The 118th Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade runs five nights, Wednesday, December 16 through Sunday, December 20, 2026. It is hosted by the Commodores Club of the Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce. The official schedule says the boats leave the Tip of Lido Isle at about 6:30 p.m. and get back there around 9:00 p.m. On the 2026 viewing list, the first restaurant sees the lead boat at 6:51 p.m. The last one on the list sees it at 8:44 p.m.
That makes the route a schedule for your evening. If you watch from Newport Boulevard, the parade comes to you before most people have sat down to dinner. If you watch from Mariner's Mile, you can eat a full three-course meal before the first lights show up. Start your plans with the clock.
One loop, timed stop by stop
The official 2026 route map starts at the Tip of Lido Isle. From there the boats pass Lido Isle Yacht Club and the Lido bridges, then Marina Park, the Balboa Peninsula and Balboa Island. After that they go past Harbor Island, the PCH Bridge, Balboa Bay Resort, Newport Sea Base and Lido Marina Village, and finish back at Lido Isle. The parade's dine-and-watch directory lists an estimated pass time for each venue. Here they are in order:
| Est. pass time | Venue | Address |
|---|---|---|
| 6:51 p.m. | Woody's Wharf | 2318 Newport Blvd. |
| 6:52 p.m. | CasaDami, Shorebird, Buona Forchetta | Peninsula Village, 2210–2280 Newport Blvd. |
| 6:55 p.m. | The Lighthouse Bayview Cafe | 1600 W. Balboa Blvd. |
| 6:56 p.m. | Sons of American Legion | 215 15th Street |
| 7:14 p.m. | Newport Landing Restaurant | 503 East Edgewater |
| 7:15 p.m. | Harborside Restaurant | 400 Main Street |
| 8:35 p.m. | A+O Restaurant | Bar at Balboa Bay Resort | 1221 W. Coast Hwy. |
| 8:37 p.m. | Newport Sea Base | 1931 West Coast Highway |
| 8:44 p.m. | Billy's at the Beach | 2751 West Coast Highway |
The 80 minutes between Harborside and A+O go to the eastern harbor. The official map puts the boats at the Balboa Island Bridge around 7:45, Harbor Island around 8:18 and the PCH Bridge around 8:26. All of these are estimates, and they don't always agree. The map lists Newport Sea Base at 8:39, two minutes after the reserved-seating page. Each night has an early side of the harbor and a late side.
The early side starts before the fireworks
On the Peninsula side, the evening starts in daylight. Opening night at Marina Park, 1600 W. Balboa Blvd., has an opening ceremony and a free market from 4 to 8 p.m. The market has more than 35 makers plus food, music and family activities. The Lighthouse Bayview Cafe shares that address. If you're at the market, you can stay where you are and catch the boats at about 6:55.
Opening night has the tightest schedule on this side of the harbor. Wednesday, December 16, runs like this:
- 4:00 p.m. The Marina Park market opens.
- 6:00 p.m. First drone show over Balboa Bay Club.
- About 6:15 p.m. Opening fireworks off Newport Pier, if conditions are safe.
- About 6:30 p.m. The parade leaves the Tip of Lido Isle.
- 6:45 p.m. Drone show at Peninsula Park near the Fun Zone.
- 6:51 to 6:56 p.m. Boats pass Woody's Wharf, Peninsula Village and The Lighthouse Bayview Cafe.
Drone shows have run at both ends of the harbor before. The 2025 parade had them at Balboa Bay Resort and Peninsula Park too. In 2026 the times seem set to match each side's boat window. The 6:45 Peninsula Park show starts a few minutes before the lead boat reaches Newport Boulevard. After this side has seen the boats, it gets one more drone show at 8:00 p.m.
The Fun Zone side comes next. Newport Landing Restaurant and Harborside Restaurant expect the boats at 7:14 and 7:15. On this side, the boats come by during what would usually be the start of dinner. If you want to eat after the boats pass, a 7:30 table works. If you want a seat facing the water when they arrive, book earlier.
The free shoreline spots on the parade's public viewing guide follow the same pattern. Marina Park, the Balboa Fun Zone, Edgewater Place, the Balboa Island waterfront, China Cove Beach, Lookout Point, West Jetty View Park and Via Lido Park all cost nothing to stand at. They don't all see the parade at the same time, so check where yours falls on the route.
