Harley Hahn - Santa Barbara Christmas Lights

Holidays and Celebrations

The Santa Barbara
Holiday Light Tour

Updated for 2024 on Tuesday December 3.

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

The free Santa Barbara Holiday Light Tour was originally published on Sunday December 6, 2009. Since then, I have updated it every year at the beginning of December.

This year's tour is dedicated to the memory of longtime
Santa Barbara (Mesa) resident Maria Tanner.

Remembering Maria Tanner
https://www.mariatanner.com/

For your holiday pleasure, here are some other special features you might also enjoy...

Holidays and Celebrations (by Harley Hahn)

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

SantaBarbara.com (by John Dickson)

Preparing for the Tour

When you have some time on a December evening, the directions below will take you on an amazing free tour of the Santa Barbara holiday lights.

How long is the tour? What is the best time to go on the tour?

If you slow down to look at all the lights, the full Holiday Light Tour will take about an hour and a half.

For that reason, I recommend that you start early, sometime between 5:30 pm and 6:30 pm.

What if I don't have that much time?

If you only have time to visit one place, visit the area near Las Positas Road and Veronica Springs Road (display a map). Here you will see two spectacular displays:

Veronica Place • Hillside House

These two areas are part of the tour, so if you follow the directions below you will see both of them and a lot more (including the Musical House).

I have heard about the Musical House. What is it?

You'll find out... (in Part 3 of the tour)

Will I see Santa Claus?

It's possible.

On certain days in December, Santa will be waiting for you outside the house where he stays when he visits Santa Barbara. The address is 3729 Monterey Pines, Santa Barbara CA, 93105 (display a map).

In 2024. You can visit Santa Claus in person from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm on the following evenings:

Saturday December 7
Sunday December 8

Saturday December 14
Sunday December 15

Saturday December 21
Sunday December 22

Hint from Harley

To make it easy to read the driving directions in your car, print a copy of this Web page to take with you (along with a light).

This is a lot easier than trying to read the directions on your phone or tablet.

Directions for the
Santa Barbara Holiday Light Tour

There are five parts to this tour:

• Part 1 runs through downtown Santa Barbara.
• Part 2 visits the West Side.
• Part 3 takes you over the Portesuello Hills.
• Part 4 is to the west of Las Positas.
• Part 5 finishes by taking you to the Hitchcock area.

The layout of streets in Santa Barbara is convoluted and some corners do not have street signs. If you don't know your way around, drive slowly. Alternatively, it is a good idea to take a map(*) or a real estate agent with you, in case you accidentally stray from the route.

* If you are not sure what a map is, ask your grandparents.

The beginning of the Holiday Light Tour: State and Carrillo.

The tour starts heading east (towards the mountains) on CARRILLO STREET at CHAPALA STREET, so we can begin with the wonderful lights in downtown Santa Barbara.

If you are not sure how to get to State and Chapala, here are the directions:

• Take Highway 101 to the CARRILLO STREET exit and turn east (away from the ocean). From 101 South, take Exit 98 and turn left; from 101 North take Exit 98A and turn right.

then...

• Drive four blocks east (towards downtown) to the stoplight at CHAPALA STREET.

Here is something to look for along the way. Just after you pass Bath Street, you will see a small street named St. Vincent Ave. As you near St. Vincent, look up to your right: on top of a small building you will see a large brightly colored image of a teddy bear all ready for the holidays.

When you get to Chapala, you are ready to start the tour.

Gamle Nalle, the Wonderful Teddy Bear

In case you are wondering who the bear is, I can tell you that he looks a lot like the famous teddy bear Gamle Nalle (who is now 62 years old).

If you would like to learn about Gamle Nalle, here are two pages to visit:

Who is Gamle Nalle, the wonderful Teddy Bear?

Read a wonderful story about Gamle Nalle.


