Shore & Travel Archives | New Jersey Monthly: Recent Episodes
Shore & Travel Archives | New Jersey Monthly
Whether you are a casual stroller, a die-hard angler or a roller-coaster thrill-seeker, the defining anchors of New Jersey’s coastline are the structures that stretch bravely out over the Atlantic Ocean and the southern Bayshore of the New York harbor. The story of the Jersey Shore is permanently written upon these planks, which have been famously built, leveled by devastating hurricanes and fires, rebuilt and continuously planned anew for future generations.
From exclusive private angling sanctuaries to bustling amusement meccas and even highly restricted federal installations, New Jersey’s piers shape our waterfront identity. Here’s your guide to every pier that juts out over the sand toward the water.
Bayshore PiersMost Patriotic Pier Photo: R.C. StaabFuture astronauts looking down at Earth will likely spot the pier of NWS (Naval Weapons Station) Earle’s waterfront complex right alongside the Great Wall of China—a three-pronged “finger” pier, whose trestle stretches an incredible 2.9 miles into the Raritan Bay from Leonardo. Not only is this one of the longest finger piers in the world, but it’s wide enough for both trains and motor vehicles to deliver supplies to load on to ships that resupply the Navy’s Atlantic Fleet. Although NWS pier typically is strictly look-but-don’t-touch, there is an exception for active duty, reserve and retired military personnel plus current and former employees and contractors with NWS Earle. Call NWS Earle MWR at 732-866-2448 to begin the application process.
Fishiest Pier Undoubtedly the Keansburg Fishing Pier.If you want to know what’s biting before you even pack your tackle box, just dial Keansburg Pier’s daily recorded phone message or check their fishing reports on their Facebook page (but not their out-of-date website). This iconic 2,000-foot-long wooden landmark serves as the ultimate barometer for Raritan Bay angling, proving that a great pier is as much about the community on the planks as the fish in the water. A section of the pier collapsed from the ice this past winter, but most of the pier is still open every day.
Three other piers jut into the bay including the Keyport Fishing Pier along the city’s waterfront park, a local hub for community crabbing and spectacular views of the Raritan Bay and New York City. Further east, fish from or swim under the pier at Bayshore Waterfront Park in Port Monmouth at a beach that includes restrooms, free parking and free beach access. Finally, there’s the fishing pier at the Atlantic Highlands Municipal Harbor, tucked away at the far eastern side of the municipal harbor along the trail to Highlands.
Sandy Hook to BelmarMost Photogenic Pier Photo: R.C. StaabKnown up and down the coast for its length and remarkably tall pilings, the pier owned and operated by the Belmar Fishing Club creates a striking architectural silhouette whether viewed from the horizon or walking beneath it. But don’t ask to walk out on the pier. The members of the Belmar Fishing Club own and manage the Club House at the foot of the pier and remain steadfast in keeping it private. Whether you read it on their website or call them, you get the same message, “Unfortunately, we are not accepting new members or additions to the waiting list at this time.”
The Second-Most Musical Pier Photo: R.C. StaabIt was once the greatest music pier, perhaps in the world. Some of greatest acts of the past 80 years played at the Paramount Theatre or Convention Hall on the pier at Asbury Park, including Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Ike and Tina Turner, the Beach Boys, the Rolling Stones and, of course, Bruce Springsteen. Due to long‑running structural and safety problems, the Paramount Theatre and the main Convention Hall auditorium are closed with no firm reopening date. The Grand Arcade, connecting the building and the promenades at each side of Convention Hall, houses a dozen shops and bars, but if you’re looking for live music, head across the street to the Stone Pony, the Stone Pony Summer Stage or the Wonder Bar.
Next to Asbury, the somewhat controversial cross-shaped pier in Ocean Grove suffered severe structural issues late last year and remains closed while the Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association determines next steps. Anticipation is building in Long Branch, where in 1879, the first fishing pier along the Atlantic Ocean opened. A new Long Branch Pier is under construction and targeted to welcome strollers and anglers alike in 2027.
Point Pleasant Beach to Seaside HeightsThe Booziest PierPhoto: R.C. StaabWhile Point Pleasant Beach’s boardwalk is decidedly kid-friendly, adults flock to the pier to party. Fans of MTV’s Jersey Shore and their ilk converge on Jenks (Jenkinson’s Club) or its next-door neighbor, Martell’s Tiki Bar. Both legendary beach clubs extend directly off the boardwalk over the sand. With live music and outdoor spaces, crowds soak in the ocean breeze late into the night.
The Comeback PierPhoto: R.C. StaabSeaside Heights’ legendary Casino Pier has storm‑story cred to match its thrills, thanks to The Star Jet Coaster that famously ended up in the ocean after Superstorm Sandy demolished part of the pier in 2012. Today this reborn, ride‑packed pier features new coasters, a Ferris wheel and old‑school games of chance, keeping the classic, loud‑and‑salty American boardwalk vibe very much alive. There is no admission to the pier, but you pay for rides individually.
Atlantic City & Absecon IslandMost World-Famous PierPhoto: R.C. StaabFrom diving horses to dazzling thrill rides, from vaudeville legends to a Broadway musical named after it, Steel Pier stands as Atlantic City’s undisputed heavyweight of entertainment along the world-famous Atlantic City Boardwalk. Stretching 1,000 feet over the Atlantic Ocean, this historic landmark today offers boardwalk rides, amusement games, food and drinks, and The Wheel, a giant Ferris wheel with incredible views of Absecon Island and nearby Brigantine.
Most Romantic Pier The Ventnor City Fishing Pier blends serious angling with quiet coastal charm. Stretching gracefully out from the boardwalk, the far end features a buys public fishing platform that requires paid admission. But locals know the true magic of the pier lies midway before the admission gate where benches invite couples, friends and solo strollers to linger. Here, people wander out to watch the sun rise over a usually tranquil ocean or relax at day’s end to enjoy the sea breezes.
The pier-centric Absecon Island serves up three more piers including two more in Atlantic City. The Central Pier Arcade and Speedway competes with the Steel Pier for the family entertainment business, especially with its go-kart track. Farther south, the old Million Dollar Pier continues to struggle with its identity. Most recently, ACX1 Studios had converted most of the large mall-like space into a production studio, but it is now in bankruptcy.
The pier of the Angler’s Club of Absecon Island in Margate is a members-only fishing pier and clubhouse jutting from a quiet residential stretch of beach, offering serious anglers room to cast, swap stories and keep gear far from the beach crowds. There is no direct public contact for the club, so prospective fishermen have to seek an existing member to be sponsored into this tight-knit community.
Ocean City to AvalonMost Musical Pier Photo: R.C. StaabSorry, Bruce Springsteen, but when it comes to musical piers, the Ocean City Music Pier is still going strong. This architectural jewel was built in 1928 as a concert hall and today plays host to a summer concert series, tribute bands, musical theater productions and orchestral performances featuring guest artists such as Lee Greenwood, The Righteous Brothers and Broadway’s Lea Salonga.
The Ocean City Fishing Club the oldest continuously operated fishing club in the nation, built a private, members-only pier at 14th Street and the Boardwalk in 1916. It’s distinct from the public Ocean City Fishing Pier on the bay side. The pier reaches roughly 635 feet out over the sand and water, with a clubhouse, deck, gear storage and bait facilities. For prospective members, they host open houses. This year they are 6-8 pm, July 30 and August 13.
Even farther south is the Avalon Fishing Pier is yet another private pier which does not actively promote membership or public access. Built in 1933, the pier is 900-foot long, having been extended 200 feet in 2016 to reach out farther into the ocean to allow year-round fishing.
The WildwoodsThe Most Amusing Pier(s)Photo: R.C. StaabTogether, Morey’s oceanfront piers (Surfside Pier, Morey’s Pier and Adventure Pier) in Wildwood deliver some of the best seaside amusements on the planet, a continuous run of rides and slides stretching out from the boardwalk above the sand. Under the Morey’s banner, you’ll find classic wooden and soaring steel coasters, a towering Ferris wheel that lights up the shoreline and two sprawling water parks where guests can plunge, float and race through a maze of slides. Adrenaline junkies and families alike will find something to love here, from heart-pounding drops to gentle spins with the ocean as their backdrop.
The Coolest PierSeaport Pier in North Wildwood trades roller coasters for resort vibes, anchoring the boardwalk with a sun-splashed pool, a lively stage and a sprawling bar scene. By day, its pool and cabanas feel like a beachside oasis; by night, live music and events turn the pier into a mini-festival with ocean views.
The Saddest PierOriginally built in 1919 by the private Wildwood Crest Fishing Club and acquired by the Borough of Wildwood Crest in 2006, the Wildwood Crest Fishing Pier (aka the Heather Road Fishing Pier) no longer lives up to its name. You can’t cast a line into the ocean from it anymore because decades of sand accretion have left the structure stranded on dry land. With Cape May County funding in place, the Borough plans to extend the deck in the next few years, so it once again sits above the ocean.
The post A Definitive Guide to Jersey Shore Piers: The Saddest, Booziest, Fishiest, Most Romantic and More appeared first on New Jersey Monthly.
Atlantic City is betting that its latest openings and experiences will make Shore getaways extra memorable this season.
From oceanfront cocktails to indulgent brunches to exciting new dining, the city is giving visitors plenty of reasons to stay and play.
New places for noshes & nipsCaesars Beach Club, which opened this summer, brings a resort-style atmosphere to the beachfront. The open-to-the-public club pairs ocean views with coastal fare, handcrafted cocktails, live DJs and a variety of seating options, from casual lounges to private VIP cabanas.
At Resorts Casino Hotel‘s MAYA, an outdoor cocktail lounge overlooks the Boardwalk. Drawing on the relaxed aesthetic of Tulum, the open-air restaurant pairs tropical cocktails with small plates, such as ancho-braised beef tacos, in a setting that transitions seamlessly from sunny afternoons to lively evenings.
Photo: Courtesy of MAYAAt Bally’s Beach Bar, you’ll find a DJ spinning as cocktails and margaritas flow. Happy hour runs from 11 am to 1 pm, and again from 5 to 9 pm. Sunday brunch also gets an upgrade at Capriccio inside Resorts Casino Hotel; the Italian eatery now hosts Bubbles & Brunch on Sundays from 9 am to 3 pm, with gourmet pastries, made-to-order omelettes, eggs Benedict, prime sirloin and more.
A burger at Bally’s Beach BarPhoto: Courtesy of Bally's Atlantic CityHard Rock Hotel & Casino is also expanding its culinary lineup with its July debut of Sitar, an Indian restaurant from executive chef Christopher Corda offering a contemporary take on the bold flavors of India. Dishes include coal-fired butter chicken and pastooni lobster masala.
Things to see & doFor entertainment, do not miss Spiegelworld’s The Hook at Caesars. It delivers an adults-only spectacle that blends comedy, acrobatics and theatrical flair. The fast-paced, cabaret-style production has become one of the city’s most talked-about shows, offering a memorable alternative to a traditional night out. The show is anchors away come September!
For midweek fun every Tuesday evening through September, singer/songwriter and bandleader Dave Damiani and The No Vacancy Orchestra are, along with a host of other artists, bringing free concerts—with music ranging from the Great American Songbook to Motown—to the Boardwalk’s Kennedy Plaza. Bring your own chair and rock out!
Dave DamianiPhoto: Courtesy of Dave DamianiLooking for family fun? For pint-size guests, Showboat Resort has expanded its supersize Lucky Snake Arcade. For parents, the resort has added an expanded adults-only area to Island Waterpark, with new lounges and more cabana spaces for a resort-style experience. The property has also introduced two new culinary options: Eclair, a French-inspired pastry and confections bistro, andBlissful Bubbles Café, a beverage shop specializing in milk teas, fancy fruit teas and casual eats. If you’re staying over, the hotel has renovated two new floors of guest rooms in the New Orleans Tower, outfitted with new furnishings, refurbished baths, upgraded electronic features and, in many, ocean views.
The new Kidz Club section of Showboat Resort’s Lucky Snake ArcadeThe post Atlantic City’s Summer 2026 Fun Is in Full Swing: New Things to Do & Eat appeared first on New Jersey Monthly.
What goes better with a weekend at the Jersey Shore than eating out at one of the top restaurants on offer? Here’s a list of some of our favorites, from Rumson down to Cape May. Many of these require reservations—and these spots are busy in the summer, especially on weekends!ASBURY PARKJudy & Harry’sWho woulda thunk that combining your grandma’s recipes for traditional Jewish dishes with your nonna’s fave Italian classics would create a unique fine-dining experience like the one offered at this beautiful spot in the St. Laurent hotel? From the James Beard-nominated team behind Heirloom Kitchen and Lita, David Viana and Neilly Robinson offer dishes such as Judy’s matzo ball soup, the Parm, and roast chicken savoy (the chef’s spin on the Belmont Tavern classic). After your meal, head to the companion cocktail bar, Harry’s, for a drink. The restaurant and bar are named for Robinson’s parents, who inspired the menu. —Jacqueline Mroz
408 7th Avenue; 732-795-2582
Lili Oceanfront RestaurantAnother big shakeup on the boardwalk has resulted in a major improvement as the oceanfront space formerly occupied by the somewhat uninspired Italian stalwart Stella Marina, which has been replaced by Lili Oceanfront Restaurant, a multi-level Coastal Mediterranean bistro that brings flair and freshness to one of the most coveted spots in town. A perfect fusion of flavors speckle their way throughout the expansive menu, as craft cocktails and divine dips like the labneh and mamma ghanouj make for fine opening acts for everything from pizzas (try the spicy fig & prosciutto pie) to squid ink pasta dishes and salmon kababs. —Ryan Loughlin800 Ocean Avenue N.; 732-837-9495
Cardinal ProvisionsSpring Lake natives Laura Brahn and Grace Crossman met while working at nearby Porta. They later worked at other restaurants before starting a catering company together. In 2016, they opened the charming and rustic Cardinal Provisions. At first they served just breakfast and lunch; in 2018 they began offering dinner on Friday and Saturday nights, with a new dinner theme each weekend. During weekend brunch, the restaurant is usually packed, with crowds waiting outside for a table. Try the cacio e pepe scrambled eggs. BYO. —NJM Staff
513 Bangs Avenue; 732-898-7194
HadakaA year into its successful run as the go-to omakase restaurant in this Jersey Shore town, Hadaka has headed west to open its second curated sushi experience in Lambertville. Located in the Lambertville House along the Delaware River, the second Hadaka, which opened in May, continues the tradition of intimate and personalized sushi sampling, with the addition of a liquor license. In both settings, during four 90-minute sessions, 12 diners watch sushi chefs perform their magic on a variety of raw fish flown in from Japan. “It’s all about the vibe,” says co-owner Eddie Falzarano. “It’s not just a place you go out to eat. You start out not knowing the people you’re eating with, and by the end of the meal you’re exchanging numbers or heading off for drinks together.” —Jill P. Capuzzo
527 Bangs Avenue; 732-361-0238
CAPE MAYEbbitt RoomOne of the leading spots for fine dining in downtown Cape May, just a block from the pedestrian mall in the renovated 1879 Virginia Hotel. Despite the hotel’s Victorian trappings, chef Jason Hanin’s American menu (dinner only) is contemporary—strong on fresh-caught seafood, with steaks and a vegetarian option. Every dish utilizes fresh produce and fruit from Cape Resorts’ Beach Plum Farm just down the road.—DPC
25 Jackson Street; 609-884-5700
Maison Bleue BistroPhoto: Courtesy of Maison Bleue/Sandra VizzoneFrench restaurants are a rarity in Cape May, making the experience at Maison Bleue Bistro feel somewhat exclusive without even trying. But despite all the date-impressing dishes you’ll find on the menu, the team here has managed to pull off a decidedly non-stuffy vibe. Executive chef Anthony Depasquale’s BYO menu cancans brilliantly between exquisite French dishes—the duck confit with port wine-cherry jam and cippolini is the single best version of the dish I have ever eaten—and perfectly executed classics. In 2024, New Jersey Monthly named this spot one of the one of the best new restaurants in the Garden State. —Ryan Loughlin
653 Washington Street; 609-435-5554
BRADLEY BEACHXinaXina has consistently been one of the best spots for sushi rolls and other Asian cuisine in South Jersey since it opened back in 2012. But its location, tucked way down in Toms River, just before the bridge that connects Route 37 to the barrier islands, made it just out-of-the-way enough to be annoying to a Monmouth County resident like me. That problem has been solved, as Xina recently opened its second BYO right in the heart of Bradley Beach, in the most unconventional of spaces—a former 7-Eleven. Read our full review here. —Ryan Loughlin
3430 NJ-37; 732-279-6327
Vic’sVic’s in Bradley Beach Photo: Courtesy of Vic’sVic’s Italian-American restaurant is a red-sauce Italian institution. The pizza. No matter the pie—Vic’s offers 10-, 12- and 14-inch sizes—the sauce and dough are homemade. For bigger appetites, the chicken parmigiana and sausage cacciatore entrées are sure to satisfy. Entrées are served with a salad and your choice of a side of spaghetti or french fries and a vegetable. —JM
60 Main Street; 732-774-8225
NEPTUNEPete and Elda’sThere is thin crust, really thin crust, and then there is Pete & Elda’s crust, crisp as a cracker. Not for everyone, but that might be a blessing given the long waits for a table on weekends. Pete & Elda’s was a bar sans food until Carmen Andretta fused a pizzeria to it in 1961. Carmen’s son, George, grew up in the place and took over the unified shebang in 1977. The menu lists 35 toppings, and the kitchen makes sure every inch of your pie is thoroughly and evenly carpeted with whatever you choose, so no one need get grabby. —Eric Levin
96 Woodland Avenue; 732-774-6010
The Grand TavernAs if reciting a mantra, Paul Holzheimer distills his cooking at the Grand Tavern in Neptune into four words: “Beef, butter, fat, cream.” That’s a meditation I could get behind. Holzheimer says he drew inspiration from the “comfortable and unpretentious” Montreal gastropubs Joe Beef and Maison Publique and Manhattan’s the Spotted Pig: “We wanted it to be a neighborhood bar and restaurant that just so happens to have great food and great drinks.” Holzheimer and his fiancée, Ashley Coyte, co-own Grand Tavern. He’s the chef; she’s the manager. They met at culinary school and worked together in Asbury Park at Porta and Pascal & Sabine before opening Grand Tavern in 2016.—NJM Staff
1105 6th Avenue; 732 774 0120
POINT PLEASANT BEACHThe Poached Pear BistroThe Poached Pear salad. Photo: Courtesy of the Poached Pear Bistro/MStudioThe Poached Pear Bistro celebrates its 12th anniversary this year, but frankly, its longevity should come as no surprise to anyone who has enjoyed a meal at this fabulous modern American BYOB. Owners Marc Giordano and his brother (and chef) Scott have fine dining figured out, with understated visual aesthetics that allow imaginatively sophisticated dishes like their pan-seared grouper—a summer special featuring locally caught grouper in a Provençale sauce with lobster risotto and haricot verts—to do all of the talking. —Ryan Loughlin16 Arnold Avenue; 732-701-1700
Red’s Lobster PotCome for the amazing sunsets and to watch the fishing boats nearby at this iconic waterfront spot. Red’s has great lobster rolls, delicious whole steamed or broiled lobsters and homemade jumbo lump crabcakes.—JM
57 Inlet Dr.
SEA BRIGHTAnjelica’sEverything about this crowded, bustling, traditional Italian restaurant smacks of a memorable dining experience in Rome or Florence—except perhaps its location, directly across the street from the ocean in Sea Bright. But with its polished hardwood floors, frosted globe chandeliers, dark green tablecloths, and exposed brick and muraled walls, Anjelica’s feels far removed from the Shore.–JM
1070 Ocean Avenue
LONG BRANCHMoxie ModernShrimp fritters at Moxie Modern in Long Branch. Photo: Courtesy of Moxie ModernEven on an off-season Thursday, the vibe at this contemporary restaurant is clear: Fun will be had here. Upscale and Insta-ready, its dark charcoal walls, bi-level seating, two-story windows and swathes of greenery are a welcome mat for a hip crowd. Moxie Modern was opened in August 2025 by Jason Cobb, who also owns popular Char-kol and Aurum Events, both in Freehold, with Dave Esquenazi. Last year, Moxie caught the ebb of the Shore season; this year, by the looks—and tastes—of it, they are well prepared for the onslaught of summer revelers. Located just a few blocks from the ocean, foot traffic is easy, and there’s a parking lot—a plus in this high-profile beach town. Read our full review here. —Deborah P. Carter
202 Broadway; 732-860-7100
RUMSONRiver Pointe InnThe French-inspired River Pointe Inn affords a sophisticated, elegant and delicious dining experience. Slipping into a booth at Rumson’s River Pointe Inn feels a bit like a respite. The marble bar, leather banquettes, natural wood floors, and rough-hewn ceiling beams infuse a measure of European panache before you even peruse the menu of the French-inspired dishes. Father-son duo Victor and Jake Rallo, who opened the space in 2024 in partnership with the Diaco family, planned it that way. A warm ambience is a hallmark at the Rallos’ other establishments, Undici Taverna Rustica in Rumson and Birravino in Red Bank. Here, decidedly not Italian, the vibe and the French-American cuisine are clean, quiet and well-conceived. Read our full review here. —DPC
132 East River Road; 732-530-6590
UndiciThe Italian staples of pasta and wine are the raison d’etre at this Tuscan-inspired restaurant that also captures the region’s rustic elegance with stone walls, dim lighting, and on-point service from knowledgable staff. The Rallo family’s well-earned reputation is drawn from its warm, welcoming environment to the high-level ingredients and expert execution. From the first bite of crusty focaccia to classic treatments of standards from pasta to fish and proteins, the authenticity comes through. They claim that the prized wine list with 1,300 labels is the largest selection of Italian reds and whites in New Jersey. —DPC
11 W. River Road; 732-842-3880
AVON-BY-THE-SEAThe Promenade Waterfront Grill For some reason, it’s hard to find a beachfront restaurant at the Jersey Shore—but this is one of the few, and it’s worth the trip. Located in Avon Pavilion, which also houses a beach shop and at night sometimes has live music and dance lessons, The Promenade has gorgeous views of the beach. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, the service is friendly and professional and the food is thoughtfully prepared and excellent.—JM
600 Ocean Avenue N.
BELMAR Klein’s Seafood Market and RestaurantKlein’s offers waterfront dining and Jersey Shore seafood, steaks and other specialties. Inside and outside tables, raw bar, tiki bar and a retail fish market available. Come for the view and the terrific and fresh seafood. —JM708 River Road
LONG BEACH ISLANDBird & Betty’s in Beach HavenThis is the place to go for great seafood as well as wood-fired pizzas (locals love the clam pie!). Kick back and listen to the music of Talking Heads and Sublime while you play shuffleboard or pinball and drink some local beer. —JM
529 Dock Road; Beach Haven
SPRING LAKEOleaBrandon “Bud” Carter had a tall order ahead of him when he opened Olea. Following up a massive hit is never an easy task, whether you are an actual rock star or a rock-star chef like Carter, whose previous hot spot was the Butcher’s Block in Long Branch. Olea exudes a bold, sexy confidence from its space, on the ground floor of the Shore Club hotel in Spring Lake. Crimson drapes, brick accents and soaring olive trees harmonize with sleek, modern furniture, while dim lighting and a fireplace create a vibe romantic enough to make Olea—which landed on NJM‘s 2026 Best New Restaurants list—the go-to date-night location in Spring Lake.—Ryan Loughlin
700 NJ-71; 732-359-8580
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Tess Hazen was born a creator. Growing up in upstate New York, she watched her parents transform rundown buildings into restaurants, bars and retail spaces. “It was in my blood from a young age,” she says. After college and a fast-paced foray into the fashion business, Hazen had that nagging urge to create something from nothing, just as her parents had done. In an enormous leap of faith, she and her new husband purchased a 19-room boarding house in Bay Head, a circa-1886 building a block from the beach in dire need of an overhaul, in 2021.
The couple lived in the Bentley Inn for two years, transforming it into a posh, boutique-vibe destination. Having mastered cleaning rooms and troubleshooting plumbing issues, Hazen wanted more. So she carved out a tiny space for a boutique in the lobby, curating a small collection of gift and home items, plus clothing. “I wasn’t sure about the clothing part,” Hazen admits, “but we sold it all in one Memorial Day weekend.” Clearly, she was onto something and realized the tiny space could be so much more.
In a kismet moment in 2025, Hazen learned of another historic building in need of a new tenant. She was hoping for a tiny piece of the massive space, but the landlords offered her the entire thing. On the precise day Hazen got the lease, she discovered she was pregnant. Already mom to son Vernon, who was less than a year old at the time, Hazen kicked into high gear. “I had to make it happen,” she laughs, “but yes, it was overwhelming.”
Photo: Courtesy of AugustHazen got to work planning, designing and buying for August, a clothing, jewelry and home boutique. The frenzy culminated in late March; the day of the soft opening, Hazen went into labor. Son Callum was born early the next morning.
Undeterred, Hazen carried on. August, named after her Portuguese water dog, carries a carefully curated collection of items no other local shop offers. “I’m super mindful of making this super different,” Hazen explains. She focuses on selecting clothing she’d wear and works diligently to keep prices affordable; most pieces run between $80 and $100. She says, “It’s a challenge to source that way, but who has the money to spend $500 on a shirt?” The Bentley Inn shop remains open, too.
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No more fumbling with your wallet or change purse at Atlantic City Expressway toll booths.
That’s because South Jersey’s “seashore highway” between Turnersville (Gloucester County) and Atlantic City has gone cashless, marking New Jersey’s first major roadway to do so.
It’s the end of an era when humans in little huts extended their palms to collect paper bills and coins from motorists on the 44.2-mile toll road.
Starting in 1965, when the expressway was completed, cash transactions were the sole method of toll taking on that roadway until 2012, when E-ZPass arrived.
Since then, more than 80 percent of drivers using the expressway have signed up for E-ZPass, letting the transponder on their dashboard pay tolls electronically, according to Karen Hutchings, director of tolls for the South Jersey Transportation Authority (SJTA). Meanwhile the non-E-ZPass drivers continued paying in cash.
But at 8 pm on January 4, A.C. Expressway toll collectors were laid off en masse, replaced by electronic gantries with scanners and cameras collecting license-plate information. Drivers without E-ZPass now receive invoices in the mail charging more than double the E-ZPass fees: $6.49 from start to finish of the expressway for E-ZPass drivers and $13.98 for everyone else.
“Yes, we’re encouraging drivers who don’t already use E-ZPass to sign up for it,” acknowledges Hutchings. “But it does cost a lot of money to run the toll-by-mail system—having to look up license plate information, processing and mailing invoices.”
So why no more toll collectors? “Safety is one of the big reasons we did this,” Hutchings explains. “In just the two years I’ve been here, we’ve had many accidents at toll booths, with drivers either crashing into the booth or the concrete ballard next to it. There have been several fatal accidents at the Egg Harbor toll plaza.”
Another reason for the new cashless system, she points out, is “the convenience of not having to stop to pay.” Drivers, she says, are also sure to appreciate the third lane that’s being added in each direction.
Former toll collector Allison E. Allen, wearing her green AC Expressway uniform shirt, stands near Exit 5, where her toll booth once stood before all toll booths were removed. Photo: Barbara LeapA.C. Expressway toll collector Allison E. Allen, who was on duty for the last shift on January 4, describes the final moment: “At 8 our computers shut off, our screens went black. We were cleaning everything out, things like the bill scanner that tells whether twenties or fifties are counterfeit.”
The 41-year-old Pleasantville resident, who was on the job since August of 2025, says, “I was a chapter in history, privileged to work in a job that no longer exists.” The toll collectors received severance pay from the contractor that hired them and were invited to attend a job fair in their search for new employment.
“I loved lots of things about the job,” muses Allen, a licensed massage therapist. “My favorite thing was working as a team. I also liked how sensory it was: the sound of the cars, the fresh air, being semi-outdoors, the tactile change and visual stimulus from the computer and chronicling a written report. Even the smell of the marsh was grounding at times.”
Allen poses in July. Photo: Barbara LeapAllen was anything but aloof as she collected tolls, noting that she “really enjoyed telling people that they were wearing a color that looked particularly good on them. Seeing people from my community was neat, too.”
On Christmas Day, with permission from her supervisor, she offered 300 drivers little slips of paper she’d printed at home containing a few lines from a hymn, “Was It For Me?” “I explained to each driver that it was a gift from me, not the transportation authority,” says Allen, a devout Christian. “I had one person refuse, but that’s OK. Another person prayed right there with me.” Most of the drivers that day, she thinks, were casino employees heading to work.
“Being a toll booth collector was a childhood dream job for me, starting around age six,” Allen says. When it came to a halt, she received a text from a friend that said “I’m glad you got to do your dream job, but sorry it had to be turned over to a robot.”
Among the many drivers who stand out in her memory:
- “The man who drove with his feet. His skill was so fluid, it took a minute for me to process he had no arms. He would hand me a small bag to take money out of or a sufficient bill to make change from. He could grip the bill portion of the change between his toes, but I had to ask how to give him the coins. He guided me to place them on top of his foot so he could throw them on the floor and clean up later.”
- “The woman who was honest when I casually said, ‘Hello. How are you?’ In a very firm, real, piercing tone came her reply, ‘I don’t want to go home.’ I suspected abuse and pray for her still.”
- “My first flirt,” she says, “was the worst because it was new, but also the most intense. My comment, ‘I can make change,’ was met with ‘I can make babies.’ I ignored him.”
Hutchings was on the scene at the Egg Harbor Toll Plaza when cash transactions ceased. “I walked out with two of the collectors,” she says.“They weren’t crying, but they almost looked lost.”
SJTA Toll Operations Manager Barry J. Goldstein was there, too. “The shutdown of the cash booths was seamless,” he notes, adding that he made the arrangements. “But the atmosphere was kind of eerie. The toll collectors were sad. Their management company held a party for them at each toll plaza.”
According to Hutchings, cashless tolling likely will be the future of all major and even most minor New Jersey toll roads. “The Atlantic City Expressway is the first major roadway in New Jersey to go all-electronic tolling,” she points out. “The Turnpike is looking into it. The Atlantic City Expressway set the standard. Maybe we’re the guinea pig?”
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George Washington and New Jersey were perfect together. In New Jersey, Washington’s Continental Army achieved early victories over the British army at Trenton and Princeton. Here, Washington played cat and mouse with the British for several years, hiding his army’s movements behind New Jersey’s mountains, while his scouts surveilled the Brits from the ridgetops.
It’s estimated that more than 600 battles and skirmishes were fought in New Jersey during the American Revolution. Many of the homes that played key roles in those historic moments—including homes where Washington slept—have been preserved as witnesses to America’s epic struggle for independence. Here’s a selection you can visit as New Jersey commemorates the nation’s semiquincentennial.
Ford MansionMorristownWashington, his wife, Martha, his aides and his servants spent the frigid winter of 1779-80 at the gracious home of the wealthy Ford family. The home is part of the Morristown National Historic Park; guided tours are offered throughout opening hours, 11 am-3 pm, Thursday-Sunday. The neighboring Washington’s Headquarters Museum has an impressive display of Washington artifacts, including the general’s sword. FREE.
30 Washington Place; 973-539-2016
The Hermitage MuseumHo-Ho-KusPhoto: Courtesy of the Hermitage MuseumIn the summer of 1778, Theodosia Prevost—whose soldier husband had thrown in his lot with the British—invited Washington to bunk at what she described as her “commodious” home. For Prevost, it was a means of showing loyalty to the rebel cause. Washington made camp on the Hermitage grounds from July 11 to 14, along with Alexander Hamilton, the Marquis de Lafayette, future president James Monroe, and future vice president Aaron Burr, who married Prevost (after her husband’s death) in the stone farmhouse, which was later transformed into the Victorian Gothic mansion. Guided tours ($10) of the National Historic Landmark are offered 1:15-3:15 pm, Friday-Sunday. The home will celebrate America’s 250th on July 11 with musket firing and craft demonstrations.
335 Franklin Turnpike; 201-445-8311
Boxwood Hall State Historic SiteElizabethPhoto: Ken SchlagerHamilton slept here. Lafayette slept here. Washington did not, but he did drop by for lunch with the home’s owner, Elias Boudinot, who preceded Washington in the pre-Constitution presidency of the new republic. Today, the three-story mansion is frayed, but still sports its intricate crown moldings and marble fireplaces. Each room is furnished with antiques and reproduction wallpaper to reflect a period in the home’s long history. Open 9 am-5 pm, Monday-Friday. Call ahead for a fact-filled, one-hour tour. FREE.
1073 E. Jersey Street; 908-282-7617
Dey MansionWaynePhoto: Courtesy of Passaic CountyIn 1780, Washington spent the better part of July, and then October and November, headquartered at the three-story-brick-and-brownstone home of Theunis and Hester Dey (pronounced “die”). An hour-long tour provides details of the rooms where Washington slept, worked and greeted the likes of Mad Anthony Wayne and Lafayette. Period furnishings fill the impressively maintained home; additional artifacts at the greeting center include Washington’s shaving mug. Open 10 am-5 pm, Wednesday-Sunday; admission $5. Passaic County will celebrate America’s 250th birthday at the mansion with its annual July 4th picnic, which is free.
199 Totowa Road; 973-706-6640
Thomas Clarke HousePrincetonThis modest, white-clapboard 1772 farmhouse sits atop the rolling hill where, on January 3, 1777, Washington rallied his troops for a pivotal victory in the Battle of Princeton. The house, which served as a field hospital after the clash, offers two rooms with extensive displays of period artifacts and weaponry. This year’s July 4th celebration will include a reading of the Declaration of Independence, musket firing and living-history demonstrations. Open 10 am-noon and 1-4 pm, Wednesday-Sunday. For battlefield tours go to pbs1777.org. FREE.
500 Mercer Road; 609-921-0074
Whitall House MuseumRed Bank Battlefield ParkThis 1766 brick farmhouse on the Delaware River served as a hospital for American and Hessian soldiers in October 1777. Open for tours 11 am-3 pm, Thursday-Sunday, April 6-October 22. FREE.
100 Hessian Avenue; 856-853-5120
Hancock HouseLower Alloways CreekBuilt in 1734, this house was the site of a 1778 massacre of at least 10 citizens and militia. Open for tours 9 am-4 pm, Wednesday-Saturday, and 1-4 pm, Sunday. FREE.
3 Front Street; 856-935-4373
Steuben HouseRiver EdgeOne of three historic homes at Historic New Bridge Landing, the Dutch sandstone Steuben House witnessed the Continental Army’s desperate withdrawal from the British in November 1776. The grounds, with interpretive signage, are open daily, dawn to dusk. The Bergen County Historical Society will open the Steuben House on July 4th for a walking tour. Admission to the site is $12.50 or $7.50 for students.
