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Enjoy these Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade pictures, and make you're plans to see this beautiful holiday parade in person! Updated January 6, 2008. Related info-- Christmas Activities Del Mar Holiday Lights :: Griffith Park Christmas Activities :: Hollywood Santa Parade :: Knott's Christmas 2008 :: SeaWorld Christmas :: Disney: Disneyland Christmas Overview :: Disney Christmas Parade :: Disney Holiday Parade, pt 2 :: Disney Fireworks & Snow :: Santa's Beach Blast :: Santa's Reindeer Roundup :: Small World Holiday :: Haunted Mansion pics :: Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade PicturesView thousands of beautiful lights...and celebrate 100 years of this SoCal holiday tradition!
The Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade is over for December 2008! The 2008 information will be left on this page for you to make your 2009 plans (until that information becomes available.) And if you missed the parade in 2008? Then you miss seeing lots of great lighting displays and decorations. Be sure to make plans to attend during the next Christmas season!What is the Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade? It's a nighttime holiday spectacle, ablaze with thousands of colorful Christmas lights! As you can see in the picture of the beautifully-lit boat to your left, the Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade is NOT a holiday attraction you can see "just anywhere!" The Newport Beach boat parade is a holiday tradition in Southern California. It dates back to a time when many residents of the Eastern USA barely knew that California was on the map! That's because-- the Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade is 100 years old in 2008! Though it's a special event each and every year, the 2008 Newport boat parade will be extra-grand this year, as it marks its first century of SoCal holiday fun! When is the Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade?Here are the boat parade's 2008 dates and times---
The Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade sails on 5 different nights in 2008! If you can't attend one night, you have a number of other choices.Newport Beach boat parade schedule of dates: 1.) Wednesday, December 17, 2008 Newport Beach boat parade hours: The Christmas boat parade kicks off at 6:30 pm. However, it all depends on where you've staked out your spot as to what time this relatively slow-moving parade will reach you. The Newport Boat Parade ends between 2 1/2 to 3 hours after it begins. Therefore, if you view the parade near its starting point, you'll see the last floats pass you around 9 pm...or possibly 9:30 pm. A new route is being used in 2008 to eliminate gaps in the parade: Because boats had to maneuver a sharp curve near the beginning of the route in past years...which caused gaps in the parade...this year's course will feature straight-sailing at the parade's beginning. Hopefully, this will provide a seamless viewing experience for the onlookers. If you've always watched the parade from the same spot every year, you can expect the boats to pass at a different time than before in 2008. Here's a printable PDF map of the Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade Route for 2008. Note that the starting point of the parade is not far from the Balboa Pavilion. Special ways to view the Newport Beach boat parade1.) Take a Christmas Parade cruise of Newport Harbor!
Many people view the Newport Beach Christmas boat parade from the shores lining Newport Bay. The parade is free, so viewing from the shoreline is both an entertaining AND a cheap family holiday activity.However, you can "feel a part of the action" by taking a Christmas Parade harbor cruise! Many people assume, like I did, that the popular Newport Harbor tours would suspend their operation while a large boat procession is in progress. But, that's not the case--and, in fact, taking a harbor tour is the best way to see the boat parade up close! In fact, the pictures on this page were taken by Thor Brisbin from a Christmas Parade tour boat. Viewers simply get much closer to the parade from a boat, making it easier to see details of the floats and to snap photos. Where would you go to take a Christmas Parade tour of Newport Harbor? 
Newport Landing offers cruises for the Newport Beach Christmas Parade twice nightly every night of the performance. Newport Landing also offers evening holiday cruises throughout the entire month of December. (Beautifully-decorated boats aren't the only holiday attraction in Newport Harbor! There are hundreds of decorated and brightly-lit homes, yachts, piers and estates you can view from the water during the month of December!)The first cruise leaves at 5:45 pm and the second departs at 8 pm. Where will you find Newport Landing and the tour boats? Head to the Balboa Pavilion area on the Balboa Peninsula...which is the same location you'd normally head during daytime hours to take a tour of Newport Harbor. (To your left, you can see a picture of the Balboa Pavilion brightly lit with holiday lights!) The Newport Landing address is 309 Palm St, Newport Beach, California 92661. The Newport Landing phone number is 949/675-0551. Here's a Google map to the Newport Landing Sport Fishing & Harbor Tours company. Newport Landing website: to find out more about Newport Landing's Christmas cruises, you may use the upcoming link to view the Newport Landing's special Christmas tour website. 2.) Hear a narration of the parade while you watch!
If you're interested in hearing a live narration, as you watch from the shore, you may head to the Balboa Fun Zone! The parade is scheduled to cruise by the Balboa Fun Zone at about 6:30 pm every night during the parade. (Note: this is earlier than in other years; if you've headed towards the Balboa Fun Zone for 8 pm in the past, you'll have to change your plans a bit in 2008.)The Balboa Fun Zone is a popular viewing point for the Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade, so be sure to get there ahead of the boats' actual arrival time! The Balboa Fun Zone address is 600 E. Bay Ave. Balboa, CA 92661. Here's a Google map to the Balboa Fun Zone on the Balboa Peninsula in Newport Beach, California. Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade: Parking and Viewing TipsIf you're headed to the Balboa Pavilion & Fun Zone you'll need to arrive early to get a spot in the parking lot across the street or at one of the parking meters on the street. Parking is easier to come by on certain nights of the parade than others. If "parking frustration" would ruin your night, try to view the parade on Wednesday, Thursday or Sunday night...because there are fewer people in attendance. Avoid Friday & Saturday evenings, because that's when traffic is the worst. Parking at the Balboa Pier, then walking the short distance (several blocks) to the Fun Zone is another option. If you'll be taking a cruise to see the boat parade, the Newport Landing building has its own parking structure. Dressing for the Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade: Visitors from out-of-state who think that "Southern California is always warm" are going to find out otherwise when viewing the holiday boat parade! Be sure to bring warm jackets...even caps and gloves...whether if you'll be viewing the Christmas boat parade from the shore, the Balboa Fun Zone, or a boat out on the water. (If you take a tour boat, you'll be able to duck inside the cabin to warm up...but having a warm coat will let you stay outside longer.) Try viewing the parade from a restaurant if you really don't want any exposure to the nighttime air. There's a list of restaurants on the FAQ's page of parade's official website (see link below.) Newport Beach Boat Parade websiteIf you'd like more information about this exciting Southern California family Christmas activity, here's a link for you to browse through the Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade's official website, which is www.ChristmasBoatParade.com.
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