I love, love our little trips to Point Roberts in the summer!

I’ve written about Point Roberts a few times before – an oddity of a community that belongs to the US but only accessible by land through Canada.

I think I’ve also mentioned how we go to Point Roberts every two months or so, we use a parcel receiving service there for retailers who don’t ship to Canada or charge ridiculous international shipping fees – which is ironic because these parcels pass through Canada first.

It’s usually just another mundane errand, even if it involves border-crossings and declarations.

The actual drive from downtown Vancouver is less than 40 minutes, but the line-ups at the border can sometimes make it seem like a tedious journey; one rainy Saturday back in April we waited for over an hour

So lately, we’ve taken to parking in Tsawwassen (the Canadian side) and crossing on foot – which I always find fascinating since one of the many peculiar things I wanted to do as a kid when I grew up, was walk to another country, I guess I can cross that one off my bucket list now.

Our other option in the summer has been to pack a snack or lunch, wait patiently to cross and then idle the time away on one of the wonderful beaches in Point Roberts.

I love that we get to make a beach day out of what is typically a mundane trip to pick up parcels.

We discovered Maple Beach last year, a lovely beach with such spectacular low tides you can walk the ocean floor or get a tiny island to yourself.

It feels like a little paradise, with its sweeping view of the ocean and Mount Baker; scenic, serene and relaxing.

It’s a wonderful spot to picnic in the summer, or to sit and take in a quiet moment.

I love picnicking out here; we usually don’t bring much, sometimes jars of fruits; peaches and strawberries and cherries from the farmers’ market, drinks and a few other snacks – we nibble, read, nap and linger the time away.

We go for walks too…the neighbourhood is charming, almost as if you’ve stepped back a few decades in time; eclectic cottages and cabins, colourful with interesting nautical decorations.

I’m certainly looking forward to our next trip to Maple Beach, Point Roberts.
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