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Watch out for large great white sharks (15-20 footers)...They swim down from NJ and New England during the colder months to spend the winter months here in the Southeast Atlantic coast.
I love the beach in the winter but don't expect to go swimming. Get a vacation rental that looks at the ocean with a hot tub and just relax and drink wine in the hot tub while watching the waves roll in!
But if you want beach weather you'll have to go to the keys most likely. Or at least Tampa/Miami. Personally if I'm going expecting beach weather in December I'm either taking a cruise or flying to the Bahamas at least.
Watch out for large great white sharks (15-20 footers)...They swim down from NJ and New England during the colder months to spend the winter months here in the Southeast Atlantic coast.
Ugh. This is what I was going to ask about.
Bummer.
First timer in NC in winter this year. How is the beaches-Wrightsville or Carolina? will it be too cold if temp drops to 30s in Raleigh?
Where should we go to get nice beach weather in December? we are looking to stay near the beach in a vacation rental so not looking for Miami type fun but is going south the only option weatherwise?
How about Myrtle beach? let me know some ideas for a family with kids beach vacation in Christmas time.
Watch out for large great white sharks (15-20 footers)...They swim down from NJ and New England during the colder months to spend the winter months here in the Southeast Atlantic coast.
That's a huge mischaracterization of the truth. Plus hypothermia would kill you way before the sharks would in December if you were swimming off the coast of NC.
I've had lots of winter trips to various beaches up and down the east cost (Nags Head, Myrtle, Folly, Jekyll, Miami, Key West). Anywhere other than S. Florida my hope is just for a sunny day where I can take nice relaxing walks on the beach with a jacket/sweater on. In S. Florida you typically get warm enough weather for laying out in beach attire and getting in the water some. That said, I've hit bitter cold before at the beaches north of South Florida where I had to bundle up like I was going skiing just to walk on the beach comfortably in the cold wind. I even had a trip to S. Florida once in March where there was a prolonged cold snap making it too cold to swim without a wetsuit (and even with a wetsuit, I had to cut my snorkel trip to Pennekamp short because it was just too miserable).
If you are looking for a summer-like experience at a beach in winter, you can probably get it in S. Florida, although to be safe I'd just go to Mexico or somewhere.
If you are looking for nice beaches to stay at there are some nice beaches in Southwest Florida. Sanibel Island, Naples, and Marco Island just to name a few that are really nice beaches. I live here in Southwest Florida right now and in December the beaches aren't terribly busy yet. The weather is pretty good in December, but the water is going to be on the cooler side.
If you are looking to be further north in Florida, there are some nice beaches near the Tampa area (St. Pete and Clearwater beaches are beautiful). Hope this helps!
I'm on Williams Island right mow, midway between Ft Lauderdale and Miami. Our trip to Miami Beach yesterday showed just a few people in the water, all but one with wetsuits.
We've visited the Gulf Coast in the winter several times. The water is warmer there. I'd suggest looking at Cape Coral, Sarasota, Ft Myers area. CC and FM will typically be less expensive than Sarasota.
That's a huge mischaracterization of the truth. Plus hypothermia would kill you way before the sharks would in December if you were swimming off the coast of NC.
To say nothing about the traffic accident encountered on the drive to the shore. Or the case of e-coli you got from your half dozen raw oysters.
Caution is wise. Paranoia is an illness.
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