There are many parts of the United States where you can’t boat in the winter. After all, if there are trucks driving on the lake and people are fishing in heated tents through holes in the ice, your boat might not be much use. That said, there are plenty of places that make for incredible winter boating destinations. Here are a handful of our favorites. Each is listed with a bit of information and some context for why it makes the list of best places to boat away the wintertime blues.
Giant Florida Largemouth on the Kissimmee Chain
The Kissimmee Chain lies in the northern aspect of the Everglades in central Florida. From Cypress Lake in the north to Lake Kissimmee in the south, the chain spans 21,000 acres and includes more than two dozen lakes, tributaries, and channels. The area is known far and wide for its world-famous largemouth bass fishery. Sitting in central Florida, the Kissimmee chain is insulated from winter’s wrath. Because it includes so many lakes and so much surface area, it offers a diversity of boating, fishing, and wildlife viewing experiences. Alligators, birds of all manner, deer, wild hogs—you’re likely to see them all.
The Kissimmee Chain is served by a number of public boat ramps. If you’re so inclined, there are even a number of primitive camping areas. If you’re in the mood for a bit more amenity, you’re near metropolitan Orlando. That means theme parks, restaurants, and accommodations of all manner.
Lake Havasu, Arizona
Arizona’s Lake Havasu is an incredible wintertime boating destination. The temperatures tend to be pleasant and because of the arid climate, you might expect nice weather as well. But that’s not all. Lake Havasu is home to the original (built in the 1830s) London Bridge. Yes, that London Bridge. The one that spanned the River Thames in England. In the 1960s heavy traffic caused the bridge to begin sinking.
American Robert McCulloch purchased the bridge for about $2.5 million. It was disassembled, brick by brick, and shipped through the Panama Canal. The bridge was reconstructed in the desert in Arizona. A man-made canal now runs beneath the bridge, which connects mainland to an area known as the Island.
Lake Havasu hosts a great variety of tourist activities. Food, nightlife, and accommodations—it’s all here. Bring your boat, stay a while. It doesn’t take long to see why it makes the list for wintertime boating destinations.
San Diego, California
If you’re looking for some salt in your winter boating schedule, you’re hard-pressed to find a better spot than San Diego. Home to a series of large, protected harbors—Mission Bay and San Diego Bay—and easy access to the Pacific, San Diego’s boating offerings are diverse and beautiful. Wintertime means halibut fishing and grey whale watching. You can target yellowtail around the Coronado Islands, offshore banks, or on the La Jolla kelp beds. If the wind is blowing, or you’d prefer to keep your boat on the inside, San Diego Bay is great. Kona Kai Resort and Marina headlines a variety of waterfront boat-based dining options. You can cruise by the USS Midway Museum®, the Broadway Pier and Port Pavilion, or check out the Maritime Museum of San Diego®.
Boating past these things, puts you adjacent to San Diego’s Little Italy neighborhood. The combination of nice winter weather, good food, and natural beauty makes it easy to see why San Diego is on the list.
Lake Amistad, Texas
Created by the damming of the Rio Grande River near the confluence with the Devil’s River, Lake Amistad is located northwest of Del Rio, Texas, on the border with Mexico. Dominated by a beautiful, rocky landscape, Lake Amistad’s crystal-clear blue waters and the surrounding areas are home to water-based recreation, camping, hiking, and more.
It is a famous largemouth bass fishery and home to great bird and wildlife viewing opportunities. The region is also hosts an abundance of prehistoric Native American pictographs, many of which are more than 5,000 years old. This part of the world is beautiful and arid. The weather makes it a great winter boating destination. The water levels on Lake Amistad fluctuate. Sometimes this results in ramp closures. It can also influence which aspects of the lake are best for fishing and navigation. Current conditions are provided by the National Park Service, here.
South Florida
There is perhaps no place in America more synonymous with winter boating than South Florida. The great fishing and easy access have been drawing folks to this part of the world since the days of Zane Grey and Ernest Hemingway. Trailering your boat, you can match the experience to what you’re looking for. Winter is the peak season for sailfish in South Florida— and you’ll find perhaps the best Atlantic sailfish fishing in the world. You can catch them from Stuart to the Keys.
