Summertime is finally here, and I feel like every time I go on social media, there are more pictures of someone that I know enjoying a beach vacation. And who wouldn’t want to go over the summer? The kids are out of school, the sun is hot, and the beach is calling! But what if I told you that there is a better time to take your family beach vacation?
Below are 6 reasons why you should hold off on taking your beach vacation this summer and go in the winter instead:
1. Hotels in beach cities are usually cheaper in the winter
With fewer tourists visiting beach cities in the winter compared to the summer, you can end up saving some money on the cost of your hotel by waiting a few months to take your trip. Upon writing this, I specifically checked the price difference at one of our favorite hotels and it was $27 cheaper a night to stay in December compared to July. If you are planning on a week-long stay, that can save you almost $200!
2. Fewer people
As mentioned above, in general people take their beach vacations in the summer, so there are fewer people visiting these coastal cities in the winter. That means fewer people in restaurants, fewer people at local attractions, and fewer people at the beach. That means less waiting, less stress, and more fun for you and your family!
3. Looking vacation ready for less
I have a (bad?) habit of wanting us all to wear new outfits anytime we go on vacation. Right now, all of the cute summer clothes are out in stores and boutiques at close to full price. Come September, when these stores start putting out their fall and winter clothes, the prices on the cute summer clothes are going to drop significantly which means you can dress yourself and your family in the cutest resort wear for much less!
4. The weather is still perfect in the winter
We left the 40 degree weather here in Tennessee to go to St. Petersburg, Florida the day after Christmas last year and enjoyed temperatures in the 70s the whole time! Even at night, it was comfortable as we walked around and enjoyed the local Christmas lights (though locals were wearing sweaters, it was shorts and a tank top comfortable for us!). As for the ocean water? It was still a comfortable temperature in my opinion, and I wasn’t cold at all going in.
5. There is so much to do locally in the summer
Chattanooga in the summer is filled with endless opportunities for fun for the family to keep everyone busy all summer long! You can read about 50 Summer Fun Activities in Chattanooga, The Ultimate Guide To Chattanooga Summer Fun, and Chattanooga Inexpensive or Free Summer Activities on the Chattanooga Moms’ website!
6. The winter blues
About 6% of Americans experience Seasonal Affective Disorder (S.A.D.), 14% experience the “Winter Blues” (rush.edu, 2016), and 64% of people with an existing mental illness report that the holidays make their condition worse (Cherry, 2021). I suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder each winter and the holidays make that worse, so having a beach vacation planned gives me something to look forward to and greatly seemed to help my S.A.D. last year! Even for those not suffering from these season-related disorders, a break from the cold weather and the chaos of the holidays is really welcomed!
