Discover the 7 Best Beaches in the United States For Winter Snorkeling

Snorkeling is one of the most fun activities for travelers! Snorkeling lets you explore the ocean in such a unique and fun way, and you get to see so many different kinds of creatures and environments. For these reasons, snorkeling is one of the best activities to participate in on vacations to the beach. Normally, however, snorkeling is thought of as a summer vacation activity. Snorkeling is amazing when the water is warm and the whole family is on summer vacation! While this is very true, there is also so much to do in winter as well! Snorkeling in winter offers different creatures to see, as well as cool water to swim in! If you’ve already gone snorkeling before, or you’re planning on going for the first time, keep reading to learn more about some of the best beaches to go snorkeling in the wintertime!

Cottrell Key

Cottrell Key is a small island in the Florida Keys! This island is famous locally as an amazing spot to go snorkeling. Being in the southernmost part of Florida, snorkeling through the Keys of Florida is perfect for a winter getaway. This island is accessible by boat and offers so much unique sea life not seen in other snorkeling areas. This island has ideal conditions for snorkelers. There is low wind some days as the island is surrounded by other islands, giving easier visibility. The water is also on the shallower side for snorkeling, perfect for groups on an outing together!

Cottrell Key is famous for its unique wildlife and sea creatures. Its low wind environment has led to a beautiful coral reef to form. There are plenty of sea sponges and coral reef heads that are amazing to swim through. The spotted tulip snail is one of the more unique sea creatures in the waters. Yellowtail and parrotfish are also common in the water along with lobsters. Spending a couple of hours in the waters is the perfect way to get to know more about the sea creatures of the Keys while winter snorkeling.

San Carlos Beach

San Carlos Beach is in Monterey, California. This beach is perfect for wintertime snorkelers because of the beautiful weather of California. This beach is perfect for beginners and new snorkelers because of its shallower depths. The area itself is also amazing as a trip. Being in Monterey, there is plenty to do in the local areas such as eat delicious seafood. San Carlos Beach is perfect for winter snorkeling, and there are amazing sea creatures to see too!

One of the cutest sea creatures you can see in these waters is nudibranchs. These are soft-body gastropods that come in a large number of patterns and colors and are beautiful to see in the water. There are also other small fish and invertebrates throughout the water that are fun to watch swim by. San Carlos is great for winter snorkeling during your next trip.

Emerald Bay

Emerald Bay is in Lake Tahoe, a lake in California. This is one of the more unique snorkeling areas on the list given the fact that it’s in a lake instead of the ocean. Lake Tahoe is around the easternmost part of California state, and the Nevada border actually runs right through it! This lake, while colder in the winter, gives insight into different kinds of animals and creatures found in freshwater rather than seawater. This makes for a different kind of snorkeling experience that others may not have experienced yet!

Lake Tahoe is a very recent snorkeling site as well on this list. The lake’s official snorkeling trail was opened relatively recently in 2018! This trail highlights the history of Lake Tahoe, dating back more than 100+ years! The trail was curated to show off all the biggest “landmarks” in the lake. These include interesting rock formations and sunken boats. This trail is a great way to learn about the local history around Lake Tahoe and is sure to be a good time for anyone snorkeling!

Crystal River

Crystal River is in the middlemost western part of Florida and is bound to be one of the best snorkeling trips out there. Crystal River is a small river that runs out of marsh, full of unique creatures to interact with. One of the best parts of this area is the beautiful landscape. There is so much beauty in the marshes around Florida, and there are sometimes small trails and paths to explore for those not so keen on snorkeling.

One of the best parts about Crystal River is the unique creatures you can swim along with. These include manatees, one creature probably not anywhere else on this list! The manatees migrate to Crystal River only in the wintertime, making it the perfect time of year to go and see them! Since snorkeling is often thought of as a summer activity, this is the perfect wintertime vacation and excuse to go snorkeling! Do head with caution, however, as the water can get pretty cold. Pack a thermos with any warm foods or drinks to keep you cozy on your trip!

Santa Catalina Island

Santa Catalina Island is a small island in California just south of Los Angeles. This island is home to a number of beautiful resorts and hotels, perfect for a winter getaway! The island is famous for its snorkeling and scuba diving, along with other beautiful landmarks across the island. This island is picturesque and beautiful, perfect for any kind of person or group looking to get away in the winter!

Santa Catalina is one of the best places to go snorkeling on this list as it is one of the best places to snorkel in the world! Scuba Diving Magazine ranked this island as “World’s Healthiest Marine Environment,” and for good reason too! There is so much marine life to be seen here, including beautiful kelp forests! There are dolphins, sharks, angelfish, and sturgeons, as well as many other sea creatures! Don’t miss out on this wonderful winter snorkeling spot!

Key Largo

Also in the Florida Keys, Key Largo is another amazing spot to snorkel in Florida! The island is on the eastern side of the Keys and is a great place to spend a chilly winter. With a large number of resorts across the island, taking some time in the winter to relax in the warm Florida weather is the best way to spend winter. Many of the resorts or the areas around them offer snorkeling tours, perfect for people who are just beginning snorkeling.

There are so many amazing creatures to see in Key Largo, but nothing stands up to the beautiful coral reefs. The coral reefs in Key Largo are colorful and full of different shapes and textures. There are also so many little fish that swim around, giving plenty to look at!

Anini Beach

Anini Beach is on Kauai Island, west of Honolulu. Kauai is famous for its beautiful landscape and nature. There are large and lush mountains as well as beautiful beaches to swim in. Kauai is perfect for a winter getaway as well as Hawaii is on the equator line. This makes it warm, even throughout the wintertime.

Anini Beach has so much to see. There are beautiful coral reefs full of tropical fish such as moorish idol fish. There are multiple places that you can snorkel from along the beach, making it the perfect place to go swimming and exploring!

Summary

Snorkeling is one of the best activities to partake in when traveling to beaches or bodies of water. It gives wonderful insight into the beautiful wildlife of the area. Snorkeling in the wintertime can be tricky, as snorkeling is often thought of as a warm summer activity. There are plenty of amazing wintertime snorkeling areas though, perfect for all kinds of people. Consider some of the amazing beaches on this list to go wintertime snorkeling in!

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