Jump to content

Recommended Posts

Posted
  On 4/1/2025 at 8:55 PM, Al_4_ISU said:

Go to Okoboji, Iowa and visit my other alma mater

Crest4Handbook.png

Expand  

Spent a few hours in that area one day about 15 years ago. 

Went to a small amusement park and rode the most rickety wooden rollercoaster in history.  

Also had some damn good "Tom Thumb" donuts.

image.thumb.jpeg.7f7b4dace5727dc9ed980fea13f58a00.jpeg

Posted
  On 4/2/2025 at 2:30 PM, orange dream said:

Spent a few hours in that area one day about 15 years ago. 

Went to a small amusement park and rode the most rickety wooden rollercoaster in history.  

Also had some damn good "Tom Thumb" donuts.

image.thumb.jpeg.7f7b4dace5727dc9ed980fea13f58a00.jpeg

Expand  

I remember being 4 years old and too short to ride that roller coaster.  Utter meltdown.

A lot of my good buddies from ISU grew up there, so I spent a lot of time hanging out there in the summers in college drinking way too much and chasing tail.  It has a special place in my heart, even though it's a bit laughable to include it in a list of great beach communities (but it really sorta is).

  • Hook 'Em 1
Posted
  On 3/31/2025 at 3:19 AM, bluto said:

Wildcard is St Joseph, Michigan. 

Expand  

As someone who used to travel to St. Joe for work (don't ask), this is a WILD take to me.

Then I had a friend who bought a second home there, the amount of days in a year it's great is not worth it and there are more MAGA Trump flags and people than the Redneck Riveria. 

Posted
  On 3/31/2025 at 11:35 PM, hornbri said:

I really like SPI but I grew up in the area. 

Expand  

this, great for beach days, excellent fishing, lots of moisties, and cold beer

  On 4/1/2025 at 12:27 PM, Fred Garvin said:

Cannon Beach is great. Massive beach. Cool little town, easily walkable.

Seems crazy you can fly into Portland in late July, 95 degree heat wave going on there, then drive a little over an hour and it's 67 in Cannon Beach.

Hook 'em!

Expand  

going in June, first time

  On 4/1/2025 at 10:33 PM, MrX said:

Don’t sleep on the Delaware coast 

Expand  

grew up driving from DC to the beachhouse at Fenwick Island just a few streets north of the state line

#HTTR!

Posted
  On 4/2/2025 at 3:38 PM, Vegas64 said:

As someone who used to travel to St. Joe for work (don't ask), this is a WILD take to me.

Then I had a friend who bought a second home there, the amount of days in a year it's great is not worth it and there are more MAGA Trump flags and people than the Redneck Riveria. 

Expand  

Unpossible.

Posted
  On 4/1/2025 at 12:27 PM, Fred Garvin said:
Cannon Beach is great. Massive beach. Cool little town, easily walkable.
Seems crazy you can fly into Portland in late July, 95 degree heat wave going on there, then drive a little over an hour and it's 67 in Cannon Beach.
Hook 'em!

Yeah the drive down from the hills to the beach is perfect. Spent last summer in Lincoln City hoping to see some whales and this summer in Seaside.
Posted (edited)
  On 3/31/2025 at 8:05 PM, 4th&Five said:

we're doing a july trip staying for 2 nights each in del mar, huntington beach and santa barbara.  can't wait.

Expand  

if you are into beaches, makes sure you enjoy at Del Mar.. while the city of Santa Barbara is beautiful and pretty awesome, the beaches are iffy and the water is pretty cold by the time you get that far north.

I'd say in the SB area, Carpinteria City Beach is the best.

Edited by yoladu
Posted

We have never been a "vacation over Christmas break" family, but the extended family visits are starting to be enough that we want to hit the beach between Christmas and New Years. 

Is there anywhere in the US where the ocean is warm enough to be comfortable/pleasant in December, or are we going to have to go to the Caribbean? 

Posted
  On 4/6/2025 at 12:56 AM, Prepuce of Doom said:

Is there anywhere in the US where the ocean is warm enough to be comfortable/pleasant in December, or are we going to have to go to the Caribbean? 

Expand  

Outside of Hawaii?  Not really.  Even Key West gets chilly.  I'm not sure how far south of there you'd have to go to enjoy the water.

  • Hook 'Em 1
Posted
  On 4/6/2025 at 12:56 AM, Prepuce of Doom said:

We have never been a "vacation over Christmas break" family, but the extended family visits are starting to be enough that we want to hit the beach between Christmas and New Years. 

Is there anywhere in the US where the ocean is warm enough to be comfortable/pleasant in December, or are we going to have to go to the Caribbean? 

Expand  

What do you consider comfortable/pleasant? My kids swam through the winter when we had our place in SWFL, but I avoided it other than being out knee deep while fishing. I think water temps were usually mid/high70’s in December. I don’t think you will find much warmer than that in the US.

  • Hook 'Em 1
Posted
  On 4/6/2025 at 4:36 AM, Brew said:

What do you consider comfortable/pleasant? My kids swam through the winter when we had our place in SWFL, but I avoided it other than being out knee deep while fishing. I think water temps were usually mid/high70’s in December. I don’t think you will find much warmer than that in the US.

Expand  

Hell if I know what's comfortable, but it sounds like we might need to aim further away... 

Posted
  On 4/6/2025 at 4:41 AM, Prepuce of Doom said:

Hell if I know what's comfortable, but it sounds like we might need to aim further away... 

Expand  

If you've gone swimming in Barton Springs, that water is typically ~ 71 F except in the shallow end, where it's a bit warmer.  Key West claims 69 F- 73 F water temperature during the winter, so very similar.

Key West average water temp

  • Hook 'Em 1
Posted
  On 4/1/2025 at 9:06 PM, Baboontyme said:

I think this past year's storms had a pretty significant impact on St. Pete Beach. It felt like damn near 50% of the resorts and restaurants on both sides of Gulf Blvd were closed and/or under construction. I still was not very impressed. The resorts, restaurants, bars and stores on Gulf were all pretty run down. The main strip was not very walkable. Narrow sidewalks inches from a busy 5 lane highway with people doing 50+. No beach walk on the beach side. I wasn't expecting a ton and with the time and budget I had to throw the trip together, it was as good as I could have done, it just didn't really measure up to some of the other places I've been. I can't really speak to Destin as I said we spent most/all of our time there in the resort. 

St. Petersburg itself surprised me in regards to how nice it was, but I wouldn't really call it a beach town, either. 

Expand  

The storm definitely messed up Pass a grille up past Madeira Beach, but things are opening back up. The Don Cesar just opened back up and many of the business are reopening. A couple of places are likely gone for ever and there is concern that developers will buy up the land an put in condos which would really change the vibe of the beach. 

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.



×
×
  • Create New...