Mission Bay Parade of Lights

No registration mentioned for watching from the shore. The Dana's VIP viewing and parking, and the Tidal dinner ($100 per person, reservations required), must be booked.

About this adventure

Mission Bay's holiday boat parade, organized for decades by the Mission Bay Yacht Club, sends a line of boats strung with lights and decorations across the bay on a December evening. SeaWorld's fireworks open the night, and families watch from viewing areas along the shore. The bayfront resorts on the route host their own gatherings: The Dana on Mission Bay holds a Winter Wonderland party from 4:00 PM with appearances by Elsa, Buddy the Elf and the Grinch until 5:30 PM and a falling-snow party after the boats pass; the Catamaran Resort opens its North Lawn, where guests bring their own blankets and chairs; and the Mission Bay Beach Club in Mission Beach has a holiday market and a Santa meet-and-greet before the parade. Some of these extras are ticketed (VIP seating, parking, a $100 dinner at Tidal at Paradise Point), while watching from the shore requires no booking on the organizers' pages. Dress warmly for a winter evening by the water and arrive early for parking around Mission Bay.