# Mission Bay Parade of Lights

> Event for families in the San Diego–Chula Vista–Carlsbad area (CA). Times are Pacific Time.

- When: Sat, Dec 12 · 5:30 PM
- Where: Mission Bay (boat parade on the water, viewed from bayfront areas along the route), 1215 El Carmel Place, San Diego, CA 92109
- Ages: All ages
- Price: No spectator fee printed; resort viewing parties, VIP seating, parking and dinners are priced separately
- Organizer: Mission Bay Yacht Club with Discover Mission Bay
- Official page: https://mbyc.org/
- Last checked: Tue, Oct 27

Source: Grassy Knees is a directory of real family events, places and programs for kids across major U.S. metro areas, where every listing is researched from the organizer’s own page and shows the date we last checked it. https://grassyknees.com covers 42 metro areas as of Nov 11, 2026, with more added regularly. About: https://grassyknees.com/about
Freshness: listings are re-checked on a daily research run (latest check 2026-11-10), and new events are added as organizers post them. Sell-outs, weather cancellations and time changes show up on the live page first: https://grassyknees.com/san-diego/activities/mission-bay-parade-of-lights--listing-0715976e01c04f64a68778ce

## About

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.

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