Big Nate by Lincoln Peirce for August 14, 2011

Wow! Beaches cost MONEY there? That’s kind of like making you pay admission to go camping in the woods.And who would forget Nate?

I wonder what is so cool there.

I’ve never heard of beaches that cost money. It’s kind of stupid.

Anyone else notice that every Sunday strip for the last few weeks has been Nate at the beach?

I have never seen a beach cost money.

Nate must live in NJ.

We have some private pay-beaches here in South Africa because it is the only way to keep the beaches clean and unpolluted. Some of the public beaches are littered with broken bottles and other unmentionable objects, although our town councils do try and keep them clean. Just too many people and too few law-enforcers unfortunately.

UGH

Legally, a beach can’t belong to a person or a business, everything from the high tide to low tide mark is public property and everyone is supposed to have free access. Mind you, there are many cases where rich people whose houses are adjacent to a beach do all they can to make this as difficult as possible by putting up fences, hedges, etc. to keep out the riffraff, but I never heard of them trying to charge anyone.

touchy, touchy, Nate

State and federal parks usually cost something. I prefer them to the “free” parks and beaches – as the person from South Africa inferred, charging something keeps out undesirables and pays for the services.

Awwwwwwww bummer no money for cheez doodles!

This beach is part of the state park system. A lot of state parks that used to be free (that is, “tax-supported”) have now started charging fees. Some have been forced to close entirely. Cutbacks due to falling tax revenues, doncha know.

Mmm. Cheez doodles.

We camp in the woods and pay. We have a trailer and use developed campsites. Apparently this beach is in a state park.

Of course he’s on beaches. It’s summer! Finally! Yay!

Here in Indiana, up to the middle of the polluted river is public. If you can wade through the oil sledge, litter and flotsam you can stand in front of some rich guy’s house on the river and there’s nothing they can do about it..still can’t figure out why they’re living there if they’re rich, anyway.

So much for his snack money.

Wow they make you pay? The beaches around here only make you pay for parking if u walk its free, I think. I have to pay for parking because we don’t live very close. LOL have fun Nate!! Don’t get Hungary because you spent your money!!! So NO cheese doodles for you.

bignate, I think it’s at least useful that there’s the option of buying a seasonal pass (I’m assuming Nate’s forgotten pass would be honored in ALL the state parks, not just this beach), but it’s not exactly tourist-friendly. I had to enlarge the strip to see the entrance rates, and while $5/adult-$3/child isn’t exhorbitant, it’s not exactly hospitable.

Here in San Francisco, Golden Gate Park (owned and run by the City) has experimented with charging admission to the Botanical Gardens, but the fee is waived if you have a San Francisco ID – the idea being that City residents already pay to support it through taxes. It didn’t go over well (I think it’s been dropped), partly because tourists are the ones who most visit it, and even charging a nominal fee was drastically cutting the number of admissions; residents don’t often go to the Botanical Gardens, any more than New Yorkers are likely to visit the Statue of Liberty.

Maybe a better way to do it would be a combination of the two; locals have the option of buying a (discounted) seasonal pass. Those who can show non-local identification could get in free, and those who live locally but do not buy a pass would be charged admission. Of course, that still wouldn’t help Nate out of his current predicament…

so much for beach money

Nate could just walk back home and get it.

That would probably take a while.

In Texas, it is to the vegetation line. However the rich can build their “summer cottages” on the beach and no one has the guts to stop them. A hurricane (or hisicane) and they demand compensation so they can rebuild on public property. Put up a tent, and you will be fined. And the jerk wants to be president.

Nate is definitely not just another kid.

There is a pass to go to the beach?

Ouch. Beaches cost money??

Just another kid?!?! when you meet nate you will never forget him he leaves a mark.. Litterally.

And it’s not about you,Nate

wtf why do beaches cost money? in my country new zealand we have the most beautiful beaches everywhere and they are 100% free, it seems unreal people have to PAY to see those beaches in other places

It’s not about the money.