Lighted Christmas Boat Parade on Destin Harbor: Best Places to Watch

The Destin Harbor Lighted Christmas Boat Parade is an annual holiday tradition that takes place in early December on Destin Harbor.

This post will cover information about the 2024 event and the best viewing spots to see the boat parade and fireworks.

Participating boats will include area tour boats, dolphin cruise boats, fishing charter boats, and private boats. At the end of this post I will also recommend a few options for a boat cruise if you want to be in the parade.

Destin Lighted Boat Parade Date and Time

The 2024 Destin Boat Parade will take place on Sunday, December 15th starting at 6pm. Fireworks will immediately follow the parade.

Lighted Boat Parade Route

The Destin Boat Parade participating boats will make their way from the east side of the harbor (near Boshamps restaurant) to the west side (Harborwalk Village/Emerald Grande) ending near the Destin Bridge and East Pass area.

Here is a map of the approximate parade route to give you a visual idea of the best viewing spots:

Best Viewing Spots for the Destin Boat Parade

Viewing spot options for the Destin Boat Parade include Harborwalk Village Restaurants, the docks of Harborwalk Boardwalk and Marina, the Destin Bridge, and the beaches of Norriego Point. This section will explain each of those in more detail.

1. Destin Harborwalk and Boardwalk Docks

Most people who go to watch the parade will just grab a spot on the docks either at Harborwalk Village or further down on the Destin Boardwalk. You can stand along any of the Destin Boardwalk or Harborwalk docks for a good view.

The areas at Harborwalk in front of Emerald Grande will have the closest view because the boats come close to the docks in that section but any place where you have an unobstructed view of Destin Harbor will be good.

2. The Destin Marler Bridge

The Destin bridge is also a good option if you want an elevated view and don’t mind walking a bit. From the bridge you will see the boats come towards you before they turn to go closer to the fireworks boat.

It’s a neat angle where you can really see them all decorated and parading along and most of them will see you if you wave.

To watch from the Destin Bridge, park at Harborwalk Village and walk up the sidewalk from there. The harbor side of the bridge has a pedestrian walkway with a divider separating you from the traffic.

Harborwalk charges $10 for parking in the busy season but normally they do not charge for parking in mid-December so it should be free to park for the Christmas boat parade.

Be sure to enjoy dinner and drinks at Harborwalk before or after your bridge wander to make your parking there technically legal. 

3. Restaurants with a Boat Parade View

Many waterfront restaurants on Destin Harbor will have a nice view of the parade if you have a table with a view of the harbor.

Restaurant choices with a nice view of the boats include Tailfins from the 2nd and 3rd floor, AJ’s Seafood from the upstairs area, Margaritaville from 2nd floor dining and the 3rd floor Landshark Landing bar, The Boathouse (limited space so secure your outdoor spot early), and both levels of Harry T’s.

The photo below is of a boat passing Margaritaville which will be about as close as you can get to the action. 

Destin Harbor’s newest restaurants that will have amazing views include East Pass Oyster House and I think the elevated Edge Sky Bar–which opened in May of 2022 next to the Boathouse–should also have a nice view.

Boshamps and Marina Cafe will also have a view of the Boat Parade but it will be more from a distance as they are set back from the parade route more.

That side of the harbor is a good choice if you want to skip some of the crowds and there is a dock between Marina Cafe and Boshamps that you can usually walk out on to get a closer view of the parade.

In 2023 I shot from the Edge Seafood and Oyster house where they had the upstairs closed off to offer a private ticketed event for the parade viewing. It was a great spot!

4. Norriego Point Public Beach

I have watched the boat parade from Norriego Point (where some of these photos were taken) but I can only recommend it with caution.

The boats come very close to the shore there so it’s a nice view except you are on the backside of the parade so they will be waving at the people on the Harborwalk side of the harbor.

Still, it’s a great spot if you want to chill on the beach and don’t mind the walk through the sand to get to the side of Norriego Point that is facing Harborwalk. You will definitely see the boats up close from there.

There is currently construction going on at Norriego Point, so it looks like it’s gated off when you get there but there is a path to the left of the fences that will lead you out there. Be prepared for a lot of sand walking going this route, because you have to cross to the other side facing Harborwalk once you get out there.

5. Christmas Boat Parade Cruise

Another fun way to enjoy the boat parade and have the best view is to be in it. Several of the boat excursions offer a boat parade and fireworks cruise that night but be sure to book ahead.

Cruisin’ Tikis Destin, Buccaneer Pirate Ship, Southern Star Dolphin Cruise, Boogies Dolphin Cruise and Destin Snorkel are a few of the companies who offer a boat parade cruise. 

Destin Lighted Boat Parade Fireworks

Once all the boats pass Harborwalk Village and Norriego Point, the fireworks will go off celebrating the end of the parade.

There is no set time planned for the fireworks since they go off immediately after the parade but in past years they went off at approximately 7:30pm so expect them around that time. They go off much earlier than the summer shows.

The fireworks view from the Destin bridge is one of the best as seen in the photo above. Norriego Point is also a great spot for the fireworks except you will want to run around to the other side for the best view once the final boats start approaching.

If you watch from the bridge, be sure to bring a jacket. It can get pretty windy up there–especially in December.

There are a lot of great spots to watch the Destin Harbor fireworks. For more detail on that, check out this post I wrote: The Best Places to Watch the Destin Harbor Fireworks

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I hope this post helps you find the perfect spot to watch the Destin Harbor Lighted Boat Parade.

Be sure to comment below if you have any questions or feedback. I love hearing from you and prefer to answer questions on here so my answers can help others as well. Don’t forget to subscribe to my email list so you don’t miss any posts!

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Hi, I’m Sarah–the creator, writer and photographer behind this site. I sell prints, books, journals, and calendars all made from my Emerald Coast photography and I also manage a few vacation rentals on beautiful Holiday Isle in Destin if you want me to be your helpful, knowledgeable host when you visit.…..🌴😃🐬 I have a few rentals including a large house with a boat slip, a 2-bedroom condo, and a 1-bedroom apartment. All are directly on Destin Harbor with private gated access to the most beautiful beaches in Destin. If you enjoy my posts, please consider supporting my blog by shopping my products. I appreciate every sale, and it helps me continue to put out quality free content for you. Thank you SO much 🙂