Santa's Ranch is one of those places that instantly puts you in a good mood the moment you pull in. It's warm, festive, and so full of Christmas spirit that even the Grinch would crack a smile. The light displays are beautiful -- creative, colorful, and way bigger than you expect. Every turn has something new and fun, and we found ourselves pointing things out like little kids. The staff was so kind and welcoming, and the whole experience felt organized and relaxed (no chaos, even with the crowds!). My favorite part? Rolling the windows down, letting the cold air in, and just soaking up that magical holiday feeling. It's the perfect cozy night out with family, kids, or your partner -- hot cocoa in hand, Christmas music on, and nothing but twinkly light happiness. read more

Santa'S Ranch - Festivals Near Me - New Braunfels, Texas

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This place is a lot bigger than I expected. And a lot better than trail of lights in Austin. Trail of lights just displays cardboard cutouts of stuff. This place actually uses lights! I also liked the different themes and music. I took tons of pics but will just post my favorites. read more

Santa'S Ranch - Titanic - Festivals Near Me - New Braunfels, Texas

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We went to Santa's Ranch the other night and had such a great time. From the moment you walk in, there's a cute concession and treats stand with hot cocoa, caramel corn, fun gifts, and even T-shirts, which really sets the tone for the experience. You can tell this place is special, it's family-owned and has been running for 20 years, and that care and tradition truly show. Everything felt festive, welcoming, and well done. I'm so glad we found this spot, and it's definitely a place we'll return to and recommend to others. read more

Santa'S Ranch - Festivals Near Me - New Braunfels, Texas

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Took my MIL & Mom to see the lights! They loved the experience. They raved about it the rest of the night and next day. Both of them had never been to something like this. The lights were beautiful and varied from humorous to just amazing. Since my MIL has mobility issues I think this was a perfect family Christmas outing! read more

Amazing!!! NOTHING short of amazing!! We will return!!! Mesmerizing lights!!! One of a kind displays!!! Great snacks!!!! read more

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Really enjoyed our drive thru experience. The weather was perfect to ride in the back of our truck. Well done exhibits, wonderful Biblical timeline which truly is what Christmas is all about. Lots and lots of lights! We will definitely go back and take friends as it's a great way to enjoy the Christmas Holiday. read more

My family and I really enjoy this light show! It goes through some of the Bible in one spot, so beautiful.

Listen, if you want one of those fancy glitzy light shows like the one down the highway a few miles, this is not it. I've been associated with New Braunfels my entire life. I knew this place was here from way back in the day, over two decades ago. I did not drive through this place until two years ago when my holiday-light obsessed nephews asked me to bring them. This place is fun and light hearted. It's not that serious. They randomly have planets and dinosaurs a sea scapes that have not one thing to do with the holiday season. It's tacky it's cheesy it's cringey and that's why we love it. We get the season pass so we can drive through whenever we want. All told the season pass is about twice what once around will cost you. The sound track is fantastic. Make sure you take a car with an analog car radio. This may not be your speed or be the least bit impressive to you. My family and I love it and will be back each year. It's fair if the price is too steep for you to even give it a try. The light show down the highway is pretty great too. Mayhaps give that one a try. read more

Best drive through lights around! Great experience I would recommend to anyone who Enjoys a good light show.

These guys were amazing. I live far from them and was actually interested in volunteering time with them, tho I did find them because of looking for a lights spot for Xmas. When we got there they had a LOT of lights, and the price was comparable to a place right up the street from me that is kinda chinsey; if you live near or have kids who wanna go multiple times, say yes to a SEASON PASS!!! Finding the place wasn't hard, and they've got things running smoothly. I didn't notice ie hot chocolate on site or anything like that which would be nice but as they do this for their non profit and are kinda far out from the city I get why they may not want to spend money to make more money; we of course traveling from Lá Vernia had our own snacks and a (realllly nice!) Dollar General is right up the street if you're desperate. I like that you could have a Stitch scavenger hunt; we went thru twice and did need a hint. He gets moved around every day. The booth workers were warm and smiling, idk if they're paid or not but for the reaching out on FB with the owner to the booth, the people seemed to genuinely enjoy their work. If I go anywhere and pay for lights, knowing it's to help a non profit alone is why I'd pick them. But bonus that it was very cool and pretty and well arranged with nice workers, too! read more