Part 1 of the Holiday Light Tour: Downtown Santa Barbara.
On Carrillo heading towards downtown...
As you approach the stoplight at Carrillo and Chapala, slow down and take a moment to look to your left. In front of the Ralph's parking lot, you will see the largest holiday tree in Santa Barbara.
Once you have seen the big tree, turn left onto CHAPALA STREET.
Left	→	Chapala
Drive two blocks, then turn right onto W ANAPAMU STREET.
Right	→	Anapamu
When you get to the next stoplight you are at State Street, the main street of downtown Santa Barbara.
You are now in the middle of the Santa Barbara Promenade, a pedestrian mall in the heart of downtown Santa Barbara. Because this part of State Street is closed to traffic, you can slow down (if there are no cars behind you). Take some time to look to both the left and right, and you will see magnificent lights and decorations.
Continue through the intersection and drive two blocks to SANTA BARBARA STREET where you will turn left.
Continue	→	Anapamu
Left	→	Santa Barbara
Drive one block and turn left onto E VICTORIA STREET.
Left	→	Victoria
Drive two blocks until you reach STATE STREET. You are now at the top (north end) of the Santa Barbara Promenade. This time, you are facing the opposite direction so the lights on the promenade will look different.
At the flashing red stoplight, stop and then turn right on STATE STREET.
Right	→	State
To your left, just before the Arlington Theatre, you will see a huge holiday tree. Continue four more blocks and turn left on W VALERIO STREET.
Continue	→	State
Left	→	Valerio
Drive two blocks and turn left on DE LA VINA STREET.
Left	→	De La Vina
The first street you will come to is W ARRELLAGA STREET. As you pass through the intersection, pull over to either the right or the left (it's a one-way street), and park your car for moment on DE LA VINA. Notice the elaborate displays. In particular, take a look at the large skeleton in front of the corner house on your left.
When you are ready to move on, continue one block down DE LA VINA and turn right onto W MICHELTORENA STREET. As you approach the end of the block, slow down and notice the elaborate display on your right.
Continue	→	De La Vina
Right	→	Micheltorena
Continue straight on MICHELTORENA until you get to the bridge. Cross the bridge.
Continue	→	Micheltorena Bridge


Part 2 of the Holiday Light Tour: Santa Barbara West Side.
After you cross the Micheltorena bridge, you will come to a stoplight at SAN ANDRES STREET. You are now on the West Side.
Drive straight on MICHELTORENA through the stoplight. Go one more block and turn right on CHINO STREET.
Continue	→	Micheltorena
Right	→	Chino
Drive slowly for six blocks, looking at the lights, until you get to the stop sign at W MISSION STREET.
Cross MISSION and continue on CHINO as it curves to the left and then straightens out.
Continue	→	CHINO
Turn left on EUCALYPTUS AVENUE and follow the curves until you get to GILLESPIE STREET.
Left	→	Eucalyptus
Left	→	Gillespie
When you get to the stop sign, cross back over MISSION.
Continue	→	Gillespie
Left	→	Pedregosa
Right	→	Chino
Drive five blocks on CHINO to MICHELTORENA.
Right	→	Micheltorena
Left	→	Kowalski
Halfway down the block, stop and look on your right at the Santa Claus, the Snow Man, and other large decorations.
Continue	→	Kowalski
Right	→	Sola
At the T-intersection turn right on MOUNTAIN AVE. Continue until you get to a stop sign at W VALERIO STREET.
Right	→	Mountain
Left	→	Valerio Street
Turn right at the first street, CLEARVIEW ROAD.
Right	→	Clearview
At the stop sign, turn right on MANITOU ROAD.
Right	→	Manitou
In a few seconds, as you go down the hill, MANITOU ROAD will turn into PEDREGOSA STREET. Bear right as the street curves gently. Continue until you get to ROBBINS STREET and then turn right.
Continue	→	Pedregosa Street
Right	→	Robbins Street
Turn right on VALERIO STREET and then, one block later, turn right on MOUNTAIN AVENUE.
Right	→	Valerio Street
Right	→	Mountain Avenue


Part 3 of the Holiday Light Tour: The Portesuello Hills.
Continue to the end of MOUNTAIN AVENUE, driving uphill through several slow curves, until you see a stop sign at a T-intersection.
Left	→	Portesuello
Drive up the steep curving hill and continue on PORTESUELLO AVENUE for a few minutes. Look for CRESTLINE DRIVE on your left. It comes one block after BEL AIR DRIVE.
Left	→	Crestline
On the corners, you will see three especially attractive holiday light displays. However, don't stop just yet. We will be back at this intersection in a few minutes — coming from a better direction — at which time you can stop.
Right	→	Rialto
Go down the hill and, as you approach the bottom, look up above the bottom house. In the distance, there is a high ridge. At the top, you will see a beautiful line of brightly lit palm trees. You will see these palm trees from several other places on the tour.
At the end of the street, make a U-Turn. Then go back down CRESTLINE.
U-Turn	→	Riato
Left	→	Crestline
As you approach the bottom of the hill, slow down and stop when you get to PORTESUELLO. Look to your left and you will see the Musical House, a most wonderful place to visit.
Not to worry, we'll return to the Musical House in a few minutes. For now, take a few moments to look at the houses on your right. Then drive through PORTESUELLO and continue on CRESTLINE as it curves to the right.
Continue	→	Crestline
At the very end of the street, make a U-Turn.
U-Turn	→	Crestline
On your way back up the hill, drive slowly and look for SONORA. Then turn left to return to PORTESUELLO, where you will turn right.
Left	→	Sonora
Right	→	Portesuello
Continue on PORTESUELLO until, once again, you see CRESTLINE. Slowly continue straight through the intersection and immediately pull over to the right and park.
You are now across the street from the Musical House, which is on the southwest corner of Portesuello and Crestline to your left.

