Three years ago, I took my daughter to Ocean City, New Jersey for a few days coupled with a trip to see her grandparents in Pennsylvania. The first year, Cassidy and I rented a convertible mustang to ride “down the shore” and have the best memories from it. This car isn’t practical until you start to smell the salt air, 90 minutes or so from Philadelphia, but once you’re at the beach it is such a luxury to have the convertible. We traveled a little before the summer season started in Ocean City, officially it is considered the last week in June until Labor Day weekend. That means all stores and restaurants are open their full hours, the beach has lifeguards and first aid stations are located every few blocks. The beach and boardwalk are much less crowded this time of year, but this was a great time to come just before peak season especially for prices.
The Beach
The beach of Ocean City is 8 miles long with surf lessons, paddle board rentals and boogie boards to rent or purchase. There are over 40 lifeguard stands, especially in the well populated touristy area, but be warned this water can be rough. My Florida born daughter was quite surprised at how rough the ocean water was in New Jersey, but also learned that makes riding a boogie board super fun too! Three years later and she’s in the water literally all day. If your family is not used to rough waters, pick an area near the lifeguards and learn what the flags mean. They are all there to keep you safe, but also know your children’s swimming abilities and respect the under toe. If you’re from New England or Hawaii, you’ll be fine, this is going to feel like calm waters to you.
There is an area of the beach, by the volleyball courts on 6th street that host free workouts Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Monday beach yoga, Wednesday hosts beach pilates and Friday low impact beach workout takes place between 8:00-9:00 am. Next year I’m going to get out on the beach early to enjoy these classes before my family gets up. Then I can drag them onto the boardwalk to ride a surrey on Tuesday or Thursday morning on the boardwalk. But remember, bikes and surries are only allowed on the boardwalk until noon, then all have to exit for safety and crowd control. There are also weekly beach walks at 6:30 pm on Wednesday nights that meet at the entrance to Carson’s Inlet state park. Dogs are allowed on Carson State Park beaches, so bring them here rather than the beach or boardwalk.
Be aware that you will need to purchase beach tags any day you plan to go on the beach. My husband was shocked to hear this, having grown up in Florida he views the beach and ocean as a free right to all. Some hotels (like ours) come with 4 tags per room, but if you lose them, you pay for them. Young children are free with an adult and you can also buy them online for just a day trip. They can also be purchased online for daily, weekly or the whole summer season. Beach chairs and umbrellas can be rented at the back of the beach near most of the lifeguard stands and every block or two, find your spot first, then the attendant. Being that I love my backpack/cooler Rio beach chair, I typically don’t rent a beach set up, but this was super convenient having my mom join us, who is very concerned about sun exposure. Since I was a tourist, without our chairs and just a few sand toys this setup was great and gave me less to drag to the beach. The hotel had a collection of sand toys that could be borrowed daily, which also helped us not have to buy a ton of beach stuff that my mom has to store at her house. I think that all child friendly beaches should have a little collection area for a beach toy library. Take a toy, leave a toy, just like those little community libraries, but at the entrance of the sand so you don’t have to drag them the whole way.
My kiddo LOVES the beach and will always make friends and find kids of all ages to play with anywhere she goes. She spends hours digging up creatures and creating a mini-aquarium of little pools made of buckets. Cassidy has always loved digging in the sand and making sand creatures and castles, maybe since she was born in Florida, she’s a beach baby. Ocean City has great sand, with the perfect ratio of wet and dry to create some amazing sandscapes. The city hosts sand castle contests 2-3 times a summer, open to children, teens and adults of all ages.
The sounds of the waves crashing at the shoreline entices sunbathers to cool off in the Atlantic water. When the kids are little, they are happy to be held in the water or jump the waves, but as they get older the activities get more intense. Boogie boarding, skim boarding and surfing are all great activities for the choppy, but not too rough waters of the Jersey Shore. I spotted a surf shop that offers lessons right off the boardwalk, on the surf side of the jetty (surf and swim areas are separated to keep everyone safe). I learned to surf in Costa Rica 20 years ago, but think I may need more than just a refresher by the time Cassidy shows an interest in learning to surf.
The Music Pier hosts events and contests throughout the summer, but also has theater and children’s theater programming all summer. For the grown ups, Killer Queen, Ocean City Pops, the Wailers and Night in Venice were all offered this past summer. The children’s theater has Garfield the Musical Cattitude, Charlotte’s Web, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and the Perfect Dog, enchanting young audiences and giving them a break from the sun. This is also where summer contests are held weekly for things like pie eating, soft pretzel sculpting, taffy sculpting, twin alike and different contest and even a freckle contest.
