Last Updated on February 12, 2024 by Travelationship
Boardwalks, beaches, mini golf, and Guido’s aptly describes our Jersey Shore weekend. I was hoping for beaches and relaxation. I was guessing I would get more cheesy Vegas on a shoreline. What I got was a pleasant surprise and a new respect for Jersey.
Jersey Shore Road Trip
Atlantic City
For the most part, New Jersey really gets a bad rap for no good reason. We started our JS weekend in Atlantic City. I had to see what everyone talked about and why AC was so great. Hmm, I didn’t get it. I was not an AC fan. I found it a bit on the creepy side. We wandered the casinos, the boardwalk, and the streets around the boardwalk. I don’t recommend walking around solo at night. Some of the areas were more than shady. However, we did have a terrific breakfast at Maria’s Luncheonette on 2319 Atlantic Ave.
Matt’s View of Atlantic City
Having been to Vegas several times, I semi-anticipated Atlantic City being similar, and it was in all the wrong ways. Sketchy and long past its prime are thoughts that stick out in my head. I did manage to play a successful round of “Wheel of Fortune” and ride on a Ferris wheel with Heather for the first time, so the trip wasn’t a total wash.
Next Stop: Long Beach Island
We quickly left AC for Long Beach Island. This was a seashore town I could easily fall in love with, and I did. LBI reminded me of what everything summer on the shore should be. Great beach houses, families flying kites, people out riding bikes, walkers everywhere, and beautiful sandy beaches. We drove to the end of the island to visit the Barnegat Lighthouse & State Park. The lighthouse was designed by Lt. General George Gordon Meade and finished building in the late 1850s. Climb the 217 steps to the top for a gorgeous view of the island and the Atlantic Ocean.
[Maynard’s View: This was an excellent pick by Heather. I always enjoy a good lighthouse. It just conjures up memories of a different time. I especially like them when you can climb to the top. The top provides an excellent perch to survey all the activity below, and walking the coastline afterward is the perfect topper.]
Take the time to walk around the park and visit one of the many beaches on the island. If you want delicious seafood, head to Mud City Crab House outside LBI at 1185 E Bay Ave, Manahawkin, NJ. We had read about this place on Yelp and were glad we did. It was packed. We waited about 40 minutes, which we had expected from reading the reviews. Once seated, we played games on the brown paper tabletops and anxiously waited for our meals. Wow! Their crab cake was one of the best ever. Crazily, their corn on the cob was perfection. I still dream of finding a similar perfect ear of corn. We left LBI with a promise to be back for a longer visit next time.
Before our road trip, our knowledge of the Jersey Shore was just that, the TV Show “The Jersey Shore.” Don’t judge! We stayed in Toms River and drove into Seaside Heights & Seaside Park. The 2 locations share a boardwalk with Seaside Park at the south end of the walk. Both locations recovered from Hurricane Sandy but were devastated again in September 2013 by a fire that started at the Seaside Parkside. The Seaside Heights side has been able to rebuild and is open for visitors, but the Seaside Parkside is still recovering. Don’t let that stop you from visiting. This place deserves a visit.
[Maynard’s View: Regardless of your thoughts on the reality show, the boardwalk was full of tasty food and very polite people. It was a vibrant chunk of land with hard-working people who deserve your support. If you have never been, disregard the negative press and go take a look for yourself.]
Recommendable: YES! Jersey Shore is a big place with many different towns to offer every personality. We highly recommend visiting Long Beach Island and going North.
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