Hint from Harley

Plan on spending 10 minutes right where you are, parked across the street from the Musical House.

When you park, please turn off your headlights so they don't shine into the other cars that are parked near the Musical House.

What is The Musical House?

The first thing you will notice about the Musical House is that it features a stunning variety of large light displays: circles, squares, rectangles, cones, and so on.

Look closer and you will see that the shapes, sizes, and colors are continually changing and pulsating in an irregular, somewhat disconcerting pattern. The more you look at it, the more you will wonder: "What is the mysterious rhythm, and what does it mean?" Clearly, there is something happening here that you don't understand.

To be sure, the irregular rhythms and the unusual light patterns are interesting on their own, and worth at least a few minutes of your time. However, as the famous American singer Al Jolson (ask your great-grandparents) used to say: "You ain't seen nothing yet."

Turn on your car radio and tune to 92.5 FM. As you listen to the bouncy, catchy music, take another look again at the Musical House. What you see is nothing less than a light show that is beautifully choreographed to the rhythm and melody of the music.

The mysterious colored light patterns really do have meaning.

Now sit back, watch and listen patiently. See what happens after a few minutes.

How does it work?

A computerized system is using the musical sounds as a stimulus to modify the colors, shapes, rhythms, and pulsing of the displays, according to a sophisticated pre-programmed arrangement.

At the same time, a microbroadcasting (very low-power) system is emitting the sounds over a frequency of 92.5 MHz (megahertz), which can be picked up by any FM radio within a radius of a block or so. (When you drive away, you will notice the music fades.)

As you watch and listen for a few minutes, the perfectly synchronized combination of music and integrated light patterns stimulates the visual and the auditory parts of your brain in a way that produces a very pleasant, relaxing, altered state of consciousness.

Hint from Harley

If you have a chance to drive by this location late at night, you will find that the Musical House is an enchanting place to visit with your favorite person.

Between 10:00 pm to 11:00 pm, all the lights are turned on and dimmed. The music then changes to mellow George Winston instrumental songs.

Sit back, relax and listen, and you and your special someone will soon begin to feel the profound sense of peace and tranquility that transcends the illusions of time.

As I told George Gershwin the first time we visited the Musical House together, "We got rhythm, we got music, who could ask for anything more?"


Once you are ready to leave the Musical House, continue on PORTESUELLO until you start going down a long hill. As you drive down the hill, look at the top of the distant ridge. Once again, you will see the beautiful row of illuminated palms trees.
Continue	→	Portesuello
At the bottom of the hill, you will be at a stoplight on LAS POSITAS ROAD. Go straight through the stoplight and cross LAS POSITAS. You will end up on VERONICA SPRINGS ROAD.


