Whether you’re in the northwest, midwest, northeast, or Alaska, you’re probably sick of the cold already. If you want to get away from the sleet, snow, and ice, it is actually the perfect time to visit some of those beachside colleges and universities you’ve been thinking about. Here are some states to consider when it comes to beach-side universities and some benefits of going to school near the beach!

What States Are Good to Visit During the Winter?

There are plenty of states that have borders on the ocean, and they all have schools that are either right next to the beach or close enough for a day trip. But you don’t necessarily want to visit a beach in New Jersey or Maine in the dead of winter.

Florida

Winter barely touches Florida when it comes to cold temperatures. In the panhandle, February can see average temperatures of 50 degrees F to 64 degrees. In central Florida, it ranges between 54 degrees to 75 degrees. Miami sees 64 degrees to 75 degrees.

This makes Florida beaches a great place to visit, even in the midst of the cold months. And there are a number to choose from:

• University of South Florida – St. Petersburg
• Daytona State College
• University of Miami
• Eckerd College
• University of Tampa
• Florida Institute of Technology
• University of West Florida
• Keiser University
• Southeastern College
• Florida Gulf Coast University

California

California also sees very high temperatures during the winter and has some amazing beaches. Los Angeles sees a range of 51 degrees F to 69 degrees. San Francisco is a little bit colder but not by much – with a range of 48 degrees F to 61 degrees on average.

If you’re still putting together a list of schools you want to visit, consider

• University of California – Santa Barbara
• Loyola Marymount University
• California Polytechnic State University – San Luis Obispo
• University of California – San Diego
• California State University – Long Beach
• San Diego State University

And Others

Plenty of states have warmer weather during winter and amazing beachside colleges. You may want to think about

• Texas A&M – Corpus Christie
• The Citadel – The Military College of South Carolina (Charleston)
• Brigham Young University – Hawaii (Laie)
• Hawaii Pacific University (Honolulu)
• Coastal Carolina University (Conway, SC)

The Benefits of Attending a Beachside College

Of course, when it comes to attending a beachside college, the major benefit is you get to visit the beach on your downtime! A few other benefits of attending school in a warm, coastal city can include

• The weather tends to be fantastic year round
• You’ll likely have access to other fun activities to participate in during your free time ranging from theme parks to concerts and snorkeling to zoos
• You’ll get plenty of sun
• You can study on the beach
• You’ll benefit if you’re studying something related to water, such as shipwreck archeology or marine biology
• You don’t have to travel for spring break
• They tend to have plenty of delicious food options

Not sure which beachside school is best for your goals? Use our college search tool to uncover some schools you may not have even considered.