Harley Hahn - Santa Barbara Christmas Lights

Holidays and Celebrations

Santa Barbara Holiday Light Tour

Every year in December, there are wonderful displays of holiday lights in Santa Barbara, California. If you live there or if you happen to be visiting, you can have a wonderful time driving around looking at the festive decorations — if you know where to look.

When you have some time on a December evening, the directions below will take you on an amazing tour of the Santa Barbara holiday lights. If you drive at a reasonably slow pace, the entire route will take you about an hour.

Hint: If you don't know your way around Santa Barbara, it is a good idea to take a map or GPS with you, in case you accidentally stray from the route.

If you only have time to visit one place, the most spectacular display is on 1209 E. Quinientos St, on the east side of Santa Barbara, just past Soledad Street (map).

For your holiday pleasure, here is an extra special holiday Web site for you to visit:

Accidental Santa

For information about Santa Barbara: places to stay, restaurants, activities, attractions, and so on...

SantaBarbara.com


THE SANTA BARBARA HOLIDAY LIGHT TOUR
Last updated: Wednesday, December 14, 2011.
The full Holiday Light Tour takes about 1 hour if you drive slow. To see the most lights, start your tour by 8:30 pm.
There are two parts to this tour: Part 1 takes you through Santa Barbara downtown and the West Side. Part 2 takes you to the East Side.

To drive to the beginning of the Holiday Light Tour:
Take Highway 101 to the Garden Street exit and turn towards the ocean. (From the north, turn left; from the south turn right.)
Drive one block south to East Yanonali Street. Turn right, and drive five blocks to State Street.
To start the tour, you will turn right on State Street, away from the ocean.

Start of Part 1 of the Holiday Light Tour: State and East Yanonali
Right	→	State
Left	→	Valerio
Left	→	De La Vina
Right	→	Micheltorena
Right	→	Mountain Ave
Left	→	Valerio
Right	→	Hillside
Right	→	Manitou
Right	→	Clearview
Left	→	Valerio
Left	→	Mountain
Left	→	Portesuello
Cross Las Positas and continue straight on VERONICA SPRINGS.
Right	→	Veronica Place
At the end of the street, make a U-Turn.
Left	→	Las Positas
Left	→	Las Positas Place
At the end of the street, make a U-Turn.
Left	→	Las Positas
This is the end of Part 1 of the Holiday Light Tour.

To get to Part 2 of the Holiday Light Tour, you will take a short drive on Highway 101 South to the East Side. Continue north on Las Positas.
Right	→	Highway 101 South
Right	→	Exit 96A, Milpas Street North
Drive under the bridge and through the roundabout. Continue north on Milpas (away from the ocean) to East Montecito Street.

Start of Part 2 of the Holiday Light Tour: Milpas and Montecito
Right	→	Montecito
At the 3-way intersection bear right. Stay on Montecito Street.
Right	→	Yanonali
Left	→	Soledad
Left	→	Quinientos
Right	→	Cañada
Right	→	Carpinteria
Right	→	La Cadena
Left	→	Quinientos
Left	→	Voluntario
Right	→	Carpinteria

End of Holiday Light Tour: Voluntario and Carpinteria
To return to Highway 101, continue west on Carpenteria to Milpas. At Milpas, enter the roundabout.
101 North: Look for the sign on your right on the other side of the roundabout.
101 South: Go all the way around the roundabout and drive under the bridge. Continue south on Milpas (towards the ocean). Look for the sign for 101 South on your left.

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