A Slice of SoCal in NorCal: Stinson Beach, Marin County, California
Posted July 14, 2009 , add a commentI owe the cluster of freckles on my shoulders from summers spent at Stinson Beach, the smattering of teeny dots left over from a terrible teenage rebellion against sunscreen, the inevitability of aging and my mother nagging me about the danger of melanoma. Oblivious to anything but the draw of the sun and cute boys who surfed, I would pile into my friend’s Volkswagen Bug and speed over the hill and to the beach, the window wide open because the car leaked a constant cloud of gasoline fumes from beneath the dashboard. Once there we would rub ourselves with oil, no SPF, cooking oil really, but somehow it smelled of coconut and young. We squeezed lemon on our hair and flicked on our portable radio, listened to reggae and laid out.
View from the bluff over Stinson Beach. http://www.flickr.com/photos/jweiss3/473570667/
These days I’m all about SPF 50+. I know that lemon only dries out one’s hair and there is this spot on the back of my hand that maybe-might-possibly-please-say-it-’aint-so-but-admittedly is an age spot. The last thing I laid out is an outfit for work the next day. Still I love Stinson Beach. The wide beach, the lifeguards in the summer, the smell of corn dogs and french fries wafting from the little cafe. I love the way that everything is a little brighter at Stinson Beach, the water a smidgeon bluer than up the coast, the sand almost white and clean. Stinson Beach is the closest to a Southern California beach one can get without having to drive through the traffic of Los Angeles.
Surfers at Stinson. http://www.flickr.com/photos/monkeythumbsca/357256755/
In addition to the beach itself, Stinson boasts such facilities as rest rooms, (cold) showers, picnic areas, bbq grills and plenty of parking, making this an ideal beach for a party or family gathering. If you don’t want to cook for yourself but find yourself hungry after a beach walk, a tasty snack bar is open during summer months at the base of the main lifeguard tower.
Regardless of your interests, Stinson Beach has a bit of something for everyone: surfing, kayaking, hiking, beach combing, volleyball or just snoozing on the sand. Do watch out while in the water, though. Not only are there sneaker waves and fierce rip currents, but there have also been a few documented Great White shark attacks in the area. Luckily, the water is usually quite cold and not entirely inviting.
The Tiniest Little Beach: Sausalito Boat Ramp, Richardson’s Bay, Marin County, California
Posted , add a commentThe Tiniest Little Beach in the World! I have no real credentials to say that; in fact, it is hardly a beach, the boat ramp at the end of Turney Street in Sausalito. But it has sand, a large body of water, seashells, the gentle lapping of Richardson Bay, so yeah, technically it’s a beach, and it is most definitely small.
A few weeks ago I wanted to go to the beach with my three year old daughter and my dad, but it was too windy, too foggy, too cold at the coast. My dad, a long-time Sausalito resident, suggested we go to the little beach at the end of Turney Street by the boat ramp and I thought he was crazy. I thought the only thing down there were warehouses, sail repair shops, rusty old cars top-heavy with kayak racks. But I was wrong.
Bay watch.
Located at the end of Turney Street off Briedgeway in Sausalito, this small beach has no official name. While researching it online, I could only find it referred to as the Turney Street Boat Ramp, although quite frankly if they are looking for a name I suggest using mine. Susannah Beach? Small, a little coarse, the water shallow. Well, maybe not. But here’s the thing: this beach that is not really a beach that has no name is actually quite a nice little beach if you’re looking for a small slice of sun on an otherwise cloudy day. The space is perfect for bringing young children as the area is so small they cannot get lost and the water so gentle there is no risk of rogue sneaker waves. The day that we went there were dozens of toddlers all playing in the water. So maybe the water was very slightly murky with boat residue but it’s not as if these kids were of the underwater variety. Plus, there are clean(ish) restrooms right near the parking lot.
Bay view.
One tip, though: a few days later I bragged about this spot to a friend and made plans to meet her there. At a different time of the day. Without checking the tide charts. Suffice it to say the small sandy beach led up to 20 feet of slick mud and the water was very far away. It stank. The kids were freaked out. Make sure you visit this bay beach at high tide only!
All images author’s own.
DiscoverAmerica.com Features the Best Online Travel Deals and Vacation Packages for Summer 2009
Posted , add a comment) WASHINGTON, DC ? June 25, 2009 - With more savvy Americans on the hunt for good values and summer travel deals, DiscoverAmerica.com ? the Official Travel and Tourism Website of the United States ? is now loaded with more than 300 money-saving offers from leading brands such as Best Western, Crowne Plaza, Marriott, Radisson, Gray Line, Hertz and Macy’s through its “Get a Deal” tool featured on every page.
Frugality is the trend in travel. Recent travelhorizons? research revealed that almost two-thirds (62 percent) of U.S. adults intending to travel for leisure purposes between now and October are more likely than last year to comparison shop for deals and travel bargains ? especially online.
“DiscoverAmerica.com’s abundant content helps travelers plan quick, affordable trips,” said Adam Vance, U.S. Travel Association’s senior vice president, marketing and product development. “Planning and booking horizons have narrowed and consumers are employing tactics to keep costs down, so the deals and offers available on DiscoverAmerica.com will help stretch vacation budgets for summer getaways.”
Get a Deal ? Hundreds of Deals on DiscoverAmerica.com
DiscoverAmerica.com is the recently launched one-stop, online source for travel information on all 50 states, the five U.S. territories and more than 100 popular destinations. With the “Get a Deal” tool, users of this Website may view a complete listing of all specials and travel bargains, and refine their search by U.S. destinations, activities and dates.
