7 Reasons to Visit Santa Barbara in Winter
Published November 2021 | Updated November 2024
Santa Barbara is one of those places that is great all year round! Summer is the most popular time to visit, but winter might just be my favorite time to be in Santa Barbara.
A cozy, coastal getaway is the Californian way to celebrate the holiday season. Santa Barbara is still pretty warm with sunny days in winter, which makes it a great place to recover from the winter blues.
With fewer tourists, nice weather, and holiday cheer, I always love to visit Santa Barbara in winter!
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1. Fewer crowds
Santa Barbara is a tourist town that brings in millions of visitors each year. Most of those visitors come during the summer months (May-August), which is why winter is a great time to visit.
The crowds have dwindled down significantly so you can enjoy Santa Barbara in all its glory without the distraction (and annoyance) of crowds.
Fewer crowds means you will have more of the beach to yourself, you don’t really need to worry about reservations, and you can enjoy downtown without the stress of navigating through all the people. Plus, there’s a higher chance you’ll have all the best photo spots to yourself!
2. Best Sunsets
The most beautiful sunsets I’ve ever seen have been during winter in Santa Barbara. It is the best time and place to be for sunset-watching!
Although the sun does not set directly over the water in winter due to the direction the Santa Barbara coast faces, the sunsets are still stunning. They are best in winter on a somewhat cloudy day because the sun hits the clouds and makes them incredibly colorful.
I find that winter in Santa Barbara has the most pink and orange sunsets, as well as super “fiery” ones where it just keeps getting better and better as the sun goes lower!
A few of my favorite beaches to catch sunset:
Devereaux Beach, Isla Visa
Butterfly Beach, Montecito
Leadbetter Beach, Santa Barbara
Even if you’re just doing a day trip to Santa Barbara, it’s worth staying to watch the sunset! Plus, with sunset being earlier in winter, you have time for a romantic dinner at one of Santa Barbara’s best restaurants.
Devereux Beach
Butterfly Beach
Leadbetter Beach
3. Great Weather
It’s no secret that California, particularly Southern California, is an ideal place to spend time in the winter months if you want to escape the cold and gray. Santa Barbara is beautiful in winter, although it does still get a few rainy days between December and February (an average of 5 days per month).
The average temperature in winter is 65ºF/18ºC. Chilly for Californians, but hot compared to other places in winter!
I’ve spent many winter days in Santa Barbara laying out on the beach! Just be sure to always pack layers because the temperature drops rapidly as soon as the sun starts to go down.
4. Holiday Decor Downtown
Downtown during the holidays is decked out with festive decorations throughout State Street and beyond.
Paseo Nuevo is a cute shopping center where you’ll find a large Christmas tree and Santa Claus. If you time it right, you can hang out under the tree while it “snows”!
La Arcada is in the heart of Santa Barbara’s cultural arts district off of State Street. It has restaurants, shops, and art galleries. It is always filled with classy, beautiful holiday decor.
Bonus: Just 30-40 minutes from Santa Barbara is the adorable town of Solvang, a Dutch-style town that goes all out for the holidays!
La Arcada
La Arcada
Paseo Nuevo
Paseo Nuevo
Looking for things to do in Santa Barbara? Try one of the activities below!
5. Monarch Butterfly Season
The Monarch Butterflies migrate from southern Canada, through the United States, to central Mexico. The best place to spot them near Santa Barbara is the Goleta Butterfly Grove (about 10 miles north of downtown Santa Barbara).
While the butterfly population has been low, you can still see many in the eucalyptus trees. The population rose in 2023 after extremely low numbers in 2020-2021 but has since dropped again.
Even if you don’t spot any butterflies, walking through the Goleta Butterfly Grove is one of my favorite things to do in Santa Barbara – it takes you through eucalyptus groves out to the cliffs with gorgeous ocean views and beach access.
There’s a decent-sized parking lot (free!) and admission to the grove is also free.
6. Great surfing
Although I am a California native, I’ve never surfed! Despite not knowing how to surf, I do know that surfing is best in Santa Barbara in winter! If you don’t want to take my word for it, check out Santa Barbara’s article on the best places to surf in winter.
Even if you aren’t a surfer, there are tons of great beaches in Santa Barbara where you can go and watch, or just enjoy the sunshine and waves.
7. Cheaper Hotels
No matter where you go, the off-season will always have cheaper prices for accommodation. Santa Barbara has many beautiful hotels, as well as smaller bed and breakfasts.
Fewer people visiting Santa Barbara means that hotels lower their prices to entice more visitors. Santa Barbara hotels can still be pricey, but winter is the time to get the best deals!
A few hotels to get you started
Best Overall: Hotel Californian
Best Luxury: Palihouse Santa Barbara
Best Beachfront: Santa Barbara Inn
Best Budget: Inn by the Harbor
Best Boutique: Riviera Beach House
Use the search box below to find hotels for the dates you plan to visit Santa Barbara! If the search box is not loading, try turning off your ad blocker and refreshing the page.
