Given our plentiful fair weather, and that our city name includes “Santa,” we are always (at least a little bit) in the holiday spirit here on the South Coast. But every year in December that kicks into high gear when there are marvelous displays of holiday lights in Santa Barbara where you and your family can have a wonderful time driving around seeing the festive decorations — if you know where to look.

This time of year I always visit local Harley Hahn’s Santa Barbara Holiday Lights Tour website at tinyurl.com/sblighttour which was just updated for 2023. It gives you turn-by-turn directions to see neighborhoods with the best holiday light displays. No tour bus needed!

The tour ends at 3729 Monterey Pines Street (near the YMCA on Hitchcock Way) where the real, live Santa will be waiting to greet children on Saturdays and Sundays from 5-7 p.m. including Christmas Eve.

Santa is ready to greet your children on Saturdays and Sundays from 5-7 p.m., including Christmas Eve, at 3729 Monterey Pines Street in Santa Barbara. Photos by The Restaurant Guy