1201 Main Street; 201-343-9492
Rockingham Historic SiteFranklin TownshipDating to 1710, the wood-frame house served as Washington’s final headquarters in the waning months of the war in 1783. Visit rockingham.net information about taking a guided tour of the home. FREE.
84 Laurel Avenue; 609-683-7132
Craig HouseFreeholdThe Craig family farmhouse served as a field hospital for the British during the 1778 Battle of Monmouth. Restored with period furnishings, it’s now part of Monmouth Battlefield State Park. Open 1-4 pm, Sunday. FREE.
Route 9; 732-462-9616
Abraham Staats HouseSouth Bound BrookThe house was the headquarters, from March to June 1779, for General Baron von Steuben, who brought Prussian training and tactics to the Continental Army. Tours are by appointment. FREE.
17 Von Steuben Lane; 732-369-3583
Cannonball HouseSpringfieldBuilt in 1741, this yellow clapboard house survived the Battle of Springfield, during which the New Jersey militia beat back a superior British and Hessian force. Artifacts on display include a cannonball that penetrated the house during the 1780 battle. Tours are by appointment. FREE.
126 Morris Avenue; 973-912-4464
Jacobus Vandeveer House & MuseumBedminsterThe Dutch-style farmhouse, with its heavy wood beams and Delft-tiled fireplace, served as headquarters for General Henry Knox, Washington’s artillery chief, during the second Middlebrook Encampment of 1778-79. Admission is $10 or free for visitors ages 12 and under.
3055 River Road; 908-397-3377
Indian King Tavern MuseumHaddonfieldThis is a tavern, not a home, but Indian King Tavern was the site of several sessions of the New Jersey Legislature during the Revolution. Tours are offered Wednesday-Sunday; hours vary, so check before visiting. FREE.
223 Kings Highway East; 856-429-6792
Ken Schlager is a lecturer at Rutgers University-New Brunswick and the former editor of New Jersey Monthly.
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Dogs in a Pile, the Jersey Shore-based jam band that is quickly climbing the ranks of the national music scene, may be playing venues like the Stone Pony nowadays, but the group doesn’t forget its musical roots.
“One of the things we’ve always been about, from when the band first started, is that all of our fans were just our friends, and they were just enjoying having their buddies’ band playing backyards and stuff,” says bassist Sam Lucid, a Sea Girt native. “And it’s always been a super-close family vibe, and that’s what we try to portray to new people.”
Dogs in a Pile is currently touring in support of Distroid, which came out last year.The quintet of accomplished and ambitious 20-somethings is performing at the storied spot in Asbury Park for the third consecutive year, with its 2026 show slated for Saturday, August 8. The group is currently on the road in support of their third LP, Distroid, released in November 2025.
“We had the freedom to make it sound exactly how we wanted to,” singer and guitarist Jimmy Law, a Point Pleasant native, says of the album.
Distroid—produced by the band’s keyboard player, Jeremy Kaplan—sounds true to the Dogs experience, coming close to capturing the band’s buzzworthy live show. There are tricky stylistic shifts, such as the driving-country-to-chill-reggae transition of “Shenanigans,” as well as sprawling epics like the grandiose “Thomas Duncan, Pt. 3,” and plenty of Jersey swagger in the Ocean Avenue Stompers horns-assisted “My Disguise.”
“Every single one of those dudes are like the best at what they do—so when you put them all together like that, that’s a serious force,” says Jersey Shore tastemaker Tim Donnelly, a journalist and event producer who cofounded the annual Sea Hear Now festival in Asbury Park, which featured Dogs in a Pile in 2022.
The band’s current lineup—Law, Lucid, and Forked River-native drummer Joe Babick, alongside Kaplan and guitarist/singer Brian Murray, both from Long Island—have been together since 2019. But, as Donnelly notes, Law had been making waves on Asbury Park stages since his preteen years.
“Everybody knew about Jimmy, and then all of a sudden this band gets put together and Jimmy’s a part of something, he’s not the [only] thing,” Donnelly says. “That was really amazing to me, just to see the talent level of all of these guys and how they’re able to push each other, but more importantly, in how they do it in that whole Grateful Dead kind of improvisational situation. You can’t teach that stuff—it’s got to be there inherently, and they have that, and that is rare. Bands work their whole lives to do that.”
Photographer Jay Blakesberg, a Clark native best known for his images of the Grateful Dead, first saw Dogs in a Pile at the Peach festival in Pennsylvania in 2022 and has been a fan ever since.
Noting how the band borrowed its name from a Grateful Dead lyric, in the song “He’s Gone,” Blakesberg says, “I think that everybody expects them to be a Grateful Dead tribute band, and they’ve got that music deep in their veins as young kids, but they are not…. They’re just rock-solid, really good, improvisational, groovy jam-band music that’s got their own twist.”
Blakesberg, whose musical history with Asbury Park dates back to seeing the Jerry Garcia Band at Convention Hall in 1977, says Dogs in a Pile has found their place in the city’s musical landscape. “Asbury Park’s just got the vibe, and now they’ve got the band,” he says.
The demand is evidenced by the band’s touring schedule across the country and their growing Dog Pound Facebook fan group.
“Thinking about the fans and how supportive they are can really help you,” says Lucid. “As a touring musician, it’s easy to get discouraged, but when you think about, We can write these songs, and people are singing them back to us and loving them and posting on Facebook, that that song really brightened their day or changed their life in a small way—that’s really what it’s all about.”
The post Jersey Shore Jam Band Dogs in a Pile Will Never Forget Their Roots appeared first on New Jersey Monthly.
Wandering down any of New Jersey’s boardwalks is a summer pastime that just about everyone from the Garden State enjoys.
But the thing that keeps me returning every summer is the trail of indulgent eats—cheesesteaks, soft serve, pizza slices the size of your head—all lined up on a dreamlike conveyer belt of temptations at storefronts that will shutter and disappear like mirages at the end of the season.
Though exciting, the sheer number of tasty options is enough to make your head spin. With that in mind, here are my picks for the best eats on the boardwalk, from nostalgic, can’t-miss classics to outside-the-box newbies.
Asbury ParkSignature Mini Pancakes at Buttermee PancakesOn a boardwalk, I like any food you can eat while walking, and pretty much everything on the menu at Buttermee Pancakes falls into that category. Full-size flapjacks are traded for bite-size medallions that fit snugly on the end of your fork. Several varieties are available, but the signature mini pancakes topped with crumbles of bacon, cinnamon-sugar whipped butter, and a sticky drizzle of maple syrup are really all you need to be happy on a summer day.
Watermelon Lime Ice Pop at Betty’s Ice BoxHipster-friendly frozen treat shop Betty’s Ice Box has produced what might be the single greatest vegan item ever in its Watermelon Lime Ice Pop. Why? Nothing is sacrificed. Unlike many vegan desserts, the deck isn’t unfairly stacked against it. It has no responsibility to try to live up to the legend of some beloved, dairy-heavy fave. Instead, this refreshing summer go-to leans on its built-in strength: the sweet-tart powerhouse combo of actual watermelon and lime.
Point PleasantMuellers Tiffany French Toast at the Food ShackFinding great breakfast on the boards isn’t always a sure thing, but the folks at the Food Shack put out a truly destination-worthy combo with this dish. For those not in the know, the Tiffany Raisin Bread at nearby Muellers Bakery is the stuff of cinnamon-iced legend, and this French toast uses it to its fullest advantage.
Seaside HeightsEl Bandito at Jersey RollJersey Roll specializes in sandwiches featuring the most controversial of all Jersey meat products: pork roll—or is it Taylor ham? Frankly, nobody cares what you call it; what matters is that you step up and order the El Bandito, an oceanfront indulgence that layers pork roll, jalapeño poppers and tater tots on a round roll for the optimal lunch option after a few rounds of Skee-ball.
Cheesesteaks at CheessteaksUntil last year, very few people had ever heard of the frustratingly spelled Cheessteaks, but within a short time they have become the fastest growing cheesesteak specialty shop in New Jersey. Opening their newest location on the Seaside boardwalk is a bold move, especially with heavy hitters like Midway Steak House, Steaks Unlimited and Cheesesteak Louie’s a stone’s throw away, but the fact of the matter is, Cheessteaks can hang with the best of them—and might just be the best of them.
Ocean CityDonuts at Brown’s RestaurantFor most people who head to Brown’s Restaurant in Ocean City, the main attraction is the walk-up donut window. If you can’t find it, just look for the big line snaking down the boardwalk. The hype is legit, as Brown’s puts out truly delicious old-fashioned donuts. Here, it’s all about the classics, like cinnamon-sugar, vanilla (or chocolate)- powdered, honey-dipped or plain, each served warm right out of the fryer.
Sicilian Slice and a Birch Beer at Manco & MancoWhile their standard plain slices tend to get all the attention, it’s the Sicilian slice at Manco & Manco that has me coming back again and again. A modestly thick slice, it’s at once crispy and doughy—each in perfect measure—and more heavily seasoned than one would typically expect from this style of pizza. Pair it with a creamy red birch beer straight from the tap, and you’ve got yourself the best combo on the boardwalk.
WildwoodPlain Slice at Mack’s PizzaThis time, it’s the straightforward plain slice for the win. Forget the monstrous slices that many boardwalk pizzerias peddle. Mack’s slices are less physically imposing, but far more delicious. The sauce-to-cheese ratio here favors the latter, and that’s key, as it manages to nail the gooey goodness you dream of while still maintaining enough of the acidic zip from the sauce to balance any heaviness.
The post The Jersey Shore’s Best Boardwalk Eats appeared first on New Jersey Monthly.
Take a look at a map of New Jersey, and it’s hard to miss the countless specks of blue dotting every corner of the state. From High Point to Cape May, reservoirs and lakes both public and private are waiting to be enjoyed.
Darlington LakeMahwahNestled in the northwest corner of Bergen County, Darlington County Park, with its lake, is a prime summer spot. The lake’s main attraction is the inflatable Splash Zone obstacle course—there’s one option for kids between 39 and 48 inches tall, and one for visitors who are 48 inches tall and up. For a quieter time at the lake, there are swimming areas, too. Other activities in the county park include catch-and-release fishing, picnicking, trails and basketball.
Tomahawk LakeSpartaSoon to celebrate 75 years, Tomahawk Lake’s water park features a handful of slides and rides, plus a selection of rowboats, paddleboats and bumper boats, volleyball, a miniature golf course and more. Adults can enjoy a beer garden while kids can choose from multiple snack bars.
Lake HopatcongSussex and Morris countiesPhoto: AEROJO Drone ProductionsThe lake stretches roughly 4 square miles and is shared by Sussex and Morris counties, holding the title of New Jersey’s largest body of fresh water. Its popularity among visitors has been 150 years in the making. On the water, visitors can take their choice of boat, kayak or hydrobike and hit the open water to their heart’s desire. Tours take guests to see Halsey Island, Great Cove and more of the lake’s most notable landmarks. Or families can just spend a day along the lake shore swimming, cooking on the provided grills, and picnicking.
Sunrise Lake Beach ClubMorris TownshipJust a ten-minute drive from downtown Morristown, this lake within pretty Lewis Morris County Park offers a small beach, swimming, an inflatable obstacle course (ages 7 and up; passing a swim test is required), paddleboat rentals and a snack bar. Day and seasonal passes are on offer, as are camps and “munchkin Mondays” from 9-11:30 am. —Julie Gordon
Round Valley ReservoirLebanonLebanon’s 2,350-acre, 180-foot-deep reservoir is one of Hunterdon County’s crown jewels. This largest reservoir in the Garden State is a serene spot which offers swimming with lifeguard supervision, boating, fishing and wilderness camping—the only New Jersey state park to do so (permit required).
Turkey Swamp ParkFreeholdThis 17-acre lake in the Pine Barrens offers rentable kayaks, canoes, rowboats and paddleboats. Visitors can also fish along the shore for bass, catfish and bluegills or take a fishing rod out on a boat. The park offers hiking trails, camping, an archery range and multiple playgrounds. —Jessica Hammer
Deal LakeMonmouth CountyThough it’s a stone throw away from the ocean, Monmouth County’s largest lake has given Shore residents in the area a taste of lake life since it was created from an estuary in 1890. Deal Lake features different channels and ponds that wind through the surrounding towns. Fish for bass and carp, rent a kayak from Deal Lake Dock Co., or coast around the 27 miles of shoreline on a motorboat—just be wary of shallow waters and no-wake zones!
Union LakeCumberland CountySouth Jersey’s biggest lake is an outdoors lover’s dream, offering a vast area perfect for boating, fishing, birding and more. Watch for bald eagles and ospreys before hitting the water yourself. Public boat ramps are available, and everything from kayaks to motorboats up to 10 horsepower are permitted.
The post 8 NJ Lakes to Visit This Summer appeared first on New Jersey Monthly.
File this under: Why’d it take so long?
Artisanal coffee, oversized deli sandwiches, high-quality meats, just-caught local seafood, gourmet prepared foods, farm-fresh produce, warm bread and Jersey Shore crumb cake, all together. What more could you ask for? Introducing Lenny’s Main Street Market in downtown Manasquan.
Housed in a former Rite Aid drugstore, the collaboration brings new life to what had been a sleepy, run-down corner. The cavernous, well-lit and beautifully organized space has Lenny’s Colonial Ranch Market as its anchor. Lenny’s has a first-rate butcher counter, a wide range of prepared foods and overstuffed sandwiches.
Shore Fresh Seafood Market fills the back corner with its extensive selection of fresh-off-the-boat local seafood, as well as prepared foods such as crab cakes and lobster salad. Bay Head’s Mueller’s Bakery fills the middle, complete with its signature crumb cake, but also cookies, cakes and pies. And if that’s not enough, Batch on Main, with its flagship store just down the street, offers gourmet coffees and other beverages.
The space opened in March to wide acclaim; it’s bound to become a community hub. Why go anywhere else?
The post This Manasquan Market Brings Four Beloved Jersey Shore Eateries Under One Roof appeared first on New Jersey Monthly.
As a child, Jules Duffy painted. Later, even with a thriving interior design business, Duffy painted. “When my kids were migrating out of the house, I knew I had more time. I wanted something to fill that void,” she explains.
With her watercolor talent well honed, she decided to explore oil painting. She had a lot to learn and began taking classes and attending workshops. “I wanted to learn the proper way, the proper strokes, the proper methods,” she says. “I created a personal passion, not just a career passion.”
Duffy’s glossy notecards feature florals, marine scenes and Harbor Island, Bahamas—a favorite spot for inspiration. A set of five is $35. Photo: Laura MossDuffy’s work, now displayed in galleries and private collections, is inspired by color. As a sought-after interior designer, she’s known for splashes of saturated hues. “My love for color paved the way for my interior design career,” she says. And that career paved the way for her to explore painting with the same keen eye.
Duffy splits her time between Chatham and Bay Head. “I’m drawn to the water,” she explains. “Living at the Shore, I’m constantly inspired by the changing water and sky.” One of her favorite subjects: sailboats. Her husband, Lawrence, is a skilled sailor, and she often captures his likeness on the water. “Since I started painting, I look at the world through a completely different lens. It’s added so many meaningful layers to my life,” she says.
Duffy partnered with a high-end puzzle company to create these hand-cut wooden works: “They’re truly bespoke, heirloom pieces.” Photo: Laura MossDuffy’s original oil paintings can cost thousands of dollars. She also creates more affordable giclées—canvas prints of her work—that she enhances by hand. “I paint over the print so you can see the brush strokes. I make it an original. I’m constantly striving to take my art to the next level. It’s a lifetime of education,” she says.
“Painting is a journey, an adventure,” Duffy says. “You need to be willing to dive in and make mistakes. Trust me, there are a lot of paintings I’ve done that no one will ever see.”
For more on Duffy’s work, visit julesduffyfineart.com.
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If you close your eyes while you listen to Marel Hidalgo play his guitar, his music will usher you to a place of energy, layered rhythms and improvisation that has a satisfying depth. Open your eyes, and you will find a 17-year-old musical phenom, likely spiffily dressed in a full suit, who draws soul from his instrument as though he has been mastering it for a lifetime.
Hidalgo, a Neptune native, picked up his first guitar at age four, and the connection quickly grew from play to commitment. “The passion grows as you learn and are challenged more and more. You start thinking that there’s nothing in the world you would rather do all day long than play music,” he says, adding, “That’s when everyone around you gets worried.”
Hidalgo calls his father, Mahonrry Hidalgo, his “unintentionally first musical mentor.” Mahonrry, who, with his wife, Eslin Morris, owns Luna Verde, a vegan Mexican restaurant in Bradley Beach, enjoyed playing music for his toddler son. “One of my earliest memories is listening to Charlie Parker and [Russian composer Igor] Stravinsky,” Hidalgo says. “My dad thought that playing those two completely different artists for me was a way to open my mind to complexity.”
By six, Hidalgo had earned the respect of other musicians and was leading a band, directing it as he saw fit. “I was very strict; since I was a little kid and they were adults, I was given a pass,” he says. “I wanted the band to sound like the original recordings of Jeff Beck, Santana and Joe Satriani’s albums to the note.”
Hidalgo received his first guitar instruction from Jerry Franklin, a teacher at Big Beat Music Studio in Neptune. Fine-tuning his natural talent, he learned how to “recognize patterns, rhythms, sounds, pitch, melodies, chords and harmony, all by ear.” He experimented with different genres before settling on jazz, for the moment, while still recognizing the gifts of other genres. “Blues is the root of everything, reggae gave me a sense of groove, progressive rock developed my ear and guitar technique, Latin and jazz fusion [gave me] a more sophisticated understanding of rhythm and the feeling of syncopation.”
That musical fluency has allowed him to share stages with contemporary greats like Billy Hart, Monty Alexander, Roger Humphries and John Lee. Hidalgo says carrying the tradition of jazz into the next generation is not just an honor, but a responsibility. “If we understand this art form as one that is passed from generation to generation, musician to musician, when you are in the presence of someone, let’s say, like Mr. Alexander, you are also in the presence of Oscar Peterson,” he says, naming a succession of artists whose influences spring from jazz’s musical lineage. “A little secret: If you listen carefully, you can always hear the voices of the ones you came from cutting through the noise.”
Leading ensembles and playing solo jazz guitar are both edifying as Hidalago continues to explore music. “Solo jazz guitar is by nature freer,” he says, “and gives more room to explore the song from top to bottom. I don’t have to be tied down to the original form, and I can come up with arrangements/sections on the fly. Within the more traditional jazz group, the interaction between all the members is what makes the song sound best. As Wynton Marsalis put it, ‘Jazz is democracy in action.’”
Self-assured beyond his years, Hidalgo recognizes the scope of opportunities his talent has garnered. At the age of six, he played at Cleveland’s Rock & Roll Hall of Fame; at nine, he made his first appearance on the Exit Zero Jazz Festival Mainstage; last year, he brought his Jamaican Jazz Group to the New York Guitar Festival in Bryant Park; and in April, he acted as arranger, orchestrator and soloist, leading his jazz quartet in front of a large wind orchestra at the Teatro Nacional in Costa Rica. “The scenery doesn’t change the essence of the music,” he says. “It reaffirms that music is a universal language.”
Hidalgo keeps a tight schedule, performing, writing arrangements for large ensembles, orchestrating and practicing. While this is not the life of a typical Jersey teen, he sees little sacrifice in his busy schedule. “A few hours of lost sleep or long flights….Doing what you love is a privilege that most people unfortunately don’t have,” he notes. That sense of purpose has remained a constant. After one of his earliest performances, Hidalgo told an interviewer, “I like to play music because it makes me happy, and it makes people happy.” He says today, “Nothing has changed ever since.”
To learn more, visit @marelhidalgo on Instagram or marelhildagomusic.com.
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When the first wave of uncomfortable summer heat rolls in, many New Jerseyans follow a routine as old as time—pack up the car and head toward the Shore in a futile effort to beat the traffic. But hiding in plain sight off of Route 80, Lake Hopatcong offers just as much summer fun.
The lake stretches roughly 4 square miles and is shared by Sussex and Morris counties, holding the title of New Jersey’s largest body of fresh water. Once an area made up of two smaller lakes, it was altered in the 19th century to become the source of the Morris Canal. The result was a sprawling lake that’s continued to attract visitors from far beyond the borders of the Garden State.
[RELATED: 8 Best Lakes in New Jersey to Visit This Summer]
“I’ve had people from New York, Washington, and even Europe who have come out on tours with me,” says Paige Block, a tour guide at Lake Hopatcong Adventure Company, which offers kayaking, hydrobiking and other outdoor activities.
Its popularity among visitors has been 150 years in the making. When railroads boomed in the late 19th century, it didn’t take long for a connection to be made at Nolans Point along the lake’s east side. The arrival of the first passenger train in 1882 established Lake Hopatcong as a go-to summer spot. Attractions over the years have included an amusement park, roller rink and tavern.
Photo: AEROJO Drone ProductionsWhile the landscape in 2026 is far different, Live the Lake NJ, a family of businesses on Lake Hopatcong, still offers a host of activities that appeal to sunbathers and adrenaline seekers alike. On the water, visitors can take their choice of boat, kayak or hydrobike and hit the open water to their heart’s desire. Tours take guests to see Halsey Island, Great Cove and more of the lake’s most notable landmarks.
Aboard Miss Lotta, a 57-foot Skipperliner, passengers are treated to various themed cruises, including happy-hour and cocktail rides, a narrated historical tour, and lunch, brunch and dinner cruises. (Don’t worry—the boat has a fully enclosed dining room.) Private cruise packages are also offered.
Other activities include an 18-hole mini-golf course with holes themed after Lake Hopatcong history. A handful of dining options are available at Nolans Point. The Windlass has been serving Italian and American eats to lakegoers for more than 60 years and offers porch dining and live music events. Alice’s features open-air dining and the Big Fish Lounge, home to live music and various games.
Or families can just spend a day along the lake shore swimming, cooking on the provided grills, and picnicking. From Memorial Day to Labor Day, fees for residents are $6 on weekdays and $10 on weekends and holidays; for nonresidents, it’s $10 on weekdays and $20 on weekends.
Photo: AEROJO Drone ProductionsLive the Lake shares Lake Hopatcong with the thousands of residents who live on its shore and in the surrounding area. Former resident Jessica Murphy has lived in three of the four surrounding towns on the lake and got married on its shores. “The lake was a big part of my life all the time. Growing up, I spent pretty much my whole summers there swimming and sailing,” she says.
Murphy’s lake love continued into her adult life, when she served as editor of the Lake Hopatcong News, a publication dedicated to news and culture in the lake region. She also cofounded the nonprofit Lake Hopatcong Foundation and served as its president and executive director for nearly 10 years. The organization devotes itself to preservation and sustainability efforts for the lake, especially those that go unnoticed.
“There are a lot of invisible things that help make the lake healthier,” Murphy says. “It can sometimes be difficult to get people to rally around something like storm water management. Buy-in and coordination can be difficult for those things that you don’t really see, but are making a quiet difference underground.”
Though private properties surround most of the lake’s perimeter, Murphy says a distinct pride exists among residents and a sense of community can be found, especially during difficult times.
She recalls that, while working at the foundation, residents offered support during a 2019 algae bloom that shut the lake down for a whole summer. “When it first happened, I remember that people were calling us asking, ‘What can I do at my house? What type of fertilizer should I be using? Is there anything I can do?’” she says. “People cared about the lake and were quick to step up during a crisis.” Murphy hopes lake residents will continue this mindset even when it isn’t demanded by an emergency.
Whether it’s as a booming tourist attraction or a sleepy lake for residents, Lake Hopatcong requires the continued support of visitors, locals and admirers for its preservation. To donate to the foundation, visit lakehopatcongfoundation.org.
James LaForge is a former editorial assistant at New Jersey Monthly and a current fellow at Business Insider.
The post Lake Hopatcong Rivals the Jersey Shore as a Top-Notch Summer Escape appeared first on New Jersey Monthly.
Somehow, the folks at Beach Plum Farm in West Cape May always manage to keep things fresh.
This summer, their popular seasonal dinner series heads en plein air for Tables in the Garden, where tables for two pepper the landscape twice weekly, on Wednesdays and Thursdays, now through September 24.
Couples can enjoy a lilt of romance and intimacy in a public-yet-private space, dining among raised beds of fragrant flowers (including edible varieties!), berries and produce, and perhaps even catching sight of an errant chicken passing by.
Photo: Courtesy of Beach Plum FarmThe kitchen shows off its chops—and farm-to-table ingredients—with such dishes as a carrot-beet medley topped with pea tendrils, and roasted heritage pork with kohlrabi-fennel slaw.
Beach Plum’s farm-to-table dinners first started in 2016, when Cape Resorts owner Curtis Bashaw and his partner began hosting friends for ingredient-focused meals in the bucolic setting. Now open to the public, these special communal-style meals sell out every season, fostering new friendships and garnering returning guests year after year. Farm manager Ed Hackett and his team plan everything from the harvest-forward menus to the tablescapes.
Farm-fresh strawberry shortcake trifle. Photo: Courtesy of Beach Plum FarmThis summer’s BYO meals have staggered start times beginning at 6 pm, so the evenings unfold in a laid-back manner. Guests are welcome to stroll the grounds before dinner, too.
Overnight stays are also an option in Beach Plum’s one-bedroom, two-bedroom or full cottages. A limited-time discounted rate is available.
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Surfing isn’t just another hobby for Caroline Duerr. Raised in Brielle among the tight-knit Shore towns near Manasquan, surfing was part of everyday life. Her father, Scott Duerr—a South Orange native and East Coast Surfing Hall of Fame inductee—passed down his love of the sport early.
“He’s the definition of a rad dad,” Duerr says. “When we could barely swim, we’d be out there with floaties and little buoys on our backs.” Her mother, Leslie, remembers the occasional side-eye from beachgoers, but surfing is just what the Duerrs do.
Duerr is our June 2026 cover model. Buy the issue here. Photo: Ann Coen[RELATED: 33 Water Activities to Try at the Jersey Shore]
Still, learning wasn’t easy. Duerr remembers the fear of being under too long and taking waves head-on. “Sometimes you learn your limits the hard way,” she says. Her first board, a custom, hot-pink Byrne she named Beep Bop, was her prized possession until it snapped during a high-tide session. “We got her fixed, but she was never the same. I was devastated,” she says.
Now 31, Duerr splits her time between the classroom and the beach, teaching English at the K-8 New School of Monmouth County and coaching advanced girls’ surf teams at Pink Pineapple surf camp in Manasquan.
“Surfing does so much for your confidence as a young girl,” she says.
A lifelong athlete, Duerr played collegiate soccer and, more recently, took up skateboarding, winning the first-ever women’s competition at FDR Skatepark in Philadelphia in 2021. Across disciplines, she sees a clear through line. “Movement is a form of medicine,” says Duerr. “There’s an art to falling.”
Caroline Duerr has been surfing since childhood and more recently took up skateboarding. Photo: Ann CoenThat philosophy carries into everyday life—whether it’s a tough school day, a family emergency, or encouraging a young surfer to get back out there. “When things get overwhelming, I remind myself to stay calm and breathe,” she says. “You always come out stronger on the other side of the wave.”
The ideal Shore day of her youth reflects that same rhythm.
“I’d start with riding my bike with my sisters to the beach,” Duerr says. “We’d stop at Brielle Bagels—I’d get a pork roll, egg and cheese with an orange juice—catch the drawbridge like we always do, and then longboard with our friends. We don’t plan on seeing anyone, but everyone just shows up. That’s the Jersey Shore we grew up on.”
The day would end the way all good beach days do: a burger and milkshake (with hard ice cream) from Carlson’s Corner, a quick shower, family dinner at home, and Kohr’s Frozen Custard with fireworks lighting up the sky at Jenkinson’s Boardwalk.
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Maplewood looks like the kind of town that movie directors try to recreate when the script calls for an idyllic locale: tree-lined streets, commuters stepping off trains with coffee in hand, laughing friends outside cafés, bookstores and bakeries.
Just 35 minutes from Manhattan, the town has several burgeoning downtowns and on weekends the sidewalks buzz with families, shoppers, and locals drifting between boutiques and restaurants.
If you are unfamiliar with this Essex County burb, it may seem like just stop along way to nearby destination towns like Montclair and Morristown, but this municipality, 26,000 residents strong, is worth a stop—there are even municipal lots with free parking downtown.
Where to EatBreakfast spots like Able Baker offer fresh scones and breads, and their own variety of house-made blueberry pop tarts. Grab a tea or a coffee, or bring a box of Joe for the group along with a bag of sweet treats to be welcome at any gathering. For savory morning starts, try Village Coffee for breakfast sandwiches or generous platters, or stop in Perch Home, where you’ll be tempted to start shopping since this bistro started out as a lifestyle boutique and expanded into a shopping destination with a restaurant inside.
There is no shortage of restaurant options, along Main Street. You’ll find Thai, Chinese, Italian, American, soup, salad bowls. At longstanding Irish pub, St. James’s Gate Publick House, Guinness is listed as a starter and you’ll find a killer prime-rib French dip among other standards, including fish and chips. Down the street, Osteria LK, one of New Jersey Monthly’s top restaurants, serves red-sauce favorites and creatively elevated American dishes. For stylish cocktails and a selection of well-executed American dishes, Luna Stella is tucked just off the main drag.
Pasta at Porta Rossa. Photo: Courtesy of Porta RossaAcross town, check out Porta Rossa Pasta + Provisions, where you can procure pastas made fresh daily for takeout or eat in, if you can score one of the dozen seats or sit outdoors in good weather. This Italian market and café, opened in 2023, caters and hosts private events. Perla Oyster is another must-stop. Mollusk lovers may pause at this seeming fish-out-of-water raw bar in the burbs, but delight will follow with the fresh changing selection of oysters, plus clams, shrimp cocktail and a menu of dips, spreads and savory snacks. Nearby is Artie’s, a pizza spot that morphed from the former well-known Arturo’s.
Where to ShopStroll along down Maplewood Avenue, and you’ll find a healthy variety of shops, including clothing boutiques, a book shop, florists, wine store, jewelers, toys, coffee shops and more.
Maker + Muse on Maplewood Avenue. Photo: Courtesy of Maker + MuseTake Maker + Muse, a curated collection of jewelry, home goods, art and more, filled with finds from independent makers.
Mues Shop on Baker Street in Maplewood. Photo: Courtesy of Mues ShopAt in the emerging Baker Street area, lifestyle store Meus Shop offers an array of local artisans creating everything from self-care items, like soaps and scents to home décor, jewelry and gifts.
Handmade candles at Ceru on Springfield Avenue in Maplewood. Photo: Courtesy of CeruOn the Springfield Avenue side of Maplewood, Ceru, a women’s boutique, has an array of clothing designers with well-known and emerging brands, plus an apothecary with beauty buys, a home section with hand-picked décor items, and a selection of jewelry.
Can’t-Miss EventsSummer brings the Maplewoodstock Music and Art Festival, now in its 22nd year. This year it is scheduled for July 11-13, in Memorial Park, and it will once again, bring together more than 20 bands, art and food vendors, for two free days of music and fun. In December, Dickens Village, a storybook recreation of scenes from Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol, comes to live as a true town square of miniature houses completely and uniquely furnished for the holiday season. For the first three Saturdays of December, the village is open and Santa is house, there is tree and menorah lighting and a DJ, as well as other special events.
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Natalie Kraiem’s Oakhurst vacation home has a sophisticated, South-of-France aesthetic. “It’s a Mediterranean-inspired residence designed to reflect the elegance of classic European resort architecture,” she says. Kraiem, of Brooklyn-based Natalie Kraiem Interiors, envisioned the house as a welcoming hub. “It was conceived as a dream summer retreat inspired by my family’s lifestyle. It functions as both a vacation home and a gathering place for extended family and friends.”
“Key features include a mansard roof, arched windows, a cream stucco façade, a grand columned entry,” designer and homeowner Natalie Kraiem says of the home’s architecture. “These elements give the home a sense of permanence and old-world sophistication.” Photo: Mark RoskamsBecause this home was designed to be a summer getaway spot, Kraiem placed a great deal of focus on the exterior environment. “Outdoor living is central to how we experience this home,” she says. “The exterior was designed to function as the primary entertaining area of the home.”
With that in mind, Kraiem included a cabana, pool, covered dining and living areas and multiple seating zones in the backyard plan. “These amenities support relaxation and entertaining and transform the backyard into a private, resort-like setting,” she says.
The designer anticipated her guests’ needs. “We incorporated as many lounge areas as possible around the pool and added ample seating for entertaining. The shaded outdoor seating area, complete with a large television, has become one of our favorite gathering spots.” Kraiem also ensured that the exterior areas would help minimize interior wear-and-tear. “An outdoor cabana with a kitchen allows us to host outside without compromising the interiors,” she says. “We even included a full outdoor bathroom.”
Ample outdoor seating accommodates the family’s frequent summer gatherings. Photo: Mark RoskamsEach element of the backyard space was chosen to promote togetherness and relaxation. “The deep rear porch shades expansive dining and lounge areas, creating comfortable outdoor rooms,” Kraiem says.
The tranquil effect of the hardscape is enhanced by flora chosen for balance and proportion. “The landscape was designed to echo the home’s symmetry and formality while maintaining a relaxed atmosphere,” Kraiem explains. “Structured greenery frames the architecture, while layered plantings soften the overall composition. The result is an outdoor environment that feels intentional, elegant, and naturally connected to the home.”
The interior displays the same understated elegance as the exterior. Kraiem describes the decor as “resort-style modern French classicism. The aesthetic blends classical architecture, refined European detailing, and coastal elegance, creating a space that feels timeless, gracious and inviting.”
In the family room, “the fireplace surround adds subtle movement and depth while maintaining the serene palette,” according to owner and designer Natalie Kraiem. Photo: Mark Roskams“The kitchen features a sophisticated mix of white-painted and stained-oak cabinetry,” Kraiem says, “which adds warmth, dimension and visual balance.” Photo: Mark RoskamsDecorative details juxtapose linear components with curved elements. For example, the squares on the coffered ceiling in the living room are balanced by the curves of a window. The straight edges of the tiered fireplace surround in the family room are tempered by the soft curves of the seating.
Throughout the home, neutral shades and wood tones create an understated, organic feel. “The palette is rooted in the soft, sun-washed tones of the French Riviera,” Kraiem says. “Creams, warm whites and varying shades of blue reflect the surrounding light and evoke a sense of calm luxury.”
