Picture this: twilight settles over East Lagoon, the water turns glass-smooth, and a string of glittering boats—everything from jumbo yachts to LED-wrapped kayaks—slips past like a floating Christmas tree farm. It’s the kind of small-town magic that lets kids squeal, grandparents relax in camp chairs, and photo buffs snag postcard shots without elbowing through Sound-side crowds.
Key Takeaways
Before you dive into the full guide, skim these essentials so you know exactly why East Lagoon belongs on your holiday calendar and how to make the most of every twinkle. They cover timing, parking, pet perks, boating rules, and a few bonus activities that turn one evening parade into a weekend packed with winter-by-the-water fun. Share them with your crew, bookmark them on your phone, and arrive feeling like you’ve done this for years.
• What: A glowing holiday boat parade—small loop in East Lagoon, big show on Santa Rosa Sound
• When: Saturday, December 16; first boat 5:15 p.m., main parade horn 6:00 p.m.
• Where: Best shore spots are Axelson Point and Miller Point; space is tight, so come early
• Easy travel: Only eight parking spots at Axelson; biking or walking from Navarre Beach Camping Resort takes about 10 minutes
• Kids: Show lasts 40 minutes; pack warm clothes, cocoa, low chairs, and a red flashlight
• Pets: Dogs welcome; quick potty area at Axelson entrance; use reflective leashes and sweaters
• Boaters: Keep real nav lights clear, use LED strings, idle in the Lagoon, file a float plan
• Campers: Full-hookup sites run electric heaters; carry windbreaks and use the late-night hot tub
• Extra fun: Morning bird watch, shell crafts, cookie swap, and s’mores by the fire ring
• Double feature: Watch the Lagoon first, then hustle south to catch the Sound parade
These nuggets remove the guesswork, letting you focus on cocoa temperature instead of logistics. Keep scrolling for deep-dive details, insider itineraries, and safety notes that turn quick facts into a stress-free, memory-maxing plan.
Keep reading if you want…
• the exact 6 p.m. “first-boat” whistle, plus where to park, pedal, or paddle in.
• kid-tested tips for keeping little ones warm, fed, and wowed for the full 40-minute loop.
• pet-friendly shoreline nooks (and where the nearest doggie relief patch hides).
• the checklist for lighting up your own craft—yes, even a SUP can join the glow line!
• a no-rush game plan that pairs s’mores at Navarre Beach Camping Resort with front-row lagoon views—then slides you back in time for the big Santa Rosa Sound parade.
Sound like your kind of holiday night? Let’s light it up!
Snapshot: Dates, Times, and Quick Fixes
December’s marquee weekend lands on Saturday, December 16, the same day the Catch Santa Afloat festivities fill Navarre with twinkle lights and cocoa steam. Expect the first illuminated hull to slip into East Lagoon around 5:15 p.m., loop once between Axelson Point and Miller Point, and finish by 5:50—just in time for families with early bedtimes. Ten minutes later, the sanctioned Santa Rosa Sound parade horns away at 6 p.m., giving ambitious spectators a two-for-one light show if they hustle or bike south.
Parents juggling naps and dinner appreciate the Lagoon’s shorter window; you can be back at your campsite pouring cocoa by six. Snowbirds preferring fewer crowds simply skip the Sound altogether and settle into padded chairs on the pier. Either way, booking a waterfront RV pad or cabin at Navarre Beach Camping Resort keeps your bed, shower, and s’mores kit within a five-minute stroll.
East Lagoon Versus Santa Rosa Sound: Know Your Waters
East Lagoon is the slender, river-like arm of East Bay fed by the East Bay River and framed by Axelson Point and Miller Point, two low headlands that block winter chop and create a kayak-calm pocket of water according to local history. The sheltered geography once protected a small shipyard; today it cushions paddle-boarders and pint-sized sailboats that might shy away from the Sound’s tidal roll. Even on breezy December evenings, the Lagoon stays glassy, so decorated kayaks and SUPs can glide without wrestling whitecaps.
That contrast explains why the Lagoon’s holiday cruise feels neighborly and unscripted while the official Navarre Beach parade on Santa Rosa Sound draws big vessels, traffic marshals, and road closures. Families hungry for elbow room can watch the informal Lagoon loop, warm up by a beach fire, then decide whether the larger Sound spectacle is worth the drive. Adventurers with decorated kayaks often choose to float both, slipping through the connecting cut at idle speed and collecting a double helping of holiday magic.
