“I lost my heart to the ocean, and with it a piece of my soul.” – Author Unknown
We are a few days away from summer here in Sunny Southern California. I figured why not start a summer beach series as part of my blog to add variety to my mostly rocky adventures. It may come as a surprise to you but the ocean/sea will always be my first love. The moment I learned how to swim (thanks to my dad) I knew it would be hard to take me away from the water. Growing up, all I ever wanted was a small cottage by the ocean. The dream is still somewhere hidden under a pile of reality and never ending bills. Perhaps, someday…
Mandalay Beach is located in Oxnard, CA and has no facilities. I like that it is secluded and you could easily find street parking (absolutely free) right in front of the beach. No long walks lugging around your heavy beach gear. I prefer heading to the beach early morning on a weekday. You could easily pick the perfect spot to set up and there are no crowds. I saw a few people surf fishing from the shore which means you can take home fresh catch seafood for lunch. Not a bad deal.
After spending a couple of hours on the beach, we decided to head over to Channel Island Harbor right next to Silver Strand Beach. A wide range of activities from kayaking to stand-up paddle boarding are available in this area. Parking is completely free and there are restroom facilities on this beach. Silver Strand beach is popular and gets really crowded even on a regular day.
Tips for this beach trip:
1. If you decide to check out Mandalay Beach – remember there are no facilities. Dogs aren’t allowed in this beach either.
2. Bring a cooler. Load it up with ice and drinks. See link below for different beach coolers.
Disclosure: Please be aware I get commissions for purchases made through links in this post at no additional cost to you. Please read Amazon Affiliate Disclosure and Disclosures
3. Bring a beach umbrella to beat the heat and a beach chair to make your stay comfortable. I cannot recommend the Tommy Bahama beach umbrella enough. You can tilt it to where the sun is and the built in sand anchor screws in perfectly to the sand. The Tommy Bahama beach chair is also very easy to use and it folds and you can carry it like a backpack.
Tommy Bahama 2016 Backpack Cooler Chair with Storage Pouch and Towel Bar ( Green/Blue Stripe)
4. Check out the cute dresses and cover ups on the links below.
Macy’s
http://bit.ly/2sfCHpw
Old Navy
http://bit.ly/2sfQ35p
5. Last but not the least. The best way to end a day at the beach is to get some ice cream before heading home. We stopped by a yogurt place and it definitely hit the spot.
Love your pictures! Bright and beautiful blue sky.
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Thank you 😊
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You have a wonderful website! I browsed through it and was amazed on how everything looks good and in order. I am an aspiring travel blogger too and I’ve been aiming to have a good looking website like yours. 😍 I’ll keep in touch with your posts. I’m sure I’ll learn a lot from it. God speed!!
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Thank you for your kind words. I really appreciate it.
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I love your blog so much ❤️❤️
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Thank you 😊 Happy New Year! 😊
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This is such an informative post, and I love how you’ve photographed it as well. Awesome work 🙂
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Thank you 😊
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Omg. The perfect beach. And this this cream with the bubbles on top. Swooning and hungry right now…
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It was a great day…we need more good days 😊 Thank you!!
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So very true…
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Having grown up in the Philippines, I am always drawn to the beach! Never gets old! Beautiful pics!
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Thanks! But the beaches in the Philippines are infinitely better and a lot warmer. The benefits of a tropical country 😊
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Omg I’m seriously gaping. I’m hooked to beaches so badly!!
❤❤
Xx
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Lol! Same here…I love the ocean 😊
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Some secluded beaches like these are so calming. Beautiful pictures ❤️
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Being away from crowds is my kind of heaven. Thank you 😊
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Yea you are right 👌
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Wow this is so gorgeous!!! Love how you captured the different shades of blue/green in the second to last photo.
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Thank you! It’s really not that hard just because the ocean is always wildly beaultiful! 😊
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Haha well thats certainly true! But you definitely did a good job of capturing it!
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😊…btw, I saw your snake comment – why do you love snakes? Please don’t tell me you have a pet snake hidden somewhere?? 😱
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I actually did when I was 9-11. He was sneaky the snake! Snake 🐍 🐍. Sadly when I came home from baseball practice he was dead though 😦
Snakes are actually really smooth, low maintenance, and make good pets 😇😇
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I’d totally freak out. I don’t even know how I’d react if I see one while hiking. Yikes! I’d rather have a fish 😂
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I probably would just admire one for a while haha. I can understand if you think they’re scary though. If you ever meet someone with a pet though, or at a zoo, you should give them a chance.
And yeah a couple goldfish would be awesome! Or just one of those really epic fish tanks with all sorts of species.
The best pet would be a goat though. They’re so sweet and affectionate. I vibed pretty hard with the two I met at this bird park in Phuket hahahaha
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I’d like a horse but they poop a lot. I’d spend my days just cleaning it. I want an epic fish tank like the one in that famous 7 star hotel in Dubai -😂 with sharks and all! Lol, goats are your thing for now huh? They seem chill. I like chill since I’m constantly in panic mode. You could just have a beer with them and talk to them knowing that they’ll just listen. Maybe I’ll adopt a goat. I need a farm in my lifetime.☺️
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Horses are so awesome, idk about that poop though I feel you there. 💩💩🙀👎🏿 And yes shark tank aquarium? Have added that to my life goals!
You could definitely use a goat then! They’ll help keep you mellow. Living on a farm in general will have that affect 🙂
Btw may I ask you a favor? I recently wrote a poem called ‘where.’ Curious if you think it’s the same or weaker than my other poems. Definitely is different than the way I normally write them.
