Doran Regional Park

 If you're in the local area, you need no introduction to Doran Regional Park, which we all call Doran Beach.    This is the closest beach to my home, so I go here quite often. Its a lovely beach with nice facilities, gentle waves and even good tide pooling when the tide is low.


I first started going to this beach when my girls were toddlers.  Its a great family beach because its very accessible, the waves are gentle and there are bathrooms.   We have so many memories here!   More recently, Doran Beach has been my favorite place to go to take early morning walks on the beach.    I never tire of it because it looks different every single day!  It has also helped me maintain my sanity during this pandemic and tough year - the hardest time for me was when the beach was closed for two months. I never tire of it because  depending on the weather, what time of day, the tides, the wildlife... I always have a unique experience.    I love to take early morning walks, and I believe that it makes everything better that day.  I especially love seeing the sunrise!   On this day, Sara and I went out in the afternoon.  It was beautiful, sunny, light breeze, low 60's.  We walked for a while, then just sat in the warm sun and watched the waves and the sea birds.  I always make it a practice to walk in my bare feet and allow the surf to wash up over my feet as I'm walking.   My friend, Mary Sheila, calls this vitamin G, for getting grounded.  Some people call it vitamin "sea".  The idea is that you soak up lots of minerals through your feet.

There is often wildlife to see here including many varieties of sea birds, sea lions, harbor seals and dolphins, and if the tide is low, you can see plenty of sea stars, sand dollars, jelly fish,  mussels, sea anemone, etc.  I always look forward to the treasures I will find or observe.   It is also a place where kite surfers and wind surfers gather, and it is so fun to watch them!  

Doran Beach has camping, a boat launch, a boardwalk, EV charging stations, and lots of day use picnic and fire pit areas.   It adjoins with the Bird Walk Coast Access Trail that I wrote about earlier this week.  It is part of the Sonoma Count Regional Parks, so there is a $7 parking fee, unless you have an annual pass.

Here are some more photos:





              


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