Photos from our trip to Point Roberts in Washington State

Point Roberts, Washington

A couple of weeks ago we spent a few nights in Point Roberts, a peaceful seaside village located in the Pacific Northwest that is technically a part of mainland United States, but it’s not physically connected to it (we shared a map of its peculiar location in our last post).

Point Roberts is close in proximity to the skyscrapers of Vancouver but its chilled out vibe makes you feel as if you’re hundreds of miles away from the big city lights. In fact, I don’t even remember seeing a traffic light in Point Roberts? Yes, Point Roberts that kind of place. Small, friendly, safe and quiet.

There are lots of things to do in Point Roberts, like biking, hiking and beach combing, but the most common activity is doing nothing. By that, I mean waking up in the morning with no agenda and letting the mood dictate how your day will play out.

For us, that meant frequent visits to the beach equipped with pail and shovel.

The beaches in the Pacific Northwest are different from those found in the south or in tropical climates. They are not made of soft white sand that feels silky smooth on your feet. They are quite the opposite, actually. The beaches in this part of the world are rocky, rugged and filled with driftwood, sea shells and coarse sand.

Although we rarely swim in the water here, because the water is often too cold and most beaches are full of slippery rocks, we love spending the day walking along these rocky beaches. The fresh ocean air cleanses the soul.

At low tide, the ocean floor is exposed and a world of treasures is revealed. We have fond memories exploring the many tide pools found on these quintessential Pacific Northwest beaches. They never get old.

It’s important that we share our love of the outdoors with our impressionable boys. We want them to have similar memories when they get older and we want to feed their curiousity with nature. Point Roberts is the perfect place to do this.

Here are a few of our favorite photos from our trip to Point Roberts.

Travel tips for Point Roberts

If you decide to visit Point Roberts there are a few things you should know:

• You need a passport to enter. Point Roberts is located in Washington State, which means all Canadians must present a passport to enter. Americans that drive to Point Roberts will also need a passport because you must first cross into Canada. A driver’s license is not an acceptable form of identification.
• There are only a couple restaurants. Point Roberts is small. There are only a couple restaurants and they have limited hours of operation. The main pub/restaurant is Kiniski’s Reef Tavern. However, you can’t bring kids into this establishment, which is really bizarre. Pets are allowed, but kids aren’t. There is a new restaurant in the works that will be located at the marina.
• There are no hotels. Most people that visit Point Roberts will rent an apartment or cottage. There are lots of options on AirBnB and VRBO. It’s a common requirement to book a minimum of 3 nights to stay at a cottage.
• Many of the beaches are private. There are four pubic parks that have beaches – Maple Beach, Monument Park, Lighthouse Marine Park and Lily Point Marine Reserve. There are beaches all around the peninsula but most of these are actually privately owned land. That said, Point Roberts is a friendly place and most people won’t mind if walk along the beach. Most of the photos in the post were taken at South Beach.
• Bring your bike. Or rent one. Or better yet, borrow one. There is very limited traffic on the Point, making it an ideal place to ride a bike. Most people will either walk or ride bikes to get around. There are no buses or taxis.

Read next – The quirky fire hydrants on the Point