Surfing Santas, Cocoa Beach, Florida

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We don’t have snow in Florida, we have Surfing Santas! Every Christmas Eve since 2009, Surfing Santas have lined the shores of Cocoa Beach, Florida. George Trosset founded the event, which has since become a beloved tradition. What started as a family gathering turned into a Christmas tradition that has raised more than $300,000 for charity. Each year a growing number of costumed Santas (as many as 800) take to the waves on December 24 in Cocoa Beach and raise money for Grind for Life, a local cancer charity, and the Florida Surf Museum.

I’ve been to the event a few times and wanted to share some of my top tips for this family-friendly Christmas Eve tradition!

Get There Early

Parking can be tricky, so I’m a fan of arriving for the scheduled event start time, usually 7:30 or 8 am. I’ve never had an issue getting reasonably close parking at that time and there’s a paid parking garage right near Coconuts on the Beach that’s convenient in case you need to head back to your car to grab a forgotten item (cough, sunscreen, cough).

Bring your friends to enjoy the music, costumes, and holiday cheer together!

Pack Your Patience

The Santas don’t take to the waves until 10 am, so if you arrive early, you’ll have some time to kill. But during that time there are costume contests, photo ops, live music, Hawaiian Dancers, and raffles. Food and beverages (including cocktails) are available for purchase throughout the event. The surfers, dressed as Santa Claus, gather annually in Cocoa Beach to celebrate Christmas through surfing, transforming the event into a globally recognized phenomenon.

Bring beach chairs or a beach blanket or towel so you can lounge in the sand to watch the sunrise and enjoy the entertainment. I prefer a beach towel over a chair because once the Santas take to the waves, it gets a little chaotic with people everywhere and it’s easier to scoop up and carry around a towel than lug around a beach chair (even one with a carry strap).

If you’re a person who doesn’t love crowds, this might be a bit of a challenging event for you as it can get quite crowded. If you want to give it a go, I’d strongly suggest going to one of the far ends of the crowd and watching from there. You’ll still be able to get some great views and enjoy the holiday vibes. At the end of the event, plan to sit it out and wait while people leave. The paths from the beach back to the street are narrow and when everyone is trying to leave, the crowding can be quite uncomfortable.

Dress in your Christmas finest (or silliest!)

Remember those costume contests? Anyone can enter and there are categories for kids, adults, and group costumes. The prizes aren’t too shabby either! They range from things like hotel stays in Cocoa Beach to things like GoPro cameras. And even if you don’t enter the costume contest, don your holiday finest anyway because it’s Christmas Eve and that’s worth celebrating! This is especially true during Surfing Santa Day, where participants dress up as Santa and surf together, creating a festive and family-friendly atmosphere.

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