The line here is a bit difficult to access once it reaches a part of the access road. After that one can only hope that others use common courtesy and try not to cut the line. Make sure you go to the bathroom before hand because that line takes about an hour to get through before getting on the grounds. There are portable toilets at the start and end of the trail however no place to really park. Overall as an experience if you enjoy lights or would like to take the family on a casual stroll this could be a destination to visit. I'd say it's a one time event unless you want to see the same light show year after year. read more

My family and I have enjoyed this place for the last few Christmas holidays..... Just a little home away from home for a couple hours for some family time. Appears every year it gets a little bit bigger & that's great; Keep the people coming with something new & fresh to enjoy! I love that the light show displays something for everyone.....whether you're patriotic, religious or just like animals, they have it all displayed in lights for you. Just drive thru slow & take it all in read more

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I had an amazing time here with an amazing friend of mine. We grabbed premium hot chocolates and kettle corn for our drive through the lights. I've been to other festive events such as this one, but I was touched by the meaning of Christmas being represented through religious pieces. Overall, this was a very cute and heartwarming bff date. read more

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We loved it. We got there just after dark on a Thursday evening. There were maybe 6 cars ahead of us. To start with, driving through the gate where you pay was even fun. The young woman at the register was friendly and festive, also helpful. Someone smiling and glad to see you is a great start. You drive slowly through acres and acres of lights. There are lots of wrapped tree trunks to start, then displays that are patriotic, pro-military, and celebrating Texas. After that, you are taken through the Bible very cleverly with lights. There are Santas and fun characters throughout but the biblical events were the hit for us. A fun family activity with a strong emphasis on the Reason for the season. read more

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I was completely surprised at how heartwarming the beginning of this light display was. I don't want to ruin it for everyone so I won't go into detail. In this day in age I'm glad we are reminded of our existence and how it all began. Awesome themes throughout the park. Very organized. Only reason for 4 stars was due to overpriced kettle corn that was not fresh or very tasty. If I'm paying $8.00 I expect it to be warm and freshly made. Overpriced food and souvenir items - thought I was at Disney for a quick second. Otherwise it was nice and the soft music throughout the drive. read more

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Every year we make the pilgrimage to Santa's Ranch with our grandkids. It's the biggest display of holiday lights we have ever seen. Go early as the car line can get long. The parade of lights starts out with a glorious tribute to Texas, including the Alamo. Next you proceed through the evolution of time, space and creation. My grandson especially loved the huge dinosaurs. I love that they have include sounds to accompany each section. The Bible is represented with the arc and the animals. The nativity is following, concluding with the rock rolled away from the tomb. About this time my 2 year old grand daughter informed us she had enough of the lights and wanted to go home. We were only half way through. The last half of the lights were filled with holiday fun, from a ski area to a pond with dolphins. I loved the tunnel of lights and another of snowflake lights. A visit to Santa's Ranch always inspires the holiday mood. read more

Santa'S Ranch - Lights - Festivals Near Me - New Braunfels, Texas

Honestly the lights themselves aren't impressive, I drove about an hour and a half for cheap lights and a ALMOST decent show. My kids weren't satisfied and neither was my husband and I. The staff is okay, but the girl Jenah wasn't really festive enough. We also picked up an offensive conversation between her and another that was very inappropriate for the experience and embarrassing to hear and have to explain to my children what it meant. That's not okay. Would've liked to have seen more enthusiasm, however everyone else was great. read more

So magical we loved it! They have so many amazing light displays and the sugar cookies were delicious! It was a great holiday experience. read more

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Awesome light display! My kiddos loved it and so did us adults! Highly recommend! I'm

Amazing!! Highly recommend! This is a great family tradition for all!! The new additions are beautiful! The concession stand has the best hot chocolate!!! read more

The front of this place looks fantastic! However, when you drive inside, it's cheap-looking, and it's very religious. They even mixed dinosaurs with Adam and Eve... Had I known this before, I wouldn't have gone, especially for $35... I waited for 2 hours in line as well... read more

