Okay, so you may be wondering, "why is that Macaroni Kid lady writing about the beach in October"? If I were you, I'd be wondering why too. I'll tell you why...I planned to write this article right when we got back, but realized everyone would be so busy getting ready for school to start, they probably wouldn't be too interested in an article about a beach. Families were more concerned with lunchboxes, school supplies, and school clothes right then.
Now that things have settled down, we can all start thinking about other things again. Plus, as many of you know, if you want to get a good campsite, you need to plan early for the next year. The friendly people at Westport Beach told me they have families that go there every year (some from our area), and make their reservation a whole year ahead!
Before I start telling you about the amazing beach and amenities this campground has to offer, I have to tell you about something they do for Thanksgiving. Every year the campground fills up with campers and they share a Thanksgiving meal. Westport provides the turkey, and the campers add the side dishes. It sounds truly amazing to spend Thanksgiving at the beach, sharing a meal with family and (some new) friends.
So what's so great about this place that we went there the last two years in a row? First off, the beach is incredible. It's breathtaking, with the waves crashing over the rocks. When the tide was low, we found starfish in many of the tide pools, and mussels clinging to the rocks. As we walked along the sand, taking in all that nature has to offer, exploring the caves, and running from the waves, the the kids declared this was their favorite beach!
Another great thing about the beach is that the waves are calmer here than they are down at MacKerricher State Park. There's also a little creek that runs right down into the ocean to play in. On Saturday nights the campground hosts a bonfire on the beach, where everyone can make s'mores.
The campsites range in size from very small to quite large, and the price does vary depending on what site you get. The first year we made reservations late and took what we could get, which was a very small, right next to your neighbor, site. Before we left, we drove around and wrote down the numbers of sites we liked, then made sure we called early to get reservations for this year.
They have both RV and tent sites, and a special TeePee you can rent to stay in, which has a bed in it. If you don't mind braving the breeze, and the morning fog (the sun breaks through mid-morning usually), there are campsites on the beach. There's no driving on the beach, so you have to hike your stuff in, but I bet the waves sound wonderful.
On Saturday nights, before the bonfire, the campground also hosts an "ice cream social" up near the fenced in playground. Besides the playground, you can play volleyball or horseshoes, or head up to the rec room and watch a movie or play pool. I told you they were family friendly!
They have a camp store, in case you forget something, and firewood and propane are available to buy. They even have laundry facilities (bring quarters!). The bathrooms have showers (more quarters) and were much cleaner than the bathrooms at the State Beach we stayed at a few weeks prior. Of course, they are still public bathrooms, with many people going in and out, so make sure you wear flip flops inside!
Like most campsites, May-September is their busy time. Pets are welcome (let them know when you register), and don't forget to pack bikes or scooters to ride around the campground!
If you decide to venture away from the campground, not too far away is Glass Beach. The kids couldn't get enough of this beach with all the pretty "jewels". The town of Fort Bragg is a nice place to stroll and have lunch, and the Guest House museum was fun to take a walk through. If you have a train fan, you can take a ride on the Skunk Train.
Find out more at their website or Facebook page.
They are located at 37700 Highway 1, Westport CA 95488
(707)964-2964