The living room features an assortment of millwork on the walls and ceiling. “The interiors were designed to reinforce the home’s strong architectural presence,” Kraiem says. “Layered millwork, curated sightlines, and carefully scaled furnishings allow the architecture to remain the star, while interior details enhance its grandeur.” Photo: Mark RoskamsThough it features all the accoutrements of a refined resort, this residence is also practical. “Because this is a home meant for active family life, comfort and durability were just as important as beauty,” Kraiem notes. “We selected furnishings that feel luxurious yet relaxed, and finishes that are resilient and low-maintenance. Performance fabrics, tailored silhouettes and thoughtful layouts ensure that the home remains elegant while accommodating children, guests and everyday living.”
That deft mixture of aesthetics and functionality makes this a haven for Kraiem and her family. “I love the sense of harmony throughout the entire property. It truly reflects my design philosophy and my family’s lifestyle.”
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Sure, you’ve heard of farm-to-table dining. But farm-to-bagel?
Equipped with a background in both bagels and farming, fifth-generation bagel maker Aaron Wagner and his wife, Julie, are leading the concept in Cape May with The Bagel Shop, now entering its second summer season.
“I’m trying to shoot for the moon in regards to being as sustainable and as honest with myself and with my customers as possible in regards to giving them the best quality of food,” says Wagner, 43, who grew up in Cherry Hill.
The menu is deceptively simple, with authentic New York-style bagels, spreads, homemade salads and sandwiches. Beyond the taste, what goes into the food makes The Bagel Shop stand out.
The ingredients are top-notch, organic when possible. Much of the produce—lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, onions—is grown at the Wagners’ permaculture homestead (complete with 45 fruit trees and bushes, plus a greenhouse), where they live with their two young children. In the fall, they make pumpkin bagels and cream cheese from pumpkins grown there.
The Turkey Cali, with Wildwoods BBQ smoked turkey breast, organic center-cut bacon, avocado, tomato, organic lettuce and freshly trimmed organic micro greens, with a garlic aioli. Photo: Courtesy of The Bagel ShopOther ingredients come from local farms like Terra Chimera Farm and Peabody Farms. Nearby Wildwoods BBQ provides smoked turkey and brisket for sandwiches.
Wagner’s family has a long history in the bagel biz, starting in 1890 when his great-great-grandfather emigrated from Warsaw to Brooklyn. Fast forward a few generations, and Wagner was in his 20s and working abroad on farms before deciding to return home to join his family’s business, South Street Philly Bagels, which he later rebranded as Philly Bagels and expanded to six locations.
Then, as he was starting his own family with Julie in 2023, the couple left Philadelphia for Cape May and planned to open their own venture.
The community is a huge part of their business, both as suppliers and customers, and Cape May, with its strong farming base, has embraced their farm-to-bagel motto.
“It’s a really beautiful thing that’s happening down here,” Wagner says.
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Stand-up comedian and cabaret performer Adam Sank has built a career out of turning his queer life and dating experiences into sharp, self-aware storytelling.
The Summit native will perform his award-winning show Bad Dates: A One-Man Show About Many Men at Cape May’s Clemans Theater for the Arts hosted by East Lynne Theater Company on Saturday, June 6. He’ll then head to Asbury Park to emcee New Jersey’s 34th annual Pride festival on Sunday, June 7.
The comedian’s performing credits include NBC’s Last Comic Standing and The Today Show. In addition to touring Bad Dates nationally, Sank also hosts The Adam Sank Show, a podcast available on all major audio platforms.
While Sank, 55, has lived in Manhattan for the last 30 years, he frequents Summit, where his family still lives. “In some ways, it was an easy, nice childhood,” he says, though he recalls feeling like an outsider growing up in one of the only Jewish families in town at that time. “Being a closeted gay kid only made that feeling of otherness worse,” he adds. Humor has always been a balm for him amid tough times.
Sank wrote Bad Dates after stepping away from standup for a brief period. “I had all this material from over the years—bad dates, bad relationships—it was a lot of that kind of stuff. And then one day, I thought: What if I put something in a show that isn’t just there for the joke? Something unfunny and serious.”
That tonal shift became the backbone of Bad Dates, which centers on coming to terms with being single. “We’re programmed to believe that couplehood equals happiness and singlehood equals misery,” Sank says. “And that’s ridiculous.” He adds that Bad Dates is a misleading title. “It could really be called Good Singlehood.”
Sank says he hopes the show makes his audience “feel less alone in the world in some way.” The best art, he says, is “the kind that makes you feel seen.” And that sense of connection, he explains, is central to queer comedy. “LGBTQ people have our own language,” he says. “It’s all humor, shade and sarcasm.” Still, performing remains a challenge, and a journey through the unexpected. “There’s no tougher audience than a queer one,” he declares. “You never know what’s going to happen up there. It’s a bit like herding cats.”
In addition to Sank’s set, the Pride festival in Asbury Park will include performances by country artist (and former baseball player) Bryan Ruby and the New Jersey Gay Men’s Chorus.
“Asbury Park is a special place,” Sank says. “Growing up, it was not a gay destination; it was a place my father spent his teenage years waiting tables.” But now, he says, the seaside city exemplifies queer community-building: “Not only [does the gay community] survive oppression, discrimination and hatred from all sides, but we move into undesirable places and turn them into a beautiful, livable, welcoming communities, with massive events celebrating Pride like these.”
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Summer at the Jersey Shore means returning to beloved boardwalks, beaches and restaurants. But each new season also brings a wave of exciting additions to the scene. Here’s a roundup of sure-to-be future favorites for 2026.
Bev Shack, Bradley BeachFrom Abby Taylor Jordan, co-founder of Monmouth County’s own Playa Bowls, comes a dirty-soda concept also serving lemonades, iced teas and hydration drinks.
Caesars Beach Club, Atlantic CityRendering: Courtesy of Caesars Atlantic City/R2ArchitectsOpening in June, this resort-inspired, day-to-night destination at Caesars features coastal fare, a full-service bar, a rooftop deck, DJ entertainment and exclusive VIP cabanas.
Coastal Canteen, ManasquanSeafood, comfort classics and cocktails are on the menu here.
Coastal Cruiser, Lower Cape May CountyThis hop-on, hop-off shuttle service runs a loop on weekends, stopping at wineries, breweries, distilleries, the Cape May-Lewes Ferry and downtown. Trips are $40, with discounts for multiple days. Starts May 23.
A Cup of Literature, Asbury ParkPhotos: Courtesy of Naaima Abd-ElhameedThis spot, from Gen Z-ers Aubrey Chesna and Julia Cangelosi, triples as an airy café, a cozy bookstore and a fitness studio.
The Drawing Room, Asbury ParkPhoto: Nikolas KoenigThis formerly private restaurant at the swanky Asbury Ocean Club is now opening its doors to all for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Marée, Spring LakeThe latest from Marilyn Schlossbach (Whitechapel Projects) and Bret Morgan (Asbury Fresh) is an American bistro with local makers and sustainable ingredients.
Mister Softee, Little Egg HarborThe classic soft-serve truck—headquartered in Runnemede—now has a storefront in the former Pine Cone ice cream space.
Nagle’s Apothecary Café, Ocean GroveThe longtime Shore restaurant and ice cream shop, closed in 2019, is back—now on the first floor of an 1890 building.
OB Diner, Point Pleasant BeachAfter a two-year closure, the Shore staple for late-night and early-morning dining is reopening this summer under new ownership: chef Diego Sanchez, of At the Point in Point Pleasant Beach and 39 Degrees North in Stafford.
Olive & Oak, OceanportPhotos: Courtesy of Olive & Oak/from left: Briana Tortoriello, Brianna AndersonThis charcuterie and catering business, known for its grazing tables and boxes, now has a café with sandwiches, salads, light bites, coffee and matcha.
Shore shuttle, Various locationsPhiladelphia-based Park Avenue Worldwide is offering shuttle rides to Ventnor, Ocean City and Avalon from Jersey City on weekends from Memorial Day to Labor Day.
Sunset Seafood, TuckertonThis family-owned-and-operated restaurant (Seaside Heights, Willingboro) now has a bayfront BYO location at Tuckerton Cove.
Tilly’s Empanadas, Long Beach TownshipThis spot for empanadas—plus coffee, gelato and tasty baked goods—replaces Pinky Shrimp’s.
Tommy’s Tavern + Tap, Toms RiverThis Jersey-founded, now region-wide spot known for wings and stacked burgers has opened its newest locale.
The post What’s New at the Jersey Shore for Summer 2026 appeared first on New Jersey Monthly.
From the tip of Cape May to Sandy Hook, these 10 bayside retreats are the local’s secret for stress-free summer days. They typically offer calm waters, easy parking and a relaxed vibe.
Sunset Beach, Cape MayAs you can imagine from the name, this is the most popular beach at sunset on the Jersey Shore. But during the day, the crowds evaporate, and there’s plenty of space to plant an umbrella and draw up a beach chair with barely anyone nearby. No beach tags are required, and the parking is free.
Higbee Beach, Cape MayFarther north on the Delaware Bay, Higbee Beach is known for its outstanding bird-watching, particularly during the spring and fall migration. It’s also known as an unofficial nude beach, unsanctioned by any entity, although discreet nudity is rarely ticketed. This narrow beach with high dunes is secluded, so birds almost always outnumber beachgoers.
William Morrow Beach, Somers PointOverlooking Great Egg Harbor Bay, William Morrow Beach is Somers Point’s go-to beach playground, a protected beach with lifeguards in the summer. On the south side, the beach is anchored by a fishing pier and playground, with Ocean City viewed in the distance. To the north, toward Absecon Island, there is a small bandshell with free summer evening concerts and marinas dotting the shoreline.
Longport Dog Beach, Egg Harbor Township Separated by the bay from the main section of Longport, the Longport Dog Beach is a special place: pets are allowed off-leash all summer. Take a long walk along the half-moon beach as your pup splashes happily in the bay’s warm waters. Note that parking is extremely limited.
Graveling Point Beach, Little Egg Harbor TownshipHalfway between Atlantic City and Long Beach Island, finding a swimming beach takes effort. But if you pass through Mystic Island to Graveling Point Beach, your reward is a blissfully untouched stretch of sand with no food stands or boardwalks. A large circular shallow pool of water protected by jetties makes this an ideal spot for families with young children.
John Bartlett County Park, Berkeley TownshipJutting out on a long, thin peninsula into Barnegat Bay, John C. Bartlett, Jr. Park near Bayville in Ocean County offers a small swimming beach alongside a multitude of free outdoor facilities. Walking paths, exercise equipment, a kid’s playground, picnic tables and a fishing pier will occupy every member of the family for the whole day.
Ocean Gate Beach, Toms RiverWith Netflix establishing studios in Fort Monmouth, Ocean Gate Beach on Toms River is destined to be featured in many idyllic 1950s-style summer beach scenes. Steps from mid-20th-century homes, people bike and walk along a ground-level boardwalk, stopping to climb a two-story pavilion while children frolic at a splash pad or swim in the calm water. In season, Ocean Gate charges $7 for a daily beach badge, but parking outside of the permitted spots is free.
Maxson Avenue and River Avenue Beaches, Point Pleasant BoroughIf Point Pleasant Beach’s prices or crowds are too much, head over to Maxson Avenue or River Avenue in Point Pleasant Borough. Tucked along the Manasquan River, these side-by-side spots offer guarded beaches, restrooms and a fishing pier. Daily beach badges are not available, but a season badge covering both guarded areas is $20, compared to the $18 daily beach fee at the Point Pleasant Boardwalk. Parking is free.
Memorial Park Beach, Neptune TownshipMemorial Park along the Shark River in Neptune Township is a free, easygoing alternative to the bustle of nearby oceanfront beaches in Avon-by-the Sea and Belmar. Amid picnic tables under shade trees and wide views of the tranquil river, relax with a book, walk along the water’s edge or let your children loose on the playground. Bocce-ball fans will enjoy the free courts and free parking.
Bayside at Sandy Hook, Gateway National Recreation AreaSandy Hook’s oceanside is justifiably popular with sunbathers and surfers, but don’t overlook its bay beaches—they’re among the most picturesque in New Jersey. Kite-boarders, kayakers, swimmers, paddle boarders, birdwatchers and dog-lovers flock to these long tidal coves for warmer, shallower waters and glowing sunsets. Park admission is $20 per carload.
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Taylor Decker’s perfect summer beach day with her three-year-old daughter and two-year-old twins starts when she pulls into the parking lot at Surfrider Beach Club. She has surprisingly few items to get out of the car. Her parents’ beach cabana and her own family’s locker have what she needs for the day: swim diapers, buckets, sunscreen, towels, blankets and beach chairs, stashed there since Memorial Day.
Wheeling the kids down the hallway Decker has known since she was their age, she passes rows of lockers, small changing rooms, cabanas of varying sizes, and a 25‑yard swimming pool. She sets up her space on an immaculately groomed patch of sand near palm trees—the same spot her parents favored when she was a child.
She starts with bagels and coffee. Her twins nap while her three‑year‑old gets alone time in the pool. Next is playground time and lunch. At dinnertime, her parents and grandmother arrive—four generations around a picnic table. At day’s end, Decker gives the kids a shower at the beach, pulls pajamas over sun‑tired bodies, and heads home, where they go straight to bed.
“There’s just something so wholesome about seeing your kids walk around the beach in their pajamas, talking to and engaging with people that you consider family,” she says.
Decker’s view of the perfect family summer is something that’s shared by thousands of people from Monmouth County and up and down the Jersey Shore. It’s why news anchor Brian Williams fondly recalls biking to Surfrider, singer Charlie Puth talks about once hustling to make money at Driftwood Beach Club, and New Jersey’s most famous rocker has had a club membership for years.
Surfrider Beach Club’s pool. Photo: Ryan JohnsonToday, there are about 15 private seasonal beach clubs from Cape May to Long Beach Island, Spring Lake to Sea Bright. Many localities also run their own municipal or community beaches with seasonal badges. The dividing line is simple: Seasonal club memberships include storage facilities, changing rooms, snack bars and pools, while municipal beaches have limited parking and amenities.
Nowhere are the private beach clubs more visible than in Sea Bright, where seven oceanfront clubs are clustered among borough‑run beaches wedged in between Ocean Avenue and the water.
Surfrider Beach Club’s owner and managing partner, Nicole LoBiondo, runs the club with her brothers, continuing a family operation that dates back to the mid‑1980s. The club started as a simple structure, expanded over the years, and then was rebuilt after Superstorm Sandy, which damaged all the Sea Bright beach clubs. Now, the 650 families who are members enjoy a club that includes a lap pool, playgrounds, an area for grilling, a Tiki bar for adults, a snack bar and an event space that is used for weddings.
A view of Sea Bright’s public beach, Surfrider Beach Club, Sands Beach Club and Ship Ahoy Beach Club in the distance. Photo: Ryan JohnsonFor many families, the appeal is less about pools and playgrounds than about the guaranteed parking, storage and familiar faces.
A seasonal membership with a locker starts at $6,000 for a family of four. A beach cabana, which is typically shared by multiple families, begins at $26,000 and includes a private changing space, shower, electricity and loft storage. Some clubs in Sea Bright charge as much as $40,000 for a family membership that includes a beach cabana.
But don’t rush down to the club to sign up this summer. Like many of the private clubs, Surfrider’s waiting list has 180-200 families on it.
Getting in, however, isn’t always straightforward. When Tom Aronne, who spent a decade as a member at Surfrider, started looking for a club years ago, he made the rounds.
“At Chapel Beach Club, they literally laughed at me and said, ‘The only way you’re getting in is if you have a family member who has been here for decades and then passes away, leaving it to you,’ ” he says. To Aronne, the process felt opaque and personal. “Whether you call it politics or favoritism, these clubs are looking for people who fit their mold.”
A cabana at Surfrider Beach Club. Photo: Ryan JohnsonAronne says his Surfrider years defined his kids’ summers—and also revealed how club membership functions socially. “When you live in this area and meet another couple, the beach‑club question is one of the top three you get: Where do you live, where do your kids go to school, and what club are you at? When you say which club you’re in, it gives a little bio about you—almost like a social résumé.”
Robert Manse, a member at the nearby Sands Beach Club, recalls how quickly he committed when his name finally came up on the waiting list. “I literally drove the check over on a winter day and dropped it in their mailbox because I was so excited,” he says. “Every year, I joke that when we get the email for the first check, I write back, ‘This is my favorite bill I get all year round,’ just to make sure we’re locked in.”
Private beach clubs like Surfrider and Sands represent a deep local history of private clubs at the Jersey Shore. Greg Kelly, a local historian, says Sea Bright’s first true private club, Sea Bright Beach Club, dates to about 1895 and was founded not by locals, but by wealthy Rumson families who lived nearby on estates.
“Even at the turn of the 20th century,” he notes, “some wealthy visitors wanted exclusivity—their own place, separate from the general public.”
Kelly says of the current beach clubs, “They’re very well run, often family run, and the operators treat people right.” Those elements matter, he says, because joining “doesn’t make sense on paper.” He adds, “Maybe the air is a little sweeter in Sea Bright.”
Patricia Spahr, who spent 38 years as Sea Bright’s tax and sewer collector, knows each of the seven Sea Bright clubs intimately because, initially, she had to physically read all the clubs’ deduct water meters—devices that track water used for pools and irrigation that doesn’t go into the sewer. At first, she says, the clubs were collections of new and old buildings.
After Superstorm Sandy, which destroyed all the clubs, she says, “each rebuilt differently, but they all look great.”
For years, however, they were also at the center of a fight over how much of their sand the public could actually use. In the 1990s and 2000s, the state allowed several clubs to limit the public to a narrow ribbon of sand at the water’s edge, even after taxpayer‑funded replenishment widened their beaches.
“They used to have off‑duty cops on quads at each end of the club’s beach,” recalls surf instructor Thomas Anderson. “They’d watch everyone walking through, and if someone stepped more than a few feet up or tried to put down a blanket, they’d swoop in like you were setting up on the White House lawn.”
After legal challenges and a state Supreme Court ruling, the clubs and the borough ultimately agreed to open up much more of their frontage to general beachgoers, allowing the public to swim, fish and otherwise use part of the beach in front of the clubs.
Up and down the coast, many elite clubs keep a low profile. Cape May Beach Club, for example, notes on its website that it is a long‑established, members‑owned club that only accepts new members through referrals. Spring Lake Bath and Tennis Club lays out a detailed dress code on its site, with rules about the dining room and requirements for mostly white tennis clothing.
Aronne says that even inside this little world, boundaries matter. He recalls attending a swim meet among clubs. “I went up to the bar at Sea Bright Beach Club and ordered a vodka on the rocks. They asked if I was from Sea Bright Beach Club. When I said I was there with Surfrider, they refused to serve me. It felt almost like crime families—like you’re a Bonanno, not a Lucchese, and you can’t drink here.”
Sea Bright’s mayor, Brian Kelly, sees the clubs as both economic anchors and part of the town’s identity. “They’re a huge part of who we are,” he says. After Sandy, “the beach clubs were among the first entities to rebuild, and many were open by that summer, which helped kickstart the town functioning again.” He describes them as successful businesses that help fuel a robust restaurant and shopping scene in a small community of about 1,700 residents.
When asked to describe to a person outside of Jersey what’s it like to join a private beach club, Surfrider member Decker says, “It’s the difference between going to the beach and living at the beach.”
R.C. Staab is a travel writer, book author, playwright, and wildlife and Jersey Shore enthusiast.
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When we’re at the peak of those lazy summer days at the Jersey Shore, and I’ve just rolled off the beach, what I really want is a pile of fresh seafood from a simple roadside shack.
You know the vibe: right on the water, fishing boats docked out back, the salt air peeling the faded red paint off the building as a family of seagulls circle overhead, each hoping to steal a quick snack off the picnic tables below.
There’s a humble beauty to these shacks that surpasses anything a white-glove restaurant experience could possibly offer. Recently, I took a road trip down the coast to find a little bit of fresh-caught heaven on a paper plate. Here are some of my favorite spots:
Point Lobster Co.Point Pleasant BeachThey have a sit-down restaurant just down the road, but for the most authentic experience, head directly to Point Lobster’s market in the commercial fishing district on the Manasquan Inlet. It fits every stereotype of a local seafood shack that you could possibly conjure up. Head to the counter, order a lobster roll, and grab an outdoor table next to the crab traps. (Seating is surprisingly plentiful here.)
The rest of the menu has its merits as well, but lobster is the name of the game here, and it doesn’t disappoint. They offer both the cold, mayo-y Maine and hot, buttery Connecticut styles of lobster rolls. Opt for the latter: an overflowing pile of fresh lobster with melted butter and a squeeze of lemon on a lightly toasted hot dog roll is absolutely all you need.
Rick’s SeafoodNorth WildwoodI found out the hard way how popular Rick’s Seafood was last year when I called bright and early on a Saturday morning and was told that the earliest I could pick up my food would be well after dinner. That kind of demand usually means that greatness awaits, and in the case of Rick’s Seafood, it surely does. Absent nearly any frills, this spot thrives on the pure quality of the product they put out.
The cream of crab soup is a standout: luscious and textured, with sweet bits of fresh blue crab and specks of Old Bay. Their giant butterflied fried shrimp are downright addictive and have a more exquisitely crispy breading that I have not come across in my travels. Ditto for the scallops, which are a must—as they are caught locally, and yes, you can taste the difference.
Oyster Creek Restaurant and Boat BarLeeds PointYou’ll have to travel deep into the Pine Barrens that serve as the birthplace of the Jersey Devil to get to this restaurant, but it’s well worth the ride. Upon arrival, the woods give way to a marsh, with a looping road of crumbling fisherman’s shacks bordering the seascape. The crown jewel is the Oyster Creek Restaurant.
It’s one of the rare shacks where I would steer clear of the usual deep-fried suspects (their breading is too dense on its own). Instead, opt for the spicy and addictive Jersey Devil shrimp appetizer, which comes drenched in a deliciously spicy sauce over coleslaw, or the East Coast oyster stew to start, followed by any one of their sushi rolls. Yes, sushi rolls here are totally out of place, but if it ain’t broke…
Shore Fresh Market and RestaurantPoint Pleasant BeachGenerally, when I hear the term bisque, I picture a heavy, cream-forward soup, so I was perplexed when I dipped my spoon into the much thinner suspension of the shrimp bisque at Shore Fresh.
Visually, it boasted the same tomatoey ruddiness of Manhattan clam chowder, but was far more lush and buttery, and heavily seasoned. It made for a stellar opening act to the lightly fried flounder, which was a standout in my seafood combo plate.
For the last 20 years, Shore Fresh has been serving simple, fresh and genuine seafood. It’s worth a stop.
Crab ShackBrickCrab Shack is technically in Brick, just over the bridge from and in direct contrast to the stunning oceanfront mansions of Mantoloking. It’s been in operation for more than 50 years, and though its interior and outdoor patio have each been spruced up recently, it maintains the years of gritty charm in its DNA.
The menu regularly includes unexpected items like clams chorizo and lobster sliders, but when you are a stone’s throw away from one of the most popular crabbing sites in the area, it’s hard to resist ordering a crab cake sandwich. I did just that and was greeted with a large and very messy stack of deliciousness, with the subtly spiced crab-cake itself taking center stage among a supporting cast of fresh sliced tomato, leaf lettuce and tartar sauce, all stacked high on a subtly sweet potato bun.
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Fish, crustaceans, insects and worms are among the staples of a seagull’s natural diet. Yet at the Jersey Shore, it seems they’re more attracted to pizza, french fries and funnel cake.
Take Ocean City, for example. Seagulls became increasingly aggressive as they swooped down from the sky, their beaks grabbing treats from people’s hands.
Mayor Jay Gillian’s patience finally reached its limit in 2019 when he witnessed a gull yanking a slice of pizza from a toddler in a stroller on the boardwalk. “I said, ‘That’s the last straw! Something must be done,’” the mayor recalls.
The city had already tried fishing line, jarring sounds and plastic owls to keep gulls at bay. Nothing worked. So Gillian assigned George Savastano, the city’s business administrator and municipal engineer, the daunting task of finding a humane solution to the escalating gull takeover.
Photo: Matt ZugaleWhat Savastano came up with has been used successfully every summer since then: a professional team of falconers (bird handlers) who release trained falcons, Harris’s hawks and, occasionally, a Eurasian eagle owl into the Ocean City sky. It’s the only program of its kind at the Jersey Shore.
The goal is for these raptors, or birds of prey, to scare gulls back to bays, marshes and the ocean—their natural habitats.
“When George first told me about this idea,” Gillian recalls, “my reaction was, ‘You have got to be kidding!’ But the method has been very effective.”
Photo: Matt ZugaleAccording to Erik Swanson, owner of East Coast Falcons of Lodi, the Bergen County company that Ocean City hired for the gull abatement program, the problem isn’t that gulls prefer junk food to what they eat in nature. It’s that tracking down crabs and oysters requires effort, while grabbing a french fry from a person’s hand is a piece of cake.
Angelina Caselli of Newfield, Gloucester County, oversees the Ocean City falconers. Three of them traverse the boardwalk, beach and business districts every day, seven days a week, from 8 am-9:30 pm from Memorial Day to Labor Day, and on weekends for a month before and after the high season.
Photo: Matt ZugaleThe 2026 price tag is $370,000, says Daniel Kelchner, the city’s director of community services. The cost is justified, Gillian notes, because “the problem had become more of a public-safety issue than a nuisance. The program helps not only our residents and visitors, but also the seagulls, whose health is improved when they eat what they’re meant to eat.”
Caselli, 22, was only 16 when she joined Ocean City’s seagull project, becoming manager three years later.
She says East Coast Falcons’ 16 birds have names. One falcon is named Karen “because she likes to talk a lot,” Caselli laughs. Two of Harris’s hawks are brothers Marco and Polo. Ozzy is the owl.
Caselli says the birds begin their training, which takes just a month, at the impressionable age of two months.
Photo: Matt ZugaleIn Ocean City, about a dozen raptors take turns soaring for about two hours at a time before returning to their trainers’ arms, which are protected from their sharp talons by a falconry glove. What makes the birds return to the trainer? “They know they’ll get a treat,” Caselli replies. “They’re food motivated.”
Many beachgoers who frequent Ocean City’s sands are grateful for the program. “Three times I’ve had a gull take a slice of pizza from me,” says Vincent Malfitano, 63, an Ocean City novelist and retired attorney. “Now we eat inside a CoolCabana, which stops seagulls because they don’t come under things. The falcons and hawks help, plus they’re part of the entertainment.”
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There are so many ways to cool off at the Jersey Shore when the sun’s out in full force. Whether you’re up to try a new water sport or you’d prefer to kick back at a pool bar, here are 33 ways to enjoy the water this summer.
Wing foilingBarnegat BayA boarder goes wing foiling. Photo: Courtesy of Kainetic Adventures/Eric DuranFor a water adventure beyond the expected, foiling—done on a board—allows riders to rise out of the water and glide above the surface, thanks to a hydrodynamic foil underneath. Kainetic Adventures takes things one step further with wing foiling, where the boarder is propelled by an inflatable wing sail. Kainetic can meet up at a variety of access points to Barnegat Bay for a personalized, two-hour experience. Instructors are very knowledgable, and all equipment is included. Family instruction is available, too, starting at age 12. —Jon Coen
Surfing in natureIsland Beach State ParkIsland Beach State Park in Ocean County. Photo: Courtesy of NJ Division of Travel and Tourism/VisitNJ.orgWhile New Jersey has 130 miles of coastline that is all potentially surfable, the 3,000-acre Island Beach State Park in Ocean County offers the opportunity for a unique surf adventure. With 10 miles of uninterrupted sandbars and dunes, it’s the most nature-immersive surf experience in the state. Pack a cooler, drive south of the swimming beaches, and maybe surf with just the birds and dolphins. —JC
[RELATED: Surfer and Skateboarder Caroline Duerr Rides the Jersey Shore Her Way]
Stand-up paddleboard yogaSea Isle CityWho says yoga can only ground its practitioners on dry land? Harbor Outfitters takes yoga onto the water with classes that use stand-up paddleboards for poses instead of yoga mats. After some land instruction, yogis can reach the ultimate flow state on a stable, buoyant SUP in the calm waters of Sea Isle City. All skill levels are welcome to join classes. —Jessica Hammer
Gunnison BeachSandy HookWhile European sands are known for their clothing-optional beaches, here in the Garden State there is a single place for full-body sun. This free beach allows swimming, but does not have lifeguards (though some of Sandy Hook’s other beaches do). The discovery of Gunnison’s secluded spot in the free-loving ’70s led daring beachgoers to go au naturel. In the late ’90s, when the Jersey Legislature moved to prohibit nude beaches, a loophole left Gunnison to its own devices because its shore is owned and managed by the federal government. —Deborah P. Carter
One-mile ocean swimVarious locations
Test your swimming skills in one of more than a dozen one-mile ocean races. From Sea Bright in July, when the ocean temps are usually above 65 degrees, to Meters for Mike in Belmar in September, local beach towns offer early-morning weekend events monitored by lifeguard patrols. Like a running race, swimmers are required to register and wear a timing chip. —R.C. Staab
Aqua trikesSeaside HeightsSure, you’ve biked along the boardwalk down the Shore, but have you cycled into the ocean? Stable at sea and on land, an aqua trike—available to rent from Pedals and Paddles in Seaside Heights—is an oversized tricycle that can tread water, made possible because of its large, buoyant wheels. Up to three people can fit on each trike. Cost is $25 to rent for a half hour or $35 for an hour. —JH
Viking Rowing ClubVentnor CityWhether you’re an experienced rower or a newcomer looking to give the sport a try, Viking Rowing Club is the place to begin. Welcoming all experience levels, Viking offers a variety of programs, including the Chicken Dippers summer program (for newbies aged 10-14) and the Masters program, which goes out in early mornings when the back bays are calm. The club offers a number of opportunities during its Masters season, which runs from Memorial Day through Thanksgiving, that allow novices to get their feet wet. —JH
The Original Belmar Tiki BoatBelmarTrade in beachside bars for a two- to six-hour tiki cruise across Belmar’s Shark River. Excursions have a festive, tropical feel, with each boat finished with bamboo lining, a palm-thatch awning, a sound system and plenty of bar seating. Vessels can accommodate up to 45 guests. Book a private experience for your crew, or mingle with new faces on a public cruise. BYO drinks and food. Public cruises are $55 per person; private cruises start at $1,450. —Emily Melvin
Island Girls Surf and SkateBeach HavenIsland Girls Surf and Skate focuses on building confidence as well as athletic skills. Photo: Courtesy of Sandy Avocado Surf/Nolan BradleyThe goal of Sandy Avocado’s Island Girls Surf and Skate program isn’t just to introduce girls to board sports, but to empower them to delve into the lifestyle. Running Monday through Thursday each week of July and August, the program is designed for girls 8-15 years old. Over a five-hour day, instructors help build surf and skate confidence with yoga, art and journaling—in addition to hands-on sports time. The daily schedule is planned around ocean conditions. —JC
Sunset dolphin cruiseCape MayPhoto: Shutterstock/Nadiia KorolCape May Whale Watch & Research Center offers two-hour sunset cruises led by marine biologists aboard the American Star, a 100-foot passenger ship designed for sightseeing. With a crew that prioritizes responsible marine-mammal viewing techniques, you’ll not only see dolphins, but enjoy the view of Cape May, America’s oldest seaside resort. In the event that you don’t see marine mammals, they offer a free return trip that never expires. —JC
Barnegat Oyster CollectiveBarnegat TownshipAt Barnegat Oyster Collective, patrons can learn about the harvesting process and dine on the fresh catches. Photo: Courtesy of Barnegat Oyster Collective/Alyssa MancinBarnegat Oyster Collective is a working oyster operation on Barnegat Bay, a marina from which the oystermen launch their boats to work the lease areas on the water and return with oysters to process. During the summer months, a full-service restaurant and raw bar provide a true farm-to-table experience. Open for lunch and dinner (with choices that extend beyond shellfish), diners can watch and learn about oyster farming and its benefits to local waterways while enjoying a fresh and delicious meal beside the water the food came from. —JC
Island Aqua ParkMargateThis enormous bouncy playground is situated in Margate’s protected back bay. Ages 6 and up can hop from one inflatable attraction to the other, jumping, climbing, sliding and, of course, swimming. Life jackets are provided; lifeguards assure a safe experience. Reservations are required; book your spot for an hour or more. Due to fluctuating tides, hours of operation vary. —Lauren Payne
Holgate BeachLong Beach TownshipHead out near Holgate’s bayfront and paddle along the western edge of Long Beach Island’s quiet southern back-bay shoreline. With no land access until after October 1, the western edge of the Edwin Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge offers views of abundant wildlife skimming along marshes. Kayaks can be rented locally, with life jackets and tips on the best routes for the day’s wind and tide. Post paddle, reward yourself with a sandwich from a nearby deli and a walk over the dunes to LBI’s famed Holgate surf break. —RCS
Sandy Hook BayMonmouth CountyRent kayaks, paddleboards or inflatable islands to head out into the calm, shallow bay waters at the Sandy Hook Unit of the Gateway National Recreation Area. Across from Parking Lot C, there’s a narrow bay beach that’s perfect for families or people wanting to test their water-sport skills in a sheltered environment. Rental fees are charged in addition to entrance fees to the park. —RCS
Fish AlleySea Isle CityCapping off a day at the beach in Sea Isle City, head over to the back bay for a fresh seafood dinner at Fish Alley on and near Park Road. There are about a half-dozen restaurants, several of which have been around for more than 100 years. Go inside for dinner or grab takeout and find a picnic table to watch the sunset as commercial fishing vessels return home with their catch. Mike’s Seafood, Marie’s Seafood and Carmen’s Seafood Restaurant have seating on the water. —RCS
Marine Mammal Stranding CenterBrigantinePhoto: Courtesy of Marine Mammal Stranding CenterWith the resurgence of cleaner waters off New Jersey, more seals, dolphins and humpback whales are feeding close to the shores. With the help of the Marine Mammal Stranding Center, these creatures can often be rescued (including this female harp seal, found in Virginia Beach on March 17; she was transported to New Jersey for recovery). In Brigantine, the stranding center’s compact visitor center explains rescue protocols, shows live video of animals in rehabilitation at the building, and sells merchandise that supports this important work. —RCS
Thundering SurfBeach HavenThe Lazy Crazy River (with relaxation and wave modes) winds through Thundering Surf Waterpark. Photo: Courtesy of Thundering Surf/Ann Coen StudioCelebrating its 50th summer at the Jersey Shore, this family-friendly water park delivers everything from high-speed mat racers and twisting slides to a FlowRider surf simulator and kid-friendly splash zones. For a slower pace, drift along the lazy river (just remember that the attraction shifts into “crazy mode,” complete with waves, every half hour)—then recharge in a private cabana, available to rent for three hours or the entire day for up to 8-10 people. When your crew has had enough of the water, Thundering Surf houses two miniature golf courses (18 or 36 holes) on the premises, complete with caves, waterfalls and a variety of natural obstacles. —Natalie Civadelic
North Wildwood SeawallNorth WildwoodAt the northern end of the Wildwoods, there’s an incomparable 1.25-mile seawall that offers expansive views of the Atlantic Ocean and Hereford Inlet. Starting at Second Avenue and JFK Blvd in North Wildwood, walk for a few blocks and then head west along a sturdy concrete walkway, past the Hereford Inlet Lighthouse, to North Wildwood’s Anglesea neighborhood. Especially at low tide, the islands and sandbars appear and disappear as wildlife flies overhead. —RCS
Dockside diningVarious locationsMarina Grille’s seafood tower. Photo: Courtesy of Marina GrilleIf you have a boat and love the idea of dining dockside, there are plenty of options at the Shore. Marina Grille, located in Belmar, is positioned on the bay side of this happening beach town, so it’s one of the best places in the area to take in a beautiful sunset over the water while enjoying seafood and craft cocktails. The family-owned Lobster House in Cape May provides a lovely dockside view of the waterfront leading into Cape May Harbor. Much of the seafood comes from the restaurant’s own fleet of commercial boats. The Wharfside Seafood & Patio Bar in Point Pleasant Beach lies right off the Manasquan River, giving customers a view of both Gull Island and Fisherman’s Cove Conservation Area and, on Thursday nights, a special shrimp fest menu. —Jacqueline Mroz
Asbury Splash ParkAsbury ParkThe Asbury Splash Park is a delightful oceanfront outdoor spray park for kids aged 18 months to 12 years. Located right on the boardwalk at Second Avenue in Asbury Park, it features a tipping tea cup and enormous watering cans. It’s a great alternative to the beach when the surf conditions are rough or when the kids just want to have some fun splashing around and getting sprayed (and when the parents could use a bit of a break from the beach, too). —JM
F CoveBrickLocated just north of the Mantoloking Bridge and accessible only by boat, jet ski or kayak, F Cove is an unconventional summer hot spot. Shaped like an F, the lagoon attracts hundreds of people every weekend from Memorial Day through Labor Day. The concept is simple: Pull your boat up onto the sand or drop anchor and park it there for the day as you relax under the sun and munch on a hoagie (or sub) the New Jersey way. After you’ve soaked up enough sun, grab your raft and cool off with a dip in the Barnegat Bay. —Madison Smith
North Brigantine BeachBrigantineNorth of 15th Street, North Brigantine’s undeveloped beach, technically part of the Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge, is a half-mile stretch where leashed dogs and their owners can roam year-round. Four-wheel drive vehicles are allowed with a city permit. In the summer, dogs don’t need a beach tag, but people do. —RCS
Reel Therapy Bird-Watching CharterMonmouth CountyWhen charter fishing slows down in the summer for Captain Paul Eidman of Reel Therapy, he offers bird-watching excursions on his boat—particularly for raptors and other birds of prey. Meeting bird-watchers at various Monmouth County docks where he knows birds to be active, he helps passengers spy bald eagles, osprey and wading birds along the Shrewsbury and Raritan estuaries. A two-person, four-hour tour costs $600. —JC
Corson’s Inlet State ParkCape May CountyCorson’s Inlet State Park, which is located between Ocean City and Strathmere, is a rare pocket of undeveloped shoreline where short sand-and-gravel paths spill out to wild dunes and a quiet beach. Plus, it’s free! You can piece together a long walk along the ocean, then loop around to the bay and return to the ocean through the dunes. In Ocean City, there is a parking lot with meters, as well as metered parking along 59th Street. —RCS
Asbury Park Pedal BoatsWesley LakeBe the first to ride the new pink flamingo pedal boats on Wesley Lake and glide between the Victorian porches of Ocean Grove on one side and Asbury Park’s busy downtown on the other. Open every day throughout summer, Asbury Park Pedal Boats launch from a small dock on Lake Avenue and offer an easy, family-friendly activity. —RCS
H20 Pool at the Golden NuggetAtlantic CityGolden Nugget’s H20 Pool is six stories above the AC Boardwalk. Photo: Courtesy of Golden Nugget/Nick ValinoteTrade in the craps tables of Atlantic City for a cabana at the Golden Nugget’s H20 Pool & Bar—a sixth-floor rooftop oasis for adult relaxation. Rent a cabana or a daybed, or claim one of more than 300 poolside lounge chairs. Order food, take a dip in a hot tub, cozy up by a firepit as sunset nears, or grab one of the seats at the bar. Hotel guests receive complimentary admission; non-guests can purchase $25 day passes. —Jacqueline Larcara
Island Beach Kayak Clamming AdventureOcean CountyLearn about the role that clams play in the bay ecosystem and harvest a few for dinner. Launching from Parking Lot A21 in Island Beach State Park, you are provided with a kayak to follow your guide to the Sedge Islands Marine Conservation Zone clamming grounds, where you pull your own clams from Barnegat Bay. A recreational shellfish harvesting permit is required to bring home your clams. —JC
Island Waterpark at ShowboatAtlantic CityThis 103,000-square-foot, tropical-themed water park features more than a dozen slides, a 1,000-square-foot surf simulator, and a 6,500-linear-foot lazy river. The attraction offers sunshine on most summer days, and the retractable roof allows park access during rainy ones (and during winter). After dark, a section of the venue becomes an adults-only zone with music and cocktails. —DPC
Bayside barsSomers PointSomers Point’s historic bayfront mixes marina views with an old-school tavern vibe at places like Anchorage Tavern. For those looking for an alternative to dry restaurants in Ocean City, there are more than a dozen restaurants and bars along Bay Avenue and Shore Road. Grab takeout and head to William Morrow Beach park for free Friday summer concerts. —RCS
Barnegat LighthouseBarnegat LightAfter a splendid restoration in 2023, Barnegat Lighthouse (Old Barney) watches over Barnegat Inlet. For a small admission fee, climb its 217 narrow steps for sweeping views of Island Beach, LBI, and the shifting shoals offshore. It’s open daily in the summer, including night climbs on most Saturday evenings. Beyond the lighthouse, the state park has some of the best beaches on LBI for fishing, bathing and collecting seashells. —RCS
Pirate cruisesVarious locationsPhoto: Courtesy of Pirate VoyagesEach summer, from Ocean City to Wildwood Crest, Beach Haven to Brick, young pirates are being recruited, swearing oaths, and shooting water cannons at dastardly foes who have absconded with their treasures on a variety of pirate cruises that head out from the Shore. Options for a day of treasure hunting include Pirate Adventures Jersey Shore in Brick and Pirate Voyages in Ocean City, pictured above. —RCS
Spring Lake Paddle eventsSpring LakeParticipants get into the holiday spirit at the 2025 Spring Lake Santa Paddle. Photo: Michael ParasAlong the shoreline of Spring Lake, a quirky and costumed paddling tradition has taken on a deeper purpose. “The Santa Paddle began as a secondary event stemming from our annual Witches Paddle, held each October,” says Dawn McDonough of the Spring Lake Business Development Corporation. “Both events were created to draw visitors downtown while raising awareness for outstanding Monmouth County organizations that do good in our community.” Last year’s charity recipient was the Live Like Maddie Foundation, a Spring Lake-based nonprofit that supports those affected by rare diseases. This year, the Santa Paddle is switching gears to become the Uncle Sam Patriotic Paddle on July 11 “in celebration of America’s 250th anniversary,” McDonough says. The event is set to benefit a Monmouth County nonprofit. —Natalie Civadelic
Best Day FoundationLong Branch & BrickTurn your love of a day at the beach into an opportunity to help others. Best Day Foundation is a nonprofit organization that periodically hosts special-needs individuals, aged 4–24, for a day of fun in the surf and on the sand. Activities can include tandem surfing, stand-up paddleboarding, or simply building sandcastles. Events take place throughout the summer on Great Lawn Beach in Long Branch and Brick Beach III in Brick. —LP
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Atlantic City traded its usual casino-floor buzz for high-fashion glamour as Ocean Casino Resort transformed into a scene worthy of the silver screen during the East Coast’s only advance screening of The Devil Wears Prada 2 at the resort’s Ovation Hall on Wednesday night.