The late side gets the whole evening
Over on West Coast Highway, the schedule flips. The Balboa Bay Club drone shows are at 6:15 and 8:15 p.m. on most nights, with an earlier 6:00 show on opening night. The early show plays while the boats are still on the far side of the harbor. The later one comes about 20 minutes before they reach the resort.
A+O Restaurant | Bar at Balboa Bay Resort expects the boats at 8:35. It is taking parade-night reservations for December 16–20, with special policies and food-and-beverage minimums from 5 p.m. to close. Newport Sea Base offers reserved seating at the water's edge. Seating starts at 7 p.m., and the parade should pass at about 8:37.
Billy's at the Beach is stop 48 on the official map, with an estimated pass time of 8:44 p.m. It has the latest time on the list. Its parade-night menu is a three-course prix fixe at $100 per person plus tax and gratuity, booked through OpenTable. Billy's suggests booking a seating no later than 8:20 p.m. so your party is settled before the boats arrive. That's almost two hours after Woody's Wharf sees the same lead boat. Billy's also says on its own page that the parade begins somewhere else in the harbor. Mariner's Mile gets the parade at the end of its loop.
On this side, you can take your time. Families with early bedtimes may do better on the Peninsula.
On the water, the price depends on the night
Watching from a boat means you stop counting on pass times, because you travel with the lights. You still have a schedule to pick, though. Newport Landing runs 2026 parade cruises on three departures each night:
- 5:30 to 6:50 p.m.
- 7:05 to 8:15 p.m.
- 8:30 to 9:50 p.m.
Fares depend on the night. On Wednesday, December 16, Thursday, December 17 and Sunday, December 20, tickets are $47 for adults and $43 for juniors. On Friday, December 18 and Saturday, December 19, they go up to $62 and $57, which is $15 more per adult. Groups of 10 or more should call (949) 675-0551.
The lights cruises also run on non-parade nights. Newport Landing's Holiday Lights Cruises run from November 27 to December 15 and from December 21 to January 2. They leave at 5:30, 7:00 and 8:30 p.m. and cost $40 for adults and $36 for juniors. If out-of-town guests arrive the week after the parade, they can still see the decorated harbor at a lower price.
If you want a private boat, the official on-a-boat page lists Paradiso Charters, which offers private cruises December 16–20 at 714-404-0806. The same page lists City Cruises for viewing cruises.
Waterfront homes are judged before the parade starts
Harbor-front homeowners run on a different calendar from everyone else. The Ring of Lights contest is open to waterfront homes, businesses and yacht clubs. The 2026 entry fee is $35, and entries may appear on the parade's live broadcast. Registration closes before noon on Friday, December 11. Judging is Monday, December 14, and entrants are asked to have their decorations up by then. Judging happens two days before opening night. For an entered home, the decorations have to be finished by December 14, not December 16.
Last year's awards included Best on Lido, Best on Peninsula, Best Traditional Lights, Best Display of Theme, a Green Entry award, the Mayor's Award and Sweepstakes Best Overall. Those were the 2025 categories. The 2026 form doesn't list category names yet.
Boat owners have their own schedule. Entering a boat costs $35 and automatically enters it for awards. The awards include the Bill Lusk Award for sweepstakes, Best Use of Lights, Best Sail Boat, Best Boat under 30 ft. and Best New Entry. Every registered boat sails between the Lead Boat and the Santa Boat. Each skipper has to attend one of two meetings in the Bay View Room at Newport Dunes Resort and Marina, 1131 Back Bay Dr. The meetings are Monday, December 7 and Monday, December 14, both at 6 p.m. Check the entry page for current registration status, or call the Chamber at (949) 729-4400.
A Ring of Lights home has to be lit for judges two days before the first boat leaves Lido Isle. A skipper who picks the December 14 meeting is at Newport Dunes that same Monday night, while the decorated homes are being judged.
If you live along the harbor, you already know when the boats pass your dock. If you're thinking about a harbor-front home and want to know where it sits on the parade route, or how a waterfront address fits into the harbor's year, Casey Lesher and the team can help. Request a Confidential Market Consultation, and we'll go through the shoreline with you one stretch at a time.
