Every Delaware Valley resident heads to the Jersey Shore at some point in their lives for a summer vacation. As proof that people in the Delaware Valley are creatures of habit some head down every summer to the same beach town, sometimes the same house. Renting a beach house with college friends is also a quasi-passing to adulthood activity—or at least pauses the advancement to adulthood.
The Jersey Shore is not a monolith, it is not a singular type of beach, singular type of beach town. Each town has it’s own look, it’s own feel, catering to a specific visitor type. Atlantic City may be the most famous Jersey Shore town—recognizable or not as the “town” inspiring the properties on the Monopoly Board. Today it’s more famous for its casinos, which failed to return Atlantic City to its former glory. The real problem with Atlantic City, at least from my perspective, is that it’s too big. It’s too city. Who wants to leave the Philadelphia area and go on vacation to…the Philadelphia area. The other beach towns compete on quaintness and small town feel—a quality that Atlantic City severely lacks. But if you want to play poker card games, Atlantic City is the spot. If you are waiting for your brother to arrive via a bus from NYC, the Knife and Fork Inn is a great place to hangout.
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South of Atlantic City, south of Margate, is Ocean City, the crown jewel of Jersey Shore beach towns. The town to which all others are compared. Every, and I mean every, kid has spend a summer vacation at Ocean City. Ocean City is a dry town catering to the family types. It has an old town section, complete with a Five and Dime store, but Ocean City’s stand out feature is its boardwalks. Many shore towns have a boardwalk, none compare to Ocean City’s which is a wonderland of rides, amusements, miniature golf, and food.
I have vivid memories of an early morning miniature golf game in which I whacked a ball off a giant Paul Bunyan sculpture, now “disguised” as the pirate below, and it then ricocheted off the course to the parking lot below. When my brother visited the East Coast for a few weeks during the summer we both knew we’d need to take a “vacation” to the Jersey Shore and relive childhood memories. Boogey boarding during the day then eating all the junk food our parents prohibited us from eating when we were younger. Kohr Bros. ice cream, Mak and Manco pizza, lemonade, huge containers of French fries. It’s a good thing we were only down here for a weekend.
I have vivid memories of an early morning miniature golf game in which I whacked a ball off a giant Paul Bunyan sculpture, now “disguised” as the pirate below, and it then ricocheted off the course to the parking lot below. When my brother visited the East Coast for a few weeks during the summer we both knew we’d need to take a “vacation” to the Jersey Shore and relive childhood memories. Boogey boarding during the day then eating all the junk food our parents prohibited us from eating when we were younger. Kohr Bros. ice cream, Mak and Manco pizza, lemonade, huge containers of French fries. It’s a good thing we were only down here for a weekend.
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LONG BEACH ISLAND
The Jersey shore is psychologically, if not physically, divided into a North (where New Yorkers visit) and South (where Pennsylvanians visit)—I have no idea where New Jerseyians visit. Long Beach Island is in-between and has the name implies, it has a long beach running north to south. An Aunt and Uncle invited us down to visit this more rugged, remote, and natural beach town.
LBI has a couple of stretches of commercial establishments—there’s a few coffee shops, a microbrewery, miniature golf courses, hotel bars, and restaurants.
The Jersey shore is psychologically, if not physically, divided into a North (where New Yorkers visit) and South (where Pennsylvanians visit)—I have no idea where New Jerseyians visit. Long Beach Island is in-between and has the name implies, it has a long beach running north to south. An Aunt and Uncle invited us down to visit this more rugged, remote, and natural beach town.
LBI has a couple of stretches of commercial establishments—there’s a few coffee shops, a microbrewery, miniature golf courses, hotel bars, and restaurants.
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The Chicken or the Egg is an institutional breakfast, lunch, dinner, and late night restaurant—I believe that during the summer the CHEGG is open 24/7. Another LBI institution is the Ron Jon Surf Shop. If you live in the Philadelphia area you always see people wearing Ron Jon T-Shirts and I always thought it was strange that so many people from Philadelphia had the same Ron Jon shirts, thinking Ron Jon must be a Florida store. Well it turns out the original Ron Jon is located in LBI and conveniently it’s store is on the main stretch in and out of town. Now I’m a Philadelphian walking around with a Ron Jon shirt.
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POINT PLEASANT
A delineation between the North Jersey and South Jersey beach towns is that the North Jersey towns tend to have more year round residents that the South Jersey beach towns which are more populated with summer only residents. I suspect this has something to do with the fact that you can catch a train from the North Jersey beach towns to NYC for a daily commute to Manhattan. As such, these towns feel a little more commercialized, a little more congested, and little busier. The commuter trains move people in both directions—commuters to Manhattan and NYCers to the beaches. As such, visiting a town like Point Pleasant, may seem more like you’ve visited Brooklyn than the Jersey Shore.
A delineation between the North Jersey and South Jersey beach towns is that the North Jersey towns tend to have more year round residents that the South Jersey beach towns which are more populated with summer only residents. I suspect this has something to do with the fact that you can catch a train from the North Jersey beach towns to NYC for a daily commute to Manhattan. As such, these towns feel a little more commercialized, a little more congested, and little busier. The commuter trains move people in both directions—commuters to Manhattan and NYCers to the beaches. As such, visiting a town like Point Pleasant, may seem more like you’ve visited Brooklyn than the Jersey Shore.
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ASBURY PARK
A few towns north of Point Pleasant is Asbury Park, the stomping grounds of Bruce Springsteen and Bon Jovi. I visited Asbury Park during a bitter cold winter morning. The town was eerily beautiful. I believe the town has changed over the past few years but I’m not sure I want to return. When I visited there were abandoned buildings on the boardwalk and it would be bittersweet to see that these buildings have been repurposed because they were spectacular looking in their decrepit form.
A few towns north of Point Pleasant is Asbury Park, the stomping grounds of Bruce Springsteen and Bon Jovi. I visited Asbury Park during a bitter cold winter morning. The town was eerily beautiful. I believe the town has changed over the past few years but I’m not sure I want to return. When I visited there were abandoned buildings on the boardwalk and it would be bittersweet to see that these buildings have been repurposed because they were spectacular looking in their decrepit form.
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RED BANK
A few towns north of Asbury Park is Red Bank, I believe the current home of Bon Jovi, and where I’d want to live if I worked in NYC and lived in New Jersey. For a high end community, it’s best “attraction” is the Jay and Silent Bob Secret Stash comic book shop—which as the name suggests is owned by Kevin Smith. In addition to the comic books for sale the shop acts as a museum for Kevin Smith’s movie and includes memorable movie props.
A few towns north of Asbury Park is Red Bank, I believe the current home of Bon Jovi, and where I’d want to live if I worked in NYC and lived in New Jersey. For a high end community, it’s best “attraction” is the Jay and Silent Bob Secret Stash comic book shop—which as the name suggests is owned by Kevin Smith. In addition to the comic books for sale the shop acts as a museum for Kevin Smith’s movie and includes memorable movie props.
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STONE HARBOR
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