Little did we know when we booked our stay near Destin that for Christmas, they do a boat parade! Your next thought: what exactly does a boat parade entail? Well, my friends, you are about to experience it for yourself!
It begins with boat owners decorating their vessels with lights and general Christmas fantasticness. From a large pirate ship and outstanding yachts, to smaller watercrafts; Destin lights up the water for every Christmas lovers’ delight. Some captains add music to the festivities, while others transport Santa along the water. They form a line and parade slowly past the Destin Harborwalk and out in to the entrance to the Gulf. Once in position, the boats and all showgoers enjoy a fireworks display over the water. This is Christmas: Destin style.
Let’s take a closer look at some of these boats…
And for the fireworks…
And their return past the Destin Harborwalk…
A great way to see the show is from the Harborwalk Area. There are a ton of restaurants there overlooking the harbor, and they looked pretty packed. That would definitely be a nice way to enjoy your meal. We opted for a more quiet location. Directly across the water from the Harborwalk is a public access beach with dunes. We walked out on the beach with a few other people; but as you can see in the fireworks photos, there was no one around us – just beach, water and Christmas lights. It was a great way to view the boats with the Harborwalk in the backdrop.
Whichever way you choose to view it, the Boat Parade will add to your Christmas spirit!
