The ocean is a healing place for me. My soul craves it. My body aches when I go too long with out sand between my toes and the sound of waves hitting the shore. No joke, the sea is in my veins. I see it in my boys, they come alive with a little bit of sea air and endless sandy beaches. It's a place were we connect as a family like nowhere else in the world. Healing comes to places in the heart that have been bruised and broken. The ocean is magical and romantic, exciting and just so powerful. It moves me. 

We don't throw birthday parties for our boy's birthdays, but we do an adventure getways with the family. This year we've rented a house in a little coastal town twenty minutes North of Tillamook called Rockaway. It's just perfect. Adventures are endless. 

I'm a planner. So to plan this trip, I looked up the low/high tide chart and planned our days around that. click Tide Table for the tide table for 2018, and start planning. I always have a list of activities and places I want to see. When we get to our destination I always ask locals where they suggest to go for good food, places to see and those hole in the walls that are just too good to pass up. At the coastal town it's hard to miss the "must do". It's always the beaches. 

Each morning we started at the beach or tide pools in Garibaldi, called "The three Graces". That was the highlight of the mornings because the boys got to catch crab, find Agates, observed starfish, jelly fish and sea anemones. Then we headed back to the house for snack and headed to the beach, or explored the nearby towns. 

Rockaway beach has a beautiful coastal beach with public access roads from the city center, with a main parking lot in the middle of the town itself. We usually went to Nedonna beach and Manzanita Beach. I felt Manzanita Beach was safer with the boys because it has one of those water ways coming up the beach where the kids can swim and skin board with out any worry, the main beach in Rockaway has it as well.

Day One: We spent most of the day on the beach. Boys built forts, chased waves and did a kite flying race. We made most of our meals at the house, and ended each night at the beach for sunset and bonfire with s'mores. 

Day Two: We explored the little town of Garibaldi. Started at the tide pools, then went to a historic fishing pier and watched the people bring in their catch. Spent some time wondering the shore line of the bay and walking the railroad. I love the historic train ride they have available in the summer and fall months. I recommend doing that. Click Historic Train Ride for more info and pricing.  There's a trail called Kilchis Point preserve that's a beautiful, easy trail, doable with a stroller. It's so well kept, yet feels like a tropical jungle. In the evening we headed back to the house for dinner and headed out to watch the sunset and s'mores on the beach.  

Day three: Bright and early, we took a day and explored Tillamook. I did a blog post a few days ago on a day in Tillamook click A Day in Tillamook to read more. We visited the Cape Meares Lighthouse, explored the "octopus tree" and toured Tillamook Cheese Factory, ate cheese and brought home ice-cream.  Another beautiful day at the beaches. My sister and her husband and their adorable son and another couple came for the day. My brother in law went crabbing and fishing of the jetty. So, for dinner we had fresh crab! It was so amazing. 

Day Four: Beach day. it was our last day, so we wanted to soak in as much salty air and sunshine as possible. 

TIP: Because we stayed in a house I had planned a menu for the days we were there. Like Breakfast/Lunch and Dinner. We planned to have breakfast at the house each morning, wanted to have lunch "out" twice, and dinner back at the house. I shopped according to the meals we were eating at the house and the menu for each meal, and snacks for each day. Instead of buying just a bunch or groceries, I was organized and the meals were mostly everything we could do on a grill and be outside as much as possible, and not stress about meals or forgetting something. 

Recommended by locals for Lunch and Dinner is "Offshore Grill" they source all their produce locally and catch of the day was literally brought in from the ocean that morning. I love that. We'll have to try it next time.  

I'm already planning our next beach trip! 

SUN BLOCK: I’ve been doing research on a non toxic spray sun screen. I’ve found the best one is Beauty Counter go to www.beautycounter.com/sarahnelson1 to order. I love that they are not harmful and I can spray my babies all day long. #worthit

Style Blurb: 

I looked for a similar blue linen dress, but, I couldnt find it, here's my next favorite Linen Dress (click)