Christmas Ships day trip from Tualatin: dinner with a river view.
On Thursday, December 17, the Juanita Pohl Center runs a day trip to the Old Spaghetti Factory on the Willamette, where dinner tables face the river as the Portland Christmas Ship Parade sails past. It is one of the coziest holiday outings on the Tualatin calendar, and seats are limited.
The Christmas Ships are a Pacific Northwest tradition: roughly five dozen boats, each strung with thousands of holiday lights, sail Portland's rivers most nights in December. The fleet follows a published parade schedule, and one of the best ways to see it up close is from a table at the Old Spaghetti Factory, whose riverfront windows put the parade right outside the glass.
The City of Tualatin organizes the evening as a Juanita Pohl Center day trip on Thursday, December 17, 6:00 to 9:00 PM, with transportation and dinner on the itinerary. Day trips through the center fill quickly, so reserve a seat early through the city's events page. It is also listed with the rest of the season on the local events page.
Plan the night
What to know before you go.
The day trip
Thursday, December 17, 2026, 6:00-9:00 PM
The Juanita Pohl Center handles the details: transportation to the Old Spaghetti Factory on the Willamette, a dinner reservation with the river view, and the evening fleet pass as the centerpiece. Reserve through the city's events page, and check in with the center for pickup times and any dietary questions.
The parade season
Most nights in December, per the official schedule
The Christmas Ships sail most nights in December along the Willamette and Columbia rivers. The official parade schedule at christmasships.org lists each night's route and timing, so you can catch a fleet pass from a riverfront park even without the dinner reservation.
Watch for free
Riverfront parks along the Willamette, about 25 minutes from Tualatin
No ticket is needed to watch the parade: public riverfront parks and bridges along the route are open to anyone with a warm coat and a thermos. Many Tualatin families make it a low-key evening outing, bundling up near the water while the lit boats glide past.
Pair it with the season
December 4-31 across the metro
The Christmas Ships fit naturally into a full holiday calendar: Tualatin's own Light Parades run December 4-6, ZooLights and Winter Wonderland cover the light-show bases, and the December guide ties it all together.
Why it matters
A holiday tradition that brings the town together.
What makes the Christmas Ships outing special is how Tualatin does it: neighbors ride up together, share a table, and come home on the same bus. For prospective buyers, it is a small window into the community's rhythm, the way a town of parks, parades, and shared traditions gathers in the darkest month of the year.
The Juanita Pohl Center runs day trips like this through the year, from the Mt. Pisgah Mushroom Festival in October to holiday outings in December. The full winter lineup, including Bingo, line dancing, and the winter program calendar, is on the city's events page.
Make Your Move
Live where the holidays come easy.
From the Light Parades down the street to a riverfront dinner in the city, 22379 SW 107th Ave puts Tualatin's holiday calendar at your doorstep. Paul Knighton of MORE Realty can show you the home and the neighborhood that surrounds it.
Schedule a Tour