From the moment guests arrived, the evening leaned fully into its couture-inspired theme. Starting with an intimate VIP pre-party, held in one of the resort’s oceanfront suites, guests sipped cocktails and sampled caviar and other savories.
Guests posed for their own Runway cover shoots. Photo: Courtesy of Ocean Casino ResortCamera-ready setups allowed guests to sit at a recreation of Miranda’s infamous desk, pop into a photo booth and get a Runway portrait created by an artist. There was even a lipstick engraving station that added a personalized touch—a souvenir as stylish as the evening itself. Lots of movie-branded swag was on hand, from a print edition of the fictitious Runway magazine to T-shirts and caps inscribed with Miranda’s iconic lines.
Photo: Courtesy of Ocean Casino ResortThe entrance to the screening filtered attendees through a pre-party space with a TRESemmé beauty studio for glam touch-ups ahead of the red carpet. Flashbulbs popped as moviegoers posed in custom-designed photo booths, capturing their own magazine-cover moments before the screening.
By the time the lights dimmed in Ovation Hall, anticipation had reached a peak. The screening was the final act in an evening carefully curated to celebrate fashion, film and a bit of escapism—proving that, for one night at least, Atlantic City could rival any big-city premiere.
The much-anticipated sequel to the 2006 blockbuster opened in theaters May 1, again bringing Jersey heavy hitters to the big screen. The new film stars Meryl Streep as the ever-tough Miranda Priestly, still at the helm of trendsetting fashion magazine Runway. Anne Hathaway reprises her role as Andy Sachs, but this time is tasked with reviving editorial features to save the print edition from digital competition and control by advertisers. Newcomer Helen J Shen, a Basking Ridge native, takes on the role of Andy’s assistant, adding to the Jersey-powered cast.
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These days, my life looks a lot different than when I joined the cast of Jersey Shore 15 years ago. And honestly, I wouldn’t have it any other way. Many of you watched me grow up on TV (the final season of Jersey Shore: Family Vacation premieres on May 7). But if you’d told the younger version of me that one day I’d be writing about gratitude and purpose, he probably would’ve asked if you were feeling okay.
Life has a funny way of humbling you. A lot of that perspective came from going through my own battles with substance abuse and finding sobriety in 2015, something that completely changed the direction of my life. And for me, New Jersey has been the backdrop for the highs, the lows and everything in between. I’ve had my share of difficult circumstances (I bet you thought I was going to say situations), but what matters most is what you do after them.
These days, when I walk along the same streets in Seaside Heights that I did over 15 years ago, it feels different. It’s not about who’s watching anymore. It’s about who’s walking beside me. My wife, Lauren, my three kids and my family mean the world to me. There’s nothing better than experiencing the place that once represented chaos and seeing it now through a lens of peace and purpose—and maybe still a good meal, because let’s be honest, that part hasn’t changed.
And the Jersey Shore cast? That’s family, too. We’ve been through it all together—things people saw on TV and a lot they didn’t. Through every chapter, they’ve stuck by me. That kind of loyalty, you can’t fake.
You can’t script it, either. It’s real, and it’s rare. I’ll always be grateful for that. Even though Jersey Shore: Family Vacation’s time is coming to a close on MTV, this isn’t the end for us—it’s just a shift into what comes next. The cameras may change, the platform may evolve, but what we’ve built together isn’t going anywhere.
And then there’s giving back. Creating the Archangel Centers has been one of the greatest blessings of my life. Being able to help people who are going through tough times—addiction, mental health challenges, who feel lost or stuck—I see a lot of myself in them. If my story, my mistakes and my comeback can help even one person find their way, then every step of the journey was worth it.
Mike and Lauren Sorrentino with their kids Romeo, Mia and Luna. Photo: Magic MomentsThe Jersey Shore will always be iconic. It’ll always have that energy, that magic. But for me, it’s evolved throughout the years, just like I have. It’s no longer just a place where I partied. It’s a place where I found myself, lost myself, and found myself again. It’s where I learned that real strength isn’t about being the loudest in the room, it’s about being the most grounded.
So, yes, the style and the tan might be a little less intense these days, and the priorities have definitely changed. But the love for New Jersey? That’s forever. This place made me who I am. And now, I get to show up for it in a whole new way.
The comeback is always greater than the setback. And trust me—we’re just getting started.
Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino rose to global fame through Jersey Shore and Jersey Shore: Family Vacation, and is now a bestselling author, recovery advocate, and founder of Archangel Centers, a thriving recovery and wellness organization.
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The Sopranos is set in New Jersey for a reason. Our significant Italian population is hardly a well-kept secret, and although the suburbs of North Jersey are their most famous stomping grounds, you can find enclaves of Italian Americans throughout the state.
Culinarily speaking, the Jersey Shore might be best known for its giant boardwalk pizza slices and gloriously greasy sausage-and-pepper sandwiches, but scattered beyond the crashing waves and boardwalk honky-tonk, some of the best Italian meals await.
Oysters at Anjelica’s in Sea Bright Photo: Courtesy of Anjelica’s/Jacqui JacquesSnagging a reservation at Anjelica’s in Sea Bright ain’t easy, but the food lives up to to the hype. Locally harvested ingredients feature prominently in dishes like the Ostriche, which pairs Barnegat Bay oysters with prosciutto, breadcrumbs, butter and chives for a divine baked app. Traditional Italian dishes like tagliatelle al ragu somehow feel both familiar yet inimitable at the same time. The atmosphere matches the menu in that sense, as it’s welcoming and warm, but also feels exclusive—this is the place for special-occasion dining at the Shore and has been since opening way back in 1996.
“Classics are classics, old school will always be cool, and if you pair that with great ingredients, some whimsy and some everyday romance, sometimes magic happens,” says owner Anjelica Lena.
If you continue south down the coast, the hipster haven of Asbury Park lies not far away. The official cool kid of the Jersey Shore, Springsteen’s stomping grounds is a foodie paradise, so it’s no surprise that it also boasts one of the best Italian eateries in the state, Brando’s Citi Cucina. The pacheri bolognese is indescribably delicious—it should have a gold medal pinned to its starchy chest. If you go on a Friday, get the agnolotti, an appetizer special of mini pasta purses filled with filet mignon and served in a rich sauce that you won’t soon forget.
Vic’s in Bradley Beach Photo: Courtesy of Vic’sJust down the road (but a million miles away, aesthetically speaking) is Vic’s Italian Restaurant, a local Bradley Beach fave. Vic’s opened its doors in 1947, and every inch of the space, from the vintage neon signs to the knots in the wood-paneled walls, feels authentically old-school in the best possible way. Vic’s is about as Jersey as Jersey gets, and you’d better appreciate it, because these fabulous old-guard spots have become few and far between.
The restaurant has been in the family for four generations, and throughout each, the menu has stayed the same, with its super-thin-crust pizza the permanent star of the show.
“Everything on the menu today is from the old recipe cards from back then. We still have them in the kitchen,” says co-owner Travis Semblewski. “I think people like the way it is, and that it doesn’t change. It feels like the kind of place where Frank Sinatra might have sat at the table next to you.”
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The hottest ticket in town on Saturday night? The campus of Monmouth University.
Packed into the 700-seat Pollak Theater in West Long Branch for the Bruce Springsteen Center for American Music’s fourth annual sold-out American Music Honors, guests were treated to an intimate, often impromptu evening that saw Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band celebrating and jamming with Public Enemy, Patti Smith, Dr. Dre, the Doors, Darlene Love, Steve Earle and others. A few highlights: Dionne Warwick made a pass at Springsteen, who later fist-pumped with Flavor Flav and played a song from his teenage years with the Doors.
The Springsteen Center, which began on Monmouth’s campus via a fan-based collection more than a decade ago and evolved in 2017 to include the Boss’s official personal archive, is expanding into a $50 million museum-like institution, slated to open June 13.
After opening remarks by host Brian Williams and the Springsteen Center’s founding executive director Bob Santelli, Springsteen—who recently spoke exclusively with New Jersey Monthly about the new center for our May cover story—took the podium.
Buy our May 2026 issue here. Cover photo: Danny Clinch“The whole thing really got much more out of hand than I ever imagined,” Springsteen said to audience laughter. “It started with my stuff in a little shack over in the corner of the university. Now it’s in this [nearby] building, and the building is nicer than my house. And I have a really nice house!”
Springsteen then presented the first award of the evening to East Orange native Dionne Warwick—“one of my all-time favorite vocalists,” he declared. “I’ve listened to her music consistently my entire life…She simply has the most elegant voice in the history of popular music. It is so sophisticatedly sexy…deeply emotional while remaining deceptively casual…Never a wasted note.”
Springsteen spoke about his new Center for American Music at Monmouth University and inducted Dionne Warwick into the American Music Honors. Photo: Courtesy of the Bruce Springsteen Center for American Music/John CavanaughHe went on to praise Warwick’s precise phrasing, warm tone, and intelligent delivery and interpretation. “She just seems to inhabit the lyrics,” he said, describing her performances as “so pure” and “filled with a very natural and special type of spiritual grace.” He ticked off a laundry list of Warwick’s hits and shouted out “my personal favorite, ‘Are You There (With Another Girl).’”
Dionne Warwick performed “Walk on By” solo before her “That’s What Friends Are For” duet with Darlene Love. Photo: Courtesy of the Bruce Springsteen Center for American Music/John CavanaughWarwick, 85, sparkling in head-to-toe sequins, walked onstage beaming. “You really know my stuff, huh?” she mused incredulously to Springsteen. “It is an absolute privilege, I feel, to have been thought of in this manner,” she added. “It’s my pleasure to have taken the 45-minute ride—yeah, I live in South Orange,” she quipped, pumping both fists and flailing her drapey sleeves. Springsteen feigned dismay from the wings. “If he wasn’t married,” Warwick flirted, “he’d be married.” Springsteen and the audience erupted into laughter. (“To recap: Dionne Warwick just fully hit on Bruce,” Williams said when he returned to the podium.)
Warwick performed her 1964 hit “Walk on By” with the evening’s house band, Steve Van Zandt’s Disciples of Soul, followed by a duet of “That’s What Friends Are For” with surprise guest and 2023 inductee Darlene Love, the pair harmonizing and, for the final few seconds, joining hands. In the audience, Public Enemy’s Flavor Flav was audibly enthused.
Next, Williams introduced E Street Band guitarist Steve Van Zandt, first acknowledging their shared Middletown roots. “We try to be modest about it,” he said. “You’ll never hear us overtly brag that we have both [exits] 114 and 117 on the Parkway. That’s not our style; we know it to be true.” Of Van Zandt, he continued, “No one from Middletown has ever been all of these things: musician, arranger, music director, producer, activist, actor and author.”
Van Zandt took the stage to induct the next nominee, the Doors. “I didn’t get the Doors at first,” he recalled. “Growing up, we had a pretty serious prejudice against everything from the West Coast….But the real truth was that their music was just too sophisticated for me to understand.” At the end of his speech, he deemed them “one of the most amazing bands in history.”
Drummer John Densmore, 81, accepted the award, noting that the Doors played Asbury Park (Convention Hall in 1968), and recalling that both Springsteen and his future wife Patti Scialfa had both been in attendance and would later reminisce about the show. “If our music helped Bruce chat up his bride…and it apparently worked! They’ve been together quite a while,” he said. Bruce clapped and waved from the front row.
“This is a really healing night,” Densmore continued. “This is a love fest in a time of hate and division.” Soon Springsteen and Van Zandt rose from the audience to join Densmore, along with the Disciples of Soul, for a performance of the Doors’ “Light My Fire”—though not before Springsteen warned the audience. “I would hold your applause,” he joked. “I haven’t sung this since the CYO dance in 1967…There is no one in the room in danger of filling Jim Morrison’s leather pants…We’ll do what we can.”
Springsteen performing “Light My Fire” with Doors drummer John Densmore. Photos: Courtesy of the Bruce Springsteen Center for American Music/John CavanaughAfterward, Springsteen returned to the mic. “I’m lucky enough of a guy that has two of the most fabulous Pattis in my life,” he said, referring to his wife, Patti Scialfa, and Patti Smith, both inductees of the night (though Scialfa was not present). Smith, a South Jersey native, then sang a sultry cover of the Doors’ “The Crystal Ship.”
Next, E Street drummer Max Weinberg presented the event’s first posthumous honor to the Canadian-American rock band the Band. Weinberg, who possesses an encyclopedic memory and deep knowledge of music history, gave a lengthy speech that ended with fond remembrances of the Band drummer and vocalist Levon Helm. Helm’s daughter, singer-songwriter Amy Helm, accepted the award, then joined Springsteen, Love, Earle and the Disciples of Soul for a chills-inducing cover of “The Weight.” Helm rounded out the set with “Up On Cripple Creek.”
Music mogul Jimmy Iovine introduced the next inductee, Dr. Dre, who was chosen by Springsteen to be the award’s first hip-hop recipient, he said. “When I first heard [Dr. Dre’s The Chronic], I didn’t know a lot about hip-hop,” Iovine recalled. “But what struck me was the sound…And when I listened closer to the album,…I felt comfortable. It reminded me of the power of an album I worked on as a kid with Bruce Springsteen, Born to Run. They were both street operas. And like Born to Run, it froze time.”
Dr. Dre accepting the ceremony’s first-ever hip-hop award. Photo: Courtesy of the Bruce Springsteen Center for American Music/John CavanaughDr. Dre expressed his gratitude for being the first award recipient in this genre. “So many of us early pioneers grew up on hip-hop and watched an impact of drugs, violence, police brutality and an unfair justice system wreak havoc on our communities—and opportunities were scarce for creative young men like myself that didn’t excel in school, athletics or sports…but had gifts just the same,” he said in his speech. “Hip-hop allowed us to be seen and heard beyond the concrete walls of our neighborhoods. And for the first time, we were able to use our creativity to express our collective pain, raise social consciousness and, in my case, add elements of dark humor to the realities of life in the hood…I can’t imagine what my life would be without hip-hop right now.”
After the Disciples of Soul performed “California Love,” Public Enemy’s Flavor Flav and Chuck D delivered a roof-raising performance of “Fight the Power.” Springsteen bopped and fist-pumped along with the rest of the audience. “I love you, Bruce!” Flavor Flav shouted at the end.
Springsteen and Steve Van Zandt rocking out to Public Enemy’s set. Photo: Courtesy of the Bruce Springsteen Center for American Music/John CavanaughNext came the induction of the E Street Band by Springsteen’s longtime manager, Jon Landau.
“Having worked with the band for the last 52 years, I can tell you a few key things,” he said. “No modern computer or algorithm would have ever chosen this group of people to work together.” (E Street pianist Roy Bittan, seated next to this reporter, chuckled.)
“[They have] such different backgrounds, styles, tastes and approaches to music,” Landau explained. “And yet…when they plug in and play, they create a sound like no other, a sound you’ve never heard before; a sound more monumental than any rock band has ever created now and, in my opinion, forever. How that happens is a bit of a mystery.”
Springsteen’s longtime maganger, Jon Landau, inducted members of E Street Band. Photo: Courtesy of the Bruce Springsteen Center for American Music/John CavanaughLandau honored each member: guitarist Steve Van Zandt (“He’s been an architect, helping to shape the band’s sound and spirit”); pianist Roy Bittan (“He doesn’t just play notes; he paints landscapes”); drummer Max Weinberg (“with power and purpose…he brings a sense of urgency to every performance); Garry Tallent (“He doesn’t demand attention, but without him, everything would feel different: less anchored, less whole, less unique”); Patti Scialfa (“the voice of warmth and fire…her presence adds another layer of connection”); and Nils Lofgren (“as hardworking a musician as you’ll find, versatile and…indispensable”).
Landau also honored, in absentia, the late organist Danny Federici (“There was a sense of nostalgia, boardwalks, backstreets woven into every note he played”) and saxophonist Clarence Clemons (“His solos…were emotional climaxes, conversations between instruments and hearts. When Clarence stepped forward, time stood still”).
E Street Band saxophonist Jake Clemons accepting a posthumous award for his uncle Clarence. Photo: Courtesy of the Bruce Springsteen Center for American Music/John CavanaughFederici’s son Jason took the mic to accept his late father’s award. He recounted the Flemington native’s musical journey: seeing an accordion player on TV at age five, starting lessons and then playing county fairs under his mother’s management, and being awestruck the first time he saw Springsteen perform as a teen. He “weaved his heart and soul into the music of this beautiful band.”
Current E Street Band saxophonist Jake Clemons stood in for his late uncle. “Clarence and I had the same size feet, so in a quite literal sense, filling his shoes was never a big issue for me,” Clemons said. “However, his footprint is an entirely different story. That imprint that has indelibly left its mark on me and this band…is monumental.” He invoked Springsteen: “To quote one of our greatest poets: ‘Clarence doesn’t leave E Street when he dies. [He] leaves when we die.’” Springsteen, visibly moved, pounded his chest and blew a kiss to Clemons.
Each of the band’s honorees then gave brief remarks.
Springsteen hugged Clemons, Van Zandt and Lofgren before speaking on behalf of his wife, Patti Scialfa, who has previously explained that she is immunocompromised due to multiple myeloma. “She wants to give you all her love and wants to let you know that she’s doing well,” he said to audience applause. He recalled Scialfa breaking up the “lost” and “wanderin’” boys’ club when she joined the band in 1984. Her voice gave the band’s sound “greater meaning and grounding,” he said, describing it as ”a blend of strength and tenderness and grit and grace….She made the music fuller, richer, more human.”
He also spoke of Scialfa’s own “fearless” songwriting: works that “reveal an artist who’s been unafraid to explore the intimate corners of life: love and longing, family and identity….The truth in her writing whispers instead of shouts.” Onstage, he said, she is both a “fellow performer” and “kindred spirit,” adding, “As a band we’ve been lucky to have her musicianship; I’ve been lucky to have her companionship. So no one’s been luckier than me.” He bowed toward his bandmates onstage, then leaned back into the mic to add, “Love you, Patti.”
Springsteen and the E Street Band then launched into a performance of “Thunder Road,” a fan favorite that was recently scrapped from the band’s nightly setlists on the current American leg of their Land of Hope and Dreams tour.
Springsteen and the E Street Band performing “Thunder Road.” Photo: Courtesy of the Bruce Springsteen Center for American Music/John CavanaughKicking off the final portion of the night, Springsteen returned to the mic to induct his “great friend and love,” Patti Smith. “Before all the revolutionary records, before the legend, there was a young poet, a girl from South Jersey,” Springsteen said, “[She] arrived in New York, nothing but imagination, talent, soul, spirit, love, anger, fearlessness, attitude, resolve. And in the crucible of downtown Manhattan…she really redefined what a rock ‘n’ roll voice could be.” He recalled that her “powerful” debut album in 1975, Horses, “didn’t politely enter the culture; it kicked the door in.”
He spoke of their late ‘70s collaboration on his half-started song “Because the Night,” which Smith finished and released as a “transcendent” hit single. “It needed her voice,” Springsteen said. “There was just something in her voice…the longing…that I had not written into that song. When I sing it every night, it remains one of the high points of our show.” In closing, he addressed Smith directly: “Your work has lit fires in countless souls, including mine.”
Smith took the mic and joked that she had not prepared remarks (“I don’t think I read the email”). She confessed her initial ambivalence about accepting the award—“I know my worth: it’s 70 percent arrogance and 30 percent poetry”—but said she’d decided she couldn’t “go against the wishes of the other Patti [Scialfa],” nor miss an opportunity to thank some of her collaborators, briefly tearing up in the process.
Smith recalled that she’d been “instantly beguiled” by “Because the Night” in its unfinished form, describing it as “relentlessly sensual…anthemic—it just needed a few lyrics.” She ended her speech by thanking Springsteen. “I never even knew you liked my stuff so much….I’ll cherish every word that you said for the rest of my life, and it will give me the courage and some more strength to keep on going,” she said, concluding with, “I got the Boss on my side.” She then sang “Because the Night” with Springsteen on lead guitar and back-up vocals.
The evening ended with a soaring jam session to “People Have the Power.” Photo: Courtesy of the Bruce Springsteen Center for American Music/John CavanaughClosing out the ceremony, Smith led the crowd into the evening’s finale, “People Have the Power,” as most of the inductees and guest performers returned to the stage to dance and sing along. “Come on up!” Smith coaxed a hesitant Dr. Dre onstage, then urged the audience to their feet: “Come on, people! Get up!” The song grew more raucous with every passing second: Steve Van Zandt grabbing a cowbell; Flavor Flav riffing into a mic and hugging everyone. To paraphrase Brian Williams from earlier that night, there was practically smoke rising from the stage.
The post Recapping the Bruce Springsteen Center’s Intimate, Raucous 2026 American Music Honors appeared first on New Jersey Monthly.
Dense fog creeps through the dark, sleepy island of Widow’s Bay. A distinct sense of foreboding sets in—this is no mere weather event.
“It’s a haunt!”
At least according to Wyck, a grizzled island local. He believes the place is cursed, and he’s not the only one. A missing man is presumed to be “taken” by the fog, and Wyck fears the curse will soon take everyone. But Mayor Tom Loftis has no patience for folklore and superstition. Desperate for summer tourism, he’s pushing Widow’s Bay as “the next Bar Harbor” even though an earthquake just knocked out power lines.
This fictional island sits off the coast of New England, though its creator says the “cursed” land was born from Jersey shores.
Widow’s Bay, a new Apple TV series that chases comedy with the macabre, is the first show from screenwriter Katie Dippold, who developed a taste for frights growing up in New Jersey. She’s known for writing movies like The Heat, Haunted Mansion and the 2016 Ghostbusters reboot.
The showrunner, who hails from Freehold, got her scares at the Shore in the ’80s.
Katie Dippold during a 2018 visit to Freehold Township High School to speak to the students. Photo: Courtesy of Katie Dippold“There used to be a haunted house on the boardwalk in Long Branch,” Dippold tells New Jersey Monthly. “It was terrifying, and I was way too young for it … I would be so scared, but I would be so excited and giddy. And that’s actually a huge inspiration for this show I’m doing, because I want to capture that feeling again, where something is tense and terrifying, but then you still laugh at the end.”
Widow’s Bay, premiering with two episodes April 29, stars Matthew Rhys as Tom, mayor of an island that’s more Tales from the Crypt than Ted Lasso.
Series creator Dippold, 46, and Rhys, Emmy-winning star of The Americans, are executive producers alongside Hiro Murai (Atlanta and Barry), who directs half the episodes. Screen veteran Stephen Root (also Barry) plays the rattled Wyck. At first, Tom refuses to entertain his stories about ghouls and curses. He dismisses them as “tall tales” invented by bored men at sea … until a whole bunch of seemingly supernatural things start happening to him. Tales of ghost ships, killer clowns, local zombies and detestable sea hags build to jump scares with plenty of laughs around every corner.
“I’m a horror fan, first and foremost, even though I’m a comedy writer,” Dippold says from Los Angeles, where she’s lived for 20 years (she misses Jersey diners, bagels, pizza, trees, humid nights and lightning bugs).
Tom claims that Widow’s Bay is home to the second oldest lighthouse in the United States. Source: dubious.
New Jersey’s Sandy Hook is, in fact, the oldest still in operation. Dippold grew up a short drive from the Shore, where her friends favored Manasquan.
“I sunburn easily so I did not go as much as them,” she says, calling her face “translucent.” But she appreciates the boardwalks. “I think we went to Wildwood after prom. My boyfriend of 15 years, he’s from outside of Philly, and his family would go to South Jersey every summer and they still have a condo there. So every summer, I go to Margate and we’ll go to the Ocean City boardwalk where they’ll have dark rides (she also likes the oversized pizza slices). That dark ride in a summer on a boardwalk is everything that makes me happy. But also New Jersey itself—I love it so much. Even though this show is about New England, it is a lot about growing up in New Jersey in the ’80s and ’90s.”
The mystery at the heart of Widow’s Bay is gradually revealed through stories from the island’s past. Dippold prefers the 10-episode arc to horror that “resets” each week. “I didn’t want it to feel like a parody,” she says, though the show does celebrate horror tropes. That meant casting a lead who could carry mood shifts.
“Matthew Rhys is such an incredible actor,” Dippold says. “He has this pitch-perfect comedic timing.”
Everyone on set in Massachusetts was “downright giddy” about Rhys, Dippold says. The cast also includes English actor Kate O’Flynn (My Lady Jane), Emmy winner Jeff Hiller (Somebody Somewhere) and Dale Dickey (The Lowdown) as Widow’s Bay town employees. Kevin Carroll (The Leftovers) is the exasperated police chief and Kingston Rumi Southwick (Presumed Innocent) is Tom’s restless son, who wants off the island.
As for Dippold, she left Jersey with her family in second grade, moving to upstate New York then the San Francisco Bay Area. They returned her sophomore year at Freehold Township High—just in time for Mischief Night was her pal Johnny.
“Before smartphones, you had to look for a way to keep yourself busy, and we would do that in the form of terrorizing our friends,” she says. “We kept driving to his parents’ house where his mom was sitting in the living room, and we would hit the high beams. She would look nervous and come to the window, and we would just drive away … We came back a third time and his dad’s car was no longer in the driveway. It was very chilling. We’re like ‘oh no, he’s out there somewhere.’ We just quietly tried to drive away and get out of there, and then his dad just sped out from the trees and caught up to us and cut us off. And we just start screaming, like, ‘we’re sorry! We’re sorry!’”
Dippold at the 1984 Freehold Township Memorial Day parade. Photo: Courtesy of Katie Dippold***
Dippold brought her affinity for shadowy scenes to Rutgers, where she met comedian Chris Gethard. He worked for Weird N.J. before breaking out as a stand-up.
“There’s something about exploring scary places,” she says. “We would go to Clinton Road (in West Milford). But also there’s an abandoned mental institution we went inside. I don’t recommend doing this, but just that feeling of thinking you can explore all these different weird, strange things, that’s something I wanted to put in the show … There’s just something lurking beneath the surface.”
As a child, the future journalism major made her own newspaper—emphasis on the opinion section. “I would write articles, most of them disparaging, just very rude to my sister,” Dippold says. “Then I would start writing stories. I remember I would take plastic wrap around the front page and the back page to make it look more like a real book. In high school, the idea of being a screenwriter just sounded very exciting to me.”
She found a passion for sketch comedy at Rutgers’ Cabaret Improv Theatre and College Avenue Players. She also interned at Late Night with Conan O’Brien. She performed at Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre in New York, and in 2006, moved to LA and wrote for Mad TV.
Dippold made her feature screenwriting debut with action movie The Heat (2013), directed by Paul Feig. The buddy comedy, starring Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy, grossed $229 million worldwide. (Ghostbusters—also directed by Feig—Snatched and Haunted Mansion followed.)
