On Saturday, December 12, the main channel clears at 5:45 p.m. For fifteen minutes, no boat is allowed in the stretch between Basins B and H while the Holiday Light Show runs over the water. At 6 p.m. the 64th Annual Marina del Rey Holiday Boat Parade begins.
That fifteen-minute window is the first thing to plan around this year. The second is a construction site on Mindanao Way. Marina Lot 4, the County lot by the Visitor Center at Admiralty Way and Mindanao Way, has been closed since December 1, 2025. It is becoming a three-level parking structure. With those two facts in mind, start by choosing which side of the water you'll watch from. Then choose your lot, your dinner, and your arrival time to match.
The night starts at 5:45, so plan for 5:45
The boats start moving at 6 p.m., and the park program begins two hours earlier. Here's the full Burton Chace Park schedule from Los Angeles County Beaches and Harbors:
- 4:00 to 6:00 p.m.: Voices of Christmas, roaming carolers
- 4:00 to 8:00 p.m.: Gourmet food trucks, a photo booth, and a kids' art corner
- 5:45 to 6:00 p.m.: Holiday Light Show, subject to change for weather
- 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.: Holiday Boat Parade
The event is free and goes on rain or shine. The County also links an Eventbrite RSVP from its parade page. The 2026 theme is "Hollywood Under The Stars," so expect boats decorated with lights, costumes, and live music to match. The Marina del Rey Tourism Board lists David Chokachi, a member of the original Baywatch cast, as grand marshal.
The Tourism Board also says the lawn at Burton Chace Park fills up fast and suggests arriving well before the opening show. So if you want a good spot for the 5:45 show, aim to be parked and walking by late afternoon, not at 5:30. This year that matters more, because Lot 4 by the Visitor Center is closed.
If you're taking your own boat out, keep the timing in mind. During the light show, no vessel may be in the restricted security zone in the Main Channel between Basins B and H. The County says the best views of the show are from outside that zone anyway.
What Lot 4 is turning into, and why it matters on December 12
The County's project page describes a three-level structure plus a surface lot. It will have 368 spaces and run 24 hours a day, with pay-and-display stations, ADA-compliant stalls, and EV charging. The side facing Mindanao Way will carry a civic art piece by the artist team FreelandBuck, designed to look like abstract sails. The County's own explanation for the project is that Marina del Rey's events bring in thousands of visitors a year, and they need more parking.
The parade is one of the events the structure is meant to serve, but the timing is tight. The County expected construction to run from December 2025 through December 2026, with dates subject to change. As of publication, the parade page still lists Lot 4 as closed and tells visitors to use other lots. The organizer's parking page also says that parking on Mindanao Way is limited because of the closure. Plan as if Lot 4 is unavailable, and check the County's development page the week of the parade.
Two sides of the water, two different evenings
The parade organizer names three public viewing areas: Burton Chace Park, Fisherman's Village, and the Inlet & Park location. The Tourism Board adds that you can watch from anywhere along the water. Burton Chace Park and Fisherman's Village make the most practical pair to compare. Each one has its own nearby lots and its own dinner options, so it helps to treat them as two separate plans.
| Burton Chace Park side | Fisherman's Village side | |
|---|---|---|
| Address | 13650 Mindanao Way | Fiji Way |
| Programming | Carolers, food trucks, photo booth, kids' art corner | Waterfront restaurants |
| Closest County lot | Lot 77, 13560 Mindanao Way, $8 | Lot 1, 13723 Fiji Way, $8 |
| Other nearby lots | Lot 8, 4220 Admiralty Way, and Lot 5, 4545 Admiralty Way, $5 each | Lot 2 boat launch ramp, 13477 Fiji Way, $10 for cars |
| Sit-down dinner nearby | Killer Shrimp, 4211 Admiralty Way | La Marina Trattoria and El Torito on Fiji Way |
The Burton Chace Park plan
This is where everything on the schedule happens, so families with kids who want the art corner and the carolers should start here. Lot 77 is on the same street as the park, a little lower on Mindanao Way's numbering, and costs $8 on parade night. The organizer's parking page also lists more parking at Marina Towers.
If you're willing to walk a bit and save a few dollars, the Admiralty Way lots are the cheapest on the County's list. Lot 8 at 4220 Admiralty and Lot 5 at 4545 Admiralty are $5 each, and Lot 7 at 4350 Admiralty is $6. Lot 8 also sits on the same block of Admiralty Way as Killer Shrimp at 4211 Admiralty. The restaurant's website says it's open every day from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., so you could have an early bowl before the show or eat after the last boat goes by at 8.
There's also the picnic option. The Tourism Board notes that the park has a small number of public picnic tables and grills, first come, first served, and suggests bringing takeout to eat on the lawn. Seats here are open lawn with no reservations, so bring a blanket or a low-back chair. December evenings by the water get chilly.
The Fisherman's Village plan
Fisherman's Village is on Fiji Way, across the water from the park, and it makes the most sense for a sit-down dinner. You can park, eat, and watch without moving the car. Lot 1, the Fisherman's Village lot, is $8 on parade night and has the same 13723 Fiji Way address as La Marina Trattoria. La Marina Trattoria's website lists daily hours of 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Next door, El Torito at 13715 Fiji Way lists daily hours on its Marina del Rey location page.
A May 2026 kickoff piece from Explore Marina del Rey also named KC Crêpes Cafe and Lighthouse Fountain & Grill among the Village's food options, both at 13723 Fiji Way. Those two are better for a crêpe or a quick bite than a full dinner.
If Lot 1 fills up, the Boat Launch Ramp lot at 13477 Fiji Way is $10 for cars and $15 with a trailer. Fisherman's Village is one of the spots the Tourism Board specifically names for watching from the water's edge.
Leaving the car out of it
The County expects heavy traffic delays on the roads around the marina on parade night. It also expects longer rideshare wait times and asks drivers not to stop or park illegally for pickups and drop-offs. If you're getting a ride, plan to walk a short distance to meet your car rather than waiting at the curb by the park.
For anyone in Venice, Playa del Rey, or the buildings along Via Marina, the County suggests the Marvin Braude Coastal Bike Trail. It's a 22-mile paved path along the county coastline, and its Marina del Rey section runs from Dockweiler State Beach up to Washington Boulevard near Venice Beach. On a night when the lots fill early, a bike gets you to the water without circling for parking.
For accessibility, the Tourism Board says Burton Chace Park has wheelchair-friendly paths, viewing areas, and restrooms, and that every public lot has accessible parking spaces.
A simple version of the plan
Pick your side. For Burton Chace, park at Lot 77 or one of the $5 Admiralty Way lots and be on the lawn before 5:45 p.m. For Fisherman's Village, park at Lot 1, eat on Fiji Way, and watch from the water's edge.
Both plans give you a good view of the boats. Lot 4 makes this year's parking a little harder, and once the new structure opens with its 368 spaces, future parade nights should be easier.
If you live in the marina and the light show on December 12 has you thinking about your next step, whether that's buying a place near the water or selling one you own, Maryam Majnoonian would be glad to talk it through, maybe even before the boats go by. Schedule a Consultation, and we'll start with what matters to you about where you live.
