Half Moon Bay · California
Santa’s Tree Farm
A 487-acre coastside family tree farm on Highway 92 with 70 acres of choose-and-cut trees up to 13 feet, a saw provided at the farm, a complimentary tree shuttle and Santa visits, a trackless train, a gift shop, pre-cut Noble firs, wreaths, flocking and delivery.
At a glance
Your tree visit.
- Tree choices
- Cut your own · Pre-cut trees
- Choose-and-cut tree
- Not yet posted
The farm says every field tree is one price at any size, to be posted in early November; no field price is posted yet. Netting is $6. A coupon takes $2 off any choose-and-cut tree.
Prices & conditions ↓ - Visit times
Tree cutting November 14 to December 23, rain or shine. Weekends 8am–5pm, Monday–Friday 9am–5pm. Train and gift shop on weekends November 21 to December 13; Santa on those weekends and Friday, November 27.
Full schedule ↓
Find your tree
Choose your Christmas tree.
Santa’s Tree Farm grows choose-and-cut trees on 70 acres of a 487-acre farm, and offers trees up to 13 feet tall in the field while they last. The farm gives you a saw and sends you off to find your tree, or you can bring your own saw. Visitors choose from Douglas fir, Monterey pine and redwood, which each have a page on the farm’s site, and the farm also lists cedar and Norway spruce. Its pages count the field trees as four kinds in one place and five species in another, and its history mentions Noble and Concolor fir that are not on the current species list, so ask what is growing in the field the day you visit.
Trees are not tagged ahead of time, because the farm cannot guarantee another customer will not buy a tagged tree. Cut the tree at its base, and the farm replaces it with a new seedling. The farm’s Douglas firs regularly grow nine to ten feet tall, so measure your ceiling before you come.
Published varieties
- Douglas fir
- Monterey pine
- Redwood
- Cedar
- Norway spruce
- Noble fir (pre-cut)
Which variety suits your decorations?
General tree guidance; the farm’s selection, sizes and services are described above.
- Douglas fir
- Soft needles and more flexible branches, suited to lighter ornaments.
Learn more: University of Wisconsin Extension ↗ · National Christmas Tree Association ↗
Compare the options
Trees & prices.
The farm accepts cash, Visa, Mastercard, Discover and American Express, with a 3% surcharge on credit card transactions. One FAQ answer names only cash, Visa and Mastercard, so ask if you plan to use another card.
| Selection & size | Price |
|---|---|
| Choose-and-cut tree, any size | Not yet posted One price for any size in the fields, to be posted in early November. Confirm at the farm. |
| Coupon for any choose-and-cut tree | $2 off One coupon per tree; expires December 23. Printable from the farm’s specials page. |
| Tree netting with shaking, loading, tie-down and fresh trim | $6 Done at one of three netting stations around the farm. |
| Twine and tree shuttle from the field | Complimentary You may bring your own saw and tie-downs. |
| Pre-cut Noble fir | Not published Priced individually by height; confirm at the farm. |
| White flocking | $12 per foot Plus a tree stand if you do not bring one. |
| Colored flocking, including team colors | $22 per foot Plus a tree stand; jewel tones and team colors are subject to availability. |
| Fire retardant | $12 per foot In addition to the tree and stand. |
| Storytime with Santa or with Jingle the Elf | $14 per child Weekend events, November 21 to December 13. |
| Reindeer Talk at the North Pole | $10 per child Weekend events, November 21 to December 13. |
| Visits with Santa and Mrs. Claus | No cost The farm calls them complimentary with any purchase, and its FAQ says there is no cost to visit or take a picture. |
Choose-and-cut and the field price
Cutting runs every day from November 14 to December 23, weekends 8am to 5pm and Monday through Friday 9am to 5pm. The farm says all cut-your-own trees in the fields are one price, whatever the size, and that the price is posted in early November. No figure is posted yet, so confirm the price at the farm before you cut.
The farm’s printable coupon takes $2 off any choose-and-cut tree, one coupon per tree, and expires December 23. Staff will help if you cannot cut your own tree: ask at the elves workshop, the front stand or a netting station.
Species in the field
The farm describes each tree on its own page. Cedar and Norway spruce appear on the species list but have no description yet.
| Tree | What the farm says |
|---|---|
| Douglas fir | Soft needles and a sweet fragrance, the best seller; regularly grows nine to ten feet tall. |
| Monterey pine | Needles of 4 to 5 inches, very fragrant, with strong branches. |
| Redwood | Symmetrical shape, grows to height in four to five years; its boughs are used for wreaths. |
| Cedar | Listed as a field tree; no description. |
| Norway spruce | Listed as a field tree; no description. |
Saws, shuttle, netting and loading
The farm hands you a saw, and a complimentary tree shuttle carries your tree from the field to a netting station or the cashier. Three netting stations around the farm net your tree for $6, with complimentary shaking, loading, tie-down and a fresh trim at the bottom. Twine is complimentary, and you may bring your own tie-downs.
To keep a cut tree fresh at home, the farm suggests wrapping the trunk in a wet towel on the way, and watering daily. The farm has not posted a chainsaw rule.
Pre-cut Noble firs, wreaths and garlands
Pre-cut trees are Noble firs, priced individually by height, with no prices posted. The farm’s home page says they run up to 9 feet and its FAQ says 2 to 10 feet, while supplies last. They are sold from the Elves Workshop barn.
Handmade wreaths and garlands are made on the farm from farm greens. Custom sizes can be ordered by phone or in person at least four days ahead, and the farm says most custom orders are ready in four days. No wreath or garland prices are posted.