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I like mellow! Okay, I’ll head on over to your blog later to check it out and will definitely let you know what I think of it.😊👍
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Nice!
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Thank you 😊
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Those beaches sound absolutely beautiful! And I love your beach umbrella – so cool!
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They are – thank you! I can’t live without my beach umbrella 😂
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Looks like I missed the trip to the beach Bel. While my first love is the mountains and trees and… I still have plenty of room left in my heart for several days of sand in my toes and the chance to even out my tan lines.
Beautiful photos as always, and looking forward to getting my vicarious beach time from you here.
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Sand in your toes and the fresh ocean breeze Gabe! So different from the mountains but equally satisfying and refreshing 😊
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This reminds me, I’m still working on the sketch I mentioned a few months back. I haven’t forgotten, I’m just slow;)
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Wow! Take your time even if the anticipation is killing me 😜 Thanks, Gabe!
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Looks warm and wonderful, Bel. I’m not a big fan of the sun, but give me a floppy hat and a beach umbrella, and I’m good to go. Happy Summer!
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And a glass of Piña Colada 😜 it’s perfect ❤️😂
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Of course!!!! Ha ha.
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I really enjoy the content on your blog – so much so that I have nominated you for the Liebster Award. Check out my post at https://soeyewrite.wordpress.com/2017/06/21/liebster-award/.
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Thank you Laronda 😊❤️
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Water, and sand! I love the beach!
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It is definitely hard not to love the beach ❤️😊
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This is so true. I haven’t been in a few years. I don’t feel compelled, but I may get to go this year.
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I hope you get to go this year 😊
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Beautiful beaches! And, ice cream on the way home has always been the tradition for our family, too.
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Right? the ice cream at the end of the day just hits the spot 😊 Thank you!
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Nice photos. I especially liked the one with the beach umbrella.
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Yeah it looks so serene and peaceful! I love when it’s not too crowded and I can just set it up and watch the ocean waves ❤️ thank you! 😊
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Beach is legit the best place!💕
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So true. I ❤️ the beach 🌊😊. Thanks!!
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Nice pics of the beach… not a beach person myself, but it looks very inviting!
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Thanks! Glad you liked it! 😊
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Gorgeous
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😊❤️
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seeing through your eyes…beautiful
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Thank you 😊
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Beautiful
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Thanks😊
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Looks like a nice relaxing place to visit!
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Greetings and Blessings! 😇
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I have to say I think your Cali beach might beat my pebbly Devon beach! I am so enjoying my weekday swims in the sea, nobody there except pensioners 😉
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Lol right? I love beaches that aren’t crowded. 😊
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Thanks for the repost!
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Looks so gorgeous, you’re giving me wanderlust! Looking forward to more beachy posts 😉
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Yay! I’m glad you liked the post! Looking forward to writing more…😊
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… and I’m looking forward to reading them! 🙂
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😊❤️
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Must admit that I although I think that I live beside one of the most beautiful beaches in the world, yours is very lovely too. Enjoyed your post very much.
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Thank you. You are lucky to live close to a beach! 😊
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A sky so blue it makes ya squint (in a good way). Great feeling of openness in your piece. Thanks
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Lol! Yeah the sky was perfectly blue that day. 😊 Thanks!
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A little browsing around on your blog has me living vicariously through your adventures!! It all looks like so much fun!
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Thank you! It is super fun. I’m glad you enjoyed it and looking forward to reading about your own adventures as well 😊
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Such a great beach! Use to annoy me that folks complained about the lack of facilities. A group even tried to start a campaign to “modernize” the beach. Fortunately, it never went anywhere.
Very nice embassy suites nearby too.
Geeze, I need to get back to Cali! 😄
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No way really?! I like it the way it is….people always try to “modernize” places that should be left alone. I’m glad it was left the way it is…You really need to get back to Cali! 😊
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It’s Cali – there’s a ton of “modern” beaches – go find one! 😂😂😂
I keep telling the mister I’m ready to leave Hell, er…I mean Arizona…just say the word! 😄
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It’s way too hot in Az I can’t bear it in the summer. Time to move back 😜
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Exactly! 👍
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Nice article. I too love the oceans, especially the Pacific. Thank you 🙂
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Thank you! 😊
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Very nice! The sky looked amazingly blue that day!
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I agree…It was a beautiful sunny day. Perfectly blue sky ❤️
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Looks like a nice relaxing beach.
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It is a relaxing beach. I don’t like crowds so this was perfect. Thanks! 😊
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Have you taken the excursion out to the Channel Islands yet? If it’s the same as when I was last there, the departure point isn’t too, too far from this beach. You sure make me homesick!!
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I’m trying to do everything with a budget and I checked the rates they weren’t cheap – unfortunately! But one of these days – hopefully I’ll be able to because I want to do the hikes there and check out the lighthouse as well.
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True. They weren’t cheap when I was last there. I hadn’t thought about that.
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I actually looked into it because it would be cool to see and write about it. Maybe, they’ll have deals for the summer. I’ll keep looking 😊
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Nice post very informative….enjoyed the pictures!!
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Thank you! I appreciate the comment 😊
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I love the ocean! I need another vacation. Great post!
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We always need a vacation 😂 Don’t forget to write about it when you – you know I’m a fan of your blog 😊
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I live far from beaches but I love to visit the ocean too! Beautiful photos 🙂
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It’s so calming and it takes you away from reality even for a short while. Thank you! 😊
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Love this post!! I will have to put Mandalay on my list of beaches to visit.
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Yay! I’m glad – and it’s close to several other beaches so you could definitely beach hop in a day 😊👍
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