The temperatures in San Jose were back in the triple digits yesterday, so I packed the kids up into the car and we escaped to Seacliff State Beach, just south of Santa Cruz. I'm partial to this beach, simply because it's so accessible. Entry is $10 for day use, but I'm happy to pay that price considering there is a large parking lot right next to the beach. We park right by the restrooms and showers to minimize our schlepping.
It was just the kids and I on the excursion, meaning I was doing most of the heavy lifting. We brought two beach chairs, a bag of sand toys, and a beach bag with snacks, sunscreen, and my cheap travel ukulele (affiliate link). I would certainly not recommend bringing a nice instrument if you're also juggling sandy swimsuits, sticky sunscreen, and the like, but the stakes are pretty low with an affordable ukulele like this one. And I was able to keep it reasonably safe from the elements— the few grains of sand it came in contact with its high-gloss finish were gently wiped away once we were back home.
I almost didn't even bother bringing the ukulele, thinking I'd probably be busy with the kids the whole time, but I'm so glad I did. I actually got to play it for about an hour while they built various sand creations and took turns burying each other in the sand. That's more than I could ever expect to play it if we were all at home! Fingers crossed this wasn't just a fluke— I'm hoping to do this again soon!
Have you been bringing your uke on excursions? I'd love to hear about it.
