Archive for category Cal State Parks
What to do when the weather isn’t perfect – Sunset State Beach
Posted by Family RV in Cal State Parks, California camping, Family Camping, Family RV Fun, Sunset State Beach on June 7, 2010
Set for a mid-May trip, we finally got a weekend reservation at Sunset State Beach (Map) located south of Rio Del Mar, CA.
Sunset State Beach campground and beach
We’d heard a lot about the campground and looked forward to going there and having a great weekend trip on the coast.
It being mid-May we thought the weather would be no problem, but this is no usual weather year so yes we did run into some not so perfect weather.
We pulled into our campground late on Friday night with little problems (though me backing-up the trailer always involves some level of drama).
On Sat. morning we got up to a little fog but it burned off pretty quickly. So we packed-up and headed to the beach.
It is a short drive down to the beach with some really nice picnic and barbecue facilities.
Sunset State Beach
What makes Sunset State Beach so unique is that it is an extremely long and flat beach. I’m not sure how long it is but it sure looked like you would be walking for hours until you reached the end of it.
But we never really got the chance to walk along the beach for very long.
The trouble was that the wind was howling in from the surf and making our day at the beach a little difficult to enjoy.
First we tried to make a wind break with our chairs and sun umbrellas. But of course the wind was just too strong and we had to retreat to the other side of the dunes where the wind wasn’t so strong, but alas not on the beach itself.
Of course the kids took the weather hiccups in stride and seemed to have a great time no matter what.
Kids at Sunset Beach Campground
Later at the campground the kids had fun in a field of wild flowers just outside our trailer door.
Sunday morning we woke-up to a cloudy and raining morning. All the tent campers were very quick to pack-up and leave at the first sign of rain.
We also left Sunday morning, but stayed cozy and warm in our travel trailer until we were ready to leave.
This campground does deserve another try when the weather is better. But it is hard to get a reservation in the summer.
Also the campground doesn’t have hook-ups but we could dump our black and gray water at the New Brighton State Beach campground.
Cal State Parks – Closure Details Finally Released
Posted by Family RV in Cal State Parks on November 1, 2009
Well the last shoe finally dropped on the on-going saga of the California state budget and the Cal State Park system. The “Service Reduction Plan” was released on Tuesday. The Service Reductions are one part of the $14.2 million, one-time budget savings plan Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger announced on September 25 to keep parks open with the least disruption to visitors.
One of the majestic redwood at Big Basin State Park
It didn’t turn out to be as drastic as we all feared, but the cuts were still pretty deep and wide spread. I live in the San Francisco Bay Area and one of my favorite State Parks, Big Basin will see campground closures Sunday through Thursday from December through March. Well I guess I can live with that given how much that the State needs to make-up in the budget deficit. I’m just concerned that these cuts will become permanent. Let’s all hope for a better economy and more tax revenue for the state.
You can read about the details of the park reductions at the Cal State Park Foundation website
Cal State Park Foundation President Speaks
Posted by Family RV in Cal State Parks, California camping, Family Camping on September 16, 2009
Watch this impassioned speech by the President of the Cal State Park Foundation, Elizabeth Goldstein.
She lays down the law on what we need to do to save our parks.
The closure list has been delayed until late next week.
Make a donation to the Cal State Park Foundation fight to stop the park closures.
Cal State Parks Still in Way of Govenor’s Cut
Posted by Family RV in Cal State Parks, California camping on September 11, 2009
Cal state parks are still at risk, but there is some good news.
Senate Bill 679 passed the Ca State legislature and waits for the Gov. to sign. It requires that no land acquired for the state park system may be used for non-park uses without the express authority of an act of the Legislature and without a plan to replace those park lands with lands of equal environmental and fair market value.
Let’s hope the state gets creative and works with private business to keep the parks open.
But senate bill 679 insures the state won’t lose State park land.
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