Winter blues… exhaustion from the holidays, shortened daylight hours, and in some cases, dread about the long, frosty winter ahead are all culprits of winter blues. When you start to think to yourself, “I need to get away to a warm beach and put my toes in the sand while sipping a tropical drink,” is when you just may realize a beach vacation is exactly what you need. Here are five beaches that will help melt those winter blues.
St. Pete Beach, St. Petersburg, Florida
St. Pete Beach is the longest stretch of pristine and undeveloped beach in Pinellas County. It’s a favorite destination for beach-lovers, bodyboarders, and surfers. The beach is close to many hotels and restaurants, making it a favorite among tourists. Visit Shell Key Preserve, a barrier island that is just 15 minutes away by ferry. This 1,900 acres of powdery white sand beach is great for snorkeling, fishing, and swimming. If you prefer land adventures, visit the 100-year-old Sunken Gardens, Sea Dog Brewing Company, Boyd Hill Nature Preserve or St. Pete’s farmer’s market.
Grace Bay Beach, Providenciales, Turks and Caicos
Named by the World Travel Awards as the World’s Leading Beach Destination, Grace Bay Beach features fine, white sand and with the absence of rocks, seaweed, and pollution, it is the perfect spot to spend some time soaking up the sun during the winter months. Grace Bay Beach is more than 3 miles long and makes up a part of two national parks – Princess Alexandra National Park and Northwest Point National Park - both of which have wetlands, birdlife and are great places to snorkel. Looking for a great place to watch the gorgeous Turks and Caicos sunset? Make your way to Ricky’s Restaurant to snap some great photos.
Kailua Beach, Oahu, Hawaii
We couldn’t resist putting Hawaii on our list. Kailua Beach Park is three miles of crescent-shaped shoreline covered in powdery fine sand. The clear turquoise waters blend seamlessly into the skyline, and with temperatures in the upper 70s during the winter months, you can see why this is consistently chosen as one of the best beaches in Hawaii. Kailua Beach is characteristically calm and safe. The small, gentle waves make it an ideal beach for everything from swimming and kiteboarding to kayaking and skimboarding. Plus, the water temperature averages 75 degrees year-round. You would never know this just a 20-minute drive from Honolulu. Before you leave, check out a local landmark, Buzz’s Original Steakhouse, which has been serving up tropical drinks, steak, and fish dinners for over 55 years.
Pink Sands Beach, Harbour Island, Bahamas
Think you can only see pink sand in Bermuda? Think again! Pink Sands Beach in the Bahamas is one of seven pink sand beaches in the world and gets the pink hue from finely crushed shells. This beach is found on Harbour Island, one of the smaller islands in the Bahamas, and is located on the eastern side of the Atlantic. Much like other beaches with calm, gentle waves, it is protected by a barrier reef. December to May is said to be the best time to visit as the temperatures range from 70-75 °F and it is less humid whereas the other months tend to be susceptible to tropical storms and higher humidity.
Playa Ruinas, Tulum, Quintana Roo, Mexico
Swaying palm trees, smooth sand, and cliffside ancient Mayan Ruins…what more could you want from a beach? Playa Ruinas in Tulum has all these features and is the most tranquil in the early morning where many enjoy doing yoga on the beach and a variety of watersports. Playa Ruinas has an average year-round temperature range of 70 – 90°F with November through March being the best time to relax on a beach chair and soak up the sun. You will find many dining and boutique hotels along the main road to round out the picture-perfect stay.
We hope these beaches gave you some inspiration to melt your winter blues. Have you visited any of these gorgeous places? If so, reach out to us at winniwanderer@winni.com and tell us all about your trip, hearing from you will make our day!
By Staff Contributor
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