Part 4 of the Holiday Light Tour: West of Las Positas.
As you cross Las Positas, you will enter VERONICA SPRINGS ROAD.
Continue	→	Victoria Springs
Drive slowly as the road curves to the right. You are looking for the first street on your right, VERONICA PLACE. (It comes up quickly.)
Note: On your left you will see a large property with a lot of lights and attractive displays. Leave it for now. I promise you, in a few minutes, we will come back and explore it in detail. But first, we need to turn right and take a look at a short but remarkable street.
Right	→	Veronica Place
Veronica Place is a very short street that ends in a cul-de-sac. Although Veronica Place has only 15 houses, most of them have large, attractive displays, making this a delightful holiday street.
Drive slowly, and when you reach the end of the street, make a U-turn.
U-Turn	→	Veronica Place
When you reach the exit of Veronica Place, stop and look straight ahead. Across the street, you will see the Hillside House, a residential facility for people with developmental disabilities. As you can see, they have a large, very beautiful display on their grounds.
Cross the street and enter the complex by making a short left followed by a quick right.
Left	→	Veronica Place
Right	→	Hillside House entrance
Important: When you enter the property, be sure that you TURN RIGHT to follow a one-way counter-clockwise loop around the entire display area.
Right	→	Hillside House loop
As you go around the loop, please drive slowly and carefully.
If you want, once you are at the far end of the loop you can park your car. If you have children with you, this is a safe place to let them out of the car to walk around and look at the wonderful displays.
Continue	→	Hillside House loop
At the end of the Hillside House loop, as you exit the property, turn right on VERONICA SPRINGS.
Right	→	Veronica Springs
In a few seconds, you will be back at the stoplight at LOS POSITAS, where you will turn left.
Left	→	Las Positas
At this point, you must pay attention and drive carefully. When you get to the first gentle curve, SLOW DOWN. Turn at the first left onto LAS POSITAS PLACE.
Important: Be especially careful making the left turn onto Los Positas Place. If there are a lot of cars, you will need to be patient.
Left	→	Las Positas Place
As you make the turn, look up in the distance and you will, for the last time, see the long line of brightly lit palm trees on top of the distant hill.
At the end of the street, make a U-Turn.
U-Turn	→	Las Positas Place
When you get back to LAS POSITAS, you must be especially careful because there may be a lot of cars. Be patient.
Left	→	Las Positas


Part 5 of the Holiday Light Tour: The Hitchcock Area.
To get to Part 5 of the Holiday Light Tour, you will take a short drive down Calle Real to the Hitchcock Area.
Continue	→	Las Positas
Continue north on LAS POSITAS, through the stoplight at MODOC ROAD. As you drive over the freeway, get into the left lane as you will soon turn left. At the next stoplight, CALLE REAL, look to your left and you will see the fairgrounds and the entrance to Highway 101 North. This is where you turn.
Left	→	Calle Real
As you make the turn, get in the right lane and drive through the first stoplight. You are now on CALLE REAL, the frontage road. You will see the Fairgrounds on your right and the freeway on your left.
Continue	→	Calle Real
Once you pass the fairgrounds, slow down and look to your right. You are looking for a small street called APPLE GROVE LANE, four blocks past the end of the Fairgrounds.
Right	→	Apple Grove
At the first block, turn left on CORDERO ROAD, then left on PEACH GROVE LANE to return to CALLE REAL, where you will turn right.
Continue	→	Apple Grove
Left	→	Peach Grove
We are now on our way to the last stop on our tour: the house where Santa Claus stays when he visits Santa Barbara (display a map).
Right	→	Calle Real
Continue (west) on CALLE REAL until you come to the stoplight at HITCHCOCK WAY.
Right	→	Hitchcock
Continue past the car dealerships, the movie theatre, and the Natural Cafe restaurant (which is expensive and puts too much salt in their soup). In 10 seconds, slow down and look on your right for MONTEREY PINE STREET.
Right	→	Monterey Pine
Drive a short distance until the street begins to curve to the left. At this point, park your car and look straight ahead. You will see a row of four cottages glowing in a dazzling display of lights. Take a moment to get out of the car and walk closer to appreciate the complexity and the beauty of the display. This display is a collaborative effort led by Santa Mike. (There are over 5,000 lights.)
If it happens to be a Saturday and Sunday evening in December (before Christmas Day) from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm, you are in luck. You and your kids will see Santa Claus sitting in a sparkling tent.

As a special treat, Santa will have some custom-made coins to hand out to children. They are plastic, so it's easy to sanitize them. (The coins, not the children.)
When you are ready to move on, do NOT make a U-turn and go back the way you came. Instead, you will make a loop to get back to HITCHCOCK WAY. It's a bit tricky, but it will only take a minute.
To start the loop, turn left. (You are still on MONTEREY PINE STREET.)
left	→	Monterey Pine
Drive over two speed bumps and turn left at the row of carports.
Left	→	at the carports
After you go over two more speed bumps, bear right. Then drive over one more speed bump and drive to the stop sign.
At the stop sign, turn left. Then turn left again on HITCHCOCK WAY.
Left	→	at the stop sign
Left	→	Hitchcock
At the end of HITCHCOCK WAY, turn left at the stoplight onto CALLE REAL.
Left	→	Calle Real
Continue until you get to the stoplight at Las Positas. At this point, the fairgrounds will be on your left and you are near the entrances to Highway 101 North and South.
You are now at the end of the Santa Barbara Holiday Light Tour.

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