Vacations Blog

After Gudrun’s post about seeing the lights in the Bay Area, I thought I would share my family’s favorites just north of the Golden Gate Bridge.

We especially like the holiday boat parades. Our favorite is the Sausalito Lighted Yacht Parade on December 8, 2007 starting at 6:00 p.m. I like it because it is near my home, not crowded and is quite spectacular. It lasts about an hour, just enough time to keep the kids entertained and to get chilled enough to justify copious amounts of hot chocolate. There is great viewing from inside the Spinnaker restaurant or you can bring your own warm beverage and see the show from the dock just to the north of the restaurant.

My friends from Petaluma have invited us to view the Petaluma Holiday Lighted Boat Parade on December 1, 2007 from their architectural office overlooking the river. As the Petaluma Post described it, “a flotilla of vessels decked in lights will glide into the Petaluma River Turning Basin beginning about 6 PM.” If you miss the parade, don’t worry, boats leave their lights on for a few hours after the parade. There are many restaurants to visit near the river if you want to make it more of an evening. Read More »

Almost as soon as the Halloween decorations come down, I get excited to see the lights displays for the winter holidays. In the Bay Area, individuals and neighborhoods build beautiful displays and driving around Thanksgiving weekend is a big tradition in our house. Here are some suggestions for not-to-be-missed light shows:

On the Peninsula, The Festival of Lights Parade in Los Altos starts off the holiday season, the Sunday after Thanksgiving. In Palo Alto, residents like to drive down Christmas Tree Lane, on Fulton Avenue off of Embarcadero. Redwood City boasts a great neighborhood display on Dewey Street, better known as Candy Cane Lane, while San Carlos welcomes visitors to Eucalyptus Street, off of Brittan, for a great display of holiday glitter.

In the East Bay, don’t miss Thompson Ave between High street and Fernside in Alameda. This community oriented street is decorated to the hilt, and you can even bring your letter to Santa to drop in the mailbox. I have heard that he might even respond! The Oakland Yacht Club will host the 31st annual Lighted Yacht Parade on December 1, with viewing locations at Wind River Park in Alameda and Jack London Square in Oakland.

In San Francisco, Union Square gets all dolled up for the holidays with a huge tree in the center. And the shops around the square decorate for the season and are worth a look. Embarcadero Center also puts on a fabulous light display, using approximately 17,000 lights!

In the South Bay, Vasona Park Fantasy of Lights in Los Gatos, part of the Santa Clara County Park system, transforms into a winter wonderland, complete with twinkling lights and animated displays. Christmas in the Park, an annual celebration in Plaza de Cesar Chavez in downtown San Jose, showcases trees decorated by non-profits in San Jose.

Don’t see something that is close to you? Check out Lights of the Valley, which lists homes in the Bay Area with light displays. Started by a mom in Livermore in 1999, the site takes nominations from members of the community and includes pictures.What is your favorite place to see lights? What is the tradition in your neighborhood? We love to hear your travel adventures!

Photo courtesy of kc1598.