LA Beaches

Going to an LA Beach felt like an event. It isn't something the average Joe does on a weekday. You make plans to get there. After all, you will likely sit in an hour of traffic getting there so you better be prepared. I'm talking bring everything you need for an overnight affair. Food, drinks, a change of clothes, towels and a porta potty if you have one (it's a necessity in our family with a traveling toddler). I literally started carrying all of that every time we left the RV in LA. Yes, the traffic is just that bad. I'm just sayin'...you might want to consider toothbrushes, too. 

Here are our Top 3 family-friendly LA Beaches-- 

1. Crystal Cove State Park: The story behind this place is pretty cool. Apparently, there is a section of cottages that has been there since the early 1900s and the movie Beaches was filmed there. They've preserved a good portion of the cottages (a good portion of them are behind a fenced in area) and once it became a state park it also was put on the National Register of Historic Places. We paid to get in, parked our car and then took a little free shuttle across the street to get to the beach. We walked a short way to the beach passing flower lined sandy walkways, cute little buildings, a restaurant, a small store and other beach goers. We parked ourselves on the beach, played in the sand, the boys met new friends and they played to their heart's content and even went in the freezing cold water. One family even offered us the umbrella they'd rented for the day as they were leaving for us to enjoy. All we were missing were fruity drinks with umbrellas in them to feel the full vacation vibe. 

It felt like a slice of the mediterranean quite honestly (or what I imagine it to be). On our way out we stopped at a sea glass jewelry making event that the state park hosts weekly. It was all donation based and we all got to make a souvenir. We stopped by Ruby's Shake Shack on the top of the hill for a date shake and had a minute to enjoy the view. 

Such a lovely day!

This is what happens when I try to take a selfie. No one is ever looking. haha!

Taking the shuttle back to the car. This is what a tired girl looks like. 

Ruby's Shake Shack

The view from Ruby's shake shack. 

Another shot of the view at Ruby's Shake Shack

2. Santa Monica: I've already posted on this one, but it's family-friendly for obvious reasons. There's an amusement park and play structures right there!

3. Corona del Mar: Simply for the tidepools and the beautiful shoreline. It's not very big, but there's a lot to see in terms of sea creatures to keep the kids busy and the mamas and the papas should sneak in some relaxation time, if possible. It was incredibly foggy and pretty chilly the day we went so we we didn't spend a ton of time there. We can see how we could spend a lot more had the weather cooperated. Flat Stanley joined us on this adventure, too.

**Noteable mention: Newport Beach (as seen below). I love capturing their laugh in pictures!

Cheers to many more beach days!