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Girl Gone Travel

Girl Gone Travel

North America, Travel
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June 29, 2009

Great Kills Park and Beach, Staten Island, NY

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Sun. Finally. After weeks of rain and cloudiness the sun was out, bright and warm for everyone to enjoy, with no imminent threat of rain in the forecast.

I had been itching to try a new beach, and wanted to head to Staten Island for the occasion.  So I consulted my friend, and a person who is in the know about anything and everything relating to Staten Island especially, Melissa. Melissa recommended that we spend the day at Great Kills Park and Beach.

Great Kills is not only a beach, it also offers terrain for biking, hiking, fishing spots, and beautiful sites of the marina located there.  I was excited to head out of Manhattan and into Staten Island.  We only really “discovered” Staten Island since our recent return to NY and really like to visit the museums and parks there.

But today was a beach day, and that is all I had in mind to do. We packed up all our beach gear and made our way to the Verazzano Bridge.  Most tourists, and even New Yorkers, often talk and glorify the Brooklyn Bridge, and rightly so, it is a beautiful New York City landmark.  But the Verazzano is incredible.  Breathtaking even. Once known as the longest suspension span, the bridge definitely feels longer and far more grand than any of the other bridges we often cross in our adventures.

It seemed like a short ride later that we arrived to Great Kills.  It was fairly early in the day and aside from bikers, runner, walkers, and fishermen, there really weren’t that many people around.  The boys were full of excitement as we unloaded the car and eagerly made our way through the narrow path onto the beach.

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The beach isn’t very big, when compared to other NY beaches we have gone to, but it also wasn’t very crowded, which was perfect, and the boys were excited to see waves crashing onto the shore, for this meant hours of rough play without getting into trouble.

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And play they did.  They threw themselves, and let themselves roll in with the waves.  They let the waves crash into them and knock them down.  Well, at least the two older boys did.  The 2.5 year old wasn’t too confident about playing in the waves, unless his dad was holding him, at which point they both laughed hysterically each time they lost control and it seemed like they might go under.

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And when I wasn’t taking pictures, I was laying on my beach blanket, taking in the sun.  It seemed like I was there for awhile, and at times it seemed like I was getting a good tan.  But alas, the clouds kept playing games and in the end I might’ve ended up more relaxed but less tanned than I wanted.

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What I did get a lot of however was down time with my family.  My husband even had a chance to briefly sit with me and relax and chat while the boys had a small snack, and I had a heart-to-heart with my 11 year old, which is super special considering that he is slowly entering the age where heart-to-hearts are difficult to come by.  We couldn’t have asked for a nicer day at the beach. And though we weren’t able to really do much more, it is definitely on my list of destinations to revisit.

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Great Kills Beach has bathroom and shower facilities, as well as a playground onsite.  Though there is no restaurant at the beach, there is a food truck that sells grilled food, such as burgers and hot dogs, as well as drinks, ice cream, and other snacks.  Cash only.  Free parking facilities are available.  Check site for travel instructions.

Thank you Melissa for such a wonderful Adventure recommendation!

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Carol Cain

Brooklyn native Carol is happiest when on an adventure, whether close to home or farther away. She is a small business owner and travel writer. In addition to creating Girl Gone Travel, she is the Founder and Principal of Brave World Media, a social media marketing, communications, and branding agency. She's mom to three wonderful sons and wife to a handsome Irish/Scot. She lives, works, and plays in the beautiful Finger Lakes region of NY.

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  • Finding More Fun: Carnival of Family Travel, 07/01/2009 | Travels with Children
    July 1, 2009

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About me

Hi! I'm Carol! I am an award-winning travel blogger, a keynote speaker, and the Principal and owner of Brave World Media, a social media marketing, communications, and branding agency. I a wife to a handsome Irish/Scot and a mom to 3 sons. Welcome to my blog where I share stories of my travels and professional public relations insights and advice. Thank you for reading and for your support!

Carol Cain

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A message about yesterday’s event: Happy Monday A message about yesterday’s event:

Happy Monday, y’all. Woke up in time to enjoy the soft glow of sunlight that shines its way around our house in the morning, and sipped on a cafecito without being rushed for anything. So already today is a win. 

Yesterday we worked our longest day yet for our little coffee cart that could (7 hours!!!) at the Heritage Fiesta in Ithaca, NY. 

Though we were ready for a crowd, the reception was also unexpected because there was a popular coffee shop just steps away. 

But we had Cómodo Fam stop by, family (who also fed us 🙏🏾), and soooo many members of the Latinx and BIPOC community who were just excited to see a small business like ours representing. 

I want to share that we were ALL worried about potential harassment and assault by 🧊and fliers were handed out to prepare us. And you would think that it would’ve intimidated the community enough to not come out…BUT WE DID. In numbers. 

And for hours that little parking lot next to Press Bay Alley was packed with all sorts of Latinx and non-Latinx community members, eating, laughing, dancing, singing, and drinking all the cafecitos and refreshers we had to offer. Literally. We went home cleaned out!

All this to say that we are all aware of the threats but we also understand the power and importance of coming together as a community and a people. By no means are we all the same, and Lord knows a lot of Latinos have a lot of self-reflecting to do based on the choices they made, but yesterday was a testament to the best of us, and I thank @yenospina and @lcatompkins for putting together such a wonderful event, for inviting @cafecomodony to be a part of it, and to all the friends, old and new, who came out to support us and la cultura. 

#fingerlakes #newyork #cafecomodo #coffeelover
Finally taking a break to enjoy one of my favorite Finally taking a break to enjoy one of my favorite lazy day pastimes of the season: market shopping for fall goodies - which in the Finger Lakes is especially bountiful. 

📍Joseph’s Wayside Markey, Naples, NY

#fingerlakes #newyork #octobermood #fallday
Our neighbors are harvesting the grapes. The proce Our neighbors are harvesting the grapes. The process is busy and noisy but also exciting and fun to watch. 

This cloudy morning seems to have calmed things down a bit, but not for long I am sure. These families work hard!

Bonus: they set up roadside stands so we can purchase and taste them 🍇 I highly recommend picking some up if you see some in your drive. 

#fingerlakes #lifeinthecountry #newyork
The rain has been so good. More, please. ❤️ The rain has been so good. More, please. ❤️
I want to take moment to send out love to my fello I want to take moment to send out love to my fellow Latinx and immigrant community. 

To send strength to my community of glorious misfits who are out in the world making good trouble and emboldening us to not give up hope on our dreams, our livelihoods, our future, our country, our people. 

The country our parents worked so hard to get to so that we could fly. A country they helped build and bring to prosper. A country our communities help to feed and house and care for. 

I am my immigrant parents dream come true, and my children are a continuation of that dream. 

I just want to remind all of us who represent the targeted, of our worth. Of the value of our contributions. In our languages, our culture, our insights, our work ethic and skills and knowledge. Of the things we bring to the table.

I don’t know what will happen tomorrow, or to us. But, as someone whose family lived through a dictatorship, I have an idea of how this story will end. And all I can advise is that we remain on the right side of it, our convictions unaltered, our core values untethered. Our spirits unbroken. In these stories, the monsters might scare us, and even harm some of us, but they never, ever win in the end. 

I am living proof of that. ❤️ And every time you succeed and feel joy, you are too. Pa’lante, mi gente.
Signs of autumn 🍂 in the Finger Lakes. Signs of autumn 🍂 in the Finger Lakes.

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