Annual tradition: Camping on the Washington coast

One of our favorite Summer traditions is camping on the Washington coast. We load up our backpacks with supplies, make certain to pick up a bear can, permit and tide chart and head to the beach with no particular plan in mind. We stop and camp wherever looks like the best spot that day and enjoy big decisions like whether to eat and then look at tide pools or look at tide pools and then eat. Spending time at the coast is always extremely relaxing, restorative and beautiful. One of our favorite spots on the coast is Rialto Beach. Although we typically camp on the weekends, as long as we go a bit passed Hole in the Wall we have no trouble finding a spot to ourselves. Just like hiking, the farther afield you go, the least likely you are to be surrounded by other people. 

When we play rock, paper, scissors as a child we are taught the power of a rock, but seeing what the combination of water and rocks can do to a landscape is downright inspiring and breathtaking. 

We found some of the tiniest star fish on our morning tide pool walk. 

I am always inspired by the colors and textures of the beach. 

My parents were kind enough to watch Jasper for the weekend, so we were missing both of our boys. I had a little down time while Cameron made dinner so I decided to write their names out of rocks by our campsite. Seeing their names together made me incessantly happy all weekend long.  

I love spending a couple of days at the beach because the weather is so dynamic. One minute it might be dark and stormy, the next foggy and the next sunshine is streaming through the trees. 

It is always fun to do a little gradient color work with the rocks. 

Our campsite with an amazing view. We joked if it was a hotel room it would be at least $500 per night. 

Another successful trip to the beach!