Santa'S Ranch - GRINCH - Festivals Near Me - New Braunfels, Texas

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Simply amazing! Awesome detail, super friendly folks running the tickets and concessions. This is a drive thru light show, over a million lights depict epic scenes, events and historical moments In history. It's $28 a car and you stay in your car, it's about 30 min to drive the whole thing but it's nice to have the comfort of a warm car to stay in and enjoy the lights. There are a couple of drive thru concessions stands offering souvenirs, hot chocolate, cookies etc.. they have portable bathrooms available at the exit which are clean and accessible. They also offer a season pass for $56, so you can enjoy more than once! I can see how this would be a family favorite and can easily become a tradition. Kids love lights and this really brings the spirit of the holiday into your heart! read more

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Yall! Santa's Ranch is LIT! Well priced and deserved! They put in so much love and effort into this Christmas light theme park! The snacks are delightful!!! Plan, budget and go. It'd worthy every cent. You are welcomed with Christmas joy and it feels so easy going. The drive is very well coordinated and designed with kids imagination in mind! So cute! Our little kiddo and pug loved this adventure. Coming back every year. Christmas tradition feeling is what they say they want you to feel when you arrive on website and you get sucked right in with how enjoyable this truly was. Coming back every year. read more

Santa'S Ranch - pug loved santa's ranch - Festivals Near Me - New Braunfels, Texas

Shame Shame Shame....shame on me for not looking up Santa's Ranch on Yelp before I went and shame on Santa's Ranch for not accurately depicting what this place is on their site. If you are looking for patriotism and Christian light displays then Santa's Ranch is your place. I guess this is what I get for leaving Austin. I was looking for holly jolly light displays since Peppermint Parkway, Trail of Lights and Mozart's was sold out and instead had to look at a depiction of Bible religious stories through lights. It was bizarre. All I could do was laugh. It started off with red white and blue lights with light displays of Mt. Rushmore, the patriot bell, the Alamo and a 9/11 remembrance. This seemed odd to me. The we went into the Cosmos, planets and dinosaurs. Suddenly religion was peppered in and Wam! 80% or so was religious scenes. It was weird. Toward the end there was a North Pole scene and some blow up characters, but not much. If I had known that's what this was I wouldn't have paid $35 or driven to New Braunfels or waited almost 3 hours in line. No thanks Santa's Ranch! read more

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Amazing! Most beautiful and HUGE displays, definitely the best Christmas light park I have ever seen

Christmas in Texas, Y'all! Open thru Jan. 2nd! Such a spectacular light show and fun for all! No crowded lines when you go the week after Christmas! read more

Santa'S Ranch - Festivals Near Me - New Braunfels, Texas

So many bad reviews about this place these must come from very unhappy people or had one to many screaming kids. I don't care where you go to see any sort of holiday lights you will experience a wait so stop it already. We waited 1.5 hours on a Tuesday expect more wait time on a Saturday. Even after waiting 1.5 hours we had a blast at this place. I honestly thought this would be a 5 minute journey and it honestly was a 30 minute car ride. My wife and I along with my mother-in-law really enjoyed this place and will be someday. read more

Santa's Ranch is cool!! A great place to go and see an amazing display of lights from the comfort of your vehicle. Will get that holiday spirit going. The fee to go through is per vehicle so to maximize ROI will want to go with a full car. If I remember correctly it was $24 for a car. At the ticket booth they sell hot chocolate and flavored peanuts too. As Christmas get closer there will be a line and wait to go through. So just play some Christmas music on your radio and enjoy. read more

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We absolutely loved it!! From the lights to the drive through food and goodies it was all worth $35! Most of the complaints have to do with wait time or bathrooms. Guess what, it's the holidays!! Get there early and plan a long but worth it wait! We stopped at a rest stop to avoid getting off the car. Drive-thru goodies made it even more accommodating with kids in the car. I've heard complaints of the religion aspect. Guess what, it's Christmas. They do a great job at respecting religion and Santa!! I've been to tons of lights shows, all which lasted 15 minutes. This ranch was slow and sweet and worth the wait and money spent. A must see in my opinion. read more

