Urban Hikers Peter Hartmann and Stacey Wright will be leading a free walking tour of Santa Barbara’s historic Upper Eastside on Tuesday, Dec. 31, and the public is invited to come along.
Sponsored by Noozhawk, the third annual “Path of the Padres” tour will start at the Santa Barbara Mission and retrace the footsteps — or thereabouts — of the Franciscans from the Old Mission, passing by several important neighborhood sites before ending up downtown around El Presidio de Santa Bárbara State Historic Park.
David Bolton, executive director of the California Mission Foundation, and historian Neal Graffy, author of Santa Barbara Then and Now, will provide commentary, stories and historical facts during the tour. The outing will include stops in front of homes, landmarks and other sites on the approximately two-mile, mostly downhill walk.
For walkers’ convenience, a Bill’s Bus shuttle will pick up passengers in front of the Presidio, 123 E. Canon Perdido, at 2 p.m. and drive them to the Mission, 2201 Laguna St. The vehicle holds about 70 passengers, and the driver will make a second trip if needed.
The tour will leave the Mission between 2:15 and 2:30 p.m. and will conclude around 4:30 p.m. at the Pickle Room, 126 E. Canon Perdido, site of the former Jimmy’s Oriental Gardens across the street from the Presidio.
Guests are advised to wear comfortable walking shoes and to bring hat, cameras and questions.
— Bill Macfadyen is Noozhawk’s founder and publisher. Contact him at wmacfadyen@noozhawk.com, follow him on Twitter: @noozhawk, or click here to read previous columns. The opinions expressed are his own.
