Are you dreaming of an Atlantic Beach Christmas and New Year’s this holiday season? You don’t have to be in Times Square to ring in the New Year with various fun-filled celebrations. If you’re spending the holidays in Atlantic Beach, NC, and are looking for things to do in Atlantic Beach for New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, you’ll find there are a few ways to party like it’s…well, 2022. From an Atlantic Beach Penguin Plunge to a New Year’s Eve countdown, you can enjoy the festivities that take place close to many of our Atlantic Beach rentals, so you won’t have far to travel to get to these Atlantic Beach holiday festivities.
Penguin Plunge
Ready to unleash your inner penguin? (No? That’s okay…you’ll just be the recipient of a “Too Chicken to Plunge” sticker for sitting out!) If you accept the challenge, there’s no better way to make New Year’s a splash than racing into the frigid ocean waters at Alfred B. Cooper Memorial Park.
The 19th Annual Penguin Plunge takes place on the Atlantic Beach Boardwalk on January 1, 2022. You can pre-register online until midnight of December 20th or on-site on New Year’s Day between 10 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. A minimum donation of $10 is required to enter the event.
Join hundreds of other “Penguins” and take a bath! It’ll warm your heart—but maybe not other parts—to see how much can be raised for a good cause. In 2020, 712 entrants raised more than $9,000 for the Salvation Army of Carteret County when they took the cold plunge (the Penguin Plunge 2021 was a pandemic-inspired Virtual Event, drawing 222 penguins and raising $3,300).
So brrrrr-ave the waters and come out to make 2022 the best Penguin Plunge yet! If your family dog likes to cold plunge too, bring them along, and stay in our Atlantic Beach pet-friendly rentals!
Atlantic Beach Countdown
What’s New Year’s without a countdown? It’s definitely one of the things to do in Atlantic Beach, NC in the winter. Although the pandemic canceled many such events to ring in 2021, you’re sure to find a few celebrations among Atlantic Beach events this New Year’s.
Downtown Morehead, less than two miles from Atlantic Beach, is hosting a waterfront Downtown Countdown starting at 5 p.m. on December 31st, 2021, as part of the Crystal Coast Countdown event. There’ll be children’s activities (from 5 – 6:30 p.m.), live music, fireworks from Sugarloaf Island, and a Crab Pot drop. Local downtown businesses and restaurants will be open so expect plenty to do!
Tickets for the event can be ordered by phone or online.
An annual bonfire on Atlantic Beach with refreshments and music is also a fun New Year’s Eve event in this community.
Guided tours of Fort Macon State Park take place on New Year’s Eve day at 11:00 a.m., noon, 2:00 p.m., and 3:00 p.m. Then, the park brings out the big guns to LOUDLY ring in the new year: a cannon firing at 7 p.m. On the morning of New Year’s Day you can take part on a First Day Hike as ranger-guided hikes are given on a longer and shorter trail in the park.
Be sure to check that any events described here are scheduled to ring in 2022, as many places might still have pandemic restrictions in place.
And no need to worry about accommodations at this time of year, Cannon and Gruber has the perfect Atlantic Beach NC winter rentals available. Whether you’re looking for two- to four-bedroom Atlantic Beach oceanfront rentals, three- to five-bedroom cottage rentals, and one- to four-bedroom Atlantic Beach condo rentals, There are even a few pet-friendly rentals, so you can plan to bring the ENTIRE family to greet 2022!