We never get to the beach early enough in the day, so it goes without saying that we start thinking of lunch pretty soon after arrival. The obvious choice is to consider lunch options while having a Kohr’s Bros ice cream… it’s almost a religious experience! I actually let my kid have ice cream 2-3 times a day when we are down here; afternoon ice cream, evening ice cream, late night ice cream. The best pizza on the boardwalk is Manco & Manco, where they have a few shops on the boardwalk, the main restaurant with a huge, air conditioned seating area or offer delivery to the beach! Another one of my favorite options is the Lobster Roll shack near 9th street. Quincy’s Original Lobster Rolls might be traditional to New England, but they are a delicious lunch on the Jersey Shore. A word to the wise, be careful of your food around the seagulls. They are vicious birds that are not scared of humans. They will go after food in your hand and even swoop you to get you to drop your food! Bags, boxes and lids for food are a must and don’t overestimate your ability to carry a million items at once. Cheesesteaks and hoagies (sub sandwiches) are also popular options and can be delivered to the boardwalk by street location. Ordering or stopping at Wawa (the best convenience store ever) before the beach are all great options for lunch too. When we do the beach, we really do the beach and spend all day, until the sun is setting and the screams from the amusement park start calling Cassidy’s name.
Asbury Ave
The Ocean City Boardwalk has a casual, beachy vibe that I remember well from my childhood. But like everywhere, they have also added a higher end shopping and eating area called Asbury Ave. This area is considered “Downtown,” set 5-6 blocks back from the beach and boardwalk and refers to itself as having over 100 unique boutiques, exceptional eateries, distinctive crafts and luxurious spas and salons. It is found on Ashbery Ave, between 6th-12th streets and hosts local activities. Funtastic Tuesdays are held from 10:00-1:00 pm including entertainment, face painting, balloon sculptures, etc. On Wednesday the area has a Farmers Market from 8:00-12:00 pm with fresh produce and craft vendors to buy from locally. Thursdays are Market days from 10:00-1:00 pm with free entertainment and activities for kids.
After working up an appetite on the boardwalk in the morning, I suggest walking off the boardwalk a few blocks to this Asbury Ave area for breakfast. It’s better for restaurants and shopping, but there is no ocean view. Enjoy a coffee shop breakfast or better yet stop for bagels. Yianni’s Cafe is a great spot for breakfast (but busy) and voted the best bagel at the shore since 1997. There is a spot for take out and bagels so you can cut down on your wait time. These are the kind of Northeast bagels that you just can’t get everywhere, and I miss them terribly. We often bring bagels and the accouterments and make them in our hotel kitchenette or as sandwiches for a beach picnic. Some additional options for great food to try on Asbury Ave includes:
- Ocean City Coffee Company
- Boba Works (coffee, bakery and boba)
- Hooked on Breakfast
- Jon & Patty Coffee Bar & Bistro
- Asbury Kitchen
- Beach Bucket Lunch
- Spadafora’s Seafood Market
There are also Primo Hoagies and Sack O’ Subs on Asbury Ave that seem to have people in each camp. Grab a hoagie from Wawa and both of these spots for a true Jersey hoagie taste test and a quick lunch or dinner option.
Anyone who knows me, knows shopping isn’t really my thing, but my daughter and mother make up for my lack of interest. I noticed Mia’s Christmas Gallery has an Asbury Ave. location, but also found out they closed their large boardwalk shop and only have this location open. It makes business sense since the storefront fits in better on this block, however I miss the large boardwalk shop I remember from years past. I needed a hat and some goggles from my daughter and went into Hoy’s 5 & 10 and found it to be a beach mecca of inexpensive supplies and beach supplies. You can find anything there you might have forgotten and get in and out pretty quickly. There are a bunch of other fun stores and boutiques to walk around, especially to take a break from the rain or sun. Some of these include another 7th street surf shop location with more clothing options, Island Beach Gear, B&B department storeShe’s the Boss, Sun Smiles Sandals & Beachwear, and Flirt! are all great shopping spots that are surprisingly at all price points. There is also an art store called Glazed Over Studio that is a great rainy day activity where you can paint pottery and get a little creative. Finally, I saw a gym called Local Gym & Fitness that offers walkin and weekly rates to keep vacationers still moving.
Water Sports & Bay Activities
There are marina adventures and locations to rent jet skis or go kite boarding and windsurfing all located in the Ocean City area. Bayview Watersports Marina is a great spot to rent 1-3 seater jet skis to experience the Egg Harbor Bay. Tiki boats also seem to be a hit out in the Egg Harbor Bay. The Pau Hana Tiki boat tours are a great option for special events, proposals and even micro weddings of 16 or less. The Beachy Tiki has both small 6 seater boats to rent and drive or a big tiki to host events for up to 32 guests. They are located next to the Totally tubular watersports aqua park for family fun or go tubing, wakeboarding, waterskiing or family fishing charters.
