Top 3 US Winter Surfing Destinations

Top 3 US Winter Surfing Destinations

A brief overview of surfing in the winter months

Surfing during the winter is characterised by two schools of thought. You’re looking outside and thinking that there is no way that you want to be out in chilly waters while it is cold and windy or even snowing. On the other hand, there are those prime surfing destinations in the US that are typically tropical no matter what time of the year that you travel there. So it should be easy to realise why California, Florida, and Hawaii are the top 3 US winter surfing destinations.

California, Florida and Hawaii winter surfing

Although the climate in California tends to be a bit cooler than Florida and Hawaii in the wintertime, it is still a very popular surfing destination in the US, especially when you are talking about the beaches of San Diego. Most winter surfers will tell you that you are going to have a tough time deciding between Black’s Beach in La Jolla and Oceanside’s harbour in northern San Diego County. Black’s features amazing waves during the winter while Oceanside is one of the widest beaches in the area.

Orlando, Florida has often been referred to as the “Surf City” of the eastern seaboard. There are numerous cheap flights to Orlando available year round so the city is quite accessible. Orlando boasts two prime winter surfing areas – nearby Daytona Beach and what is called the Space Coast beaches. Additionally, Cocoa Beach is a consideration, especially the inlet area.

Finally, there are the beaches of Hawaii which make for an extremely challenging decision where winter surfing is concerned. Whether you are a beginner or a seasoned veteran, the many beaches of the Hawaiian Islands are more than accommodating for great winter surfing, especially the shores of the big island (Hawaii), Kaanapali Shores in northwestern Maui, and Oahu’s northern shore.

Interesting and unique information about all of them

Where the states of California, Florida, and Hawaii are concerned, there are some interesting facts regarding surfing regardless of the time of year.

Surfing in California dates back to 1885 when three Hawaiian princes were in the city of San Mateo attending school. Travelling to Santa Cruz, they found outstanding surfing opportunities at the San Lorenzo River’s mouth. It would be 22 years until the sport was pursued again anywhere along the California coast.

Ironically, it over 45 years for surfing to arrive in the state of Florida thanks to Babe Braithwait and John Smith, a pair of Virginia Beach lifeguards who rented concession stands at different Florida beaches in order to demonstrate Hawaiian surfboards and how to participate in the sport.

Surfing in Hawaii dates back 1,700 years to the 4^th century AD during the time when Polynesians began relocating to and settling the islands from the Marquesas and Tahiti. It was in the Hawaiian Islands that the invention of long boards and standing up on them to ride the waves was perfected. By the late 1700’s, the sport of riding the waves on long boards become an everyday occurrence in Hawaii’s culture.