The best light display I have seen. If you love patriotism and are a Christian this place is a must see and will make your heart glad! If not, you'll be highly disappointed and you should not visit. There is also a combination of dinosaurs, pirate ships, underwater/sea, winter themed displays and more. I loved every minute and will visit every year. read more

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This place has a phenomenal light display! The drive over wad easy, and it was very easy to navigate. When you arrive, have your ticket ready. Screenshot/printed, whichever works for you. Just helps everything move along that much faster. We just went Jan 1, and there was no line and it was the easiest and laid back experience ever. Absolutely loved how they light displays included key SA landmarks, Biblical stories, and the creation of life on Earth as we know it. Truly remarkable! While you're driving, they do have a concession stand with treats and souvenirs. They have port o potties available if needed, as I have seen the line prior to Christmas. As you move along, you can take pictures, but try not to hold folks up while doing so. While you drive, turn your radio off and lights off, and you can hear all the music and sounds they have in place. One suggestion for the owner, place a sign at the exit reminding folks to turn on their headlights. 3 cars on 35 tried to signal one person to turn their lights on. Maybe a cute little illuminated sign at the end to get peoples' attention. Absolutely remarkable visit and totally worth the money. We will be going back for sure!!! read more

The most amazing place for Christmas fun in New Braunfels. I come here every year as apart of a Christmas tradition. But it can get very busy so I recommend coming on a weekday as soon as they open if possible. read more

LOVE this place! They do such a great job, we've been going for years, they added a bunch of drive thru arches this year which we just loved. The snack shack is such a great addition they added years ago. Our kids are now 1, 8, 10 and they have such a great time! read more

Just bought our Season Pass for 2023! So many new displays, lighted tunnels, a HUGE Pirate Ship and more! Don't miss this wonderful season's event and get ready for CHRISTmas! read more

my family loved it, so beautiful and a sight to see. amazing for kids would recommend!!! wait on the weekends is short waited maybe 10 minutes at most read more

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By far the best experience I've EVER had with christmas lights. I've been to so many around the Houston and San Antonio Area and THIS PLACE was the best. Phenomenal service, gave you a rundown on the concession menu and service for tickets was quick. The concession stand was also quick and snacks were great. The line was so long when we first arrived (40 min-1 hr on Saturday night near closing time) but my family and I definitely think it was worth it. The light display was so well thought out. They included so much from Christianity to other religions and the beginning of time. Amazing. There wasn't music very much so I suggest you tune into a holiday station to keep the vibe going. So worth the price too, you can pack like 8 people in a truck and they only charge for the price of the car (1 vehicle is 35$, season pass is 70$). Definitely coming back here with the family once we visit New Braunfels again... MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!! read more

Santa'S Ranch - Golden gate bridge light display - Festivals Near Me - New Braunfels, Texas

Santa's Ranch exceeded my expectations and is definitely worth the drive! More than just lights in cute shapes and designs, the attraction is like a story book! As you drive, each "section" is like a chapter book, from under the sea and a ski lodge, to the history of Christmas, and national monuments. Very impressive - even for adults. read more

Santa'S Ranch - Mt. Rushmore. - Festivals Near Me - New Braunfels, Texas

Hella over priced and they do the same thing every year but a good production I do have to admit. read more

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Santa's Ranch has always had a special place in my heart because of the memories it brings up. The story of Jesus and other Christmas extras are told via lights and the folks here do a great job of doing just that. And now it's coming close to my favorite holiday of the year and I can't wait to see that arch lit up from the highway signaling that it's time. Sweet! read more

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I've driven by this place for years, but have never stopped. Until tonight, that is. It was well worth the $20 per carload fee. That's only $4 per person in our family. There is a pdf for a $2 off coupon on their website as well. This is a must for families with kids, allergy sufferers or those just hankerin' for the 60's again. This blurb from the website says it all: "Bring the family to Santa's Ranch and celebrate the holidays from the comfort of your vehicle. Drive through nearly a mile of spectacular holiday scenes with over 1 million lights & over 100 displays & animations. Located on Interstate 35 1 mile south of San Marcos between Posey Rd. & York Creek Rd. Just look for the 50' Christmas tree out front." Take the Posey Road exit from either direction on 1-35. Enjoy! read more

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