For those interested in getting out on the bay for fishing, water sports or renting a boat for the day, try Shore Thing Charters or Moover Fishing and Adventures to book your boat day experience. We are not big into fishing in our family, but we love getting out on the water for a boat day and exploring whatever body of water we are exploring. I remember my grandfather taking me out to fish on his boat as a kid at the shore, where I caught my first flounder.
On our last trip I learned of a dolphin and whale watching cruise by The Cape May Whale Watcher, about a 45 minute drive south. Since my daughter has a new found love of whale watching, after our Boston trip I had to book this excursion ahead to make sure we planned a whole day around it. Unfortunately, we didn’t see a whale on the whole cruise! We did see tons of dolphins, swimming in pods and small groups splashing everywhere. There was also this huge school of sting rays that popped up from under the boat on two occasions and are only visible a few weeks out of the year in Cape May. So we did get to see some amazing wildlife, but Cassidy was disappointed we missed the whales. We did get a discount on tickets for a return visit, so we will have to plan a day again next year and pray we get to see some humpback whales next time!
I did have to explain to my daughter this sometimes happens when you see animals in nature, they can’t be predicted. Interesting fact we learned while on the boat, that Dolphins typically live 45-50 years in the wild, yet “show dolphins” and those in captivity only have a lifespan of 5 years. Even worse, for each animal you see “performing” for humans, an average of 2 animals have died in the capture process before they are able to get one dolphin strong enough to survive the stress of being removed and relocated into captivity. Dolphins living in concrete tanks lose their sight after a few years in the unnatural conditions and the famous TV show Flipper went through 5 dolphin actors in the few seasons it was filmed. The documentary, Black Fish has educated the public about the dangers of animals living in or being bred in captivity and is changing people’s opinions of places like Sea World and choosing to support animal sanctuaries or rescues instead of for profit organizations. When you know better, you do better.
Day Trips and Additional Locations
The New Jersey Shore has lots of day trips around the area, especially family friendly places like Storybook Land and Great Adventure. One of the best kept secrets of the South Jersey Cape is the free zoo at Cape May County Park and Zoo. There is a 200 acre preserved forest area that is home to 550 animals to visit. The park has picnic areas & pavilions, walking and biking paths, fishing ponds and playgrounds to enjoy as well. Pack a lunch and make a whole day of this great central location. For some academic attractions, Historic Cold Spring Village is a large open-air living history museum recreating life from the 1800’s. This step back in time offers trade and craft buildings to explore, farm animals, a country store, bakery and a restaurant. For those more interested in World War II, the Aviation Museum at the Cape May Airport offers 25 historical aircrafts in a real WWII hangar. There is also a World War II Lookout tower in Cape May. The Naval Air Station Wildwood, Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall and The Tatham Life Saving Station are all located in the Wildwood area.
Just because Ocean City is dry, doesn’t mean that the rest of the shore areas are too. “Dry” just means you have to bring your alcohol into the city and restaurants are BYOB only. However, there are lots of breweries and wineries in the area to enjoy. The Cape May peninsula is known for its agricultural tourism and there are vineyard style farms that offer wine tastings & flights in beautiful outdoor settings. There are also artistic local breweries to enjoy a tasting or flight in both indoor tasting rooms or outdoor seating areas. This area started the craft beer craze in the Garden State and has lots to offer summer visitors. Another great outdoor activity in the South Jersey area is golf. There are quite a few courses including Cape May National Golf Clubs, Avalon Golf Club and Shore Gate Golf Club, that all offer restaurants and bars for relaxing, socializing and enjoying a few drinks here too,
Atlantic City is known for more than just gambling, but there is certainly lots of gaming to choose from in AC. Atlantic City is like a miniature Las Vegas, but with an ocean in the background. There are tons of expensive and budget hotels, delicious restaurants and music concerts and shows. Atlantic City also has the largest indoor waterpark in New Jersey, the Island Waterpark located inside the Showboat hotel. The 100,000 square-foot waterpark is attracting families and attention back to Showboat, but remember they also have boardwalk and beach access and will make the gamblers of the group happy too.
New Jersey has easy travel access to large cities in the Northeast like Philadelphia, New York City, Baltimore and Washington D.C. which are all within a 1-3 hour drive. This offers a great opportunity to see sights in one of the major cities of the Northeast and relax on the beach during the same trip. It also allows for lots of airport and flight options from the major international airports from New York down to Washington D.C.
Next year, we are planning a larger family reunion style shore trip with my family from Philadelphia in Wildwood. I think Cassidy and I will take the opportunity to share our love of Ocean City with the rest of our family and then meet up with the extended family for some old fashioned beach fun. I’d like to explore the Cape May area and attractions more and eat as much seafood as I can before heading back West to my landlocked mountain home. Nothing says a shore trip more than pizza, seafood, ice cream and sweets!
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