You can catch all manner of fish all along Florida’s southeastern coast. If you’re looking for a more relaxed vacation, check out Stuart or the Keys. If you’d like a bit more to do, Jupiter, Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale, or Miami (listed from smallest city to largest) provide an incredible range of boating, fishing, dining, and tourist activities.
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Giant Florida Largemouth on the Kissimmee Chain
The Kissimmee Chain lies in the northern aspect of the Everglades in central Florida. From Cypress Lake in the north to Lake Kissimmee in the south, the chain spans 21,000 acres and includes more than two dozen lakes, tributaries, and channels. The area is known far and wide for its world-famous largemouth bass fishery. Sitting in central Florida, the Kissimmee chain is insulated from winter’s wrath. Because it includes so many lakes and so much surface area, it offers a diversity of boating, fishing, and wildlife viewing experiences. Alligators, birds of all manner, deer, wild hogs—you’re likely to see them all.
The Kissimmee Chain is served by a number of public boat ramps. If you’re so inclined, there are even a number of primitive camping areas. If you’re in the mood for a bit more amenity, you’re near metropolitan Orlando. That means theme parks, restaurants, and accommodations of all manner.
Lake Havasu, Arizona
Arizona’s Lake Havasu is an incredible wintertime boating destination. The temperatures tend to be pleasant and because of the arid climate, you might expect nice weather as well. But that’s not all. Lake Havasu is home to the original (built in the 1830s) London Bridge. Yes, that London Bridge. The one that spanned the River Thames in England. In the 1960s heavy traffic caused the bridge to begin sinking.
American Robert McCulloch purchased the bridge for about $2.5 million. It was disassembled, brick by brick, and shipped through the Panama Canal. The bridge was reconstructed in the desert in Arizona. A man-made canal now runs beneath the bridge, which connects mainland to an area known as the Island.
Lake Havasu hosts a great variety of tourist activities. Food, nightlife, and accommodations—it’s all here. Bring your boat, stay a while. It doesn’t take long to see why it makes the list for wintertime boating destinations.
San Diego, California
If you’re looking for some salt in your winter boating schedule, you’re hard-pressed to find a better spot than San Diego. Home to a series of large, protected harbors—Mission Bay and San Diego Bay—and easy access to the Pacific, San Diego’s boating offerings are diverse and beautiful. Wintertime means halibut fishing and grey whale watching. You can target yellowtail around the Coronado Islands, offshore banks, or on the La Jolla kelp beds. If the wind is blowing, or you’d prefer to keep your boat on the inside, San Diego Bay is great. Kona Kai Resort and Marina headlines a variety of waterfront boat-based dining options. You can cruise by the USS Midway Museum®, the Broadway Pier and Port Pavilion, or check out the Maritime Museum of San Diego®.
Boating past these things, puts you adjacent to San Diego’s Little Italy neighborhood. The combination of nice winter weather, good food, and natural beauty makes it easy to see why San Diego is on the list.
Lake Amistad, Texas
Created by the damming of the Rio Grande River near the confluence with the Devil’s River, Lake Amistad is located northwest of Del Rio, Texas, on the border with Mexico. Dominated by a beautiful, rocky landscape, Lake Amistad’s crystal-clear blue waters and the surrounding areas are home to water-based recreation, camping, hiking, and more.
It is a famous largemouth bass fishery and home to great bird and wildlife viewing opportunities. The region is also hosts an abundance of prehistoric Native American pictographs, many of which are more than 5,000 years old. This part of the world is beautiful and arid. The weather makes it a great winter boating destination. The water levels on Lake Amistad fluctuate. Sometimes this results in ramp closures. It can also influence which aspects of the lake are best for fishing and navigation. Current conditions are provided by the National Park Service, here.
South Florida
There is perhaps no place in America more synonymous with winter boating than South Florida. The great fishing and easy access have been drawing folks to this part of the world since the days of Zane Grey and Ernest Hemingway. Trailering your boat, you can match the experience to what you’re looking for. Winter is the peak season for sailfish in South Florida— and you’ll find perhaps the best Atlantic sailfish fishing in the world. You can catch them from Stuart to the Keys.
You can catch all manner of fish all along Florida’s southeastern coast. If you’re looking for a more relaxed vacation, check out Stuart or the Keys. If you’d like a bit more to do, Jupiter, Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale, or Miami (listed from smallest city to largest) provide an incredible range of boating, fishing, dining, and tourist activities.
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