“There’s a sequel for the movie written,” she says, though Bullock didn’t want to pursue another film. (Dippold doesn’t think she read the script.) “I was writing it and I saw a headline in Huffington Post saying she doesn’t like doing sequels. Who knows, maybe one day it’ll change her mind. That would be a lot of fun. She was great.”
A certain strain of municipal humor feels familiar in Widow’s Bay.
“This script was my spec script to get a writing job on Parks and Recreation,” Dippold says.
The NBC comedy series is prized from New Jersey to California for its hilarious, lovable characters, memorable lines and skewering of town government (plus coining Galentine’s Day and Treat Yo’ Self Day). Dippold, who wrote for the show starting in 2009, adores its penchant for “following the fun,” or building whole episodes referencing earlier “throwaway” gags.
Curious paintings in Widow’s Bay recall the horrific town murals of Pawnee, Indiana. “Parks and Rec is in my DNA,” Dippold says.
In the new show, characters point out misogynistic details from island legends. (The ghost of Hortense Fitzgerald is an “ugly woman” who fell to her death fleeing her wedding: “If you say ‘ugly Hortense’ three times you’ll see her ungrateful reflection.”) Dippold’s first version of Widow’s Bay 18 years ago “was much jokier, and I don’t know that I would’ve watched,” she says. Series writers developed the local lore, from artifacts to sea shanty tunes. (The show’s title comes from wives waiting for husbands to return from sea — most didn’t.) Mayor Tom hypes up the island as a vacation spot, lack of Wi-Fi and crummy cell service be damned. A travel writer asks him if locals ever engaged in cannibalism.
“No,” Tom says, standing next to a framed article about cannibalism in Widow’s Bay. “I mean, look, was there a deadly storm in 1786? Yes. Did a group of people get trapped inside a church? Apparently so. Did they immediately turn to cannibalism? No, that took four days.”
Comedy! But have you seen Dippold’s hall-of-fame tweet?
“Tbt to Halloween when I dressed as the babadook but my friend’s house had more of a grown ups drinking wine vibe,” she posted in 2016. An accompanying photo, retweeted 123,000 times, showed her face painted ghastly white, her glowing eyes ringed with black makeup to match a top hat (like the 2014 horror film The Babadook). A decade later, Dippold elaborates on the viral moment.
“I didn’t walk in the door at first,” she says. “I stared through the window for a long time until they noticed me and would be scared. And that was successful. And then when I went inside, it really sunk in that no one was dressed up (a lone Sopranos-inspired tracksuit didn’t really count) … I was also drinking red wine, so I had red wine teeth, and that against the pale white makeup was very upsetting to everyone. And then we just kind of sat down and watched an entire movie. That’s one thing the tweet doesn’t show.”
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The new Bruce Springsteen Center for American Music opens June 13 at Monmouth University. Rendering: Courtesy of the BSCAM/COOKFOX ArchitectsAt first glance, the striking new $50 million, 30,000-square-foot Bruce Springsteen Center for American Music, its immense glass windows glinting on a corner of Monmouth University’s West Long Branch campus, might not immediately conjure its namesake New Jerseyan.
Is it a match for the onstage presence of a world-class rocker-slash-preacher who can casually hold any roaring stadium of 50,000 fans in the palm of his hand? Sure. Yet to a passing motorist, it might less readily evoke the other Springsteens: the shy singer-songwriter from Freehold, who wrote in his memoir of feeling “barely visible” most of his young life; who, just a few years ago, politely declined an offer for a Parkway rest stop in his name; and who, back in 1975, living mere minutes down the road and on the cusp of finishing Born to Run, mailed a handwritten apology to his “landlordess” for the late rent on his blink-and-you’ll-miss-it bungalow.
But on a late-winter hard-hat tour of the active construction site, about 100 days out from the center’s historic opening on June 13, Melissa Kozlowski, director of curatorial affairs, brings the sprawling exterior down to earth and its carefully chosen details into sharp focus.
The building’s main entranceway is, fittingly, a boardwalk. Rendering: Courtesy of the BSCAM/COOKFOX ArchitectsThe building’s main entranceway, partially hidden from street traffic, is—what else?—a boardwalk, modeled after the Boss-haunted landmark in Asbury Park, roughly five miles south. The architects “wanted to use every square inch of the property to do some type of thoughtful storytelling,” Kozlowski says, motioning to the area where a meadow of indigenous grasses will, come spring, replace the snow-dotted dirt. The facade of the building, she explains, is a nod to industrial New Jersey. It’s made of steel, site project manager Timothy Blake later adds, that’s been rusted and weathered “to a point where it builds this permanent patina.”
Buy our May 2026 issue here. Cover photo: Danny Clinch[EXCLUSIVE: Bruce Springsteen opens up about his new Center for American Music. Click here to read.]
Bruce wrote much of his 1975 Born to Run album in West Long Branch, minutes away from the new center. Photo: Courtesy of the BSCAM/Eric MeolaLike its eponymous artist, the Springsteen Center carries a long and storied past. It began in 2001 as a fan-based collection of donated memorabilia and grew to thousands of pieces, eventually coming to Monmouth in 2011, where it was housed in a tiny Cape Cod cottage on campus and nurtured by director Eileen Chapman, whose tenure as caretaker was the longest in its history. Named Springsteen’s official archive in 2017, the house had a distinctly informal spirit. Guests often dropped by unannounced to take a tour and peruse ephemera (albeit under Chapman’s watchful eye, and not without gloves). When out-of-towners on Springsteen pilgrimages inquired about other local landmarks—say, the Stone Pony, or rock photographer Danny Clinch’s gallery—she’d sometimes drive them there herself in her silver Ford Explorer. Due to a never-ending stream of donations, space became so scarce that even the bathroom was utilized for storage, with a mountain of boxes piled high in the tub.
Director Eileen Chapman at the Springsteen Center’s previous home, an overflowing cottage on Monmouth’s campus. Photo: Courtesy of the BSCAMWhatever the center may lose in scrappy charm as it evolves into a major institution, it will gain many times over in scope and scale across its exhibitions, public programming, education initiatives and research archives. “We made it very accessible for people—and we’ll continue to do that, but in a much different way,” says Chapman, who, along with founding executive director Bob Santelli, accompanied Springsteen on his very first hard-hat tour of the building. His reaction: “My mind is officially blown.”
From left: director Eileen Chapman, Springsteen, executive director Bob Santelli, Monmouth president Patrick Leahy and curatorial affairs director Melissa Kozlowski at the Springsteen Center’s building site. Photo: Courtesy of the BSCAMThe Springsteen Center in this newly expanded form, which officially broke ground in fall 2024, is helmed by Santelli, a music historian, journalist, educator and veteran music-museum curator whose long résumé includes the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland, the Woody Guthrie Center in Tulsa, and music education programs at the White House.
“I always dreamt that there should be a major Smithsonian museum on American music,” Santelli says. “We have them on art; we have them on history and science. Music is our most important cultural resource, and…we have nothing?! I said that until, in essence, Washington gets its act together, we’ll house the story of American music, and we’ll do it in a very 21st-century way, with programs, traveling exhibitions, and the collection of American music stories to use for educational purposes.”
The 2019 “Springsteen: His Hometown” exhibit in Freehold began as a class project at Monmouth University. Photos: Courtesy of the BSCAMThose traveling exhibitions began in 2019 with “Springsteen: His Hometown,” a collaboration with the Monmouth County Historical Association in Springsteen’s hometown of Freehold; curator Kozlowski, also the university’s director of public history, had started it as a project in her museums and archives management class. Currently, a Born to Run exhibit is on view in Passaic County, and a national traveling exhibit, “Music America: Iconic Objects From America’s Music History” (which launched in 2024, ahead of America’s semiquincentennial this year) recently relocated to Boston, where it will remain until August.
The center’s traveling exhibit, “Music America: Iconic Objects from America’s Music History,” is currently in Boston. Photo: Courtesy of the BSCAM“We have been very active with public programs, and we will only accelerate once we open,” Santelli says. “So this is the staging ground—but America is our proving ground.”
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More than a decade ago, while serving as founding executive director of the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles, Santelli received a call from Chapman about the fan-based collection, which had outgrown its home at the Asbury Park library and was “not in good shape,” he remembers. “I worked for a museum. I knew what a collection is and how it should be handled, and that wasn’t happening. Fans had done an amazing job assembling this. It felt sinful to let this thing grow mold.” Monmouth’s library, however, declined to take it.
“So I pulled rank and went to the president,” recalls Santelli, a distinguished alum and former faculty member who, by that time, had extensively covered the E Street Band as a journalist and edited Springsteen’s 1998 book, Songs. “I said, ‘I have to tell you: Library of Congress, Smithsonian, they’re calling me….They want me to introduce them to Bruce Springsteen…and I’ll be damned if I’m the guy who—New Jersey’s favorite son, his legacy is gonna move to Washington, D.C.? It needs to stay here!’”
A scrapbook kept by Marion Vinyard, a lifelong friend of Bruce’s whose husband, Tex, managed Bruce’s first real band, the Castiles. Photo: Courtesy of the collection of the BSCAM/Mark KrajnakAfter the collection had been saved and moved into the small archive house on campus, Santelli began dreaming even bigger, envisioning a more consequential institution in Springsteen’s name taking shape at Monmouth.
He eventually pitched the idea to Springsteen’s longtime manager, Jon Landau, who he wasn’t sure would be on board. Landau’s reaction, to his surprise: “You’ve gotta tell Bruce.”
Santelli flew to Jersey and drove out to Springsteen’s home in Colts Neck. “I just remember Jon saying, ‘Okay, Bob, tell him!’” he says. So he started talking.
“He didn’t say anything,” Santelli recalls fondly. “And Bruce is relatively a quiet guy. I couldn’t tell whether he was thinking about what he was going to have for lunch, or [his] next song, or this,” he muses. “I just kept going, explaining, because I had this vision. And at the end, he said, in so many words, ‘Bob, I’m honored; I appreciate that—but I don’t want it to be [all] about me.’ He said something to the effect of, ‘I’m a chapter in this ongoing story of American music. If you could broaden it so that I’m part of it, but we tell a bigger story, I’d be more comfortable with that.’”
How about, Santelli suggested on the fly, the Bruce Springsteen Center for American Music? Bruce was quiet again, listening.
“And then he says, ‘Well, let’s go see where you want to put it,’” Santelli recalls. He mimics Landau’s jaw dropping. “I couldn’t believe it.”
He and Landau got in their respective cars, Springsteen hopped on his motorcycle, “and we have this little procession” to Monmouth, Santelli says. “I’m going, Holy crap—he’s serious!”
When they arrived on the campus, Santelli pointed out the spot where he’d imagined the building.
“That’ll do,” Springsteen said, and got back on his motorcycle. “Well, Bob,” Landau said, turning to Santelli, “get started!”
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Back at the construction site, our trio donning hard hats, safety glasses and neon-yellow vests, Kozlowski points out the 240-seat, Dolby Atmos-certified theater where visitors will see a 20-minute documentary by Springsteen’s longtime filmmaker, Thom Zimny. The film will explore New Jersey as a musical “microcosm of America,” Springsteen’s vast American music influences; and how he has become the “poster boy” for American music, particularly in Europe, where “so many fans see him as the representation of this country, or what they want this country to be,” Santelli explains. The theater will also function as a performance space for events like the center’s annual American Music Honors. Springsteen’s longtime former sound team helped to make the space “absolutely perfect for live music,” Chapman says.
A 240-seat, Dolby Atmos-certified theater will double as a performance and event space. Rendering: Courtesy of the BSCAM/COOKFOX ArchitectsOn the first floor, the American Music Gallery will examine our country’s music history from the Colonial period to the present, beginning with indigenous music that existed prior to European contact in what is now North America, Kozlowski explains.
“Bruce himself said, ‘Look, I don’t want you to build a shrine to me. You can use my name, my story, my legacy as a springboard to tell broader stories about American life, history and culture,’” Kozlowski says. “There’s something for everybody. We grab them with the music and use that as a prism through which to explore broader themes in American life: technology, activism, gender, race, class.” There are artifacts (costumes, instruments) and interactive elements (a song bar, a touchable U.S. map). Artists span from Bob Dylan to Beyoncé, Frank Sinatra to Sabrina Carpenter, and Woody Guthrie to Whitney Houston.
The Springsteen Center celebrates not just Bruce and the E Street Band but music across American history. Renderings: Courtesy of the BSCAM/C&GUpstairs, the focus is on Bruce and the E Street Band. One room traces his life and career by the decade. Another, wallpapered with handwritten lyrics, spotlights his songwriting process. (“It’s like you stepped inside his notebook,” Kozlowski says. Originals are on display behind glass, “so you can see the cross-outs, and how the lyrics morph with time.”)
Handwritten Springsteen lyrics will be on view at the center, like these from “Last Man Standing,” an emotional centerpiece of his 2023-24 concerts. Photo: Courtesy of the collection of the BSCAM/Mark KrajnakIconic artifacts include his distressed jeans and crumpled red hat from the Born in the U.S.A. cover, his leather jacket from the Born to Run cover, and the recorder he used to make Nebraska. In one space, guests can plop onto bleacher seating and take in curated footage of Springsteen’s live performances. In another, interactive instruments are accompanied by audio from band members: Steve Van Zandt when you pick up a guitar, Max Weinberg when you sit down at the drums.
Bruce with his sisters Pam (center) and Virginia. Photo: Courtesy of the collection of the BSCAM/Mark KrajnakWhile there will be a modest admission fee for the exhibits, an archival suite will be open to the public by appointment. There, visitors can explore menus of curated, digitized archival content such as handwritten lyrics, oral histories and pages from Springsteen’s mother Adele’s lovingly kept scrapbooks. Larger groups and families can book listening booths; serious researchers will reserve time in a private room.
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Leading up to its grand opening on June 13, the center is producing four celebratory concerts. Two at Monmouth’s Pollak Theater will highlight local music (late May) and indigenous music (June 3). A set of shows on June 4 and 5, “Music America: The Songs That Shaped Us,” at the university’s OceanFirst Bank Center, will feature nearly two dozen artists, including Springsteen, Jon Bon Jovi, Kenny Chesney and Rosanne Cash.
Racing toward the finish line, Santelli’s team is “the little engine that could,” he says. He’s assured them: “There’s a light at the end of the tunnel, and it’s not a train.” Early one recent morning, Kozlowski was sitting on the floor of Santelli’s office in sweats, trying to write a blurb “on the history of the intersection between race and music in America for 250 years in 150 words.” This is not, she laughs, a nine-to-five job. “It’s kind of all-consuming.” In Santelli’s temporary off-campus home, which doubles as a staging area, he wakes to a sea of priceless artifacts, including Springsteen’s old surfboard and a drum set from one of his early bands, Earth.
“It’s all very emotional,” Chapman says, her voice catching. “And I know [Bruce] is very pleased.”
The post Inside the New Bruce Springsteen Center for American Music Coming to the Jersey Shore appeared first on New Jersey Monthly.
Buy our May 2026 issue here. Photo: Danny ClinchDays before embarking on the E Street Band’s Land of Hope and Dreams tour, Bruce Springsteen sat down with New Jersey Monthly—for the first time in our magazine’s 50-year history—to discuss his newly expanded Bruce Springsteen Center for American Music at Monmouth University in West Long Branch, set to open June 13.
This conversation has been edited and condensed for clarity.
New Jersey Monthly: Thank you for taking the time to talk so close to embarking on the American leg of your Land of Hope and Dreams tour! Why was it important to you that the Bruce Springsteen Center for American Music take this broad approach, rather than just focusing on you and your work?Bruce Springsteen: Well, I was a little ambivalent at first, you know? I mean…the way the whole thing happened in the beginning, if I’m correct, was: the Asbury Park library had been collecting magazine articles and different things, and they began to build up an archive, and…they needed someplace else, and Monmouth University generously said that they would provide a place. So it ended up over in a small office over at Monmouth University. I don’t know if you’ve ever been over there, but it was kind of a tiny little shack…
Yes! It was so charming.…where they had a ton of my stuff tucked into it. And I think Bob [Santelli] suggested the idea of trying to build a [new] building that would house my material. I was a little hesitant at first. I’m going, like, “Gee, I don’t know, a building, my own stuff, my name on it—what if I do somethin’ really stupid and embarrass the building? I’m still alive; who knows what I might do?”
[Laughs.] You would never!
[Laughs.] So I was just a little hesitant. And then I think we began to mention that it might be something that was dedicated more to the overall story of American music, and that appealed to me a little bit more. And I said, “Well, that might be nice”—having someplace that was an educational center, where the students could go to, and children from outside of the university. And it could be a place where people could come and begin to learn how the history of American music influences and affects the history of America itself. And then they’d have a spot for my stuff, if anybody was interested and wanted to go and see what made my own work and the influences that were very important to me when I was putting my own work together.
[If you look at] what was going on in…America from the ’70s through the second half of the 20th century to now, that was sort of the world that I was interested in documenting: the effects of postindustrialization on a large part of the American populace, and how it affected their lives…and continues to do so today.
I said, “Well, it might be a place where you could go and see how my music was very deeply connected to the times.” And also, just someplace that was fun, [where] people could see some of the inspirations: how I came out of the Jersey Shore, and the effects the Jersey Shore had on my creative experience. And so…I said, “Well, okay, let’s give it a try. Let’s do it.”
Springsteen with Mavis Staples (center), Jackson Browne (left) and John Mellencamp at the American Music Honors in 2024. Photo: Danny ClinchCan you talk a bit more about those sounds and scenes on the Jersey Shore at that time that really shaped you musically?Well, Asbury was pretty lively…a blue-collar resort area, basically, in the ’50s when I was a child, and it was a big thing if my mother and father took me for a day to Asbury Park, you know? All of the amusements were there; the Easter Parade was a huge event. It was like going to the city…It was an eventful day if I went when I was a young child in the ’50s.
And then of course in the ’60s, Moe Septee brought in every great pop act that was influential and playing in those days: the Four Tops, the Temptations, the Rolling Stones, the Who, the Doors. Countless, countless—I mean, everybody came through Asbury Park. Now, at the time, I was kinda young, and I didn’t have the money to go see the shows, but I was on the boardwalk. I moved to Asbury, I think…around 1968…Now, by that time, Asbury was starting on its downward trend…There were the riots of…1970. And then there was me and a small group of musicians who lived in this little seaside town and created a little local music community—the center of which was a place called the Student Prince, originally. The Student Prince was pre the [Stone] Pony, and that was really where I got my start…Woodstock weekend, instead of being among the half a million folks that went to Woodstock, I was among the 150 people at the Student Prince, [laughs] watching my band play, making a few bucks.
But the town became central to my identity, and it became central to the identity of my music….The town was filled with a bunch of characters, and I sort of took them and embroidered upon them on my first record, Greetings From Asbury Park, and [my second,] The Wild, the Innocent & the E Street Shuffle. Those are all about my days in Asbury and on the East Coast and in this little blue-collar, sort of run-down amusement town.
So it deeply affected the music that I was writing about….When I finally got a record deal…I knew they were trying to say that I was a New York artist, because of the connection to Bob Dylan. My first photo shoot was a shoot in New York City, and if you go to the back of the Greetings From Asbury Park album, you’ll see there’s a picture of me that looks like I’m standing by the ocean. Actually, I was in New York City [laughs], and they put the ocean in later. It was after I [had been] walking down the boardwalk and pulled [a] postcard out of a little rack and said, “No, I’m not from New York City; I’m from Asbury Park, New Jersey, and this is what I want as my album cover.”
So I particularly decided that I wanted my identity to be connected to where I actually was coming from, and…the stories I was telling. And luckily enough, I had an art director, John Berg, at the time who saw the postcard and said, ‘Yeah, this is a good idea, let’s use it.’ So it gave me my own personality and character and identity, and it gave my music its grounding in where it really came from. And that was what I was interested in. The whole Asbury Park, the boardwalk was very central to the character I was trying to create, the world I was trying to bring to life on my first several records.
Springsteen performs at last year’s 50th-anniversary celebration of Born to Run at Monmouth University’s Pollak Theater. Photo: Courtesy of the collection of the BSCAM/Mark Krajnak*Right; they’re very evocative.* You’ve written and spoken about how you were always drawn to music in which the singers sounded “simultaneously happy and sad, hopeful and resigned”—songs like the Drifters’ “Under the Boardwalk,” “Up on the Roof;” music that was marked by, in your words, “a deep longing” and “a casually transcendent spirit” that made you feel like the “whole world opened up” to you. I love that, and I see it as one of your great strengths and “magic tricks”: your melding of sorrow and joy, kind of sitting with them as two sides of the same coin. And I’m curious if you think there’s something distinctly American, or even distinctly New Jerseyan, about that specific combination in music?Well, that was the life I was living. The life I was living was the Drifters’ “Under the Boardwalk” and “Up on the Roof.” I had a little apartment above the shoe store…where I lived on the third floor, and I would climb out my window and sunbathe on the tarred roof [laughs] on Cookman Avenue in Asbury Park when I was 20 years old. And so those songs were very important to the beginning of my emotional life and my emotional connection to music.
But then also…in my teens, I grew up through some of the most influential years of my life in the ’60s, so that brought a certain social consciousness into my music. And so those things together were very, very influential, in the beginning, of the structuring and building of the kind of music and the parameters of what I wanted my music to contain. Both of those things were very, very central.
And if you look at the E Street Band, the E Street Band does two things very well. One is, it’s one of the few bands that really communicates joy, you know? Playing “Rosalita” or “Out in the Street” or “Hungry Heart.” And there’s a lot of bands that communicate cool, there’s a lot of bands that communicate anger, but there [were] not a lot of modern rock bands at the time who communicated joy, which was an enormous part of the music of the ’50s and ’60s. And so I’ve always been proud of that side of my band that can speak to that part of people’s lives. It’s a very essential part of music.
And then at the same time, we can take on tough subjects and delve into them pretty seriously….As far as the boundaries of the music that the band can draw on and create, I’m very proud that the band has such a wide emotional bandwidth that we can bring to our audience.
It’s funny—we were in rehearsal the other day, and I said, “Okay, we’re gonna go out, it’s gonna be kind of a political tour, very serious,”…I sequenced all these serious songs. I said, “Wait a minute. Where’s the fun?” ’Cause no matter how serious we’re gonna be…fun, joy, exhilaration are an essential part of people’s lives. And I always want us to be able to address those things.
That’s lovely. Speaking of social consciousness, the first rotating exhibit at the new center is “Chimes of Freedom,” which will explore protest songs across American history, including your most recent one, “Streets of Minneapolis,” and go all the way back to what is the archive’s oldest handwritten lyrics of yours, an anti-war song called “All Man the Guns” that you wrote during the Vietnam War when you were 18 or 19. Do you have any recollection now of writing that song?Yeah, I do. Yeah, I remember that song really well. We had the [band] Steel Mill at the time, and Steel Mill was operating during the early ’70s, which was really still the ’60s, you know? The ’60s really rolled over into the early ’70s. So I was writing in Asbury Park, which had recently had the racial uprising, and Vietnam was still raging on. It was…coming into people’s living rooms on television every night, and it was an enormous, enormous issue. One of our first benefits we did was at a small theater in Red Bank…to send folks down to the anti-Vietnam War benefit in Washington. We were probably 19 years old. So that was a very ongoing and central issue in my own life and in every young man’s life, because the draft was still in [effect], and I wrote that song—probably my earliest song addressing the Vietnam War. But I remember that song very well, and us playing it, right like it was yesterday.
That’s incredible. And there will be oral histories accessible in the center that focus on people like Bart Haynes, your first drummer in the Castiles, and Walter Cichon, from Freehold, [both of whom died in the Vietnam War]. The center’s curator, [Melissa Kozlowski], noted how it’s very gratifying to be able to tell their stories, too, and ensure that people like that are more than just footnotes in history, which is wonderful.Yeah, that’s really satisfying. The thing that I love about the center now is like, yeah, they have my stuff there, and that’s great, and if people are interested, they can go and see it. But it takes on and will take on the entirety of American music, its influences, and will be a wonderful educational center for people who are interested in the broader connection between American music and American history. That really sort of convinced me to do it….The building itself is gorgeous; the architect did a wonderful job. It’s really an amazing place. It’ll be a wonderful place to go. They’ll have all these interactive services. I think…[for] young kids who walk in, not knowing much about me or much about the history of American music, it’ll really be a wonderful, eye-opening and valuable afternoon. And so I’m excited to just be a part of it, that’s all.
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New Jersey’s annual North to Shore Festival has announced its summer lineup. From June 13 to June 28, the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) will host musical performances, comedy shows and more, highlighting Jersey artists and global talent alike in Newark as well as at venues in Asbury Park and Freehold.
Among this year’s Newark performers are actor/singer Janelle Monáe (2016’s Hidden Figures; her 2023 album The Age of Pleasure); rock band the Black Crowes (“She Talks to Angels”; “Remedy”); Alison Krauss & Union Station; comedian Iliza Shlesinger; Joe Bonamassa and Jesse & Joy.
Taking the stage in Asbury Park: New Brunswick-born punk band the Bouncing Souls; pop-punk band Yellowcard (“Breathing”; “Ocean Avenue”); multi-instrumentalist Kurt Vile; and Jamaican reggae group Black Uhuru.
In Freehold, guests can expect indie band the Head and the Heart; Sublime (“What I Got”; “Wrong Way”); and Grateful Dead tribute band Dark Star Orchestra.
In a statement, Governor Mikie Sherrill said, “The best way to kick off the summer season is by celebrating New Jersey’s homegrown talent and vibrant arts scene—and that’s exactly what attendees can expect at the 2026 North to Shore Festival.”
Tickets are on sale now.
“With performances by globally recognized stars and groundbreaking local artists, this year’s North to Shore Festival once again demonstrates the incredible artistic range, cultural vitality, and creative energy that define New Jersey,” NJPAC president and CEO John Schreiber said.
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Every two weeks, a class of military veterans separates from the service at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst in South Jersey. To each departing group, Mike Ferraro or one of his fellow career coaches at Bridging the Gap delivers a presentation at the joint base, letting veterans know there’s an organization to assist them with their transition to civilian life.
“A lot of military members have a tough time,” says Ferraro. “They’re on their own. It’s dog-eat-dog.”
A native of Howell Township, Ferraro served for 32 years in the Air Force, retiring as command chief master sergeant. Knowing the “pain points” suffered by many veterans, he launched Bridging the Gap in February 2016. The Manasquan-based nonprofit offers classes that help veterans identify their skills and abilities, while also working on interviewing and resume-writing skills.
Every quarter, Bridging the Gap holds speed-interviewing events where dozens of vets practice their personal pitches in real meetings with 30-40 companies. The service routinely places veterans with New Jersey employers such as Prudential, Monmouth County and QuickChek.
Additionally, the organization provides free business suits, discounted rescue-dog adoption and other supports.
Funding for Bridging the Gap comes from corporate grants, individual donors and the Coffee Platoon, a nonprofit coffee-distribution company Ferraro launched in 2019.
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Atlantic City is always evolving. After years of living off the fat of the land as the lone casino destination east of Las Vegas, the Jersey Shore town formerly known as America’s Playground has adapted since gambling houses have sprung up in surrounding states.
Neighborhoods, like the Orange Loop—featuring an array of restaurants and bars and shops—has reshaped the city’s vibe, and added to the town’s fine dining mix. While the casinos have upped their collective game. AC has rebounded from its 2024 nadir, when four of its 12 casinos shuttered. Today, the casino resorts cater to everyone from high rollers to penny-slot enthusiasts.
Atlantic City remains a mecca for entertainment, with A-list headliners such as Beyonce and the Weeknd playing to capacity crowds. There is much to experience in Atlantic City, and this at-a-glance guide will help you decide where to stay, play, dine and more.
Hard Rock Hotel & CasinoThe property that was once Trump Taj Mahal has emerged as a major player in Atlantic City, especially in entertainment.
Photo: Courtesy of Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic CityCasino: The 4-million-square-foot property has an array of casino games. There’s 2,349 slot machines, 130 table games and a Sportsbook.
Lodging: There are two hotel towers and 2,000 luxury rooms and suites.
Dining: There are more than 15 food and beverage options. The fine dining options are Council Oaks Steaks & Seafood, Kuro excels with Japanese, and Il Mulino is the go-to for Italian. Casual yet delicious fare can be experienced at YOUYU Noodle Bar, Fresh Harvest Buffet and the Hard Rock Cafe.
Entertainment/nightlife: The 5,500 seat-Hard Rock Live at Etess Arena, which features state-of-the-art sound, has become the AC destination for A-List entertainers. Kelly Clarkson, Stevie Nicks, Kevin Hart and Dave Chappelle have played the big room. Sound Waves has hosted Charlie Sheen, the Temptations and the Four Tops. Cover bands play the high-energy Lobby Bar.
Shopping: Check out the Wentworth Gallery, where rock and art meet. Grab souvenirs at Fralinger’s Salt Water Taffy, and the iconic T-shirt at the Hard Rock Store.
Spa/amenities: Rock Spa & Salon offers rhythm- and music-inspired treatments like the Soul Survivor Massage. Rock Spa & Salon features 31 newly designed treatment rooms, including 20 dedicated massage rooms, four facial rooms, two couples’ suites and three body treatment rooms. The full-service salon includes manicures, pedicures, makeup, barber and hair services.
1000 Boardwalk; 609-449-1000
Ocean Casino ResortThe biggest surprise in AC is Ocean’s phoenix-esque rise from Revel’s ashes.
Photo: Courtesy of Ocean Casino ResortCasino: Ocean features a wide variety of slot machines, including reel spinning, video reel and video poker. The Cove, a 7,400-square-foot space, features an exclusive selection of high-limit slot machines and personalized cocktail service. The Lift caters to those who enjoy High Limit Table Games and ocean views.
Lodging: There are 1,399 guest rooms and suites. The rooms are modern and comfortable, with unobstructed views of the ocean via floor-to-ceiling windows. Outdoors at the Park features sprawling grounds with fire pits and picnic tables.
Dining: There’s a wide variety of dining options. Ocean recently partnered with nationally acclaimed restaurateur Stephen Starr and his STARR Restaurant Group to introduce two new dining concepts, Chez Frites and Sunny’s. The former is a French bistro, which offers a terrific surf-and-turf combo with steak and lobster. Other fine-dining experiences include Amada by Jose Garces, which impresses with Spanish cuisine, Ocean Steak and Linguini by the Sea. For casual fare, the aforementioned Sunny’s serves up breakfast and lunch. Zhen Bang Noodles, Wahlburger’s, Villain & Saint, Harper’s, La Scala’s Fire and the new High Steaks, a cheesesteak joint, are laid-back bistros.
Entertainment/nightlife: Ovation Hall is a 5,500-capacity venue that has featured such headliners as Sebastian Maniscalco and Smokey Robinson. Villain & Saint hosts a number of local bands while serving craft beers and casual fare. HQ2 Nightclub is Ocean’s two-level venue, which features DJs. Nola’s Bar & Lounge is the spot to enjoy craft cocktails.
Shopping: The Shops at the Row feature everything from fashion to wellness to specialty gifts. Browse at Bottled, Sweetheart Coast, Flying Point Surf Shop, Nectar Life and The Import Shoppe. Sweetheart Coast by Sammi Sweetheart, which opened during the summer, features fashionable women’s clothing, accessories and unique gifts.
Spa/amenities: Exhale Spa + Bathhouse is one of NJM‘s favorite spas. The 40,000-square-foot sanctuary offers therapeutic body and skincare treatments designed to enhance both inner outer well being.
500 Boardwalk; 609-783-8000
Bally’s Atlantic City Hotel & CasinoThe longtime casino has been under the radar but is making a culinary splash with the exceptional Park Place Prime Steakhouse.
Park Place Prime Steakhouse. Photo: Courtesy of Bally’s Atlantic CityCasino: There are more than 1,100 slot machines. Craps, blackjack, baccarat and the new Blaze Roulette tables are the highlights in the gambling hall. The Bally Bet Sportsbook offers a variety of ways to play. There are an array of LED video walls.
Lodging: There are two towers, the Bally’s Tower and the Dennis Tower. Each offers king and double beds, with select rooms featuring ocean views and suite amenities.
Dining: NJM fave Park Place Prime features hand-cut steaks, known for their exceptional quality and flavor, as well as a variety of seafood options and a robust wine list. Jerry Longo’s Meatballs and Martinis offers tasty Italian fare and killer drinks. Macau Kitchen and Casino Cafe & Grille render casual fare.
Entertainment/nightlife: Phil’s Carousel Bar is a lively watering hole with live entertainment every Saturday night.
Shopping: Bally’s Boutique offers designer apparel, accessories, snacks as well as wine, beer and candy.
Spa/amenities: Hot-stone, Swedish, deep-tissue and therapeutic massages are available at the Spa at Bally’s.
1900 Pacific Avenue; 609-340-2000
Borgata Hotel, Casino & SpaThe Borgata has been the big dog in Atlantic City ever since opening in 2003, bringing a Vegas-style vibe to the Marina District.
Photo: Courtesy of Borgata Hotel Casino & SpaCasino: There are more than 2,500 slot machines, along with roulette, blackjack and poker. The gaming arena is amplified. Borgata’s high-limit salon, Miralto, provides a private, gated enclave for added exclusivity.
Lodging: Borgata offers more than 2,000 hotel rooms and suites; the MGM Tower accounts for 757 of those rooms. The heated pools—two indoor, two outdoor—are a Tower highlight.
Dining: Old Homestead is a reliable steakhouse fave known for its hand-massaged Wagyu beef. Angeline by Michael Symon presents classic Italian cuisine by the James Beard Award-wining chef. B Prime Steakhouse is another top-tier option. Casual fare is available at Borgata Buffet, Bread & Butter, and The Food Hall Eatery.
Entertainment/nightlife: Headliners such as Lana Del Rey and Jerry Seinfeld have performed at the Event Center in front of 3,200 fans. The intimate Music Box hosts an array of entertainment, too.
Shopping: Guests can browse 15 retail boutiques within Borgata, from Hugo Boss to Capri to Carina.
Spa/amenities: Spa Toccare offers a menu of relaxing treatments. The Pump Room is a high-tech fitness center, complete with personal viewing screens at every cardio station.
1 Borgata Way; 609-317-1000
Caesars Atlantic City Hotel & CasinoThe casino at the center of the Atlantic City Boardwalk was revamped during the summer of 2023 with new upscale restaurants, such as Nobu Atlantic City.
Vegas-style show The Hook at the Warner Theatre at Caesars. Photo: Courtesy of Caesars Atlantic CityCasino: There are 1,700+ slot machines and a variety of table games, from blackjack to craps. Caesars also offers a variety of poker games, including a series of linked games, which are part of Caesars, Harrah’s Resort and Tropicana’s All-In Table Games Progressive Jackpot. Caesars Sportsbook at Wild Wild West is wide open with over 15,200 feet of sports betting space. There are five private fan caves, which include high-resolution televisions, game consoles including Xbox, and food provided by AC Snack Shack.