Flocking and fire retardant
Both services need a tree you have already chosen, cut and paid for in full. The tree stays overnight to dry and is picked up Tuesday through Friday; flocked trees go home in a flocking bag. Fire retardant is applied by a California State Fire Marshal certified applicator, and a State Fire Marshal tag is attached.
Flocking and fire retardant are charged per foot in addition to the tree price, and a tree stand is extra if you do not provide one.
| Service | Price | Conditions |
|---|---|---|
| Traditional white flocking | $12 per foot | Plus a tree stand if you do not provide one; pickup Tuesday through Friday |
| Specialty flocking, including colors and team colors | $22 per foot | Plus a stand; jewel tones and team colors are subject to availability |
| Fire retardant | $12 per foot | In addition to the tree and stand; certified applicator; State Fire Marshal tag attached; delivery available |
Home delivery
The farm delivers curbside, up to two trees of 8 feet or less, on Tuesday through Thursday only. You must visit the farm, choose and pay for your tree and the delivery before scheduling. For other locations or more than two trees, call the farm.
| Delivery area | Price |
|---|---|
| Half Moon Bay coastside | $95 |
| Belmont, San Mateo, Hillsborough, Foster City, San Carlos, Pacifica, Burlingame, San Bruno, Millbrae | $135 |
| South San Francisco, Colma, Daly City, Brisbane, Woodside, Redwood City, Atherton, Menlo Park, Palo Alto | $150 |
| Santa Clara County cities from Mountain View to Saratoga | $174 |
| San Francisco | $220 |
Santa, the train and the village
On weekends from November 21 to December 13, 9am to 4pm and weather permitting, a trackless train winds along some of the fields, the Sleigh Bells Gift Shop sells ornaments and decor, and Mrs. Claus’ kitchen has holiday cookies and snacks. The farm does not say whether the train is free, and it does not post prices for the train or the kitchen.
Santa and Mrs. Claus visit on Friday, November 27 and weekends from November 21 to December 13, 11am to 4pm, with no Santa on December 5. The farm calls the visits complimentary with any purchase, and its FAQ says there is no cost to visit or take a picture; it also gives free candy canes with every tree purchase while supplies last. The farm also describes complimentary hot apple cider, a puppet show and costumed characters waving from the train, without posting a schedule for them.
Weekend events with Santa, the elf and the reindeer
The farm’s weekend sign lists paid events from November 21 to December 13. The farm does not say how to book, whether adults pay, or whether Storytime with Santa runs on December 5, the one day it lists as having no Santa.
| Event | Time | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Storytime with Santa | 10:30am | $14 per child |
| Storytime with Jingle the Elf | 12 and 2pm | $14 per child |
| Reindeer Talk at the North Pole | Time not listed | $10 per child |
| Farm tours and private photo shoots | By arrangement | Email for fees and reservations |
Parties, school trips and photography
The farm hosts private parties, birthday and corporate events, and school trips with an educational tour; party packages can reserve a picnic area, and picnic tables are also set out in the fields for everyone to use. Call during business hours for information and pricing, as no prices are posted.
The farm is for customers only. Professional photo shoots and private events are allowed only with prior written permission and payment; email for details.
Dogs, weather and practical notes
The farm is dog friendly, with all dogs kept on a leash. It is open in rain or shine, and the train may not run in heavy rain. The farm does not publish parking, restroom, accessibility, stroller or mud information, and no ATM is mentioned. The farm accepts cash, Visa, Mastercard, Discover and American Express, with a 3% surcharge on credit cards.
About the farm and finding it
Santa’s Tree Farm began as a teenager’s FFA project and is run by Dan and Natalie Sare with their son Mike, who writes and voices the puppet show. The farm has been selling trees since 1974, and Dan was named San Mateo County’s Farmer of the Year in a recent season.
The farm is at 78 Pilarcitos Creek Road on Highway 92: 6.5 miles west of Interstate 280 if you come from the east, or 3.5 miles east of Half Moon Bay if you come from the coast.
Pick your day
Dates & hours.
Tree season: Tree cutting November 14 to December 23, rain or shine; Santa and train weekends November 21 to December 13
Choose-and-cut runs from November 14 to December 23, open every day of the season in rain or shine. The train may not run in heavy rain.
| Christmas season | Hours |
|---|---|
| Tree cutting, daily, November 14 to December 23 | Weekends 8am–5pm; Monday–Friday 9am–5pm; rain or shine |
| Train rides, gift shop and Mrs. Claus’ kitchen, weekends, November 21 to December 13 | 9am–4pm, weather permitting |
| Santa and Mrs. Claus, Friday, November 27 and weekends, November 21 to December 13 | 11am–4pm; no Santa on December 5 |
| Weekend events (Storytime with Santa or Jingle the Elf, Reindeer Talk), November 21 to December 13 | Storytime with Santa 10:30am or with Jingle the Elf 12 and 2pm, $14 per child; Reindeer Talk $10 per child |
| Flocking and fire-retardant pickup | Tuesday through Friday, after overnight drying |
| Home delivery | Tuesday through Thursday only |
The farm’s pages describe no visits outside the Christmas season above.
Before you go.
- The field tree price is not posted yet; the farm says one price covers any size and will be posted in early November.
- Pre-cut, wreath, garland, train, kitchen and party prices are not published.
- Cutting runs every day, rain or shine; the train and gift shop run on weekends only, and Santa visits on weekends and Friday, November 27.
- Credit cards carry a 3% surcharge.
- Dogs are welcome on a leash.
- A second phone number is 650-476-4662. The farm’s email is info@santastreefarm.com, used for photo shoots, private events and farm tour reservations.
78 Pilarcitos Creek Road (Hwy 92), Half Moon Bay, CA 94019
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