Find these and other summer travel packages on DiscoverAmerica.com:
? Free room nights and new premium Callaway Golf equipment from Crowne Plaza Hotels and Resorts.
? Marriott’s “In Love in New Orleans” package, starting at $139 per night.
? 20 percent off admission to Rockefeller Center’s Top of the Rock in New York from Trusted Tours & Attractions.
? “Friday is Freeday” when you stay Thursday or Saturday night at participating Radisson Hotels & Resorts.
? Savings on performances by Blue Man Group in Boston.
? Weekly and weekend car rental specials from Hertz.
? Savings on Golden Gate Bay Cruises, California Sunset Cruises and SF Explorer Cruises from Red and White Fleet.
? VIP access to Galileo at The Franklin with Marriott Hotels of Philadelphia.
? Savings for On Location Tours’ TV and movie site tours in New York and Washington, DC.
One in 5 U.S. adults intending to travel for leisure this summer expect to conduct more research compared to a year ago before planning and booking summer leisure trips, and 1 in 10 report they are planning summer travel much later compared to last year, most likely watching for last-minute summer vacation deals and travel bargains, according to an April travelhorizons? survey conducted by the U.S. Travel Association and Ypartnership.
About DiscoverAmerica.com
Discover America, LLC is a wholly owned entity of the U.S. Travel Association and operates DiscoverAmerica.com, the Official Travel and Tourism Website of the United States, for U.S. resident travelers and for international travelers under a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Commerce in the five leading inbound markets to the United States. The website’s content is presently available in five languages: English, French, Spanish, German and Japanese. For more information, visit www.DiscoverAmerica.com.
About U.S. Travel Association
The U.S. Travel Association is the national, non-profit organization representing all components of the $770 billion travel industry. U.S. Travel’s mission is to promote and facilitate increased travel to and within the United States. For more information, visit www.ustravel.org.
North Beach, Point Reyes National Seashore, Marin County, California
Posted , add a commentNorth Beach: the Grand-Daddy of all beaches, the Godfather of the Point Reyes National Seashore. With over 10 miles of undeveloped sand, North Beach (and its sister beach to the south, aptly titled “South Beach”) boasts impressive dunes and the drama of heavy surf. Often shrouded in fog and open to the Gulf of Alaska’s every temper tantrum, high winds and all, this beach is not for the suntanned of heart.
Beach? What beach? Here there is fog. http://www.flickr.com/photos/yathin/2507059462/
What makes this beach so exceptional, perhaps, is the very thing that makes it relatively uninhabited. North Beach is wild. It is vast. It is exposed and salty, the water rough and unruly. Unpredictable. The sun may be shining in town and so you make the drive, crest the hill and then–bam! Met by a thick bank of fog. Or, better yet, in town it may be cold, windy and yet you bundle up to go to the beach anyway and then–wow! North Beach is bright, clear, the sweet warm scent of beach grasses lilt in the still air. Who knew? Who knows? This is North Beach, and here North Beach is boss.
On second thought… http://www.flickr.com/photos/michael_stark/347289761/
Then there is the water itself: Cold, thick, fast and burly. Just past the waters edge the beach drops off abruptly, creating severe rip currents and a strong undertow. Swimming is strongly not recommended, but there is a handful of local surfers who brave the cold and the sharks and the everything else scary for the thrill of the very large waves. Hopefully you won’t spot any Great White Sharks, but if you visit between January and May you just might spot a Gray Whale during their migration from Mexico to Alaska. They often swim close to the coast, popping up every now and then to spout off a quick spray of salt water right off the beach in front of you.
Sometimes simply referred to as The Great Beach, North Beach is nothing if not impressive. Cold? Yes, most days. Foggy, dangerous, windy, gray, and yet? Still: Beautiful, stunning, breathtaking, peaceful, quiet, noble, grand–The Great Beach, North Beach.
Rodeo Beach, Marin Headlands, California
Posted , add a comment
Historical structures. http://www.flickr.com/photos/liquid_sky/2829690044/
The beach flanks Fort Cronkhite, one of the few preserved examples of a World War II “mobilization post.” Today the fort’s barracks, mess halls, supply buildings and other red roof-topped structures stand upright like the pages of a pop-up history book, telling the story of the enemy that never came. Some of these buildings are now used for park services, The Headlands Institute, Headlands Visitors Center, The Golden Gate Raptor Observatory and the recently renovated Marine Mammal Center, which is a must-see if visiting with kids.
In addition to historical buildings and park services, Rodeo Beach is at the foot of numerous hiking trails, from Point Bonita to the Coastal Trail to the Miwok Trail and beyond. Trails lead hikers up and over craggy coastal hillsides smelling of sweet grasses and fog. Map out a hike first, or simply set out and see if you can spot any deer, coyote, bobcats, peregrine falcons or hawks. (Although rarely seen, do beware of mountain lions.)
Rock formations at Rodeo. http://www.flickr.com/photos/wetgraphite/373538250/
Of course if hiking’s not your thing, the beach is perfect for a little relaxation. A wide expanse of coarse not-too-sticky sand stretches from one cliff to another, and the beach and surrounding area is relatively dog-friendly. Just behind the beach, Rodeo Lagoon is a favorite spot for bird watching, hosting egrets, ducks and myriad other birds in its shallow wetlands. And just in front lie the crashing waves of the Pacific and the surfers who brave them. Watch container ships pull out of the Gate while a surfer paddles out to the next set and an egret stands on the rocks watching it all with you. RoDAYoh, RoDEEoh: I don’t care how you pronounce it–the beach at Fort Cronkhite has it all.