Lodging: The Centurion and Ocean Towers were recently renovated. The rooms feature big bay windows with views of the ocean or the cityscape. The top three floors of the Centurion Tower feature the Nobu Hotel. There are 85 rooms and suites designed by David Rockwell’s The Rockwell Group, which also designed the Nobu Restaurant. The Forum Tower, which was redesigned in 2016, features modern interiors with a warm, neutral palette and a pop of golden yellow.
Dining: There’s no restaurant in Atlantic City quite like Nobu. The menu features some of Nobu Matsuhisa’s signature dishes, such as the black cod miso and rock shrimp tempura. Nobu also offers an extensive whiskey selection. Gordon Ramsay’s Hell’s Kitchen features the celebrity chef’s signature dishes, such as beef Wellington, lobster risotto and pan-seared scallops. Morton’s The Steakhouse is good for a filet or New York strip. Some casual choices are the Kwi Noodle Bar and the AC Snack Shack.
Entertainment/nightlife: Circus Maximus Theatre has hosted shows featuring entertainers ranging from Jerry Seinfeld to Mary J. Blige. Vegas-style show The Hook at the Warner Theatre is a naughty, can’t-miss spectacle.
Shopping: There is a gift shop at Caesars.
Spa/amenities: Qua Baths and Spa is a retreat that taps into the natural properties and healing powers of water to soothe stress and tension. There are 15 treatment rooms, a deluxe couple’s suite, and four facial rooms.
2100 Pacific Avenue; 609-348-4411
Tropicana Atlantic CityThe Trop remains a vibrant casino resort that has been buoyed by the addition of the boutique hotel The Chelsea.
The new Solana Tower at the Tropicana. Rendering: Courtesy of IIGCasino: There are more than 1,600 slot machines and 130+ table games throughout the Tropicana’s 125,935 feet of gaming space. The Caesars Sportsbook offers an immersive betting experience with live InPlay wagering.
Lodging: It’s all about the Towers at the Tropicana. There’s the North Tower, the South Tower (which offers ocean views), the Havana Tower and the brand-new Solana Tower. The 20-story Chelsea Tower was formerly the neighboring boutique hotel known as The Chelsea. It is now owned by Tropicana and connected by a skybridge, which has considerably upped the resort’s cool quotient. The Chelsea Tower offers guests hotel rooms with sweeping ocean views, along with non-gaming amenities that include the Oasis Pool, The Pool at Chelsea, Sea Spa, the Chelsea Five gastropub and Gilchrist Restaurant. The suites on the top floor of the Chelsea Tower feel removed from Atlantic City, offering a distinctly chill vibe—yet they’re still just an elevator ride and a short walk from the bustle of the casino.
Dining: There are a number of fabulous restaurants at the Tropicana. The Palm, which serves aged prime beef and Nova Scotia lobster, sets a high standard. Cuba Libre Restaurant and Rum Bar’s Cuban fare was inspired by two-time James Beard Award-winning chef Guillermo Pernot’s biannual travels to Cuba. Il Verdi offers fine Italian dining. Sushi and sake lovers will enjoy Ossu Asian Tavern. Casual fare can be had at A’dam Good Sports Bar & Grill and the Green Bar.
Entertainment/nightlife: If you love retro sounds and style, check out Boogie Nights, which transports folks back to an era when disco ruled. 10 North Lounge is laid-back, while Anthem is stylish and trendy.
Shopping: Hat Emporium, Essentials and James Saltwater Taffy are among the various shops here.
Spa/amenities: Sea Spa in the Chelsea Tower includes eight private treatment rooms and a couples’ room, plus the Solarium with a steam room, sauna and seasonal heated outdoor pool. Luxe Salon attracts folks courtesy of on-trend hair design and styling, texturizing treatments, blow-outs, restorative hair treatments and color services.
2831 Boardwalk; 609-340-4000
Harrah’s Atlantic CityThe Pool at Harrah’s is a huge reason that the unheralded gem in the marina is a destination.
The Pool at Harrah’s. Photo: Courtesy of Harrah’s Resort Atlantic CityCasino: There are 1,800 slot machines plus progressives and video poker. The table games include blackjack, poker and craps. Caesars Sportsbook features two fan caves for a more private, upgraded experience.
Lodging: There are five towers: the Atrium, Bayview, Coastal, Laguna and Waterfront. The Atrium and Waterfront are the most recently renovated towers. The Atrium offers one- and two-bedroom suites. The other towers feature spacious rooms with stylish decor. The complimentary fitness center offers a variety of strength training and cardio machines.
Dining: The Gordon Ramsay Steakhouse offers prime beef aged for a minimum of 40 days, as well as American Kobe. La Strada offers Italian fare with modern flair. McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood serves up a fresh fish option plus aged steaks, pasta and poultry. Pin-Up Pizza and Cafe Tazza offer casual fare.
Entertainment/nightlife: The Pool After Dark is a scene around the casino’s main attraction, which has been a magnet for DJs and celebrities. VooDoo Lounge features live entertainment every Friday and Saturday night with no cover.
Shopping: The Waterfront shops feature men and women’s fashions and accessories from Studio. Destinations sells souvenirs.
Spa/amenities: Guests receive complimentary access to Harrah’s glass-dome pool complex. The Spa at Harrah’s offers massages, facials and body scrubs. There’s a deluxe couple’s suite that features a private shower, jacuzzi and fireplace. The spa provides salon services for hair design, makeup and mani-pedis.
777 Harrah’s Boulevard; 609-441-5000
Resorts Casino HotelAtlantic City’s first casino, which opened in 1978, is adept at pairing the traditional with the modern.
Photo: Courtesy of Visit Atlantic CityCasino: There is an array of slots and table games. There are three levels of the progressive jackpot across 24 of Resorts Casino Hotel’s table games, which range from hundreds of dollars to more than $1 million. DraftKings Sportsbook features a high-definition LED video wall.
Lodging: There are two hotel towers. The 480-room Ocean Tower offers views of the Atlantic and convenient access to the spa. The Rendezvous Tower has more space and offers rooms ranging in size from 1,090 to 1,150 square feet. The suites have Jacuzzi tubs and spacious sitting and dining areas.
Dining: Capriccio, an exceptional Italian restaurant, has been a staple in Resorts dining for years. Dougherty’s Steakhouse has filets and porterhouse. Guy Fieri’s Chicken Guy offers an array of chicken sandwiches and salads. Casual diners can visit Quick Bites for pizza, soup or ice cream.
Entertainment/nightlife: AC Jokes is a comedy hall. Bar One hosts weekly karaoke, bingo and trivia nights.
Shopping: Just about whatever you need can be found in Essentials, and there’s a plethora of snacks at Licks.
Spa: Resorts has a heated indoor/outdoor pool that’s open all year. At the spa, relax in the sauna or steam room. A variety of massage treatments are available.
1133 Boardwalk; 609-340-6300
Golden Nugget Atlantic City Hotel, Casino & MarinaThe under radar destination offers comfortable stays at a good rate with nice dining and spa experiences.
Photo: Courtesy of Visit Atlantic CityCasino: There are high-limit slots rooms with more than 100 machines to play. Table games include baccarat, blackjack, craps, roulette and poker.
Lodging: There is an array of renovated rooms and suites with views of the marina.
Dining: Vic & Anthony’s features beef, fresh seafood and an extensive wine collection. Dos Caminos offers Mexican cuisine and a selection of premium tequila and signature cocktails. The AC brunch destination is at Michael Patrick’s Brasserie, which features massive omelettes. Bean & Bread and Bill’s Bar & Burger offer casual fare.
Entertainment/nightlife: The Grand, a theater with great sound, hosts a variety of recording artists and comedians.
Shopping: Style & Thread features fashionable clothing. D’Oro sells elegant jewelry. The Chocolate Box has gourmet handmade truffles.
Spa: Spa & Salon offers massages, facials, manicures and pedicures. Relax in the sauna, steam room or whirlpool.
600 Huron Avenue; 609-441-2000
The Seahaus HotelPhoto: Courtesy of the Seahaus HotelThis pet-friendly boutique hotel offers a relaxed experience in a city that can be quite chaotic. It feels like Avalon at the relaxed Seahaus, which lacks gaming but exudes a soothing vibe. There are oceanfront and Boardwalk-facing guest rooms with private balconies and complimentary bikes for Boardwalk cruising. The full-service restaurant/bar, Cucina del Mar, offers Italian cuisine and crafted cocktails.
110 S. Morris Avenue; 609-459-3400
The post Where to Stay & Play in Atlantic City appeared first on New Jersey Monthly.
When Risa Clay, the mayor of Tinton Falls, was on the phone with Amazon customer service recently, the representative asked if she was okay because she sounded breathless. Recalling the incident, Clay muses, “Can you imagine? Someone took the time to ask me that. I explained about my spasmodic dysphonia and thanked him for asking.” Clay was diagnosed 18 years ago, and when she finds herself in situations like this, she sees it as an opportunity to educate people about the neurological disorder.
Clay, 64, retired as principal of Red Bank Regional High School in 2019 and then turned to public service. She has always needed to use her voice a lot, first as a school counselor and school principal, then as a town councilwoman and council president, and then as interim mayor, a position to which she was appointed after her predecessor, Vito Perillo, passed away in February at age 100. She and three running-mates on “Team Tinton Falls” won the nonpartisan municipal election in November.
Dysphonia affects the vocal cords and makes a person’s voice sound breathy or strained. It’s the same disorder Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has. There is no cure, and it can worsen with age—although that’s not a given—Clay says, and various treatments exist. For a while, Clay received Botox injections in her larynx, but currently she’s undergoing acupuncture once a week to help control vocal spasms.
Last year, Clay started a local group under the auspices of Dysphonia International, to help others with vocal disorders not feel alone. She remembers attending a similar support group in North Carolina. “It was the first time I met people who sound like me. I can’t even put into words what that felt like,” she recalls. Her group holds monthly meetings on Zoom. Clay also brings in guest speakers, like a speech and language pathologist who spoke about vocal health. Those interested can find out more at dysphonia.org.
For the last two years, Clay has led a local Walk for Talk, a national fundraiser hosted by Dysphonia International. Last year’s walk raised about $17,000 for research, which the parent organization matched.
If she does a lot of speaking, Clay has to “give herself a bit of a vocal rest,” she explains, but other than that, she’s on the go. She also serves as a licensed clinical alcohol and drug counselor and is on the board of directors for Dysphonia International. She’s married and has two sons in their 30s.
“I get my energy because I want to be of service to people,” she says. “I refuse to be held back by something I cannot control….I can choose to live with this alone, or I can surround myself with caring people who understand. I cannot change my voice, but I can change the way I think about it.”
The post Meet the NJ Mayor Who Won’t Be Silenced by a Rare Voice Disorder appeared first on New Jersey Monthly.
Chef Jason Hanin of The Ebbitt Room in Cape May. Photo: Courtesy of Cape ResortsJason Hanin, executive chef at the Ebbitt Room in Cape May, has been named the state’s Chef of the Year by the New Jersey Restaurant and Hospitality Association (NJRHA).
The honor was awarded after public voting and was announced at the nonprofit’s 40th annual awards ceremony on Wednesday night—the first to be held in five years, following a pandemic-induced hiatus. The Ebbitt Room at the Virginia Hotel is on NJM‘s Classics restaurant list and is one of our favorite restaurants in Cape May.
The honor recognizes chef Hanin’s exceptional culinary talent, leadership and dedication to advancing New Jersey’s vibrant restaurant and hospitality industry.
A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, Hanin has built a career defined by curiosity, craftsmanship and a deep respect for ingredients and culture. At The Ebbitt Room, he leads a culinary program rooted in a farm-to-table and farm-to-glass philosophy, sourcing hyper-seasonal ingredients directly from Cape May’s Beach Plum Farm. His menus reflect both global inspiration and local devotion.
The finalists for the Chef of the Year award were:
- Scott Anderson, Elements (one of NJM‘s favorite restaurants in Princeton)
- Richard Cusack, June BYOB (one of NJM‘s favorite restaurants in Collingswood)
- Romeo DiBona, Ocean Casino Resort (Ocean Steak is on NJM‘s 2025 list of the state’s 40 best restaurants)
- Leia Gaccione, The Saint Clair
- Jamie Knott, Cellar 335 (one of NJM‘s favorite restaurants in Jersey City)
- David Viana, Abramzon & David’s
- Sean Yan, Ram & Rooster (on NJM‘s list of the best new restaurants to try in 2025)
The ceremony took place at the Ryland Inn in Whitehouse Station, celebrating excellence across New Jersey’s hospitality industry.
Other 2025 award recipients were:
- Restaurateur of the Year: The Kunisch family, Allendale Bar & Grill and Mahwah Bar & Grill
- Hotelier of the Year: Eustace Mita, ICONA Resorts
- Deborah Dowdell Lifetime Achievement Award: Mike Perro, PJW Restaurant Group
- Hospitality: Marilou Halvorsen, American Hotel & Lodging Association
- Friend of the Industry: Dale Florio, Princeton Public Affairs
- Community Impact: Chef, author and mentor Jesse Jones
The post NJ Chef of the Year Award Goes to Jason Hanin of Cape May’s Ebbitt Room appeared first on New Jersey Monthly.
Larry Goldberg knows how to pack a punch—at least metaphorically. For his latest knockout, he has returned professional boxing to Atlantic City and, for the second year, has teamed up with the Atlantic City Police Athletic League to introduce and encourage the sport for local youths.
“This quickly became my favorite event of the year,” says Goldberg, who grew up in Margate and attended Atlantic City High School. “I wanted to do my part to see the next generation thrive,” he says. “I saw there was boxing at the PAL, so I got involved.”
In collaboration with PAL, Goldberg, who owns the sports site boxinginsider.com, has spearheaded a premium amateur boxing event, called Battle of the Beach. The event will include 15 fights and is slated for November 9 at the Tropicana in Atlantic City, and is sanctioned by the USA Boxing Mid Atlantic. One hundred percent of this ticketed event benefits PAL. Goldberg donates the belts, the medals and handles the logistics.
Promoter Larry Goldberg with his father, David Goldberg, a longtime Atlantic City business owner. Photo: Stephanie Trapp of Trapp Photos“The kids go into the same room as the pros at the casino. It means so much to them,” he says, noting that he worked at the Tropicana hotel as a teen.
The amateur bouts start at 1 pm; tickets are $30 and $40 (first $40 ticketholders also receive a ticket for the 11/7 professional fight) and are available at Atlantic City PAL or at the door. Goldberg hopes to expand the event even more next year. “I’ve seen how boxing has saved many kids from bad situations,” he says.
In addition to acting as amateur facilitator for the PAL event, Goldberg is the promoter for professional bouts in Atlantic City. Goldberg’s sixth professional match-up will be held on November 7, and will consists of 10 fights, including local fighters such as hometown favorite Justin Figueroa, plus other well established fighters like Swedish rising star Otto Wallin, who Goldberg says, “will likely end up in a major fight in Saudi Arabia next year.” This pro fight will stream on DAZN, and tickets are available through Ticketmaster.
Even when Goldberg is focused on his professional fights, he brings the PAL crowd along by giving out around 100 tickets so they can come to see the kind of boxing matches they aspire to. “You can see their faces light up when they find out they are getting tickets,” he says.
Goldberg, 48, is a third generation Atlantic City business owner. His grandfather operated Boardwalk business and his father founded the Atlantic City Linen Supply Company, which services casinos and other businesses. “From a legacy standpoint [the PAL amateur boxing in Atlantic City] can outlast all of us and be a good thing for the community. The PAL has a really cool program,” Goldberg says. As for his own legacy, he says, “I want to be old man Goldberg, doing this even when I’m old.”
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Every day in Westfield, whispers can be heard about the town’s creepiest, kookiest, most mysterious and spookiest former resident: Addams Family creator Charles Addams. There’s the mansion on Elm Street, which bears a striking resemblance to the famed Addams Family house that Addams created; the Presbyterian Church Burial Grounds, a source of inspiration for him; and remnants of Addams’ early scrawls that are on display. But every October, the town fully transforms into a celebration of the iconic cartoonist’s legacy by hosting AddamsFest.
The annual festival, started in 2018, blends art, history and Halloween throughout the month of October. Suburban homes turn into haunted houses through a town-wide decorating contest, local artists are given a spotlight in an Addams-inspired mural gallery on Central Avenue, and special events highlight the year’s unique theme. This year’s festivities will run October 8-29.
“The point of AddamsFest is to build bridges across our community and give people something to be proud of that’s uniquely their own,” says Adrian Pastore, producer of the festival. “It’s a day of joy for people to come together and celebrate everything that’s great about our town.”
This year, the festival has a “Femme Fatale” theme, focusing on the mystique of the female characters in Addams’s work. This will culminate in an art exhibition called Femme Fatale: Morticia Addams and More, running weekends from October 10-26. Original works by Addams, on loan from the Tee & Charles Addams Foundation, and pieces by local artists are being featured in the gallery show.
A town-favorite event, Charlie’s Ale Garden, sees residents pack into the Westfield Armory for live music played by local bands, paired with beer, wine, games and food trucks. Another popular event, Addams Family Fun Day, turns Quimby Street into a spectacle of giant bubbles, live music, crafts, and booths from local businesses.
One recurring attraction, Maniac Pumpkin Carvers, has been a mainstay at Addams Family Fun Day since the beginning. Founded by friends Chris Soria and Marc Evan, the company uses pumpkins as canvases, carving all sorts of designs to fit AddamsFest’s yearly theme. “A lot of people really appreciate the artwork,” Soria says. “It’s a great opportunity for us to share our craft with people.”
A Morticia-and-Gomez-themed masquerade ball, where guests get decked out as Addams Family characters, takes place on October 10 at the James Ward Mansion.
Photo: Michael ParasThe festival’s inception came about seven years ago, when creator and chairperson Dawn Mackey, then in her first days as a Westfield councilwoman, took inspiration from BlobFest, an annual festival in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, where the 1958 movie The Blob was filmed. Westfield’s adaptation, a tribute to its most famous former resident, was a no-brainer, and plans for a month-long Addams celebration soon commenced.
Baked into the festival is an appreciation for the cartoonist’s upbringing in Westfield and his lasting impact on pop culture. In 1938, he created the Addams Family characters as a cartoonist for The New Yorker, which famously spawned several movies and TV shows over the years, including the current hit Wednesday.
An interesting piece of Addams’s early art can still be seen in town. As a teenager in the 1920s, Addams graffitied a skeleton in pencil and chalk on the wall of a barn near his house. Dudley the skeleton stayed hidden for nearly a century before seeing the light, when the relic was removed from the barn in 2018 and put on display by the town.
Westfield is also home to what many have dubbed the Addams Family House, a 19th-century home on Elm Street that Addams regularly passed while walking to high school. The house’s Gothic Revival architecture helped inspire the cartoon family’s home.
The Elm Street home that inspired the Addams Family house. Photo: Michael ParasBeyond the Addams Family, the cartoonist was an accomplished artist. The festival attempts to ensure that Addams’s vast body of work is not forgotten and to capture his essence. “He’s a fascinating man,” Mackey says. He was indeed “dark and broody,” as one might imagine, but he also had “a fantastic sense of humor. He was the life of the party. He just was sort of like a source of light and joy.”
Not just a grand tribute to Addams and a celebration of art, Mackey says the festival’s most important trait is that it’s uniquely Westfield and something no other place in the world can claim.
“I like to say that AddamsFest is by the community and for the community,” Mackey says of the event. “This is cultivated. It’s curated. It’s homegrown. That’s what makes it really special.”
The post Inside AddamsFest: Westfield’s Creepy, Kooky Celebration of Charles Addams appeared first on New Jersey Monthly.
These sculpture gardens integrate artwork made of stainless steel, stone, bronze and more into lush Garden State landscapes, offering outdoor galleries to stroll at your own pace.
Laurelwood Arboretum’s Sculpture TrailWayneThis 30-acre botanical jewel’s walking trail showcases 15 sculptures. Behind this visionary trail are Laurelwood volunteers and Pines Lake residents Stuart and Leslie Reiser, whose dedication fueled the project. Curated by Scott A. Broadfoot, the sculptures are available for purchase, with a portion of the proceeds donated to the arboretum. Guided tours are available.
Daily, 8 am until dusk. Golf carts are available. Entrance is free; donations are accepted.
725 Pines Lake Drive West.
Clifton Arts Center and Sculpture ParkCliftonThe narrative of the Clifton Art Center and Sculpture Park began in 1994 with the vision and dedication of former mayor and councilwoman Gloria Kolodziej. Following the passing of her husband, Kolodziej embarked on civic leadership that championed the arts. Kolodziej, along with a team of supporters, transformed a 26-acre municipal parcel into an outdoor-gallery park. Clifton’s Sculpture Park, one of the few municipal art parks in the nation, has laid the groundwork for an indoor arts center as well. The 26-acre municipal complex has more than 30 sculptures.
1 to 4 pm Wednesday–Saturday. Suggested admission, $3; donations are welcome.
Clifton City Hall Complex on Well Road, at 900 Clifton Avenue.
Sculpture for LeoniaLeoniaSculpture for Leonia is an all-volunteer nonprofit dedicated to adorning the town’s streets with art. Established in 2006, this initiative has placed more than 50 sculptures, lent by the artists. The artwork, scattered across town, finds its focal point in the Erika and David Boyd Sculpture Garden, which honors the namesake artists, at the intersection of Broad Avenue and Beechwood Place. Once celebrated as an art colony, Leonia was home to renowned American painters such as Charles Chapman, Harvey Dunn and William Merritt Chase. Click here for a map of installations.
Entrance is free. Daily, 6 am-9 pm.
Erika and David Boyd Sculpture Garden, 305 Beechwood Place.
Haddonfield Outdoor Sculpture Trust (HOST)HaddonfieldIn 2012, resident Stuart Harting founded HOST, a union of public and private collaborations with the borough that furnishes the downtown area with figurative and abstract outdoor sculptures. The art is a mix of permanent installations and transient pieces, some on loan, some available for direct purchase from the artists. The evocative collection includes a graceful ballerina, a stoic postman, a poignant refugee, a monumental red heart, and a whimsical menagerie housed at the Haddonfield Children’s Sculpture Zoo. Click here for a map of a self-guided tour.
Entrance is free.
Haddonfield Children’s Sculpture Zoo, 338 Kings Highway East.
Ron Shipmon is an art collector, curator, advisor, and USPAP-certified art appraiser, with over three decades of experience.
The post Where Art Meets Nature: Stroll These Scenic NJ Sculpture Gardens appeared first on New Jersey Monthly.
Make this dreamy duo your go-to daytime look, or dress it up after dark. Bloomsbury shirt ($178) and pant ($158), at J. McLaughlin and jmclaughlin.com.Avoid harsh rays with the Faherty fedora, embellished with whimsical raffia tassels; $148 at Anthropologie and anthropologie.com. The new Bubble Collection features six luxe fragrances, including citrus-fresh Santorini eau de toilette; $120 at thebubblecollection.com. Chic Skip sunnies are retro inspired and offer UV 400 eye protection. Available in three colors; $348 at francesvalentine.com. This ruffled, ruched one-piece swimsuit covers you in classic toile style; $128 at J.Crew stores and jcrew.com.When you need a roomy tote poolside or beachside, grab this Kurt Geiger beauty; $195 at Bloomingdale’s and bloomies.com.Rick-rack lovers will appreciate the sweet styling of Patricia Green's Ava espadrille; $189 at Nordstrom and nordstrom.com. Follow our home & style editor on Instagram (@susanbrierlybush).
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Some of the best destinations, day trips and activities in New Jersey can be found at the Shore. From exploring historic sites to kicking back at an outdoor movie, check out some not-to-miss favorites that make our state’s 130 miles of shoreline so special.[RELATED: The Ultimate Jersey Shore Beach Guide]
FishingWhether surf fishing at Union Beach or Sandy Hook, or taking a party boat fluke finishing out of the Atlantic Highlands, a day of fishing down the Shore can’t be beat. Whether you are trying for fluke, stripers, or just to get a line in the water, fishing is a favorite pastime for many.LighthousesThe Garden State is home to more than a dozen majestic lighthouses that have guided mariners for over a century. The Twin Lights of Navesink tower 250 feet above Sandy Hook Bay on one of the highest points along the coast. Farther south is the Cape May Lighthouse, which aids in navigation and allows visitors to climb 199 steps to a panoramic view of the Atlantic Ocean and Delaware Bay.BookstoresA few local favorites include River Road Books in Fair Haven; the Little Point Bookshop in Point Pleasant; Thunder Road Books in Spring Lake; Beach Bound Books in Avalon; and Book Nook in Sea Isle City, located right on the boardwalk.WineriesRight off the beach, in the Jersey Shore counties of Ocean and Cape May, are family-friendly wineries. These agritourism sites offer tasting rooms, food service, live music and activities.Atlantic City AquariumThis small-scale aquarium with touch tanks and interactive experiences is great for a rainy day down the Shore or when you are looking to beat the heat. This aquarium has been closed for a few years and is aiming to reopen in September.Coffee shops and cafésThese local standards are booming at the Shore—from Asbury Park, host to Toast and Lola’s European Café, to Stone Harbor’s adorable Coffee Talk, and LBI’s assortment, including the Bagel Shack. There is a sense of community and comfort with every cup at Turning Point on the Long Branch boardwalk and Hooked on Breakfast in Ocean City. (My personal favorite spot is Lava Java on Route 35 in beautiful Lavallette.)Stone Harbor and AvalonHere, vast beaches and great restaurants are found along the southern portion of Seven Mile Island, near the tip of New Jersey and Cape May. From quaint motels to large-scale hotels, there are great places to stay and unwind.Historic sitesVisit the Fort Hancock Nike Missile Base at the Gateway National Recreation Area at Sandy Hook, or the World War II Lookout Tower and the Emlen Physick Estate, both in Cape May. Don't forget the iconic, six-story attraction Lucy the Elephant, built in 1881 by James Laffert, Jr., in hopes of selling parcels of land in Margate City.Outdoor movie nightsOne of the many amazing ways to spend a weekday evening in the summer is an outdoor movie. Red Bank hosts their movie nights overlooking the beautiful sunsets of the Navesink River, and Point Pleasant has movies right on the beach every Tuesday at dark.[RELATED: 15 Fun and Unique Things to Do at the Jersey Shore]
Steve Adubato, PhD, is the author of six books, including his newest, Lessons in Leadership 2.0: The Tough Stuff. He is an Emmy Award–winning anchor with programs airing on Thirteen/WNET (PBS) and NJ PBS. He has also appeared on CNN, CBS News and NBC’s Today show. Steve Adubato's Lessons in Leadership video podcast, with cohost Mary Gamba, airs Saturdays at 5 pm and Sundays at 10 am on News 12+. For more information, visit stand-deliver.com.
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Last September, Gregory Andrus embarked on a year-long, 130-mile walk along the Jersey Shore, with the goal of overcoming personal challenges.The author and photographer is documenting this healing journey in his book, A Walk Along the Jersey Shore, to be published in 2025.Since Andrus, 54, of Toms River, began his twice-weekly walks last fall, he has covered over 45 beaches, venturing out in every kind of weather, including snowstorms and howling winds. He began at Sandy Hook and hopes to reach Cape May by December.“I’m taking my time and want to experience all four seasons,” he says.A couple of years ago, Andrus, who suffered abuse as a child and has struggled with alcoholism and homelessness, began working with a therapist to deal with this past trauma and ongoing depression.“I decided to continue my healing process at the place I find most healing—the New Jersey beaches—and walk the entire length.”He’s cheered on virtually by over 65,000 members of his Facebook group, Portraits of the Jersey Shore, launched in 2015. Since then, he’s interviewed and photographed over 2,000 individuals at the shore. Many are included in his first book, Portraits of the Jersey Shore, published in April 2018.On walking days, Andrus drives to the next town on his list, parking in a nearby neighborhood “to get a sense of each town.” He turns off his phone, using only its voice-memo app to tape conversations with locals. Once on the beach, he walks south, averaging six to ten miles per walk.“This is a personal walk of healing for me,” says Andrus.He also aims to raise awareness of the causes that matter to him: mental health, homelessness, addiction and child abuse.“I want to help people remember that life is beautiful and it’s worth fighting through the difficult times.”Follow Andrus’s journey here.
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- Grand prize: Two-night stay at Kalahari Resort-Poconos, plus a $100 dining credit.
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[embed]https://form.jotform.com/form/241793464115155[/embed] RULESKalahari and New Jersey Monthly Win a Poconos Family Getaway Rules1. Fill out the entry form between 7/1/2024 - 7/31/2024.2. Winners will be selected in a random drawing taking place after August 1, 2024. Winners will be notified via email. In the event we do not hear back from the winners within 3 days of sending the notification email, we reserve the right to select alternate winners.3. The Sweepstakes is open to adult residents of the United States only. One entry per household. Employees or interns of New Jersey Monthly or Kalahari Resorts, including their immediate family (spouse, parents, siblings, and children) and household members of such employees, are not eligible to enter.4. Void where prohibited.5. Prizes: Grand prize: Two-night stay at Kalahari Resort-Poconos, plus a $100 dining credit. (ARV: $900). Travel expenses are not included. * Second prize: NJ-themed gift basket (Value: $100) * Runners up (5): One-year subscription to New Jersey Monthly*
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[caption id="attachment_338226" align="alignnone" width="778"] Illustration: Dan Page[/caption]A few cents’ difference in the price per gallon of gas might seem minor, but it can have a big effect on your wallet.Gas prices are typically higher in summer—there’s more demand with more people traveling, and the EPA mandates a special type of gas, called “summer blend,” which cuts down on smog, but is more expensive to produce. Add the conflict in the Middle East, where much of our crude oil is produced, and you have a bigger chunk of your change going toward gas money this summer.New Jerseyans used to get a break, with the lowest gas prices anywhere in the country, except for Alaska. That changed during the Chris Christie administration, when the gas tax was hiked 23 cents per gallon to replenish the Transportation Trust Fund for repairs to roads and bridges.Recently, Governor Phil Murphy approved an increase in the gas tax of 10 cents per gallon over five years; a 2-cent increase goes into effect in July.Still, gas prices here tend to be a bit lower than in neighboring states like New York and Pennsylvania; the fact that the state has three major oil refineries helps.There is one place in the state, though, where you can still get old-fashioned gas prices. Surprisingly, it’s on the Garden State Parkway, right on your way to the Shore.A rest stop on a major toll road is an unlikely place to find discounted gas. Service stations on highways cater to people on long drives who are willing to pay more for convenience, rather than spend a lot of time (and gas) price-shopping in an an unfamiliar area.That’s true in New Jersey, too, where nearly all gas stations on the Turnpike and the Parkway are Sunoco stations regulated by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority. (There are 9 state-regulated Sunoco stations on the Parkway and 12 on the Turnpike.) Sunoco has to pay the state a cut of all sales and can pass that cost along to the consumer.But the Parkway’s Colonia rest stops, in Middlesex County between exits 131B and 135, are notable exceptions, due to a historical anomaly: The gas stations were there before the Parkway was built in the 1950s. Unlike the 21 Sunoco stations on the state’s toll roads, which were all built on land owned by the state, the four stations at the Colonia rest stop—two northbound, two southbound—sit on privately owned land, says Tom Feeney, spokesperson for the New Jersey Turnpike Authority. They can set their own prices and don’t have to pay a cut to the state.In late May, for example, prices at the Colonia rest stop Shell and Exxon stations (there are both brands at the northbound and southbound rest stops) were $3.15 a gallon for unleaded regular, cash, compared to $3.60 at the Sunoco stations. If you’re filling up a car with a 15-gallon tank, that’s a savings of $6.75.“The difference can have a big impact when gas prices are either rising or falling quickly,” says Feeney. “It really defies expectations on a toll road. It catches people by surprise.”Prices at the state-regulated Sunoco stations, by contrast, are subject to a strict and complicated formula. They can change prices only on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 7 am; must rely on a thrice-weekly survey of the state’s stations; and can’t charge more than four cents above the state average, says Feeney. Current fuel prices at the Sunoco stations can be found on the New Jersey Turnpike Authority website.The Colonia rest stops’ prices can even be significantly lower than those non-rest-stop gas stations. For years, Susanne Hughes, a middle-school band teacher who lives in Roselle Park, filled up at a Colonia rest stop on her daily drive to Matawan, since the other rest stops had higher prices.A few years ago, she started filling up at Wawa instead before getting on the Parkway, because it was more convenient. But she’s thinking about switching back. Recently, she noticed that Wawa’s price was $3.07, while the Colonia rest stop charged only $2.93. “Fourteen cents is a big difference,” she says.
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[caption id="attachment_338060" align="alignnone" width="778"] At The Hook in Atlantic City, scantily clad performers elicit gasps and laughs galore. Photo: Courtesy of Spiegelworld[/caption]If you have come to see The Hook via Superfrico—the fantabulous Italian-inspired eatery that adjoins it at Caesar’s—you’ve had a glimpse of the naughty, playful raunch the show imparts with sexy dancing lobsters, pants-less jugglers, and head-scratching magic tricks. If you've skipped the dining-venue warmup, sit back and relax—maybe with a cocktail; there's a cash bar in the back of the theater—and prepare for scintillating ride.Celebrating its second season at Caesar’s Atlantic City, the Hook—produced by entertainment theater company Spiegelworld—has the feel of an old-fashioned carnival show filled with modern-day, adults-only winks and nods.The venue’s setting at the restored Warner Theatre, a 1929 movie house, hints at the madcap, vaudevillian presentation you're in for, with its lush drapes and eye-catching set design (cut-outs of ocean waves; the bow of a ship smashed into the stage).A zany crew of performers are led by a hawker-style MC complete with a saucy sidekick, dressed in sailor whites. Much of the dramatically lit, 75-minute show is Cirque Du Soleil-style acrobatics, which are stunningly up-close and personal in the 414-seat venue. From your seats, the impressive physical prowess of the performers is magical as they spin and flip and seemingly float before your eyes.[caption id="attachment_338059" align="alignnone" width="778"] A juggler keeps his cool. Photo: Courtesy of Spiegelworld[/caption]Be prepared for lots of scantily clad performers that mostly eschew traditional leotards for spangly, sparkly, barely-there, gender-bending outfits. There’s a reason this show is not PG; the sexual innuendos are laid on thick. While some may shy from the risqué undertones, the acts are top-notch, and their execution—on poles, on strings, and on the very swinging anchor from which the show derives its name—is worthy of the uproarious standing ovation at the end.Tickets, available for ages 18+, are available on Spiegelworld's website.
