Fabulous boat parade! Highly recommend getting your family or friends together to watch. There were about 70 boats this year. A couple even had a live band on board playing upbeat music. Most had music and some had passengers singing Christmas carols. The boats go through all the canals...definitely gets you into the Christmas spirit and so happy that people are getting outside and celebrating again. read more

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What a fun way for our family/ friends to kick off our holiday season. Arrived early- found free street parking near the park on Appian/Attica. Took advantage of the restrooms at the park before walking over to the canal. There is also paid parking in the lot at the park. Although parade started at 6pm we arrived at 4pm to locate parking, meet up with others and have dinner. Walked to the canals and first watched the large boats ( walk over canal bridge- go towards and pass fountain to open water to view large boats) then walked along the canal and viewed the gorgeously decorated homes, listened to some live music, and watched the small boats. It was our first time but will now become a family holiday tradition. read more

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Wonderful way to get into the Holiday Spirit, walking around the canal after sunset to see the beautiful holiday displays. It's just nippy enough to make it seem like December, but then a jolt of seeing palm trees decorated so high reminds you, that you are in SoCal. It's a very popular attraction, with people of all ages walking slowly around the canals (pretty crowded even on a monday evening), enjoying all the work the residents put in for the public to enjoy. Provided just one picture, but there are many houses decorated just like this. Park on the street, and marvel at the amount of electricity being used. read more

Naples Christmas Boat Parade - Grand view from across the canal - Local Flavor Near Me - Long Beach, California

Beautiful place to walk and enjoy the beautiful greenery and unique architecture. You can canoe, ride a gondola, kayak and/paddle board. read more

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The large boats have a different route and start earlier than the small boats, as they can't fit under the bridges. After watching the small boats come by while I sat on Bay Shore near Appian, somebody suggested we go check out the decorated houses on Naples Island. We made it to Ravenna Dr (on the island) and realized the parade was still coming through so we watched it again from the bridge. Being closer to the boats made it more enjoyable. The area was so lively with plenty of cheers plus there was a live band. We saw the same boats plus more such as the hydro bikes with lights on the bottom. Some of those on the boats were throwing candy into the crowds. This is a cool event as long as you're watching from close distance otherwise, it may not seem so exciting. I think parking is free at the lot on Appian and Bay Shore. I don't mind walking so I parked on Appian near the cross streets of Corona or Covina. This part of the street wasn't filled up close to the start time, of the big boats at least. read more

Naples Christmas Boat Parade - Watching from the bridge (Ravenna Dr) - Local Flavor Near Me - Long Beach, California

Naples is beautiful during the day and and at night and...especially during Christmas holiday- A wonderful way to see up close the incredible Christmas decorations. Never gets old! Thanks to the people who live here and work so hard to put such a magical show read more

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The Christmas Boat Parade is lacking (or maybe it's my Newport comparison); walking Naples Island for the Christmas decorations is better. You actually need to be ON the island for a good view. I was on the island last year, but smothered by people. This year I was on the other side, in Belmont. Horrible view, as the boats didn't come all the way down or over and didn't "parade" as I've known them to do. Parking is ALWAYS horrible for this event. Come early or take the Passport. read more

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How many times can I really thank my lucky stars that I live where I live? Well, here's another reason to shout it from the roof tops. Thanks, Naples, for having the coziest, friendliest, coolest Christmas Boat Parade in Southern California. The tiny sidewalks are jammed with revelers, Dickens Carolers, and party-goers spilling out from people's "backyards," which all face the canals. Then, the boats come. Unlike your bigger parades, where the main attraction is all the huge yachts, this parade specializes in dingies: kayaks, canoes, surfers paddling on boards, outriggers. Along the sidelines, there are kiddies throwing candy, private parties which inadvertantly become public, an English Bell Choir (every year someone pays them to play), and random brass bands playing their hearts out from private docks. I LOVE this parade. Do yourself a favor: come to this next year. You won't be sorry. read more

We had fun! Arrived early, parked for free in the Mothers' Beach lot (after 4), went window-shopping along 2nd Street, ate a great meal of George's Greek Cafe and then moseyed over to Naples Island for the boat parade. To get to the parade area (on foot), we were given these directions: "Continue down 2nd to the Rite Aide, go over the bridge, then go past the fountain." A lot of people were just stopping on the bridge and looking down at the few small boats that were waiting there for their launch time. In the grassy area beyond the fountain, a really cool jazz band was playing. I was really enjoying the music. Funny thing was that they were playing in the dark. Literally. My night vision is poor and it took a bit to figure out where the music was coming from. Most of the crowd was gathered along the pathway in that area. Good viewing from there, but it doesn't give close views to the big boat procession. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/naples-christmas-boat-parade-long-beach?select=hSkIoBdgfIL-zmyCjD7KQQ#hSkIoBdgfIL-zmyCjD7KQQ We were about to go further explore, but got a call from home and had to leave. So that's as far as my intel goes! Guess we're going to have to come back next year to get the full experience! Thank you to the neighborhood for sharing your festive spirit with us! read more

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This is one of the many reasons why i live in long beach. On one evening during the holidays boat owners, kayakers, paddle boarders, decorate their vessels with christmas lights and have a parade on the water going around naples island. You can watch along the canals or along one of the many bridges. You can even sit at the bar at Tantalum or simply pick a spot and sit on one of the many benches that dot along the shoreline. It is a very festive occasion and not many people know about this. People who live along the canals usually have parties and often times become a public party:). People on their boats are partying too:) The waters along alamitos bay and mother's beach are decorated with floating christmas trees. The houses along the canals are decorated with christmas lights. All the boats along the canals and the marinas are decorated too. So on any given night you can take a walk and just take it all in....a million twinkling lights against the moonlit waters of the canals :) Come to long beach and watch the christmas boat parade. It is such a heart warming experience. *Free & Fun read more

