Party @ the Padre Island National Seashore

I have always been a family-oriented, outdoor-adventure-lovin’ gal.

But in the Year of the ‘VID, I’ve developed a whole new appreciation for seeing the people I love best, and for the freedom offered by the wide open spaces of the great outdoors. As mask orders accumulate across the country, it becomes an unspeakable gift to run around outside without something plastered to your face.

So when a recent trip home to Texas provided a chance for a family excursion to the Padre Island National Seashore, I was all for it.

The Seashore, affectionately known as PINS, is a 70-mile stretch of coastline consisting of sand and saltwater, dunes and prairie, complete with turtle nesting grounds and an obscene number of seagulls and pelicans. Armed with surfboards, snacks, and a well-stocked cooler, the husband, my dad, my brothers, and I ventured out on a broiling-hot day in search of sunshine and surf.