Ghost Hunting, Ghost Tours,
Ghost Stories over Wine Tasting and Cocktails.

Are you ghost curious?

There are specific points in the El Pueblo Viejo Historic District of Downtown Santa Barbara that have paranormal phenomena. Think that old buildings are the only reason Santa Barbara is such a paranormal hot spot? Let’s start with something called a Corpse Road. This was a path taken by a funerary procession to move the dead to its burial place. Any route a coffin was carried along automatically became a public right of way. Spirits of the dead moved through the physical landscape along these special routes on a direct course close to the ground in a straight line. The paths ended or originated at a cemetery. These Corpse Roads often ran along ancient Ley lines.

Ley lines make paranormal activity more intense and buildings really haunted.  So much so, the founder of a large Spiritualist community who lived in Santa Barbara, purchased 1,050 acres right here along the sea for his fellow spiritualists from around the country to join him and his family in regular communion with their dearly departed.

Piqued your curiosity yet? Let’s begin your paranormal adventure!

Our Tours & Experiences

What to Expect.

Ghost stories told around a campfire typically begin with “It was a dark and stormy night…” Then the plot unravels to reveal a paranormal entity that is the cause of the haunting. But a burning question that remains is, what type of paranormal entity is it?

What makes our tours different than other ghost tours, is that we tell you the type of paranormal entity it is for every ghost story. We have identified three paranormal types: 1) Intelligent, 2) Residual and 3) Nonhuman.

Another thing that sets us apart from other ghost tours is that our stories, which are curated content from first-hand accounts, are told through the lens of a paranormal investigator. In addition, you will use authentic ghost hunting equipment as well as engage in paranormal sensory experiences. Every story/experience is unique and each tour is designed to be done independently. You can also combine them for the ultimate paranormal adventure.

Year-Round Tours

Paranormal Encounters

1hr 30min, $55/person

Walking tour through unique haunted locations in Presidio East with paranormal sensory experiences and using ghost hunting equipment.

Fridays at 7pm

Walking Tour

Raincheck

Creepy Cocktail Crawl

1hr 15min, $50/person

2hrs, $75/person

Bar crawl with either 2 stops or 3 stops to hear creepy tales told over cocktails.

Fridays at 9pm

Cocktails

Age: 21+

Raincheck

Ghost Hunt

1hr 30min, $55/person

Walking tour through unique haunted locations in both Presidio East and West with paranormal sensory experiences and using ghost hunting equipment.

Saturdays at 7pm

Walking Tour

Raincheck

Postmortem Paranormal Nightcap

1hr, $35/person

Paranormal debrief over a cocktail at a local haunt.

Saturdays at 9pm

Cocktails

Age: 21+

Rain or Shine

Wine Pair-a-Normal

1hr 45min, $75/person

Wine Tasting followed by a walking tour through unique haunted locations in Presidio West using ghost hunting equipment. 

Sundays at 5pm

Wine Tasting

Age: 21+

Raincheck

Spooky Stroll

1hr 30min, $55/person

Walking tour through unique haunted locations in Presidio East with bonus story and paranormal investigation using ghost hunting equipment.

Sundays at 7pm

Walking Tour

Raincheck

Empty For CSS
Historical significance: Completed in 1937. Prominent example of Mission Revival-influenced Art Deco design. Designed in the mid-1930s by Pasadena architect Reginald Davis Johnson. Streamline Moderne interior reliefs are by William Atkinson. Placed on the National Register of Historic Places on January 11, 1985. 
Paranormal classifications: Intelligent, Residual and Nonhuman. Actively haunted by multiple entities both inside and on the grounds.
Associated tours
– Paranormal Encounters
– Spooky Stroll
Historic Downtown Post Office
Historical significance: Completed in 1937. Prominent example of Mission Revival-influenced Art Deco design. Designed in the mid-1930s by Pasadena architect Reginald Davis Johnson. Streamline Moderne interior reliefs are by William Atkinson. Placed on the National Register of Historic Places on January 11, 1985. 
Paranormal classifications: Intelligent, Residual and Nonhuman. Actively haunted by multiple entities both inside and on the grounds.
Associated tours
– Paranormal Encounters
– Spooky Stroll
Oldest Building in Santa Barbara
Historical significance: Original adobe structure called El Cuartel. One of the two remaining original sections of the Presidio. Family residence of the soldier assigned to guard the western gate. Oldest remaining structure in Santa Barbara and second oldest remaining structure in California.
Paranormal classifications: Intelligent. Actively haunted by at least two entities both inside and on the grounds. 
Associated tours
– Ghost Hunt
El Presidio de Santa Bárbara State Historic Park
Historical significance: Last military outpost built by Spain in the New World. One of four in California. Became a California Historical Landmark in 1958. Listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 1973. 
Paranormal classifications: Intelligent and Residual. Actively haunted by multiple entities on the grounds. 
Associated tours
– Paranormal Encounters
– Ghost Hunt 
Chinatown
Historical significance: Two blocks of Canon Perdido Street between State Street and Santa Barbara Street. Chinese immigrants arrived in Santa Barbara as early as the 1860s. During the rebuilding that took place after the 1925 Santa Barbara earthquake, prominent local property owners dismantled old Chinatown in the attempt to create a cohesive Spanish colonial revival look for the city’s downtown commercial district.
Paranormal classifications: Intelligent, Residual and Nonhuman. Haunted by multiple entities both inside and on the grounds. 
Associated tours
– Paranormal Encounters
– Ghost Hunt
Casa de la Guerra
Historical significanceAdobe residence constructed between 1818 and 1828 for José de la Guerra, the fifth comandante of the Presidio. José’s children and grandchildren occupied the building until 1943, when the Casa was fully incorporated into the El Paseo complex. In the 1990s, the Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation restored the building to its appearance between 1828 and 1858. The Casa is a Santa Barbara City Landmark and a California Historical Landmark. It is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Paranormal classifications: Intelligent. Haunted by at least two entities inside the original 200-year-old bodega. Considered to be the oldest wine cellar in Santa Barbara and potentially in the State of California.
Associated tours
– Ghost Hunt
City Hall

