new joisey
does anyone know any good towns in the jersey shore? preferably something reasonably close to nyc? north shore towns? something beachy, not too crazy..if that's possible. thank you so much! xo, d*s
UPDATE- we're staying in ocean grove, thanks everyone!
posted by design*sponge @ 20.6.05
12 Comments:
BRIGANTINE
Try Manasquan as well.
Ocean Grove is really pretty. it's like stepping back in time (feels like a 1950s small town where everything is so perfect it's a little creepy). I stayed in a nice B&B there, can't remember the name. Warning: there's no alcoholic beverages allowed in town! but restaurants literally accross the street do serve drinks.
Bay Head & Lavalette were favorites growing up.
I second the Ocean Grove suggestion. Its beautiful out there.
Cape May is gorgeous but can be expensive. Stay at the Heritage or similar cheap dinky place and go on the B&B tour. You'll see the best of them and they'll even give ya iced tea and cookies.
Be sure to go to Sunset Beach at, um, sunset, and check out the Point one day (lighthouse, nature center, trails, old bunker, cool houses - one side has the ocean the other side has the bay. it's the point, right?)
EAT AT LOUISA'S call the Tues before for a reservation, the place is tiny but is the BEST. Not one, but multiple bread puddings of the day... my fave so far has been blueberry and nectarine - - 609 884 5882
Spring lake is very pretty. Lots of cute B&Bs and it's not too far from the city. NJ transit has a stop there.
Belmar is kind of seedy, to be honest. Much better than a few years ago, but still.... You'd be much better off in Ocean Grove (I got married there a couple of years ago), or even Bradley Beach or Avon-by-the-Sea.
Belmar, Bradley Beach, and Avon-by-the-Sea are all within about five minutes of each other. Avon is mostly private beaches, Bradley's beaches have courser sand and a narrower beach, and Belmar's beaches have a wide beach and as long as you stay between 6th and 10th Ave. you'll have a lovely time. That area is less populated and is still within walking distance of cute little shops. If you're looking for a crowd, head down to 16th Ave for a college-crowd.
Sorry, I'm a couple of days behind. I was, oddly enough, going to suggest the Grove (or, as many locals call it, Ocean Grave). My sister and brother-in-law live down there, on Abbott. I don't know the name of the twee little boutique she works in, but she also moonlights at Jimi's in Asbury Park. Ask for Missy, if she's not blatantly obvious. She's outrageous. Imagine a flamboyant transvestite who happens to ACTUALLY be female.
Sorry, I'm a couple of days behind. I was, oddly enough, going to suggest the Grove. My sister lives down there, on Abbott. I don't know the name of the twee little boutique she works in, but she also moonlights at Jimi's in Asbury Park - behind the Stone Pony. Ask for Missy, if she's not blatantly obvious. She can be pretty outrageous.
Ocean Grove is sweet. You'll enjoy it. A couple of restaurants you'll want to consider: Captain Jack's on the main street in Ocean Grove is really good on the high end; the homemade potato chips rock. Nagle's is an old pharmacy converted to a restaurant serving burgers and breakfast and stuff in a place with lots of from its previous life. And if you really want to splurge on a meal, cross the pedestrian bridge to Asbury Park and dine at Moonstruck, which used to be in O.G.
And since you're so close, you'll definitely want to make some time for Cookman Ave. in Asbury Park, just the other side of the lake separating A.P and O.G. There are a number of interesting modern stores there. House of Modern Living has a bunch of vintage furniture. It's a horrible mess; they could learn a lot from a place like Good Eye in Washington on how to present stuff. But they have some neat pieces. Next door is an art gallery called Rock, Paper, Scissors, that has some neat kitschy artwork by artists like Tim Biskup. Across the street, Etc. is a small boutique with some interesting knick knacks. And a block or two down the street is a high-end furniture/interior design place, the name of which escapes me at the moment (I haven't been in there yet).
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