What’s the first thing most people do when arriving at the beach? Why, they rid themselves of those pesky shoes in order to feel the sand between their toes! A sunny day on Seaside’s beach demands to be tactility experienced with your bare feet. These kids pictured here in a photo from the 1930s know the drill for beach fun: getting your feet wet, dodging the tide in the shallows, maybe engage in a friendly round of wild splashing. Notice that at least two of the kids here have found themselves some choice driftwood walking sticks (children at the beach have a special kind of radar for finding the best sticks).

Perhaps my favorite part of this photo is the mysterious figure of a woman in the background.  She’s sporting what looks like a full length skirt, but regardless, she too is out there enjoying the water and wading through the shallow surf. Also, behind the group of children, you can see a group of brave souls venturing out to waist high depths. The beach is such a magnet for human beings, attracting all different types of people with the common purpose of taking delight in the great outdoors – no shoes required.

All in all it looks like a perfect day in the 1930s to get your feet wet.