Get a shockingly refreshing start to 2025 with this annual event that has been attracting brave Atlantic Beach visitors and residents for 20 years. The annual Penguin Plunge is a favorite New Year’s event for participants and spectators alike, with an icy-cold dip into the Atlantic Ocean that is sure to get everyone’s heart pumping.
The cost to participate in the Penguin Plunge is $10 for adults and $5 for children 12 and under, and the event takes place at Atlantic Beach’s centrally located Circle Regional Beach Access, which makes it easy to reach for visitors staying throughout the Crystal Coast, from Morehead City to Emerald Isle. All proceeds from the event go to support multiple local charities, and participants can expect a big crowd to congregate along the shoreline and cheer on their friends and family members who are taking the plunge. Anyone and everyone is invited to join in the fun on New Year’s afternoon, but online registration prior to the event is required. Going strong for two decades and counting, the annual Atlantic Beach Penguin Plunge is a New Year’s Day event that celebrates life on the Crystal Coast in a cold but exhilarating way.