How to Watch Like a Local: Parking, Pedaling, and Shore Seats
Axelson Point offers the classic front-row seat, but its roadside turnout fits only eight cars on a good day. Arrive an hour before dusk, bring a headlamp for the unlit footpath, and pack low camp chairs to keep sight lines clear for families behind you. Carrying a red-beam flashlight rather than a white one preserves night vision for you and passing boat crews, saving everyone’s retinas from surprise glare.
Miller Point provides several casual pull-offs along the Holley shoreline. These spots are first-come, first-served, and visitors should avoid blocking private drives or launching drones over backyards. Guests staying at Navarre Beach Camping Resort often skip the parking drama entirely: the 1.8-mile pedal from the campground to Axelson takes ten relaxed minutes, and reflective armbands plus handlebar lights make the after-parade ride feel festive rather than frazzled. If you must rideshare, book both legs before 8 p.m.—drivers evaporate once the Sound parade ends and surge pricing can jingle your wallet louder than sleigh bells.
Ready to Float? Safety and Decorating Checklist for Boaters
The Coast Guard’s golden rule never changes: navigation lights must stay visible. Wrap holiday strands around the rail, not over the red-green bow lamps or the white all-around. If decorations obscure them, rig auxiliary LED nav lights rated for marine use. LEDs also sip battery power and stay cool, unlike old-school incandescents that can scorch vinyl seats or drain house batteries faster than a karaoke session drains confidence.
Keep generators ventilated, secure extension cords away from fuel lockers, and idle through the Lagoon—wakes push paddle-boards into dock pilings and scatter the reflections everyone came to photograph. File a quick float plan with a friend ashore, tune a handheld VHF to channel 16, and stash a throwable cushion within arm’s reach even though the water looks like polished glass. Charter guests can reserve seats through local marinas for roughly $45–65 per adult, half due at booking, as detailed in the Catch Santa Afloat promotion. Whether you helm a center console or a neon-wrapped SUP, safety gear is the true star on parade night.
Tailored Itineraries for Every Camper
Local families rolling in for a single night can check in at noon, string lights around the awning, and lead a shell-ornament craft at the picnic pavilion by 3 p.m. A quick PB&J refuel powers kids for the 4:30 p.m. bike ride to Axelson Point. By 6 p.m. they’re back at the resort’s fire ring layering marshmallows, swapping bedtime stories, and uploading lagoon photos before the Wi-Fi gets sleepy.
Vacationing “Memory Makers” often slot a morning dolphin cruise, a nap beside the heated pool, and a pre-booked charter that slips into the Lagoon before merging with the Sound parade. Paying half the fare in advance shaves time off dockside lines and guarantees elbow room on the upper deck. After the lights fade, families can heat leftovers in the cabin kitchen or grab drive-thru tacos on Highway 98, then finish the night in the hot tub under string-light constellations.
Seasonal snowbirds favor community vibes over constant motion. They’ll simmer chili in the clubhouse crock-pot at 3 p.m., join a golf-cart caravan to Miller Point at 4:45, and unfold padded stadium cushions that spare aging backs during the 40-minute show. The resort pier offers an even quieter perch for guests with walkers or wheelchairs, proving that front row doesn’t always require asphalt. Post-parade, many retirees host decaf-coffee socials back at the clubhouse, trading camera settings and birding tips for the next morning.
Adventure paddlers rigging neon-wrapped kayaks launch from the resort’s private beach around 4 p.m. They cross the Sound under mellow winter sun, duck into the Lagoon, and drift at idle to keep wakes low. A dry bag with VHF radio, spare battery pack, and reflective tape turns a fun float into a safe one, while waterproof phone cases guarantee Instagram lives survive an accidental splash.
Pet-owning couples should note the grassy patch beside Axelson’s entrance—perfect for a quick relief stop before settling along the shoreline. Evening temps in the mid-50s call for reflective dog sweaters and portable water bowls. Post-parade, a dog-friendly café less than a mile east sells warm cider in to-go cups, capping the night with owner-and-pup selfies under fairy-lit palms.
Cold-Weather Camping Secrets at Navarre Beach Camping Resort
December nights may feel mild by Midwest standards, yet a coastal breeze can slice through thin tent fabric fast. Reserving a full-hookup site with 30/50-amp service lets guests run ceramic heaters without flipping breakers, and most Florida campgrounds—including this one—ban propane heaters inside RVs. A ground cloth plus a low-profile windbreak keeps sand out of sleeping bags, hot cocoa, and holiday-light extension cords.
