Bob, maybe you should try vacationing at South Padre Island, TX. The surf fishing out on Malaquite Beach (one of our National Parks) is quite good in December and January, and while a bit nippy the views are nice. (Think grass-tipped pale sand dunes and crashing gray surf with brown pelicans overhead and sand pipers at your feet.)
Not too cold for camping, either. Just bring some decent winter-rated gear. Best part? It's not really overcrowded. Drive down far enough and you can put at least a hundred yards between yourself and the next camper. Just make sure you bring a decent four-wheel drive - the sand gets pretty soft after the first couple miles from where the paved road ends. And no, they don't truck it in, either. South Padre Island is one big sandbar slowly moving away from the mainland. (If you miss the snow enough, though, maybe you can build a snowman from wet sand.
ETA: Awww man! These pictures make me homesick! http://www.nps.gov/archive/pais/pphtml/ ... llery.html
Not too cold for camping, either. Just bring some decent winter-rated gear. Best part? It's not really overcrowded. Drive down far enough and you can put at least a hundred yards between yourself and the next camper. Just make sure you bring a decent four-wheel drive - the sand gets pretty soft after the first couple miles from where the paved road ends. And no, they don't truck it in, either. South Padre Island is one big sandbar slowly moving away from the mainland. (If you miss the snow enough, though, maybe you can build a snowman from wet sand.
ETA: Awww man! These pictures make me homesick! http://www.nps.gov/archive/pais/pphtml/ ... llery.html