Check out our favorite winter wakesurfing hotspots courtesy of former world champion Keenan Flegel.

Once December comes around and the last of the boats are winterized the season doesn’t have to be over! Although the options for wakesurfing in the middle of winter are slim, it’s totally doable if you know where to go. See our top five winter wakesrufing hotspots below, spoiler alert, three of our top five are in Florida. The Sunshine State is the perfect place to escape for a quick winter trip but there are several options that can help you extend you season for just a little longer.

Orlando, FL

Orlando has been a professional wakeboarding hub for decades and to no surprise, it is now home to just as many wakesurfers. Central Florida has an unbelievable amount of lakes and there are plenty of options for wakesurf schools and recreational riding spots alike. If you are planning a trip to Orlando, make sure to reach out to myself (Keenan Flegel) to get dialed in!

Bonus fact: One of the most common questions I get from visiting riders is “are there alligators in this lake?”. The short answer is yes. Some lakes have tons of gators and and other lakes it can be rare to ever see one. I’ve never seen one on my lake in 5 years of living here but my neighbors certainly have. That being said they are scared of the boat and would never bother you while riding!

Crystal Lake, FL

Located in Pompano Beach just 10 minutes from the ocean, Crystal Lake is a tropical watersports oasis. I began riding and began my competitive career out of LTS wake school. Unlike the Central Florida area, South Florida does not have many options for fresh water boating. Most of the waterways are connected to the ocean and have saltwater and lots of boat traffic. Crystal Lake is an old limestone quarry that is 60ft deep on average so the water temperature stays around 80°F year round. Dean Lavelle is a retired 7x World Champion wakeboarder and has been running a watersports school since the year 2000. Crystal lake also happens to be home to World Champion Wakesurfer John Akerman.

LTS wake school: http://www.ltswake.com/

Miami, FL

Miami presents another great location for winter watersports action. Miami Wake Academy is a watersports school operated out of Miami Stadium Marina. The Miami Stadium is an old condemned stadium on the inside of Biscayne Bay where people used to watch water ski shows. The stadium is covered in graffiti and is a pretty cool landmark of Miami.  The school teaches lessons in Biscayne bay with a view of downtown Miami, I have ridden there myself and it is an amazing backdrop even having grown up in the area. If you have never wakesurfed in saltwater you can expect a bit more float out of your board. If you’re lucky you might even be greeted by a dolphin or spot a celebrity!

Lake Pleasant, AZ

Lake Pleasant, AZ is home to several professional wakesurfers including World Champion wakesurfer Connor Burns. I know Connor does quite a bit of coaching on his boat so don’t be afraid to reach out to him if you are planning to visit. The lake ranges from 50-80°F from winter to summer. This lake definitely requires a full wetsuit during winter months, but is a feasible alternative for lots of people who live farther north and have snowy winters. The lake is about a 1-hour drive from the Phoenix airport. The two main Marinas on the Lake are called Scorpion Bay Marina and the Pleasant Harbor Marina.

Lake Anna, Virginia

Unless you know about Lake Anna, I’m sure you think I’m crazy suggesting you wakesurf anywhere in Virginia during the wintertime. Lake Anna has a nuclear power plant that pumps the lake water through the facility for cooling. As a result of this, the side of the lake closest to the power plant never drops below 70° all year long! I’ve not yet had the opportunity to ride on Lake Anna but I hear it’s a pretty cool experience to wakesurf in 70° water while its snowing! Lake Anna also has some cool wakesurf history with the Lake Anna Wakesurf Open taking place from 2012-2017.

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