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Unless you’re a bonafide Swiftie, you may not know that the Pennsylvania-born megastar is also a New Jerseyan: For 12 summers, her family owned a home on the bay in Stone Harbor, which she has called a “magical place to grow up.”This summer, at the Stone Harbor Museum, you can get a peek into Swift’s formative years in the idyllic Shore town. Swift, 34, vacationed there from 1992 until 2004, when her family moved to Nashville to help her break into the music industry.The exhibit includes photos of Swift as a child in Stone Harbor, provided by her family. Other items include four vinyls of her Midnights album that form a clock display, a “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour” concert film poster, a Taylor Swift-inspired Peter Max poster, and a Midnights-themed guitar signed by Swift.“We are thrilled to have these items,” Teri Fischer, president of the board of trustees for the museum, said in a news release. “Taylor Swift is definitely part of the Stone Harbor story, and I know that she does delight and inspire so many of us.”[caption id="attachment_338133" align="aligncenter" width="778"] "When I would run out of material, I'd just start making up songs on the spot," Swift once said of playing in cafes in Stone Harbor. Photo: Shutterstock[/caption]The Swifts were woven into the fabric of Stone Harbor. Scott Swift, the singer’s father, was an EMT with the Stone Harbor Volunteer Fire Company No. 1, while the budding star herself could often be found playing her music in local coffee shops and cafes.“I used to sing karaoke at Henry's [on Third Avenue] and play acoustic shows for hours on end at Coffee Talk, a little cafe on 98th Street,” Swift said in a 2009 interview with the Philadelphia Inquirer. “I used to drag my parents into those places all the time, and all of their friends would show up and put dollars in my tip jar. When I was younger, I used to play for hours and hours in cafes like that. When I would run out of material, I'd just start making up songs on the spot.”Henry’s has since shuttered, along with the Italian Garden restaurant, another favorite of Swift’s. But for those who want to walk in the shoes of the pop icon, the Coffee Talk cafe is still open, along with Springer’s Homemade Ice Cream (which is also one of New Jersey Monthly's favorite ice cream shops). For an authentic reenactment, order the cookies ‘n’ cream, which Swift says was her favorite."When I was little, I used to walk in there and just stare up at all the flavors and toppings, completely frozen and unable to make a final decision,” she told the Inquirer. “I was always so overwhelmed.”The Swift memorabilia will be on display at the museum through the end of September.Swift was back at the Shore last summer, when her close pal and collaborator Jack Antonoff married the actress Margaret Qualley on Long Beach Island—causing a frenzy among Swifties and paparazzi. Antonoff, who grew up in Bergenfield, has a home on LBI with Qualley.
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Sitting in the captain’s cabin of the River Queen riverboat, high above the Manasquan River, Captain Tony Bogan calmly steers his craft through the treacherous channel. Occasionally, he picks up his mic to inform his passengers about the verities of the Point Pleasant Canal or how Nienstedt Island came to be associated with Jersey Shore visitor and novelist Robert Louis Stevenson of Treasure Island fame.Like generations before them, Bogan and many of his family members have spent their lives catering to fishermen, partygoers, and those seeking a leisurely afternoon or evening on the river or the ocean. When the Army Corps of Engineers reopened the Manasquan Inlet by dredging sand and building jetties in 1931, Bogan’s great-grandfather moved the family boat business to Brielle and Point Pleasant Beach, anticipating interest in recreational fishing. Then, in 1987, Bogan’s father expanded the business by designing a riverboat modeled after 19th-century paddle wheelers equipped for day-trippers rather than overnight excursions.Today, Bogan operates the River Queen. From April through New Year’s Eve, he offers 90-minute sightseeing cruises, plus holiday and monthly murder-mystery cruises, as well as private charters for weddings and other celebrations.[RELATED: One Thing You Must Do in Every Shore Town]
Fifteen miles south, an authentic reproduction paddle wheeler, the River Lady, has found its sweet spot in lunch and dinner cruises most days from May through the end of September on the Toms River. On the main level, passengers sit down for full-course meals in air-conditioned comfort, while on the second deck, sightseers can book passage without a meal.The cruise from the town of Toms River to the mouth of Barnegat Bay is particularly scenic, with a view of yacht clubs and small beaches on the south side and a captivating view of the Victorian mansions of Island Heights opposite.The newest “lady” to grace the waters of the Jersey Shore is the Navesink Queen paddle wheeler, which was “built to look pretty,” according to Captain Dan Schade of Classic Boat Rides in Atlantic Highlands. After the paddle wheeler served for many years as a tourist boat in the Chesapeake Bay near Norfolk, Captain Dan brought the vessel up north. Although his focus is mostly on private charters, starting at $2,520, the Navesink Queen does motor out most weekends for two or three live-music and sightseeing cruises.For an outing of up to 25 people, there’s one more historic option—booking a private cruise on the handsome, 50-foot Naval War College yacht that formerly plied the waters in Newport, Rhode Island (historicyachtcharter.com). About 10 years ago, when the Navy decommissioned it, the yacht was rescued from the scrap heap by Joe Ruffini of Red Bank.Now, visitors can cruise the Shrewsbury and Navesink rivers aboard a historic boat that once carried Navy dignitaries, foreign heads of states, and even Presidents Dwight Eisenhower and John F. Kennedy. While the owner can arrange for meals, passengers are welcome to bring food and drinks. The interior has been lovingly restored and is perfect for celebrating a special occasion.
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Each summer, from Ocean City to Wildwood Crest, Beach Haven to Brick, young pirates are being recruited, swearing oaths, and shooting water cannons at dastardly foes who have absconded with their treasures.Take, for example, the parents and grandparents who are lured by the sign that brazenly reads “Pirate Adventures” on the banks of the Metedeconk River in Brick. Here, kids are enlisted in a 75-minute adventure aboard the Sea Gypsy II, which holds up to 43 passengers. Adults are encouraged to attend, mostly as an audience for the crew’s corny pirate puns.After paying an enlisting fee to Pirate Adventures Jersey Shore that starts at around $30, the children are given pirate nicknames, and their arms and faces are painted with tattoos by the crew.[caption id="attachment_336387" align="aligncenter" width="778"] Photo: R.C. Staab[/caption]As new recruits, the group walks under a sign that reads “Walk the Plank,” and they head to the ship, where they all take the oath to become official pirates, mostly to remind kids to keep both feet on the deck and to share water cannons with their mates.Aided by a treasure map that looks like a beach towel, the newly initiated pirates set sail to discover a secret message in a bottle: Pirate Pete has stolen the keys to the treasure. They hunt down Pirate Pete, who is, shamefully (for a pirate), wearing a life jacket and goggles. The young pirates grab water cannons, defeat Pete, take his key to a treasure, find and hoist the treasure chest filled with gold coins, and share in the spoils of their victory by drinking Pete’s Grog (aka iced tea).Snack time and naps await, so back to shore and into the minivans they go, having made more memories than can be garnered on any amusement park ride.Pirate Adventures Jersey Shore, under the ownership of Jessica and Rob Corring, has been sailing from Brick for 15 years.Unsurprisingly, there is jostling among the pirate captains about who first brought pirates back to the Shore. Joel Richard, owner of Pirate Voyages in Ocean City, boasts that he was the first to build and run a pirate ship, the Sea Dragon, off the coast. Describing his adventure “like a play on the water,” Richard jokes that he employs a script “handed down over generations of pirate-tour-boat operators.”[RELATED: One Thing You Must Do in Every Shore Town]
Other pirate experiences include Dark Star Pirate Cruises in Wildwood Crest and Black Pearl Pirate Tours on Long Beach Island.Most adventures are designed for kids aged 3-10 are offered several times a day through at least Labor Day.Private charters and sunset cruises with real grog are available for adults through some of these companies.
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Anyone who has spent time on any of our shores knows how important fishing is to the tapestry of coastal life. But when you start thinking about braided test, micro baits, gear ratios and thermoclines, things can get complicated. The beauty of both clamming and crabbing in New Jersey is that it’s just so simple.As a fantastic recreational option from May through September that can be enjoyed in pretty much any town with access to salt water, crabbing and clamming today use basically the same techniques that go back to the native Lenape. Whether you approach it as foraging or fishing, crabbing and clamming are a good time that just may produce a great dinner.Crabbing in New Jersey The prized crustacean here is the blue crab, aka Callinectes sapidus, a Latin-term meaning “beautiful swimmer.” Indeed it is. Though the top shell is dark, the claws and fins are brilliant reds, oranges and blues. Blue crabs are found in most saltwater and brackish estuaries from the Raritan to coastal bays, and even up the Delaware.There are several ways to crab and two kinds of traps. The first is a crab pot: You put bait in the trap, drop it in the water tied to a buoy or dock, leave it for up to 72 hours, and then check to see if you got lucky.Using a drop line or using a collapsible crab trap is a bit more exciting. Either can be done from a dock or pier, but you improve your chances of catching crabs from a boat. There are dozens of marinas in New Jersey that rent boats specifically for these adventures, selling the bait and the gear at launch. Bait is generally frozen bunker—a stinky, oily baitfish that can be cut up into halves or thirds. And, while technology for fishing advances each year, crabbing apparatus has remained the same for generations.“Our part of the Navesink River is crab heaven,” says Steve Remaley, owner of Red Bank Marina, which has some 33 skiffs and pontoon boats to rent out for crabbing.“The big boats can’t get back here to churn up the water. The crabs seem to love it, and the last few years have been really good. People rent a boat for a half day and come back with a half or even a full bushel basket,” he says.Collapsing traps get baited and dropped to the bottom, where the weighted sides collapse open. When pulled up, they fold closed and bring the catch to the surface.Perhaps the most fun option is drop lining, most effectively done from a boat or low dock. A dropline costs about $3; a simple wooden-handle scoop net and crab tongs can be bought for less than $20 each. The bait gets impaled on a weighted clip and dropped to the bottom at the end of a string, which is tied to the boat or dock. There’s a bit more skill and excitement to this, as you have to feel whether there is a crab on the line and retrieve it slowly, then quickly scoop the crab with the net. Be ready—they’re fast![RELATED: One Thing You Must Do in Every Shore Town]
By law, hard shell crabs must be 4.5 inches, tip to tip, to keep. Smaller ones get thrown back. You will only be catching hard-shell crabs, as opposed to soft shells, which are are crabs in the process of shedding their shells. They are sold in fish markets and restaurants as a delicacy. Shedding clams don’t feed, and therefore won’t go after your bait, so they are very rarely caught by recreational crabbers.Handling the crabs without getting bitten is tricky. Crabs should be grabbed at the base of the swimming fin, where the pincher can’t reach. But a bite is almost part of the ritual—and usually makes for a great story when you’re enjoying the catch that evening. Crab tongs are recommended for the less adventurous.Crabs are kept alive, usually in a bucket out of sunlight, often under a wet rag. Keep them refrigerated until it’s time to cook.The simplest way to cook crabs is to add them to a steamer pot with 2 inches of water. Some folks add beer and crab seasoning for flavor. Steaming brings the seasoning inside the shell. Turning bright red indicates that the crabs are ready and the meat is firm. Some crabbers prefer to clean them before cooking by removing the top shell and cleaning out the gills.It’s traditional to cover a picnic table with newspaper for a crab feast, best complemented by Jersey corn. Crack into the cartilage and pull out the sweet meat that many consider the taste of summer.“It’s one of the last family-oriented, outdoor things that parents can teach their kids to do and usually have pretty good success,” says Remaley.Clamming in New JerseyClams offer an even simpler form of foraging (and no one has ever been bitten by one). Clammers generally target hard clams, known as Quahog, whose scientific name is Mercenaria, which means “money,” a reference to the colorful parts of the shells that Native Americans used as currency.While local clams all look and taste similar, they are classified by size: littlenecks, topnecks and chowder clams, though you can’t target any particular size. Unlike crabs, clams tend to like more salinity and are found in higher concentrations closer to the ocean, rather than up into estuaries. Recreational clamming generally involves getting out into the water and sinking your feet into the kind of muddy bottom that clams like.Clamming is more than just a summertime activity or a means of getting dinner. It’s a great way to get kids and non-outdoorsy adults to overcome their fears. Digging your feet into that unknown bottom is metaphorically out of our comfort zone and literally an immersion into nature.[caption id="attachment_334658" align="aligncenter" width="768"] Fresh clams and Jersey corn scream summer. Photo: iStock/Alexandra Grablewski[/caption]Clamming can be done with a rake or a method known as treading. This is foraging at its most basic level: feeling for something hard among the soft bottom and pulling it from the muck. Clams are collected into baskets, usually, homemade contraptions traditionally floated by inner tubes. Today, they’re commonly made with pool noodles.[caption id="attachment_334501" align="alignright" width="350"] Buy our June 2024 issue here. Cover photo: Ann Coen[/caption]Clams can be prepared a number of ways. If left in cold water, they will filter out sand themselves. From a cooler full of ice, littlenecks and topnecks can be shucked and eaten raw “on the half” or steamed. With chowders, you have the option to deep fry the bellies or shuck and bake. Linguini with freshly caught clams in the sauce is a New Jersey favorite.Clams are also a vital part of our waterways, filter feeders that eat microorganisms that become harmful when they are plentiful in an ecosystem. ReClam the Bay, a Toms River-based nonprofit, has been working to fortify the clam population in the last two decades by purchasing a half million to a million juvenile clams and oysters each year, delivering them to a dozen protected nurseries in Barnegat Bay, and distributing them to reproduce.“The fact is that it took 50–75 years to degrade the estuary. And it is going to take many more years to improve it,” explains founder Rick Bushnell. “It’ll never return to its original state, but we can stop the decline and even make some improvements.”ReClam the Bay encourages recreational clamming that adheres to regulations from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Bureau of Marine Habitat and Shellfisheries. “We put them in so that others can enjoy taking them out,” says Bushnell. “The more people who enjoy our bay, the more who will care for it.”Clams and crabs can be harvested with the same state shellfish license, which is $10 for residents, $2 for kids under 14, $20 for nonresidents, and free for seniors. New Jersey Fish & Wildlife has a series of maps on the DEP website that shows safe areas to harvest. Find a host of information here.Best Locations in NJ for Crabbing and Clamming* + Red Bank Marina, Red Bank + Benchmark Boat Rentals, Brick + Trixie’s Landing, Berkeley Township + Van’s Boat, Bait & Tackle, Barnegat Light + Bob’s Bay Marina, Barnegat + Cedar Cove Marina, Tuckerton + Ray Scott’s Dock, Margate + Ocean City Fishing Center, Ocean City + Bunker’s Marina, Wildwood + Dividing Creek Boat Rentals, Dividing Creek
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Derek DeBree’s first encounter with the Hill was when he was three weeks old, brought there by his parents and grandparents to visit the home of friends. For the next 10 years, in the late 1960s and ’70s, he and his brother regularly visited this little-known place called Monmouth Hills—steeply sloped land rising from Sandy Hook Bay to one of the highest points of the Jersey Shore. “We just thought of it as the most unusual, enchanting place,” he says.The 50 acres of dirt roads, wild paths, and many early-19th century homes made DeBree and his brother feel like they “were going on a vacation, even if we went there for half a day.” They visited their Uncle Schuyler in a house that had once been a mule barn. They played in the Water Witch Clubhouse Casino in the same place their mother had played pingpong as a girl.DeBree says he forgot about “this incredible place,” until 30 years later, when he serendipitously bought a home there.Famed 19th-century novelist James Fenimore Cooper frequently visited the hills above Sandy Hook, calling it “one of the most beautiful combinations of land and water in America.” It became the central location for his popular sea adventure, The Water-Witch; Or, The Skimmer of the Seas: A Tale, about a mysterious pirate ship, a strong-willed damsel, and a British captain who often meet at the Lust in Rust boarding house in what eventually became Highlands.[RELATED: Inside the Jersey Shore’s Unique Community of Tiny Houses]
Late that century, after Cooper’s book was published, the aptly named real estate developer Ferdinand Fish conceived it as an upscale summer-vacation development for wealthy New Yorkers. On the high hill across from the Twin Lights lighthouse, he cleared the land and called it Water Witch Park, after Cooper’s pirate ship, the Water-Witch. Taken with the glorious views of New York City to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, 50 charter members signed on to his project, many of whom were architects and engineers.[caption id="attachment_336156" align="alignnone" width="778"] Monmouth Hills boasts glorious views of Manhattan Photo: R.C. Staab[/caption]Roads were constructed to provide access for those arriving by boat or from the train station in Highlands, at the bottom of the hill. The corporation purchased property on Sandy Hook Bay for a bathhouse and bathing area and had grand plans for golf courses and hundreds of homes, plus businesses and shops on Bay Avenue.Eventually, the Water Witch Club arose, along with a clubhouse and a casino gathering hall (there’s no gambling here; casino comes from the Italian word for social hall). After the clubhouse was destroyed by fire, an addition was built to the casino with a dining room, sitting room and five bedrooms. The renamed Water Witch Clubhouse Casino became the focal point of the community. Because most houses didn’t have full kitchens, the members walked from their homes along paths, called Cupid paths, that wove throughout the development to the clubhouse, where they dined and congregated.[caption id="attachment_336153" align="alignnone" width="778"] The Water Witch Club Photo: R.C. Staab[/caption]Most of Fish’s plans were never realized because of the Great Depression, but 40 homes were built, mostly in a combination of Shingle Style and Colonial Revival architecture. Homes were accessed by serpentine dirt roads that snaked up the hill, past peanut-stone walls with then state-of-the-art irrigation. In the late 1950s, for the first time, more modern homes were constructed.Surprisingly, 23 of the original homes, updated for year-round living, are still standing on the Hill today; there are 41 homes in total. Eventually, the official name of the nonprofit corporation of homeowners (aka shareholders) was changed to Monmouth Hills Inc., part of Middletown Township. With the help of the township and the state, the Monmouth Hills Historic District is now on the National Register of Historic Places.Although the enclave might sound like an upscale country club, resident Keith Glass likens it to a different summer experience. “I went to camp for 14 summers: seven as a kid, seven I worked,” says Glass, who lives on the Hill with his wife, Suzy Glass. “This is the closest thing to camp: the dirt roads; there are no lampposts; there’s no light at night. These are more expensive bunks to me. You know everybody. It’s a high-level camp.”Time and again in conversations with residents of the Hill, a familiar mantra is repeated: “Everybody knows everybody.” But, almost no one was even vaguely familiar with Monmouth Hills before moving there—even though it has two entrances right off busy Route 36 and is only two miles from the Sandy Hook Unit of the Gateway National Recreation Area.Suzy Glass grew up about 10 miles away, in Monmouth Beach, and had never seen or heard of Monmouth Hills until she and her husband were looking to downsize from a house in Rumson. When they drove up the road for the first time, she said, “For me to hit these roads and not know where I was, that was transcending.”When they entered their eventual home in 2016, Keith Glass says it conveyed the image of the name on the placard by the door, Seadrift Cottage (Seadrift is a nickname of the pirate in Cooper’s book). “We went upstairs, and I said to Suzy, ‘There’s an ocean out there.’ But we didn’t have a view. Trust me, there’s an ocean on the other side of those trees.” They carefully trimmed the trees that had grown in earnest over 100 years. Now, the cottage’s veranda looks out past the Twin Lights to the Atlantic Ocean.“There are no mansions up here,” he says. “These are quaint, historic homes.” Their three-bedroom, 3 1/2-bath, 2,400-square-foot home suits them just fine now that their eight children are on their own. “We live out on the veranda.”Across the street from Seadrift Cottage is the two-story Water Witch Clubhouse, which Keith and Suzy, as residents, can reserve for free. They host parties and gatherings there. “The kids can all run around, so they don’t have to be confined to our house,” he says. Inside the clubhouse is a dining room, a bar room with a pool, a kitchen, and an old library indexed on hand-written cards with the names of the books and authors. Outside is a lone tennis court, a reminder of the grand ambitions of the founders for a summer recreational community.The Water Witch Clubhouse is rented out to the public for events, frequently in the late summer and fall, because it doesn’t have air-conditioning. On a 1.4- acre lot, still mostly devoid of trees, it has commanding views of Sandy Hook, New York and western Long Island. With an event space that includes a small stage, it’s a unique venue for weddings. Bruce Springsteen played on that stage at the wedding of his drummer, Max Weinberg.Just as its founders intended, the clubhouse serves as a community gathering place. Halloween is particularly festive. Starting and ending at the clubhouse, children and adults walk together house to house over more than a mile of roads, stopping at homes on Coquette Lane (the captain’s ship in the novel), Witches Lane, Serpentine Drive, and Fennimore Terrace, the misspelling of James Fenimore Cooper’s name on the original plans having never been corrected.Almost everyone in Monmouth Hills lives there year-round.For Monmouth Hills board president Don Claussen, the Hill is like “Vermont surrounded by water.” The shared southern border with the county’s 794-acre Hartshorne Woods Park was a key attraction for his family’s decision to move there. “We’re runners and hikers and bikers,” he says. “We spent so much time in Hartshorne that we became attached to it.” When one of the homeowners invited them to a porch party, they were sold, knowing they could access the park directly from the Hill.Upkeep of trees, roads, gutters and storm drainage is a major task for the board. Claussen marvels at “how sophisticated they were in the 1800s, thinking about drainage and these roads, especially going from 220–224 feet elevation all the way down to the sea level in a short period of time.”The Borough of Highlands is less inclined to marvel at the drainage. When it rains for hours, raging waters cascade down Waterwitch Drive, closing off Route 36 and creating a muddy mess in the town below. Although the Hills lies within Middletown Township, Claussen says Monmouth Hills Inc. is working with the borough on a FEMA grant to build resilient infrastructure to not only catch the water to remove sediment, but to slow the water down before it gets to Highlands. Claussen says, “I think we’re going to be a poster child for the Shore on how you control stormwater in this new environment.”He says, “I want someone to read 100 years from now that the board that I’m responsible for kept the clubhouse intact, kept what Ferdinand Fish and all those guys wanted from this community.”Despite the challenges, when asked what it’s like to live on the Hill, Claussen responds, “Hartshorne Woods, a ferry ride to the city, the beach clubs in Sea Brights, or the restaurants and bars in Highlands and Atlantic Highlands. Who lives like this? People ask me, ‘Where are you going on vacation this summer?’ Why would I go on vacation? We live here. This is vacation in the summer.”Fellow board member DeBree also knows about the challenges of living in a historic community. Not having thought about the Hill for many years after visiting as a child, he was hired to sell one of the homes by a longtime owner. “Candidly, we didn’t have much luck selling it because it was in a very poor state,” he says. “The more I looked at it, the more I realized I could save it. I ended up making him an offer. He accepted.”He was concerned what his wife would think about the house, given its terrible condition. DeBree says, “There were animals actively living in it. There was a lot of mold. She just trusted me to make it right.”DeBree expects his family’s involvement will continue with his son, Emmett, and daughter, Schuyler. As the original developers intended, Schuyler leaves her home in the East Village on weekends, seeking respite from the city, crossing the harbor on a boat, and traveling up Waterwitch Drive to the Hill. His daughter’s friends are “just blown away that a place like this even exists in New Jersey.”“I think they’d be the last to leave the Hill now,” DeBree says of his children. “They will fight to keep this property in the family forever. It’s very special to us.”R.C. Staab is a travel writer, book author, and wildlife and Jersey Shore enthusiast.
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Visitors to Cape May this summer can learn about New Jersey’s role in the fascinating history of everyone’s favorite summer treat at an exhibit at the Emlen Physick Estate, We All Scream for Ice Cream, sponsored by Cape May MAC (Museums + Arts + Culture).Some form of ice cream has been around since antiquity, but many innovations in the making of the sweet treat took place during Victorian times in the South Jersey area.Bassetts Ice Cream, the oldest ice cream maker in the United States, began making ice cream with mule power in Salem, NJ in 1861 (Bassett’s moved to Philly’s Reading Terminal Market in 1892, where they still scoop today.)[RELATED: One Thing You Must Do in Every Shore Town]
But ice cream has come a long way from Victorian times, when only the wealthy could afford it, and it came in flavors like oyster and green tomato.Along with learning fun facts, you can view antique packaging, ice cream molds and photographs at the exhibit, which is free and open daily through November 3 in the Physick estate’s Carriage House.While at the estate, you can get more Victorian history by taking a guided tour of the 18-room mansion, which is considered one of the best examples of Victorian Stick style architecture in the country. Admission for the tour is $20 for adults; $15 for kids.Sadly, samples aren't available at the exhibit, but if visiting leaves you in the mood for a cold treat, head to one of the Shore's most iconic ice cream shops; several are located in Cape May.
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When J.P. Hand was growing up in Cape May County in the 1960s and ’70s, “gunning on the salt meadow”—hunting ducks in the marshes—was a favorite pastime. Learning to carve decoys to lure his prey happened naturally: first, because he had no money to buy them; then, as a hobby; and finally, as a livelihood.“Decoy carving has provided me with a living doing something I enjoy,” he says. “After half a century, when I go out to my workshop to carve, I still enjoy what I do.”Hand, 70, was mentored by other decoy carvers, who practice a craft that dates back to the Native Americans who lived along the Atlantic coast. “No one carver could have developed the arts and mysteries of making a traditional South Jersey decoy,” he says. “Many carvers over many generations have added to the craft.”[caption id="attachment_335921" align="aligncenter" width="778"] Hand says that carving allows him to make a living doing something he enjoys. Photo: Dave Moser[/caption]He uses planks of Atlantic white cedar to carve the hollow decoy, and only one power tool, a bandsaw, to cut out the rough shape according to his pattern. The bird emerges with the aid of hand tools—a hatchet, spokeshave, curved gouge and knife—and is then painted in colors mimicking the bird’s plumage.The patterns and style differ slightly among master carvers. Hand’s carvings are sleek and minimalist, typical of the South Jersey style. One of his signatures is the snaky head and neck he gives some of his waterfowl. His favorite subjects are the green-winged teal and the mourning dove, but he’s also carved geese, swans, shorebirds, raptors, turkeys and songbirds.[caption id="attachment_335922" align="aligncenter" width="778"] Prices for Hand's decoys range from $100 for a songbird to $1,500 for a life-size swan. Photo: Dave Moser[/caption]Hand, who traces his roots to the English whalers who migrated to coastal South Jersey from Long Island in the 1690s, has customers all over the world who find him via word of mouth and decoy shows and dealers. (He doesn’t have a website.) Prices range from $100 for a songbird to $1,500 for a life-size swan.His decoys have been exhibited at the Ward Museum and the Havre de Grace Museum, both in Maryland, and at New Jersey’s Tuckerton Seaport Museum.Would-be carvers can apply to apprentice with a master carver through the New Jersey Council for the Arts, or take a seminar at the Philadelphia Maritime Museum, the Wetlands Institute in Stone Harbor, Tuckerton Seaport, or the South Jersey Carver’s Association in Cumberland County. In North Carolina, there’s the Core Sound Carver’s Guild at Harkers Island. Try online carving forums to find someone to work with hands-on.
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Grab your friends or family and celebrate Pride Month at one of these events around the state.Highlands Pride Fest in the Park📅: Saturday, June 1 (Noon-7 pm)📍: Huddy Park • Highlandsℹ️: Live music, food trucks and a beer garden.💸: FreeJersey Pride Parade & Festival📅: Saturday, June 2 (Noon-7 pm)📍: Asbury Parkℹ️: Jersey’s largest and oldest celebration, with a parade, rally and festival in Asbury Park. Donations appreciated.💸: Free (Donations optional)Long Branch Pride Flag Raising📅: Friday, June 7 (6 pm-8 pm)📍: West End Park • Long Branchℹ️: Featuring special guests Des & the Swagmatics.💸: FreeMontclair Pride Festival📅: Saturday, June 8 (1 pm-4 pm)📍: Bloomfield and Fullerton Avenues • Montclairℹ️: One of the largest Pride events in the state.💸: FreeRed Bank Pride in the Park📅: Saturday, June 8 (Noon-3 pm)📍: Riverside Gardens Park • Red Bankℹ️: Live music and more.💸: FreeNorth Jersey Pride Festival📅: Sunday, June 9 (Noon-6 pm)📍: Memorial Park • Maplewoodℹ️: Live music, a food court, and 150+ vendors.💸: FreeNorth Jersey Pride Run and Kids' Race📅: Sunday, June 9 (9 am)📍: Grove Park • South Orangeℹ️: Run in a 5k and show support for LGBTQ youth and families this Pride Month while raising funds for the nonprofit North Jersey Pride.💸: $5-30Toms River Pride Festival📅: Sunday, June 15 (11 am-7 pm)📍: Bundt Park • Clinton Twp.💸: $5 (kids under 5 free)Keyport Food Truck & Music FEASTival📅: Saturday, May 25 (11 am-8 pm)📍: Keyport Waterfront Park • Keyport💸: $5 (kids under 5 free)Wildwood Food Truck & Music Festival📅: Sunday, May 26 (Noon-10 pm)📍: Byrne Plaza • Wildwood💸: $5 (kids under 5 free)Jersey Shore Food Truck Festival📅: Saturday, May 25-Monday, May 27 (11 am-5 pm)📍: Monmouth Park • Oceanportℹ️: 30+ trucks with local eats, and live music all three days.💸: $6 (kids 12 and under free)
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Once upon a time, New Jersey food trucks meant “grease trucks” slinging “fat sandwiches” to Rutgers students. But nowadays, New Jersey’s food trucks are as varied as our restaurants, and their food can be just as good. The best way to discover your future favorite is at one of the food-truck festivals around the state that are creating a new kind of destination dining.New Jersey Monthly’s picky list of Jersey’s top food trucks was created with the help of our friend George Miller of Five Sisters Food Truck, who is called “the food truck Godfather” by what he calls the incredibly supportive food-truck community. The trucks on this list elevate the food-truck scene. “They’re all unique, and they work hard to provide Jerseyans with exceptional food and service, whether at a festival or private party,” he says.In no particular order, here are New Jersey’s 11 most appealing food trucks. Follow them on social media to find their locations.Twelve TruckThe intriguing name refers to 12 Filipino-American cousins who grew up together in Jersey City and talked about sharing a business someday. As adults, cousins Jeffrey Fama, a finance guy, and Joss Maglaqui, a French Culinary Institute-trained chef, were struck by the fact that New Jersey lacked a Filipino food truck. Their mission was set, and “ten more cousins wanted in,” says Fama. Twelve Truck hit the road serving up the extended family’s Filipino home cooking: pancit (stir-fried pork and rice noodles), lumpia (mini pork egg rolls), chicken or pork skewers, ube purple yam pudding and other treats. “We can get really creative with some of our recipes,” says Jeffrey. “Our chicken adobo poutine is original and irresistible.” Find Twelve Truck on Facebook and Instagram.Beach ShackBeach Shack’s Lou Espinosa grew up working at his family’s pizzeria in Naples, Italy. (He was known as Luigi then.) “Espinosas all cook,” he says. “My mom Carmela can pull off a dinner for 50 just like that.” Carrying on family tradition, Lou’s wife and two sons belong to the Beach Shack team. “This is a good life,” says Espinosa. “Meeting people, hearing their stories and feeding them with consistently restaurant-quality dishes.” Top orders include lobster rolls, lobster quesadillas, Cuban sandwiches, garlic shrimp, coconut shrimp and loaded tater tots. Find Beach Shack on Facebook and Instagram.The Chimney Cake Factory[caption id="attachment_335894" align="aligncenter" width="778"] Denes and Angelle Feher at work. Photo courtesy of the Chimney Cake Factory[/caption]Tubular chimney cake, a delectable Hungarian pastry popular in central and Eastern Europe, was unknown in New Jersey. Then Denes and Angella Feher came along from Transylvania, a part of Romania that is culturally Hungarian. “Traditionally, chimney cakes are hollow,” says Angella. “But we knew they’d be fantastic stuffed with ice cream.” That’s what the Fehers’ truck The Chimney Cake Factory sells, and lots of them. The cakes are baked with coatings like cinnamon, caramel or coconut, then filled with vanilla, chocolate, butter pecan or mint chip ice cream, and finally lavished with whipped cream. “It’s like a sundae, but wrapped in chimney-cake deliciousness,” says Angella. Find Chimney Cake Factory on Facebook.TacoholicsIn 2016, after college, five friends from Brick Memorial High School launched their Tacoholics food truck. It was such a hit that Tacoholics now boasts five eat-in locations dubbed Tacoholics Grill (Red Bank, Brick, Toms River, Lanoka Harbor and Sea Girt). The buddies’ truck still rolls merrily along, serving adventurous tacos such as fried avocado, General Tso’s chicken and “crack BBQ” chicken, all drizzled with your choice of seven distinctive sauces. Not in a taco mood? Consider nachos, quesadillas, burritos and wraps. “The three of us owners wanted to work for ourselves,” says Tacoholics partner Nick DeAngelo. “A food truck made sense because we were passionate about tacos. It turned out that lots of other New Jerseyans are too.” Find Tacoholics on Facebook and Instagram.Magic Mike’s Smoked Meat[caption id="attachment_335895" align="aligncenter" width="778"] Pro basketball preceded pro barbecue for Mike Nurse. Photo
courtesy of Magic Mike’s Smoked Meats[/caption]A former pro basketball player now known for his barbecue truck, “Magic Mike” Nurse played for nine years in European national leagues, retired at 31 and came home to Teaneck with his Australian wife, Kelleigh, and their two sons. “While working nine-to-five I got deep into smoking meat,” says Mike. “I left the job, bought a smoker trailer and started selling what I call ‘Teaneck-style barbecue’ and mac-and-cheese. People fell for it, and I started winning awards.” Mike upgraded to a truck with a mobile kitchen, and Kelleigh and older son Michael also pitch in. “We’re proud of our ribs, brisket and pulled pork,” Mike says. “It’s wood-smoked for four to six hours, with a deep spice rub and sauces that aren’t candy-sweet. This is real barbecue.” Find Magic Mike's Smoked Meat on Instagram.Shore Good Eats ‘n’ TreatsShore Good Eats ‘n’ Treats trucks, run by Steve and Natalie Fahnholz and son Stephen, complement their Neptune City cafe of the same name. Says Steve: “Our trucks supply one-stop dining” on a slew of scratch-made specialties like grilled cheese (“real cheese with real flavor”), tacos, sliders, “loaded spiral butterfly fries” and more. Shore Good trucks’ unique offering is “gourmet egg rolls” in a daily rotation of a dozen varieties, with fillings ranging from Italian, Mexican, Chinese, and deli to dessert. “An egg roll wrapper is a thing of beauty,” says Steve. Find Shore Good Eats 'n' Treats on Facebook and Instagram.L’Aquario Seafood[caption id="attachment_335896" align="aligncenter" width="778"] The L’Aquario famiglia: Giovanni and Kimberly Filippazzo and kids. Photo courtesy of L’Aquario Seafood[/caption]Monmouth County chef Giovanni Filippazzo’s “Italian-Greek family business is restaurants,” he says. “L’Aquario Seafood truck is my baby. Its focus is Italian-style seafood, which is ultra-fresh and cooked to order with a lot of amore.” L’Aquario’s temptations include marinated seafood salad, spicy shrimp arrabbiata, sweet and hot “bang bang” shrimp and a brawny steak-and-mozzarella sandwich. Four different lobster rolls (the Soprano, the Al Pacino, the Gambino and the Surf & Turf, topped with a hunk of skirt steak) showcase Jersey-caught lobster, which Giovanni promises “has an unforgettable, slightly sweeter flavor.” Find L'Aquario Seafood on Facebook and Instagram.No LimitsThe No Limits truck is the rolling version of No Limits Café in Red Bank. Truck and café share a dual purpose: to serve memorable versions of classic American lunch food, and to prepare adults with intellectual disabilities for careers in the hospitality world. “Our truck is staffed by individuals who are discovering that they can excel at a job,” says program director Stephanie Cartier. “And they are showing that to the world.” No Limits Truck manager Matt Berkowitz agrees. “We give 100% and still try to do better,” he says. “That feels so good.” What’s great on the truck, besides the gracious service? Says Matt, “Our best-sellers are our gourmet grilled cheese, our burgers and our Cuban and brisket sandwiches. People love our cookies too.” There’s nothing not to love about the No Limits Cafe Truck. Find No Limits on Facebook. Kiersten’s Creations Food TruckNot many pastry chefs graduate from the prestigious Culinary Institute of America in order to run a food truck. But Kiersten Connor broke the cookie mold. “I never aspired to the exhausting, competitive environment of a fancy restaurant kitchen,” she says. “My goal was always to bake for myself, my family and now, my customers. Baking makes me happy,” she says. Her whole family is involved in Kiersten’s Creations. Her dad built her first truck, in 2020. “My mom helps with parties and events I bake for. And it seems like everyone I know is at the new store,” she says. That’s the brick-and-mortar Kiersten’s Creations bakery in Point Pleasant, which sells cakes in addition to the truck menu of cookies, cupcakes, cheesecake, brownies and ice cream sandwiches. Kiersten also helms an ice-cream cart that’s hired for events. “I couldn’t be happier,” she says. “I’m my own boss, doing what I love amidst my family and making life a little sweeter for our customers.” Find Kiersten's Creations on Facebook and Instagram.The Mexi-BoysThe eye-catchingly green Mexi-Boys truck is the brainchild of Eddie Rojas of Highland Park and Alex Sanchez of Kearny. “We put a fun, modern spin on the food you’d get from a taqueria or sidewalk cart in Mexico,” says Eddie. “And Alex is a professional chef who’s a genius at balancing traditional and nontraditional flavors.” The truck’s Mexizilla, an overstuffed quesadilla, is a balancing act between beef, chicken, fries, three Mexican cheeses and chunky salsa. Find the Mexi-Boys on Facebook and Instagram. Five Sisters Food Co.And finally, George Miller, whose New Jersey food truck savvy helped us with this list, also makes it on here. His wife, Libby Miller grew up cooking, while George, a former fireman, realized his gift later. “I was the guy who made our food in the firehouse,” he says. “I got very good with a grill.” In 2013, the two decided to start a food truck. Their five daughters “were thrilled and continue to be,” says George. “They’d rather be on board that truck than anywhere. Five Sisters Food Co. has won dozens of local, statewide and national awards for standout dishes like hefty burgers with a secret meat blend and luscious toppings, often ordered with “insanely loaded fries,” says George. Find Five Sisters Food Co. on Facebook and Instagram.
