When purchasing Sally we were very limited in the places we could get reservations for this summer. With the whole registration thing usually being 6 months ahead of time for state parks, we kinda WAY missed that deadline BUT somehow I was SUPER lucky and was able to snag a spot at a beach location.
I have never heard of Silver Strand State Beach…I had to google which city it was in before clicking reserve. But it just so happens in down near San Diego in Coronado (which I had never been to). And after our 2 other experiences with camping at Lake Skinner and Wilderness Lakes…in ROASTING weather I was very excited to get to the coast and have a cooler camping experience.
It was parking lot sites, which were pretty tight. We were “inland” so we didn’t have a beach view BUT beggars can’t be choosers right. Not only was it our first beach camping experience it was also the first time we were going solo…no friends to help us! So we were a little nervous, especially when we get there and weren’t able to get the darn hitch off the truck..oh geez.
But we got it…it sticks and doesn’t come off very easily but YOSH got it. Only after 3 trips and I feel like Yosh and I have already created a pretty good set-up routine. He gets everything big oru for outside set up and I get the inside set up WHILE either keeping kids entertained OR feeding them snacks. It works. Camping without friends puts everything at your own pace…which was kind of nice. There were no picnic benches so we got to actually enjoy the inside of our trailer for some meals. We got to eat when we wanted, we got to go for bike rides when we wanted, we got to visit the beach when we wanted…
After dinner we went down to the beach for some sunset play. It was beautiful!
Then we tried to make a fire in our “new” (not really new…but someone gave it to us for free so we took it!) washer drum firepit.
The kids were able to ride their scooters around freely and Owen even met a friend from across the way…she was 8 years old and didn’t have siblings her age…so the two were able to play together nicely!
Sleeping in the trailer hasn’t been the best. I think we need to invest in an egg-crate pillow top thingy for our mattress. The kids usually sleep great…but Yosh and I don’t. So after a night of tossing and turning we were up and ready to enjoy another day of bike rides, exploring and hanging out at the beach!
Its pretty cool where the camp site is…you have the beach right there but you also have access to the bay side as well. Its a quick little bike ride through a tunnel under the highway that leads you to the beautiful bay where people sail, paddle board, kayak, etc. They have a bunch of bike trails too. Owen loved exploring!
And its nice being so close to the beach…you can come and go as you want. Its cool. The beach is beautiful. you have campers behind you, State Public Beach to one side and military inaccessible beach on the other side. So the area where mostly campers go was nice and not crowded.
This summer Owen has taken to Boogie boarding. I’m shocked how brave he is too! He swims out pretty far and even after eatin’ it a few times he gets back on the board and keeps going.
He was making Daddy proud forsure!! Maybe next summer Daddy will get Owen up on a surfboard?!?
So we got one to love the ocean water…and one that wasn’t exactly fond of it! haha Ella liked playing in the sand and would cry when I told her to come by the water. haha
Ella saying “I hold you!!!!” haha 
But they played in the sand for hours… and I loved watching them!
I brought stuff to make lunch BUT I thought it would be a fun experience to ride our bikes down to the little shack place and eat there…$30 later I learned my lesson…we could have just stayed in the trailer and made ourselves lunch! haha But the ice cream sandwiches made it all worth it…hmmmm.
After lunch Ella napped. We relaxed by the trailer for a bit and then I got some alone time to read and Daddy brought Owen back out boogie boarding.
I read a lot of blogs about “mom photography”…and a lot of them say to always take pictures of the small things about our kids…all the little details before we forget them or they change!! This summer Owen’s little nose it so cute. No matter how much sunscreen I put on it, he gets these little white lines and they match the white hairs that cover his hairline and fade into his bleached eyebrows. That boys brown Portuguese skin mixed with mama’s fair Irish skin makes the most beautiful shade of beige!
We found a deserted sand castle…Ella LOVED it for her barbies. Am I rude for letting them play with it? The people who built it were nowhere to be found?!? I don’t know sand castle etiquette.
Sunset bike rides followed by smores…ending to the perfect day!
Overall our beach camping experience was awesome!! As Owen said “yep…we officially like camping!” The whole CAMPING thing isn’t relaxing BUT once you get set up and are there…it totally IS nice. I can’t wait for the days when I’m able to have a few cocktails and relax….yeah that’ll be in a few years!!! haha. Thats ok.
We said “see-ya later” to Silver Strand, we will for sure be back!!
Sally is gonna get some rest now…next trip isn’t booked until November…and it’ll be Baby Bob’s first camping experience! Yikes.
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