October 30, 2026 · By CDM Yachts · 4 min read
Every December, more than 100 decorated boats cruise through Mission Bay for the Mission Bay Parade of Lights. It's one of San Diego's longest-running holiday traditions, and in 2026 it falls on Saturday, December 12. For charter guests, it's also a reason to book an evening aboard the McKinna 69, the one yacht in the CDM Yachts fleet that departs from Mission Bay itself.
What Is the Mission Bay Parade of Lights
The Mission Bay Yacht Club has organized this parade for decades. Boat owners from around the bay decorate their vessels with lights and cruise a set route while spectators watch from the shoreline and the water.
In 2026, the parade starts at 5:30 PM on Saturday, December 12, following SeaWorld's fireworks show, and runs until around 7:30 PM. Public viewing areas include Crown Point, The Dana on Mission Bay, Catamaran Resort, and Paradise Point Resort, with the route ending near De Anza Cove. Admission is free for anyone watching from shore. Full details, including the viewing schedule, are on Discover Mission Bay's parade page.
About Mission Bay
Mission Bay Park covers about 4,600 acres, roughly half land and half water, and is the largest man-made aquatic park in the United States. Its 27 miles of shoreline wind around Fiesta Island and Vacation Isle, past the beaches, parks, and resorts that line the parade route.
Inside the bay, boats slow to 5 knots at night, near the shoreline, around docks, and under bridges, so a cruise on parade night is relaxed by design. Quivira Basin, near the channel entrance, is the bay's commercial hub for sportfishing and charter boats.
Watching from the Water
A private charter gives you a different view than the shoreline crowds. The McKinna 69 departs from Mission Bay itself, so there's no transit time to reach the bay before the lights start.
Your captain will plan the evening's route around conditions and the parade schedule. Mention the parade when you request availability so we can talk through timing and what's realistic for the night.
December evenings on the water run cool. The McKinna 69's enclosed, climate-controlled Skylounge gives guests a warm, elevated spot to watch from, with the bow, cockpit, and swim platform open if the weather cooperates. The yacht's wide 18-foot-6-inch beam and multiple indoor and outdoor spaces give a group room to move between them as the parade passes, and the underwater lighting adds its own glow once the sun is down.
Planning the Evening
Charters on the McKinna 69 run 2 to 8 hours, so you can build a parade night around dinner beforehand, drinks after, or both. A 2-hour minimum applies.
Holiday dates fill first across the fleet, and a Saturday night in December is no exception. Holiday charters may carry a surcharge over standard hourly rates, confirmed when you book. Our holiday charters page has more on planning around the season.
A parade-night charter works for a family gathering, a small company holiday party, or a group of friends marking the season together. Guests may bring their own food and beverages, including alcohol, or ask about coordinating catering in advance. The McKinna 69 also has a full galley and an electric outdoor grill on board.
Mission Bay or San Diego Bay
San Diego actually has two separate holiday boat parades most winters. The Mission Bay Parade of Lights runs through Mission Bay, on the McKinna 69's home water. Downtown's San Diego Bay Parade of Lights is a different event on a different body of water, worth a look if the downtown skyline is more your group's style.
Our Mission Bay yacht charters page has more on the bay itself, the yacht, and how it compares to San Diego Bay.
Good to Know Before You Book
- The renter must be 18 or older, and full payment secures your date.
- Cancellations at least 5 days before your reservation are fully refunded.
- If weather turns unsafe for boating, we reschedule to a mutually convenient date rather than sail.
- We accept Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover.
- Pets aren't allowed aboard, except documented service animals, and smoking and illegal drugs are prohibited.
Ready to watch the lights from the water? Request availability for December 12, or call (619) 866-6966 to talk through planning an evening around the parade.
