South Carlsbad State Beach - 2014

It's become a bit of a tradition to try to spend a week of our summer at South Carlsbad State Beach.  For the second year in a row, we elected to spring for a delivered trailer, rather than "roughing it" in the van.  It adds some cost, but it's less than the price of the hotel rooms on the other side of the main road, and we've got a better view of the beach!

South Carlsbad State Beach-2013

We returned to South Carlsbad State beach late this summer.  After last summer's success with a bluff-side site, I was willing to hold out for that again this year.  It's really worth going on whatever days are available in order to be on the bluff, instead of taking the convenient weekend days on the street side.  The sounds of the ocean waves crashing on the shore lull you to sleep, and rouse you to wake.  They also drown out the noise of your teen-aged neighbors!

Camping at South Carlsbad State Beach

This summer, I finally figured out the crazy reservation scheme employed by the California State Parks, and was able to score a couple of different weekends at the coveted South Carlsbad State Beach campground.  On our final beach campout of the summer, we were joined by some friends of Annika's.  Some may remember when Annika met her instant best-friend Joe at the SoCal Desert Rendezvous last March (written up on Dad's blog because it was more about camping).

At any rate, Annika has been asking about when she could "go camping with Joe" pretty much weekly since that trip.  We were finally able to oblige.  As a bonus, Joe brought his kid-sister along (and his Parents made an appearance, too).