Naples Christmas Boat Parade - Local Flavor Near Me - Long Beach, California

Just arrive a little early on 2nd street and park somewhere there instead of going to the far free parking listed on their website. Walk down 2nd Street until you see Toledo and go there to get to the location easily. This review is for last year. On the day I went, Naples had bad luck with a power outage. There was a great deal of confusion for about an hour on when the parade would start and if it was still going on. If one of their staff was going around keeping people updated on what was going on, I missed it. Regardless, they got an electrician out there to fix the outage quickly and the show began and continued. Not only do you get to enjoy the parade but the neighborhood there is also covered in Christmas decorations. It's great for pics and killing time. The Naples boat parade is one of those wonders I try to take all of my friends to. They typically roll their eyes and think it'll be boring but then leave the parade all giddy like little kids. When the parade is over, there's plenty of shops and restaurants on 2nd street to end the night with. Pics don't do the decorations and parade any justice! If you want something interesting to do during the holidays, try this. read more

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Love going here! I'd recommend trying to do this mid week and middle of December. Weekends get a bit crowded and hard to walk through. However, the amount of effort that goes into these homes is astonishing! Worth a stroll for sure. read more

This review is for Naples Island itself not the boat parade. We went on a friday night when there was no parade and it was nice, peaceful and quiet. There were a few people strolling around but it was not busy at all. As for the houses and lights themselves they are simply stunning and the people go all out to decorate for Christmas. The water in the canal, the boats passing by and the houses with all their decorations truly make Naples Island a magical place during Christmas time. This place is a hidden gem in Southern California. read more

It's one of the best "lightshows" on water around not to mention the Naples Canals gorgeous homes all lit up. The vibe is all good and candle-litty like with people coming from all over to stroll the lanes beside the water. If you want to park for free get there a little early and park off of 2nd street just inside the neighborhood. If you live in LB, leave your car at home and take the little red bus that runs down Ocean blvd to get dropped off right there. Grab some good eats before or after then jump back on bus and zoom home, viola! read more

We checked out the boat parade from the peninsula and not Naples. My lasik is wearing off so I probably would've gotten more out of the experience if I had worn my night driving spectacles. The bf and I went to Upper Hasting Ranch in Pasadena the previous night and saw so many lights at those houses so perhaps I expected the boats to also glow as much. There were a few standouts but the rest of them just had lights outlining the mast and sails. The peninsula is an amazingly tight knit community and we were invited to a wonderful party at one of the houses that overlooks the bay. The hospitality and the ability to see the boats from the comforts of a warm house definitely enhanced the experience. read more

My grandfather and step-grandmother lived on one of the canals here, and the Christmas boat parade was a tradition! I hadn't been back in years and years, but decided to take the husband and the dog this past weekend. Oh, it was fun! When I was young I remember it being family-friendly. Kids everywhere! Boats, lights, carolers, decorated houses and friendly people. It has changed. It felt a lot like the Freemont Street Experience in Vegas. College-aged kids with keg cups and drunken swaggers everywhere! Not so many kids. The houses have all become showpieces of wealth, not places to raise well-adjusted kids. No matter. We had an excellent time. It was super crowded but we had Amalia with us, which meant that people stepped back and gave us space. Right, like she'd do anything besides lick someone....well, they don't need to know that. One little girl asked "is that a reindeer?" but we usually heard "wow, look at that wolf!" The houses and their festive decorations were lovely. The boats were lit up, crowded, noisy, fun spectacles. I managed to remember how to get to my grandfather's house even though the streets were all blocked off and I couldn't remember any of the names. The house with the amusement park is still there, thank goodness. I hope that amusement park for dolls and toys never disappears! It was a trip down memory lane, except that the crowd was like an episode of 90210 - young, pretty, wealthy, drunk. read more

Not as many as I was hoping. And the parking is a little confusing and difficult to get around. I just drove around the whole neighborhood slow to take in the fews especially with how cold it was. If you want to walk around you need to come prepared and bundled up for sure. read more

Want to see Long Beach glowing and beautiful? Then head on down to this parade. You can walk around after and just look at the houses. I wish I knew someone in one of these houses because each one seems to have a different party going on. It will really put you in the holiday spirit! read more

Nice experience... come bundle up. You can check online the date of the parade. There's one for the big boats and one for the small boats. Come early and park near Mothers beach or near 2nd. You can walk into the channel off of Ravanna where the Rite Aid is. Most of the homeowners have elaborate parties during the boat show parade which is nice to watch. The houses are spectacular with almost all of them decorated. It's enchanting because it's on a small island. The boat parade isn't that great but good to see. read more

Been there twice, once w/our girls, once w/a young UAMC couple. It didn't disappoint! Aside from the actual boat parade, there's walking around both sides of the canal viewing the homes decked out for the holidays. It's cool to see what motifs are at each patio home. Some give snacks, some have music, some conduct parties while the evening wears on...too fun. Wish we would have known years before we did! read more

Simple and small boat parade. Nice Christmas activity to see the boats decorated up and go around the island. Makes a great excuse to stay home and have a Christmas party after wards. read more

are we really reviewing this? i don't think music make the boat. also....THROW AWAY YOUR TRASH, DON'T SUMP IT ON THE SAND OR DUMP IT OVERBOARD. classy people my a@#. read more

Poorly organized event. Had no idea when or where parade actually was occuring. The crowd was constantly pushing us around for no discernable reason. Didn't see any boats until over an hour after the scheduled start time. read more