So, I did it. I took myself to the beach last weekend and had the most relaxing afternoon. I watched the waves and the seagulls, the young people playing volleyball and surfing, and I worked on my sweater. It was a gorgeous day with almost no wind. I’d forgotten how pretty it is at Stinson. I am so glad I went!
I highly recommend a day trip to Stinson in the wintertime. Believe it or not, it can be warmer on a winter day when there is little fog at the beach than at the height of summer. Here’s how my afternoon went and what you could do:
Get some food
Grab brunch or lunch at the Parkside Cafe (my favorite place for breakfast with Patrick and reading the Sunday paper back when we lived there), or grab a burger or hot dog next door at the Parkside Snack Bar. Sitting by myself at the restaurant didn’t sound fun, so I ordered a sandwich from the Snack Bar and sat on a bench to eat it while other people waited for their orders. It was fun to people-watch after all these months of Covid.
There’s actually a lot to choose from at the Snack Bar besides burgers, hot dogs, and fries, and if you love ice cream, you’ll love their soft serve.
However, if you are driving through Fairfax and want to skip the line, I recommend getting your sandwiches on your way at Perry’s Deli. You can place your order over the phone and have lunch ready to go in a manner of minutes. Add some drinks and some chips, and you’re set. I’ve done this before when we’ve had a larger group. Their sandwiches are great.
Grab a coffee and a pastry to go at the Parkside Coffee Bar
After some food, I got myself a double latte at the Parkside Coffee Bar next door to the main restaurant and headed towards the beach. They also sell pastries: croissants, tarts, cookies and such, but after eating a huge sandwich, I couldn’t eat another bite.
Head for the dunes (with a good book or a knitting project)
The dunes are the perfect place to hide when it’s a bit windy. I forgot to pack a blanket, so I wasn’t sure how I’d “sit-and-knit” in the dunes without getting all sandy. I kept on scouting the place and like a miracle, as I was walking towards the south end of the beach, I looked up at the Siren Canteen and spotted a picnic table.
The Siren Canteen is another restaurant at Stinson that is only open for a few months of the year. It’s where the kids and I like to go to get burritos in the summertime, on those few occasions when I manage to convince them to go to the beach with me. (I know they are only going for the burritos!) As far as I know, this is the only restaurant in town with an ocean view. (Shh, that’s a secret.)
As I got closer to the picnic table, I could not believe my luck – not only did it feel like it had appeared there just for me, it was so clean! – a perfectly set picnic table, ideal for working on my knitting project.
Catch the sunset
With no one complaining about wanting to go home, I stayed in Stinson until the sun started to set. There’s nothing like a good sunset at the beach!
Dip your toes in the ocean
On hot summer days, locals love swimming here. I must say, even when I was a local, years ago, the Costa Rican in me was never brave enough to swim in such freezing waters. However, one thing I love is walking close to the water’s edge and getting my feet wet. It got too late to do that this time, so I guess I’ll have to go back.
There are many other things you can do in Stinson: go on a hike, check out the art galleries, take a surf lesson, and more! This was perfect for me. 😉