High humidity meets cooler air after sunset, so cracking an RV window and running a fan prevents morning-dew drips on the bunk above. The resort’s adults-only hot tub and heated pool stay open well past parade time, which means a brisk shoreline stroll can end with steam-haloed shoulders. Stock spare guy lines for awnings and inflatable snowmen—winter fronts occasionally roll in with 20-mph gusts that test plastic stakes and campers’ patience alike.
Beyond the Boats: Day-to-Night Lagoonside Fun
Daylight on East Lagoon belongs to osprey and great blue herons, making it a low-stress birding classroom for kids. Print a Gulf Coast species checklist, hand out compact binoculars, and watch young campers turn spotting scopes into scavenger-hunt trophies. Driftwood and shell ornament workshops back at the pavilion give the morning haul a keepsake purpose and holiday trees a salty sparkle that double as budget-friendly souvenirs.
Evening brings a cookie swap organized at check-in, with chocolate smears doubling as instant ice-breakers among traveling families. Once the last hull ties off, the shoreline darkens enough for Orion, the Pleiades, and any lingering cocoa steam to share the sky in perfect, binocular-wide view. Early risers can borrow kayaks for a sunrise sweep, snagging stray tinsel and keeping the Lagoon’s manatees free from plastic curls—a leave-no-trace lesson wrapped in holiday spirit.
When the final string of lights ripples across the Lagoon, nothing beats strolling a few sandy steps back to your own cozy campsite—s’mores crackling, pups snoozing, and tomorrow’s adventures already humming in the surf. If that sounds like your kind of coastal tradition, snag your waterfront RV pad, cabin, or tent site at Navarre Beach Camping Resort now. Our family-friendly, pet-friendly grounds put you front-row for the parade, a sunrise paddle, and every twinkling memory in between. Spots for December 16 are filling fast, so make this the year your holiday season shines by the sea—reserve today and we’ll keep the campfire warm.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What time should we arrive for the East Lagoon boat parade and how long does it run?
A: The first decorated hull typically slips into the Lagoon around 5:15 p.m., completes a leisurely loop between Axelson Point and Miller Point, and wraps up by about 5:50 p.m., so plan to claim a shoreline spot 30–45 minutes early for stress-free parking, photos, and cocoa-pouring.
Q: Where are the best viewing spots and is parking available nearby?
A: Axelson Point offers the classic front-row shoreline but only a handful of roadside spaces, while Miller Point provides scattered pull-offs along Holley’s edge; either way, arrive before dusk, avoid blocking driveways, and consider biking the easy 1.8-mile path from the campground area to skip the car scramble altogether.
Q: Can kids stay engaged and warm during the parade?
A: Yes—because the Lagoon loop is under 40 minutes, little ones get the full wow factor without a late bedtime, and parents can pack hand warmers, cocoa thermoses, and low camp chairs so children can sip, snack, and squeal comfortably until the final boat glides past.
Q: Are dogs welcome along the East Lagoon shoreline?
A: Well-behaved, leashed pups are generally fine at both Axelson and Miller Points; bring reflective collars, a portable water bowl, and plan a quick stop at the grassy patch beside Axelson’s entrance so everyone enjoys the lights without worrying about pet comfort or cleanup.
Q: Is the parade suitable for seniors or guests with mobility aids?
A: The flat shoreline paths at both points are compact but manageable, and many retirees choose padded camp chairs or even the quieter resort pier to avoid long standing periods, so a walker or lightweight wheelchair paired with an early arrival usually secures a relaxed, front-row vantage.
Q: Can I join the flotilla with my own lit-up kayak or small boat?
A: Absolutely—paddlers often launch from the nearby beach around 4 p.m., but Coast Guard rules still apply, meaning your red-green bow and white all-around navigation lights must stay visible, speeds should be no-wake inside the Lagoon, and a float plan plus VHF radio keep the fun both festive and safe.
Q: How does the East Lagoon show line up with the larger Santa Rosa Sound parade?
A: The Lagoon finishes by about 5:50 p.m., and the sanctioned Sound parade horns away at 6 p.m., so energetic spectators can hop in a car or on bikes straight afterward to snag a two-for-one light show, while anyone craving fewer crowds often skips the Sound and heads straight back for shoreline relaxation at the campground.