The Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade lights up Newport Bay every holiday season. For over one hundred years, hundreds of boat owners have draped their boats in lights to celebrate Christmas. The event also includes fireworks and other holiday-themed festivities.
Newport Beach Boat Parade Details
December 15 – 19, 2021
6PM – 10PM
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Facebook @christmasboatparade
Viewing locations from the shoreline can be found at nearby locations including Balboa Fun Zone, Balboa Village, reserved seating at the American Legion, reserved seating at the Newport Sea Base, Harborside Restaurant, and Rusty Pelican Restaurant.
Viewing is also available via local charter cruises through Newport Landing. Cruise times are nightly at 5:30, 7:05, and 8:30 and last approximately 60-90 minutes. Cruises provide an opportunity to view both the boats and the surrounding decorated homes.
Ring Of Lights
Many bayfront homes decorate their homes and yards for all to enjoy for the Ring Of Lights competition. The charter cruises provide excellent views of the festive and elaborate holiday displays. Holiday cruises are also available on non-parade nights from December 3-14 and December 20-January 2. Reserve your tickets here.
Parade Route
- Tip of Lido Isle (Control Point A) 6:30pm
- Lido Isle Yacht Club 6:34pm
- Lido Isle Bend (Control Point B) 6:38pm
- Lido Isle Bridge (Control Point C) 6:42pm
- Lido Peninsula/Rhine Channel 6:43pm
- Marina Park 6:49pm
- Lighthouse Café 6:52pm
- American Legion Yacht Club 6:56pm
- 15th Street Beach 7:00pm
- 10th Street Beach 7:04pm
- Newport Harbor Yacht Club 7:07pm
- Bay Island Bridge 7:09pm
- Bay Island Channel (Control Point D) 7:10pm
- Newport Landing Restaurant 7:14pm
- Newport Landing Sportfishing 7:14pm
- Harborside Restaurant 7:15pm
- Davey’s Locker Sportfishing and Whale Watching 7:16pm
- Peninsula Point Beach (Control Point E) 7:29pm
- Pirate’s Cove (Control Point F) 7:32pm
- Coast Guard/Harbor Master Dock (Control Point G) 7:36pm
- Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club 7:40pm
- Balboa Island Bridge (Control Point H) 7:43pm
- Little Island Point 7:49pm
- Balboa Island Ferry Landing 7:58pm
- Collins Island (Control Point I) 8:00pm
- Balboa Island Bayfront 8:05pm
- Balboa Island Bridge 8:10pm
- Harbor Island 8:17pm
- PCH Bridge (Control Point J) 8:24pm
- Balboa Bay Club 8:34pm
- Balboa Bay Resort (Control Point K) 8:34pm
- Newport Boy Scout Sea Base 8:37pm
- Joe’s Crab Shack 8:40pm
- The Winery Restaurant (Control Point L) 8:45pm
- Lido Marina Village 8:50pm
- Lido Park/Lido Bridge 8:55pm
- Via Lido North Genoa Beach 8:58pm
- Tip of Lido Isle (Finish) 9 – 9:30pm
Newport Harbor Cruising Guide & Points of Interest
Newport Harbor is more than three miles long with 21 miles in water frontage. There are many artificial islands: Balboa Island, Little Balboa Island, Collins Island, Harbor Island, Lido Isle, Linda Isle and Newport Island.
- Balboa Pavillion (400 Main St, Newport Beach, CA 92661)
- Balboa Ferry
- Balboa Fun Zone includes a Ferris wheel and arcade.
- Big Corona Beach faces seaward as you enter the harbor.
- Pirate’s Cove Beach has been used for movies and TV shows and is in the harbor entrance channel.
- China Cove Beach also in the harbor entrance channel.
- American Legion (215 15th St, Newport Beach, CA 92663)
- Elks Lodge (3456 Via Oporto, Newport Beach, CA 92663)
- The Wedge known for its shore-breaking waves, the Wedge is located at the southeast end of the Balboa Peninsula and next to the west jetty at the harbor entrance.