Historical significanceLocated on Plaza de la Guerra. Opened its doors in 1924. Designed by the architectural firm of Sauter and Lockard in the Spanish Colonial Revival style. 

Paranormal classifications: Intelligent. Actively haunted by at least two entities on the grounds at the rear of the property.
Associated tours
– Ghost Hunt
Historic Presidio Avenue
Historical significance: The oldest street in Santa Barbara. Flanked by the Guard’s House on one side and the Presidio Gardens, site of the Presidio parade grounds, on the other.
Paranormal classifications: Residual. 
Associated tours
– Wine Pair-a-normal
Shops at El Paseo
Historical significanceOutdoor shopping area embodying the Spanish Colonial style with red tile roofs, courtyards, flower-festooned buildings and winding paseos. Dating from the 1920s, El Paseo is home to seven premier wine tasting rooms, part of the Presidio neighborhood portion of the Urban Wine Trail. 
Paranormal classifications: Intelligent and Residual. Actively haunted by multiple entities on the grounds; most notably in the basements and underground tunnels.
Associated tours
– Ghost Hunt 
– Wine Pair-a-normal
The Lobero Theatre
Historical significance: California’s oldest, continuously operating theatre. Originally built as an opera house, in a refurbished adobe school building, by Italian immigrant José Lobero in 1873. When the building began to deteriorate in the 1920s, architects George Washington Smith and Lutah Maria Riggs rebuilt it in 1924 as a theater in the Spanish Colonial Revival style. Registered as a California historical landmark in 1939. Designated a city landmark in 1981.
Paranormal classifications: Intelligent and Nonhuman. Actively haunted by multiple entities inside the theatre.
Associated tours
– Wine Pair-a-normal

About Your Tour Guide

Joseph Soltis
Owner & Guide

Joseph is a Scorpio born on Halloween. In the zodiac, the power of Halloween is represented by the sign Scorpio, a water sign. Water is a natural conductor of paranormal energy. Scorpios are also the descendants of the keepers of the Samhain rites held sacred by the ancient world. The true occult power of Scorpio lies in its ability to connect with the invisible dimensions of life, celebrated so long ago at Samhain.

Joseph specializes in the paranormal and has identified specific points in the El Pueblo Viejo Historic District of Downtown Santa Barbara that have paranormal phenomena.

Private Group Tours & Corporate Events

Don’t see the tour or experience you are looking for?

We can customize the perfect evening for you in Santa Barbara with a private tour or experience. For more information about our offerings, please email us at: hello@paranormalsb.com.

What Our Clients Say

Joseph was very passionate and asked us questions to help us be involved. When back in town, will definitely look into another one.
Patricia M.
The entire tour was memorable. My daughter and I had a great time and learned so much from our guide.

Sheryl M.

Excellent tour! Our tour guide was very experienced in the paranormal and kept us highly engaged throughout the tour.
Roberto R.
We had a great experience! Joseph was amazing! He is a great story teller! We are so glad that we did this! We look to do it again.

Troy F.

Joseph was wonderful! He really made the experience great for us believers! He added to the experience with history.

Becky M.

The history of the town in fun and interesting stories rather than just “facts”. Our guide was well versed and took time to engage us rather than just recite a rehearsed script.

Eric C.

Neither of us have ever been to Santa Barbara. The tour was AMAZING!!! Full of history, ghostly tales, and even first hand paranormal experiences!!! We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and learned so much. We’re so glad we chose this ghost tour and highly recommended it and our AMAZING tour guide. We had so much fun!
Joanie M.
Mine and my husbands tour guide was Joseph! He was wonderful and very descriptive! We aren’t from California so he made sure we new more than the average Californian while explaining certain things! Spooky stories and even caught something on camera. It was a nice foggy night too. So much fun and learned so much. I recommend ANYONE! I’m so sensitive to energy and my husband really isn’t or so I thought. It’s impossible going on this tour without feeling anything. Thanks so much!!!
Jasmine B.
I loved the knowledgeable guide Joseph who provided a comprehensive history of the area as well as the paranormal happenings over the years. He was so great that we hung out after the tour and asked him tons of questions, which he seemed happy to answer. He has a true passion for the paranormal and it was infectious!
Gibbster L.
My dad and I came out to the ghost tours with Joseph as our tour guide and had a great time. There was tons of great history as well as pretty spooky encounters. Super fun!
Brayden B.

For Tour & Experience Inquiries

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(908) 295-4712
Available Monday to Friday 9am–6pm PT

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(908) 285-4712
Available daily

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