Last updated on December 8th, 2021 at 12:25 pm
If you still haven’t had a chance to go see Christmas lights this year in Oregon, we have just the place for you to get in the spirit for the holidays. This classic Christmas Parade goes clear back to 1954, and started with only one decorated sailboat gliding down the river. In the years following, more and more ships began to join the parade, becoming increasingly popular and magical over the years.
If you plan on going to Portland to see the event, you can make reservations at one of the great places to eat at any restaurants on the river, or even book a hotel room overlooking the water. Salty’s On The Columbia is a great place not only to eat but offers great views of the Christmas Ships Parade.
You could also take a cruise on the Portland Spirit and book your ride on the Willamette Shore Trolley’s Christmas Ships excursion.
If you aren’t looking to spend a lot, you can just as easily bundle up with friends and family and watch from the waterfront!
The parade starts Dec 5 in 2019, and will go all the way through to the 19th of December. For a detailed route description and a list of places to see the Christmas Ships see the Columbia route schedule here and the Willamette route schedule here.
You can also check via Twitter or Facebook for updates to the route.
The Christmas Ships will be hosting two “Meet & Greet” events this year: Saturday, December 21, and December 22.
Before heading out, make sure to check weather conditions to make sure the parade has not been postponed or canceled on certain nights!
Learn about other great places to see Christmas lights this year in Oregon here.
