Traffic Predict
Santa Monica to Santa Barbara: Thanksgiving Traffic 2026
On the Wednesday before Thanksgiving (November 25), the drive from Santa Monica to Santa Barbara is longest leaving around 3:30 pm: about 162 minutes, 8 minutes less than on a normal Wednesday. Leave around 9 am (105 minutes) or 9 pm (99 minutes) instead. Coming back on Sunday, November 29, the slowest time to leave is around 12:30 pm (125 minutes); around 6 pm it takes 96 minutes.
Day by day
- Tuesday, November 24: fastest leaving around 6 am (103 minutes), slowest around 3:30 pm (177 minutes, about like a normal Tuesday).
- Wednesday, November 25: fastest leaving around 8 pm (99 minutes), slowest around 3:30 pm (162 minutes, 8 minutes less than a normal Wednesday).
- Thursday, November 26: fastest leaving around 9 am (94 minutes), slowest around 3 pm (149 minutes, 25 minutes less than a normal Thursday).
- Friday, November 27: fastest leaving around 7:30 am (94 minutes), slowest around 3 pm (147 minutes, 26 minutes less than a normal Friday).
- Saturday, November 28: fastest leaving around 6:30 pm (96 minutes), slowest around 11 am (131 minutes, about like a normal Saturday).
- Sunday, November 29: fastest leaving around 6 pm (96 minutes), slowest around 12:30 pm (125 minutes, 3 minutes less than a normal Sunday).
Drive time by departure
| Leave | 5am | 6am | 7am | 8am | 9am | 10am | 11am | 12pm | 1pm | 2pm | 3pm | 4pm | 5pm | 6pm | 7pm | 8pm | 9pm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tue Nov 24 | 97 | 103 | 113 | 111 | 108 | 111 | 120 | 126 | 131 | 152 | 174 | 175 | 153 | 130 | 114 | 103 | 98 |
| Wed Nov 25 | 95 | 101 | 113 | 110 | 105 | 111 | 123 | 130 | 138 | 151 | 161 | 158 | 139 | 120 | 107 | 99 | 99 |
| Thu Nov 26 | 93 | 96 | 100 | 97 | 94 | 98 | 112 | 118 | 123 | 132 | 149 | 146 | 132 | 110 | 102 | 100 | 99 |
| Fri Nov 27 | 94 | 95 | 97 | 95 | 102 | 115 | 126 | 130 | 130 | 139 | 147 | 142 | 128 | 107 | 96 | 96 | 95 |
| Sat Nov 28 | 97 | 97 | 97 | 98 | 102 | 118 | 131 | 128 | 124 | 120 | 113 | 110 | 102 | 96 | 96 | 98 | 97 |
| Sun Nov 29 | 97 | 97 | 96 | 96 | 98 | 112 | 121 | 125 | 122 | 117 | 112 | 108 | 99 | 96 | 97 | 98 | 96 |
Minutes for the 92-mile drive, streets included (hover a cell for a normal day). Estimated from this trip's typical speeds and how much each freeway on it sped up or slowed down on past Thanksgivings (2016 onward, leaving out 2020), hour by hour. A crash or storm can change any single day.
Santa Monica to Santa Barbara on a normal day →
Thanksgiving traffic across California · Traffic estimator
Questions
What is the worst time to drive from Santa Monica to Santa Barbara for Thanksgiving?
On the Wednesday before Thanksgiving (November 25), the drive from Santa Monica to Santa Barbara is longest leaving around 3:30 pm: about 162 minutes, 8 minutes less than on a normal Wednesday. Leave around 9 am (105 minutes) or 9 pm (99 minutes) instead. Coming back on Sunday, November 29, the slowest time to leave is around 12:30 pm (125 minutes); around 6 pm it takes 96 minutes.
How long does the drive from Santa Monica to Santa Barbara take over Thanksgiving?
Tuesday, November 24: fastest leaving around 6 am (103 minutes), slowest around 3:30 pm (177 minutes, about like a normal Tuesday). Wednesday, November 25: fastest leaving around 8 pm (99 minutes), slowest around 3:30 pm (162 minutes, 8 minutes less than a normal Wednesday). Thursday, November 26: fastest leaving around 9 am (94 minutes), slowest around 3 pm (149 minutes, 25 minutes less than a normal Thursday). Friday, November 27: fastest leaving around 7:30 am (94 minutes), slowest around 3 pm (147 minutes, 26 minutes less than a normal Friday). Saturday, November 28: fastest leaving around 6:30 pm (96 minutes), slowest around 11 am (131 minutes, about like a normal Saturday). Sunday, November 29: fastest leaving around 6 pm (96 minutes), slowest around 12:30 pm (125 minutes, 3 minutes less than a normal Sunday).