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 »