceilings, walls, floors...! Definitely take the time to explore it if you're visiting Santa Barbara! read more

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Hola yelpers: Hoy andamos modo turistas, tocó venir (por segunda vez) a la corte por si les interesa casarte hoy me encontré con much@s novi@s. El lugar es realmente bonito y tiene mucho historia y belleza con sus parques y bellos cuadros, esculturas, etc. Así que anímense a visitarlo les va gustar muchísimo Sin mas por el momento les dejo y cuídense del calor .. Saludos Ba bye yelpers read more

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This is a beautiful free space to visit. You need to go through security when you arrive, but the security guard was very friendly and directed me where to go. I toured myself, but I also saw one of their tours, and the guide seemed very friendly. The gardens are beautiful, and I even saw someone getting married! Parking was 75 minutes around there and I think that is plenty of time to do a self tour. read more

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Take the time for a quick stop at the beautiful Spanish-Colonial style Santa Barbara County Courthouse. Built in 1929, it is an iconic landmark with a distinctive four sided clock tower, Mediterran red tile roofs, graceful arches, fountains and lush sunken garden. Although tours are currently closed, download the app for a virtual self-guided tour of the exterior and grounds. The Great Arch leading to the sunken gardens was inspired by historic Roman triumphal arches. The adjacent "Spirit Of The Ocean" fountain was designed and sculpted of porous sandstone at a cost of $5,000 in 1929. It did not weather well and was resculpted as a replica in 2011 at a cost of over $730,000. It signifies Santa Barbara's closeness to the ocean. The four-sided clock tower, known as "El Mirador," houses one of the last remaining working tower clocks made by the Seth Thomas Clock Company. The sunken gardens and grounds are filled with magnolias, palm trees and birds of paradise. Beautiful and peaceful for a quick stop on a sunny day. read more

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We all know this is an amazing place filled with stunning views and wonderful pieces of Santa Barbara History, It really shouldn't be missed on any visit to SB. What I want to impart to anyone planning on visiting the courthouse is that it IS a functioning courthouse that houses trials and hearings for all kinds of crimes, some very serious. To that end it's important for visitors to know in advance that there IS high security at the courthouse, especially going inside the building. The security is actually tighter now than at many US airports, with metal detectors and sometimes gruff security personnel. I don't say this to be mean but unfortunately I've witnessed it on more than one occasion. Anyone visiting please aware that even tiny Swiss Army knives, some nail files and even eyeglass screwdrivers are not allowed in. And the personnel will NOT hold items for you, nor is there anyplace like lockers, to store items deemed "unsuitable" . In fact I heard security rather rudely tell an obvious tourist that if she left her small item there he would keep it permanently and she could never get it back! Needless to say she didn't go in. Despite this type of behavior by security, the court house is absolutely worth a visit so please leave pretty much everything in your car or bus when visiting the SB courthouse:-) read more

The courthouse is located in downtown Santa Barbara, close to restaurants and shopping, 75 minutes parking available in garage and on the street. It represents the classic white and red architecture style here, and worth visiting. read more

Santa Barbara County Courthouse - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

We were married at this beautiful courthouse six months ago. Wanted yelp community to know about a wonderful man, officiant, Keenan from Lompoc. Keenan made our private wedding memorably special. Keenan was kind, funny, respectful and sweet. My husband and I are 72 and 67 respectively and Keenan made us feel like we were young lovebirds marrying for the first time. After marrying us he doubled as our photographer and took our photos on the amazing courthouse grounds. Thank you, Keenan, your the best! P.S. We tried tipping him for his wonderful service, but he could not accept a tip read more