by the bay

Weekday shore trips during off-season are the best. No traffic, no waiting, and lots of space to play. 

The bay has become our favorite go-to spot lately. The water is calmer, warmer, and more predictible.

We can do everything there that we do at the beach-- plus some.

Like wading in the water with out getting spashed or even worse, knocked down.

Collect rocks and pebbles.

Search for treasures.

Get so sandy you need to be rinsed with buckets of water.

Big cousins are good for that.

Swing on the swings.

Go to and from the water all you want because we literally are sitting right near the water's edge (without worry that when the tide comes in our belongings will get wet.)

Explore the dock and the birds that hang out there.

Then we can still venture over to the beach side and visit the boardwalk for more fun.

And get delicious hot salty fries.

And pose with random statues. So random.

Logan loves to try new things in the arcade. 

I favor the drop-claw crane machines and Scott can be found at the basketball and football games.

This time of year some shops and games are still closed. But their stands provide excellent photo backgrounds. More randomness.

 It's so very close to open season. We checked out the rides that were being tested and checked and made ready for little laughs and screams. We can't wait to go back once everything is open.



**We got a pizza to take home from our favorite pizza shop. We stopped by the beach before we left with hopes to kick around the soccer ball and check out the waves, but it was so windy that the sand was stinging our skin-- second time this happened to us this year. There were also a lot of way too large beetles crawling in the sand that literally sent me running off the beach leaving everything behind. I'm lucky Sco is such a good sport! I'm hoping that was a one time deal and we never see them again. Other than that, I'm totally beach ready!