- Lido Village is a shopping area.
- Teddy Bear House (538 S Bay Front, Newport Beach, CA 92662)
- The “Wild Goose”, formerly John Wayne’s yacht is now owned by Hornblower cruises (2527 West Coast Hwy, Newport Beach, CA 92663)
- Gillette House is the last house at the end of the Peninsula on Balboa Bay and right before the west jetty begins. Originally built in 1927 for King Gillette the razor baron. Dick Dale was also a one-time owner.
- Pirate House Newport Beach (35th St/Marcus Ave. Newport Beach, CA 92663)
- The bell buoy marking the harbor’s only entrance is located at 33 35.06’N,117 52.69’W. Seals are often found lounging on this buoy.
- US Coast Guard (1911 Bayside Dr, Corona Del Mar, CA 92625)
- The Devil Inside video by the Australian band INXS was filmed around the Balboa Fun Zone.
- Newport Harbor: The Real Orange County was an MTV reality series based on the lives of high school students living in Newport Beach.
- The Baileys of Balboa was a 1964 sitcom that was filmed in Newport Harbor near the neighborhood of Balboa (and the nearby Balboa Island).
- Sands of Iwo Jima (1945), starring Newport Beach resident John Wayne, was filmed on Linda Isle, formerly Shark Island.
- Gilligan’s Island intro featured Newport Harbor and cave scenes were filmed at Pirate’s Cove.
- Former Celebrity Homes in Newport Harbor
- Nicholas Cage (2692 Bayshore Dr, Newport Beach, CA 92663)
- James Cagney (Collins Island * has since been divided into eight separate residential properties)
- Buddy Ebsen (530 S Bay Front, Balboa Island, CA 92662)
- Helena Modjeska/Sam Tustin (3 Bay Island, Newport Beach, CA 92661)
- Roy Rogers (12 Bay Island, Newport Beach, CA 92661)
- Shirley Temple (200 Block of Coral Ave, Balboa Island, Newport Beach)
- John Wayne “Duke’s Point” (2686 Bayshore Drive, Newport Beach, CA 92660)
- Wrigley family beach home “Twin Palms” (928 E Balboa Blvd, Newport Beach, CA 92661)
- Tiger Woods (2616 Ocean Blvd, Corona Del Mar, CA 92657)
Dock & Dine Options
- 3Thirty3 Restaurant
- A&O Kitchen & Bar
- Back Bay Bistro
- Balboa Bay Club & Resort
- Balboa Village
- Billy’s at the Beach
- Blue Water Grill
- Harborside Restaurant
- Lighthouse Cafe
- Mama’s Comfort Food & Cocktails
- Newport Dunes Resort & Marina
- Newport Landing Restaurant and Oyster Bar
- Pizza Nova
- SOL Cocina
- Rusty Pelican
- Tavern House Kitchen + Bar
- The Cannery
- The Dock
- The Winery
- Villa Nova
- Woody’s Wharfe
Nautical Clubs of Newport Beach
- American Legion Yacht Club
- Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club
- Balboa Yacht Club
- Lido Isle Yacht Club
- Newport Beach Yacht Club
- Newport Harbor Yacht Club
- Newport Ocean Sailing Association
- Newport Sea Base Yacht Club
- Orange Coast College Sailing Center
- Pacific Yachting Club
- South Shore Yacht Club
- U.C. Irvine Sailing Association
For more holiday fun see our list of Winter Events
Related Articles
| Winter Events In Orange County | Christmas Lights in Orange County |
| Where To See The Nutcracker | Sawdust Festival Winter Fantasy |
| Holiday Craft Fairs | Best Family Christmas Games |
Heidi Deal is the author of the Newcomers Handbook to Living In Los Angeles & Orange County, and a children’s book author specializing in history and human rights.