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When The New Jersey Repertory Company put on its first production in Long Branch in 1997, the town was a vastly different place. There was no Pier Village buzzing with restaurants, shops, and bars, and it was a ghost town at night. In fact, the nonprofit theater was founded to encourage people to visit the deserted neighborhood in the evenings.“A couple donated an old industrial building because they felt a theater would best help revitalize the area,” says Gabor Barabas, who founded NJ Rep with his wife, SuzAnne.Since then, the company has produced 140 plays in its Lumia Theater on lower Broadway. This spring’s production was Two Hander by Julia Blauvelt, starring Ella Dershowitz and five-time Emmy-nominated, Golden Globe winner Jill Eikenberry.NJ Rep’s focus on new works “is a somewhat non-pragmatic mission,” says Barabas. “You’re introducing things that haven’t been done before, and it requires a somewhat adventurous audience.”Despite the challenges, the company has succeeded in its mission. Most NJ Rep productions have been world premieres, with more than 200 subsequent performances in theaters worldwide. It also acts as an incubator for new talent, staging readings and play festivals.And their footprint is expanding. In May 2016, the company acquired a sprawling former school in Long Branch and created the West End Arts Center. Spaces there are opening gradually, starting with a monthly play-reading series, standup comedy and jazz performances. Eventually, the center will have performance spaces, an art cinema, art museum, rooftop café, arts education space, actors’ and playwrights’ residences, and programs in acting, playwriting, sculpture, poetry, music and photography.The Bookstore, NJ Rep's summer show, runs every Thursday to Sunday through August 4. For tickets and information visit njrep.org.
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Each summer at the Jersey Shore, the circle of life returns. Angry roosters chase wild horses. A panda bear strides alongside a zebra. And people take turns sitting on a frog, who survives to leap up and down again every year.For more than 100 years, the Shore has embraced and cherished carousels—wooden, steel and fiberglass. The legacy of these early amusement park favorites is being carried on today, with old favorites getting upgrades and new structures making their way onto boardwalks.One of the latest additions to the scene is the $3.5 million wooden Long Branch Carousel at Pier Village. Up until the 1930s, wooden carousels were the popular choice of amusement park owners. For cost reasons, most of the carousels since then have been made of fiberglass. A new, “old-fashioned” wooden carousel—one of only a handful constructed this century in America—is a rare attraction these days, even in a tourist destination like the Jersey Shore.[RELATED: One Thing You Must Do in Every Jersey Shore Town]
“For four minutes, you are bringing smiles out for people,” says Jim Walsh, who became the majority owner of the carousel in 2021, two years after it opened to a slow start due to the pandemic. He works daily to maintain the ride in partnership with his daughter, Lydia, a graduate of Moore College of Art and Design, and the artisan who regularly touches up the paint on the figures and panels.Beyond the joy and the gentle galloping of the horses, a closer study of the figures reveals whimsical touches unique to Long Branch, such as a horse with seashells ornamenting its bridle and a goose with ears of Jersey corn as part of the saddle. Most popular of all is a small green frog wearing a jeweled crown.If the temperature is above 40 degrees inside the carousel, it opens at noon. In the summer, the carousel runs well into the evening, until the crowds stop. Walsh says there is no charge for riders who are active military, veterans, and those with physical or mental disabilities.[caption id="attachment_334670" align="alignnone" width="778"] The newly restored carousel in Seaside Heights. Photo: R.C.Staab[/caption]In Seaside Heights, the carousel, a Shore favorite, is finally reopening this summer after a restoration project that began in 2019. The Dr. Floyd L. Moreland Dentzel-Looff Carousel, located in the new Seaside Heights Carousel Pavilion on the town’s boardwalk, came with a cost of $1.1 million; the entire pavilion project cost $3.6 million.One of the more ingenious touches is a chariot that has been fitted to allow a wheelchair to be slipped inside almost unseen. “The person in the wheelchair will have the experience of riding the carousel in a pure-organic way,” says Seaside Heights borough administrator Christopher Vaz, who oversees carousel operations.The carousel has survived near disasters. Thanks to the leadership of Moreland and others in the 1980s, it was saved from being sold and stayed put at Casino Pier, where it had been since 1932. It was again in danger of being sold in 2014 by privately owned Casino Pier, but the Borough of Seaside Heights stepped in to raise funds to stop the sale and engineer a land swap that included moving the carousel.After dismantling it in 2019, the borough sent the horses to Ohio for restoration. To house the Moreland carousel, a pavilion was built farther north on the boardwalk that included a new deck, new motor and a new center pole. The cleverly decorated pavilion features artwork based on vintage Seaside Heights postcards, benches from the Whistle Stop Restaurant, and a collection of miniature carousel horses.With figures that are four abreast, the ride features the handsomest collection of carousel horses and figures on the Shore racing to the music of the restored Wurlitzer organ while operators ring the bell from its former home.Another classic carousel of note is located at Gillian’s Wonderland Pier in Ocean City. The wooden carousel, built in 1926 by the Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters, features an all-white herd of horses. Pick a horse on the outer rim to grab a brass ring for a chance to win a free ride. Or take a carousel ride at the Keansburg Amusement Park, at Jenkinson’s Boardwalk in Point Pleasant Beach, or at Fantasy Island Amusement Park in Beach Haven, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year.Farther south, ride the double-decker carousel at the Steel Pier, with a panoramic view of the Atlantic City Boardwalk. Morey’s Piers in Wildwood offers not one, but two double-decker carousels, and the Cape May Zoo’s carousel features the wildest of wild figures, with a dolphin, a zebra, a gorilla and a giant hummingbird.What makes carousels endure while other ride concepts come and go? Todd Goings, owner and president of Carousels and Carvings, who has been working on carousels for almost 35 years, including the restoration in Seaside Heights, says there are elements of fantasy and romance, noting that older generations enjoy sharing a memory with younger ones. “People can still crawl up on a piece of commercial art and ride it and engage it,” Goings says.R.C. Staab is a travel writer, book author, and wildlife and Shore enthusiast.
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The sky is the limit for a couple of Atlantic City casinos when courting high rollers. The Hard Rock Atlantic City and Ocean Casino Resort Atlantic City are upping the ante by flying big spenders into town via helicopter at the drop of the dice.Ocean, which recently partnered with the helicopter company Blade, is transporting high rollers from Manhattan."Our customers have enjoyed privately chartered trips since we built our helipad last year," says Ocean general manager Bill Callahan. However, adding a scheduled best-in-class travel experience provides yet another fantastic amenity to our award-winning, beachfront resort."Hard Rock Atlantic City is flying in top players from Manhattan, Philadelphia, the Hamptons and Stamford, Connecticut."We purchased a brand-new helicopter in March this year," says Hard Rock Atlantic City president George Goldhoff. "We avoid all of that traffic coming from Northern New Jersey and Philadelphia. You fly in comfort at 170 knots and you're here in no time."[caption id="attachment_335818" align="aligncenter" width="778"] Hard Rock Atlantic City bought a new helicopter this year. Photo courtesy of Hard Rock Atlantic City[/caption]The flight from the 30th Street helipad in Manhattan to Atlantic City is a mere 26-minute journey. High rollers can decide to visit Atlantic City on a whim."We can pick them up and have them here within two hours," Goldhoff says. "It's about convenience and return on investment."Eight high rollers were transported to the Hard Rock a week ahead of Memorial Day weekend. "I'm sure that number will increase during the summer," Goldhoff says. "We're always trying to find new and innovative ways for a better guest experience."High rollers have plenty to experience after taking the elevator from the parking garage to the casino.The Hard Rock is taking it to another level with its nine new penthouse suites as spacious as 4,000 square feet with living and dining rooms and majestic ocean views.There are 72 new slots in the High Limit Room at the Hard Rock. The high-limit slot area features 258 total high-limit machines, the most in Atlantic City.The high-roller zone is a long way from penny slot play. "It's a niche market," Goldhoff says. "But it's a very important niche market and we're doing our best with that market."Ocean is doubling down with high-limit rooms as well.The Cove is a 7,450-square-foot high-limit slot area with over 140 slot machines, featuring a combination of new and classic games.The aptly dubbed Loft is on the 44th floor of Ocean with floor to ceiling views of the Atlantic Ocean. Such is the life of the high roller perched above Atlantic City.
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[caption id="attachment_335667" align="alignnone" width="778"] Illustration: Clare Nichols[/caption]Like swallows to Capistrano, every summer for the past 40-plus years, my father, his six children, and, eventually, their children and children’s children, have flocked from as far as California and Michigan to a tiny Jersey Shore community as nondescript as its name: Ocean Beach III.It doesn’t seem like much of a draw. If you don’t blink as you travel down Route 35 South between Bay Head and Lavallette, you see rows of nearly identical bungalows lined up like soldiers in formation between the highway and the sea. In the early years, we all crammed into the largest of these tiny houses, 27 East Tuna Way, which my father, known to all as Pops, rented for the last week of every June. As time passed, we fanned out, renting bungalows for our own families on nearby streets, all named for fish.Inside, the cabins aren’t just cramped, but flimsy; once one person is up in the morning, everyone’s up. Like camping, you bring your own towels and bedding. When it’s your turn to cook dinner for 30, you have the kids run from cabin to cabin to collect flatware and big pots for corn.Though poking fun at the bungalows’ lack of amenities is a summer ritual, I’ve come to realize that their downscale interiors are actually assets. At Ocean Beach III, outdoors, not indoors, is the place to be. The kids, juiced by their unaccustomed freedom, run barefoot on the sandy streets, rounding up cousins they might see just once a year to ride bikes, go crabbing, or chase the ice cream truck. The beach is our sunny, spacious five-star family room, with natural air conditioning and unobstructed water views. After coffee and crumb cake, we wander over the dunes to our usual spot, the circle getting wider and the conversation more interesting with each arrival. In between body surfing and wave bobbing, we catch up on one another’s lives and watch the little ones, who morph in the blink of a year from babies to toddlers to adolescents, digging for sand crabs. Supper is eaten at long tables pushed together in the front yard; afterward, the kids drift into the street, where drivers actually respect the 10 mph signs, to play badminton or handball. Soon, we’re back on the beach for more games and talking as the sun sets. For a week in June, we’re royalty in our own Kennedy compound, minus the mansions.In January of 2022, our beloved Pops passed away. The ache in our hearts hits hardest as we pull onto the streets of OB III, tires crunching in the sand. But his beach tradition sustains us. No one dreamed it would last through new babies, cross-country relocations, school, sports and work conflicts, and yet more babies. Over the years, we toyed with changing to a different week or even a different venue—maybe a ranch out West or a beach community with swankier houses. But Pops just kept quietly renewing the lease at 27 East Tuna, so we kept renewing ours. And our precious beach week continues, immutable as the tides, calling us home every June.
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[caption id="attachment_334658" align="alignnone" width="778"] Photo: iStock/Alexandra Grablewski[/caption]Clambakes at the beach may seem more like a New England tradition than one found in the Garden State, but the Jersey Shore has plenty of options for this fun way to enjoy dinner on or near the beach with friends and family.Shore Catering, based in Brick, will set up both lobster and clambakes for groups and events of all sizes. The company is full service and will bring everything you need, including linens, plates and cutlery, and will cook, serve, and even clean up after the feast.“We set up a beautiful buffet and cook the lobsters on-site. We provide forks, crackers, everything you need for lobster, and we will even tie a bib on people,” says Patty Sisselman of Shore Catering. “It’s interactive and live action; they’re really fun to do at the Jersey Shore.”Shore Catering sets up lobster and clambakes for parties, weddings and graduations, as well as at yacht clubs—but they don’t set up on the beach because they find it too difficult on the uneven surface. Shore Catering often sets up right next to the beach, such as at clients’ waterfront homes, says Sisselman, adding that sometimes people will take a plate and sit on the beach.They service the entire state, from North Jersey down to Cape May, and have been offering clambakes for the past 36 years. Customers can also pick up precooked clambakes at their shop. Sisselman says they source their lobsters from Point Lobster in Point Pleasant.[RELATED: One Thing You Must Do in Every Jersey Shore Town]
Jersey Joe’s Barbecue and Grill, based in Garwood, also offers clambakes and lobster bakes. “It’s a big hit in the summer,” says Tucker Williams of Jersey Joe’s, which has been in business since 2001. “We do events all over the state, with a lot down by the beach.”Jersey Joe’s offers various packages, including the option to pick up all the fixings at their shop, as well as delivery and setup at your location. Full-service events include a raw bar with passed hors d’oeuvres, lobsters, clams and shrimp cocktail. They will set up clambakes on the beach, but ask that customers check with their towns first to find out if a permit is required, or if there are restrictions regarding location or time of day.Jersey Joe’s also sets up everything for events, and will cook the food, serve it, and clean up. They’ll even pack up leftovers and leave them in to-go containers in case anyone gets hungry later, says Williams.Other businesses that offer clambakes at the Shore include the Gourmet Deli in West Creek and Ronnie’s Catering and Bar-b-que Co. in Denville.
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This summer, check out these new places opening up at the Jersey Shore in time for the season. From restaurants to a resort, there's something fun for everyone.Madison Resort Wildwood CrestWildwood CrestThe biggest resort in Cape May County opened in mid-May after a multimillion-dollar renovation. Combining the iconic Royal Hawaiian and former Oceanview Motel, it has 200-plus rooms, two pools, cabana and poolside seating for more than a hundred people and more. It also features rooftop event spaces and can host beachfront weddings. It pays tribute to Wildwood's famed Doo Wop style of architecture as was seen at the Oceanview. Madison Resorts has poured $52 million into this project.Buddy’s Boardwalk EmpireAtlantic City“Cake Boss” Buddy Valastro—who became a pop culture icon when his family's Carlo’s Bakery in Hoboken became the subject of a TLC show in 2009—is launching a new restaurant concept in early summer at Harrah’s Resort. Located in the hotel’s main lobby, it features Jersey-style sandwiches, pizzas, a pasta station, and, of course, his amazing desserts.Seaside Social HouseSeaside HeightsAs the Heights moves beyond its binge-drinking, bass-blaring past, the next generation of locals have opened the Seaside Social House in a former auto repair shop on Sumner Avenue. It’s a casual but stylish bar, restaurant and lounge with crafted cocktails, specialty pizzas, salads and sandwiches.Hard Rock Beach and TerraceAtlantic CityStarting Memorial Day weekend, Hard Rock Hotel & Casino is offering guests and Unity Card members a swanky new beach experience with lounge chairs, umbrellas and drink service. The hotel is also opening an outdoor venue, the Terrace, with live entertainment, food and drinks.House of IndependentsAsbury ParkThe famed music venue in the famed music town of Asbury Park, which shuttered in November because of flooding, is reopening this summer, after being bought by music promoter Concert Crave. Events launch in early June.The Beach GalleryKeansburgThe Beach Gallery is a café, rooftop bar and lounge, brunch locale, tea room, event space, and art gallery all in one. It’s located in the heart of this Shore town’s historic district.Samuel's and Pearl & MaryAtlantic CityRestaurateur Michael Schulson is opening two fine-casual restaurants at Ocean Casino Resort. Samuel’s is his modern version of a diner, while Pearl & Mary offers a raw bar and cocktails.Open Green SpaceBerkeley TownshipBlackbeard’s Cave amusement park closed in 2020 and became an eyesore along Route 9. But in a nearly $6 million deal late last year, Ocean Township bought 27 acres of the land and is restoring it to open space. Demolition is complete, and the space is open for hiking and biking, though paths and signage may not be complete.The Pier HouseCape MayLa Mer Beachfront Resort’s onsite restaurant is now open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and each menu features plenty of fresh seafood options—from blue-crab eggs Benedict to fried calamari to miso-marinated salmon. From June through August, there will be BBQ weekends on the resort’s lawn. Reservations recommended.River Pointe InnRumsonThis chic new dining concept fuses elegance with comfort, with seafood, contemporary classics and more. An extensive list of wine, martinis and house cocktails can be enjoyed with food or on their own at the bar. River Pointe Inn is the latest endeavor of Jersey restaurateur Victor Rallo—owner of Undici Taverna Rustica in Rumson and Birravino in Red Bank—and his son, Jake, a recent Cornell grad. (Rallo’s daughter, Eli, is one of our state’s top social-media influencers.)
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Robert Simek, a lifelong surfer, didn’t want anyone to be excluded from the intense feelings that riding waves can bring. So six years ago, Simek and his wife, Lisa, started Waves of Strength, a nonprofit that brings surfing to children and adults with cognitive and physical challenges in the Ocean County and Long Beach Island area.“There is this sense of freedom, there’s a sense of exhilaration, like you are on a wave of energy,” says Simek, who lives in Montville and has a vacation home on LBI.The organization’s signature event is a massive day of surfing lessons at the beach on LBI. This year’s takes place on July 14th from 8 am to 1 pm at 68th Street Beach in Long Beach Township. Get registration and volunteer details here.The benefits of surfing can be mental and physical and are shared by the participants (85 percent are under the age of 18), their families, the volunteers, and the locals who always gather to cheer on the first-time surfers. Last year, MSNBC Stephanie Ruhle, who has a home on LBI, volunteered at the event.“The kids laugh and smile...You get choked up,” says Simek. “Some of the parents are like, ‘I haven’t seen my kids smile in [so long].’ One father actually had a nonverbal child who basically became verbal for a month after the event.”[caption id="attachment_334912" align="aligncenter" width="770"] Participants, their families, volunteers and spectators all feel the benefits of Waves to Strength's big surf event. Photo: Courtesy of Aaron Karp[/caption]There are three volunteers for every participant. Two experienced surfers go out in the water with the newbie, holding onto the board and helping to navigate. One volunteer stays closer to shore, so that “as they ride the wave in, there’s someone there to catch them.”Other volunteers help with checking people in and other logistical tasks.Simek says many of the participants are not only surfing for the first time, but heading into the ocean for the first time. “Some parents tell us their kid never went into the ocean because they couldn’t handle them in a safe manner,” Simek says.That’s not a problem at the annual Waves of Strength event.After the event, the organization helps some kids continue surfing, even if they cannot afford it. In March, Waves of Strength held a wave-pool event at American Dream in East Rutherford.
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[caption id="attachment_334676" align="alignnone" width="778"] Musician Bobby Bandiera (right) ahead of his band’s 1985 benefit show, with Steve Mannion of Hazlet, vice president for Make-A-Wish, outside the Stone Pony. Photo: Asbury Park Press/USA Today Network/Jim Connolly[/caption]He never intended to open a rock club, let alone one of the most hallowed in music history.It was late 1973, a quiet weekend at the Jersey Shore, and Jack Roig says he was just “killing time.”A computer-programming consultant in Manhattan, Roig had worked many summer weekends on the floor of what he refers to as a “rambunctious” boardwalk bar in Point Pleasant called the Rip Tide. He harbored dreams of opening a small, unremarkable bar of his own, akin to the “gin mills” that dotted every block of his native Washington Heights neighborhood.One thing Roig knew for certain: Asbury Park was off the table. The once-lively resort town was only a few years out from the 1970 race riots, spurred by post-segregation economic and social tensions. Residents had fled; businesses were boarded up. Springwood Avenue, on the city’s west side—previously home to a vibrant Black community and a rich jazz and blues culture—was in ruins. Although the east side of Asbury remained a refuge of sorts for a free-spirited community of young musicians—among them, Southside Johnny, Steven Van Zandt and Bruce Springsteen, who’d been luxuriating in a heady, jam-until-sunrise scene since the late ’60s—the town, on the whole, was still a shell of its former self, especially in the off-season.Roig phoned a real estate agent about an ad he’d seen in the paper. “I told him, ‘I don’t want anything to do with Asbury,’” Roig, 82, recalls. “He said, ‘Well, I have a place I can show you up in Deal, but I just got this [other] listing. I don’t even have keys for it yet. You mind if we stop there? It’s on the way.’”They never made it to Deal. Roig purchased the future Pony—then an abandoned disco called the Magic Touch—on the spot, without so much as stepping inside. “It was impulsive,” he says, recalling Asbury’s barren beachfront. “Not really a very good business decision.” (On the plus side, he points out, there was unlimited parking.)The venue’s layout was conducive to a bar with a band—so “that’s what happened,” Roig says matter-of-factly. As for the name? “I woke up one morning with some young lady, and…she had little horses on her T-shirt, and something clicked,” he recounts.Opening night at the Stone Pony on February 8, 1974—half a century ago this year—was bleak; portending, perhaps, the various storms the venue would weather over the next several decades. Snow piled on Asbury Park. The heat went out; the ice machines died. “Thank God it snowed,” Roig muses, “because the band couldn’t show up, and I didn’t have the money to pay ’em anyway.” Exactly one patron, an acquaintance, materialized and insisted on paying for his beer. The night’s take: $1.Despite that ill-fated first evening, the Pony actually “did all right” until Labor Day, Roig says. He was running the venue with manager Butch Pielka, a former fellow bouncer from Point Pleasant’s recently shuttered Rip Tide, whose regulars began frequenting the Stone Pony. Locals still in Asbury, plus residents from nearby towns, followed suit. So did local bands, Roig says.Once the summer waned, however, so did the customers. In December, part of the Pony’s roof ripped off during a nor’easter. Their insurance company went bankrupt. Foreclosure loomed.It was around that time that the local Blackberry Booze Band, featuring future Asbury Jukes frontman Southside Johnny Lyon, began performing at the Pony. “We played the kind of music we wanted to play…so we got the worst nights,” Lyon says, recalling that a cover band, Colony, known for playing strictly Top 40 radio hits, held the Pony’s coveted weekend slots. But after a few slow Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays, the Blackberry Booze Band began attracting crowds. One snowy winter evening, the place was suddenly packed. “I think that’s when people started to realize that this was a real venue to see bands,” Lyon says. “And Bruce would come down to play....It became kind of a place for real musicians.”The Blackberry Booze Band morphed into Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes, cofounded by soon-to-be E Street Band guitarist Steven Van Zandt, in 1975 (the same year Springsteen released Born to Run). The Jukes’ horn-heavy melding of rock ’n’ roll, soul, blues and R&B would become, for local fans and faraway listeners alike, a kind of sonic shorthand for the Pony—though Roig emphasizes that every band who played there, unique in its own way, “made the place.”[caption id="attachment_334655" align="alignnone" width="778"] Southside Johnny Lyon, Bruce Springsteen and Steven Van Zandt perform at the Stone Pony during the Asbury Jukes’ famed radio-broadcast show on Memorial Day weekend in 1976. Photo: Asbury Park Press-USA Today Network[/caption]On Memorial Day weekend in 1976, a live national radio debut of the Jukes’ first album, I Don’t Want to Go Home—broadcast on nine stations, Lyon says—gave the rest of the country a taste of the sweaty spontaneity emanating from this little corner of the Jersey Shore. Springsteen showed up to perform. So did Ronnie Spector and Lee Dorsey. That night “really broke [the Pony] open,” Lyon says. “It became a famous club to play....Asbury Park became a small nexus for new bands, and it was very exciting.”Pielka (who died in 2018) and Roig were “hardcore” guys, Lyon fondly recalls. “I used to get into arguments with them all the time about pay for the band, how much can you charge at the door...and I’m not a big guy, but I would take ’em on. Because I knew they needed me, and I knew I needed them.”Throughout the ’70s and ’80s, an increasingly famous Springsteen continued to make frequent surprise appearances, imbuing the Pony with an unmistakably mythic quality. Groupies flocked there, hoping to glimpse him performing, dancing in the audience, or sneaking behind the bar to pour drinks. Tourists came by the busload. Letters addressed simply to “Bruce Springsteen, U.S.A.” arrived in the mail, Roig remembers.Under this spotlight, the Pony began drawing national acts: Elvis Costello, the Ramones, Cyndi Lauper. But no amount of recognition could cushion the Pony from the city outside its dark doors, bogged down by rising crime and corruption, or from the financial and legal woes that would soon put an end to its first act. When the Pony shuttered in September 1991, it wouldn’t be the last time.Deal businessman Steven Nasar reopened the Pony in 1992. He hired local concert promoter (and former Asbury Juke) Tony Pallagrosi to cater to a younger crowd amid a burgeoning punk-music movement. The New Brunswick-born Bouncing Souls opened for Green Day there in 1994. A tent in the adjacent lot for outdoor concerts was an early incarnation of the future Summer Stage scene. Still, Asbury continued to deteriorate through the ’90s, and Nasar closed the Pony in 1998—though not before turning it into a short-lived dance club, Vinyl, and painting it, to the horror of many locals, completely pink.The venue sat untouched until 2000, when Jersey City entrepreneur Domenic Santana purchased it. He didn’t have personal ties to Asbury Park, but had scoped out the city as a potential investment site and been struck by a big group of tourists taking pictures outside the ghostly Pony. Santana brought in Eileen Chapman, an Asbury Park resident since the Pony’s 1974 opening and a stalwart supporter of the city and its music scene, as manager. (Chapman, now an Asbury Park councilwoman and director of the Bruce Springsteen Archives at Monmouth University, had previously managed Mrs. Jay’s, a beer garden next door to the Pony.) Santana renovated the space to return it to its original glory days, recreating lacquer tables and sourcing photos and memorabilia for the walls. Chapman provided a few personal items she’d saved. As they worked to revive the venue, Chapman often put herself in the shoes of the original owners. “I would just think about Jack and Butch....What would they be deciding?” she says. “Carrying on that legacy was really, really important to me. Making sure that everyone who used to come there felt comfortable coming back.”In 2001, Chapman purchased the venue’s first outdoor stage, a major component of the Pony’s revitalization in recent years, from friend Carl “Tinker” West (and Springsteen’s first manager), with money her husband had given her to buy a new car. “After he got over his shock,” Chapman jokes, he ended up building the first outdoor bar to accompany the stage.When developers initially approached Asbury Park with talk of taking over the waterfront, “it seemed they wanted to…create huge condominiums and apartment complexes, and really change what Asbury Park would look like,” Chapman recalls. “They were thinking more Miami. And we were thinking, We need to keep our music here.” She organized a Save the Stone Pony campaign—faxing musicians and record agents all over the world, creating signs, and leading a parade down Ocean Avenue. “It was absolutely important to keep the club there, and to create an entertainment district,” she says. “Opportunities for people to visit…for music to thrive, for musicians to have a place to hone their craft.”The Pony’s current general manager, Caroline O’Toole, came on in 2003. Keeping the venue alive as Asbury Park continued to struggle was not for the faint of heart. Times were often “very dark,” she says, and the Pony’s future remained “unsecure.” Her first Memorial Day, she recalls, “there was not a soul in sight.” The tide turned dramatically in 2008, when corporate developer Madison Marquette purchased the Pony and began putting millions into revitalizing Asbury, transforming it into the city we know now.[caption id="attachment_334654" align="alignnone" width="778"] Asbury Park native FLETCHER performs at the Stone Pony Summer Stage. Photo: David Zeck[/caption]These days, the Pony proudly honors its legendary rock ’n’ roll roots while booking broad, eclectic lineups—bands of all ages and genres, from Gaslight Anthem to Carly Rae Jepsen. There are disco nights and dance parties. Passionate crowds pack the intimate venue year-round and gather at the outdoor Summer Stage May through October. Shows this month include FLETCHER & FRIENDS (June 1–2) and the North to Shore Festival’s Asbury Park leg (June 10–16), featuring Gary Clark Jr., Band of Horses and others. “The Stone Pony represents this intersection of my hometown roots and this wild musical journey I’ve been on over the years,” says singer FLETCHER, 30, an Asbury Park native. “It’s a reminder of where I came from. You can never take the Jersey out of the girl.”Echoes Chapman: “It feels like home....It’s a local place to gather.”The day after E Street Band saxophonist Clarence “the Big Man” Clemons passed away in 2011, the Pony opened its doors as a sort of makeshift memorial site. “We knew people would just want to come and be together and remember him,” O’Toole says. At some point, the house DJ put on a live version of Springsteen’s “Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out.” When the words “...and the Big Man joined the band” played, she says, “I swear: I have never felt an electricity like that in the room before. It was unbelievable. To this day, I’ve yet to experience it….It was a once-in-a-lifetime moment.”[RELATED: E Street Band’s Jake Clemons Talks Stone Pony, Pre-Show Rituals and the Supernatural]
In 2015, Bleachers frontman Jack Antonoff launched his inaugural Shadow of the City music festival at the Summer Stage (this year’s is June 15). “I always wanted to have a place where [our audience] could be like, ‘OK, I’ll meet you there’…our place where we can all [reunite],” he told NJM earlier this year.In 2018, rock photographer Danny Clinch cofounded Sea Hear Now, a beloved annual music, arts and surf festival on Asbury’s beach that draws some 35,000 fans (September 14-15 this year; Noah Kahan and Springsteen are headlining). Nick Corasaniti, a Jersey native and longtime Pony-goer, especially relishes Sea Hear Now’s Saturday-night super jams at the Pony, which stretch late and raucous into the early morning. “I wasn’t around in the ’70s, so I missed those epic, till-the-sun-rises, close-the-doors, stop-serving-the-alcohol-but-keep-the-music-going-until-the-band-can’t-go-any-longer [sessions],” he says. “I think the closest we get now are those Sea Hear Now super jams. All of them are magical.”Corasaniti, a political correspondent for the New York Times, has authored an oral history of the Stone Pony, I Don’t Want to Go Home (out June 4 from HarperCollins), an engrossing, comprehensive chronicle of the venue’s ups and downs, told in the voices of the colorful characters closest to it. A book-release party at the Pony is slated for June 8.This past winter, on the anniversary of the Pony’s 1974 opening, New Jersey officials proclaimed February 8 Stone Pony Day. “Not many businesses get something like that, you know?” O’Toole says. “Governor Murphy called me and congratulated me.…It just speaks volumes of what the Stone Pony means not only to Asbury Park and to the Jersey Shore, but to the state. It’s a landmark.” The Pony also hosted a panel that week with the team from the Springsteen Archives; local musicians, employees, community members and founding owner Roig shared memories.“I’m proud of the people that I work with, and that we have been able to keep this legacy going for the next generation,” O’Toole says. “At the end of the day, it’s about the music.”
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For our 2024 Shore Guide, the editors at New Jersey Monthly wanted to shine a light on every beach town in our state. Not just the ones with the splashy attractions or the busy boardwalks, but every town—big, small or in-between—along the coast.Here, you’ll find at least one fun thing you must do in each town, from restaurants to natural wonders to boardwalk attractions for the whole family.Wishing you a wonderful season down the Shore!MONMOUTH COUNTYSandy HookGunnison BeachFeeling bold? Ditch your swimsuit and spend the day at Gunnison Beach, the largest clothing-optional beach in the northeastern United States and the only legal one in New Jersey, thanks to Sandy Hook’s federal land protections. If you’re a first-timer, you’ll be happy to know that Gunnison sunbathers are generally laid-back and welcoming. Don’t forget sunscreen! —Connor CarlinWANT MORE?* Visit Sandy Hook Lighthouse, the country’s oldest.Sea Bright Seawall Pedestrian WalkwayStroll up the ramp or steps to this unique pedestrian walkway atop the Sea Bright seawall. You’ll get a view of the bustling downtown on one side and the beach on the other. If you plan to hit the sand before or after your stroll, know that outdoor showers are located along the walkway, and restrooms are inside Sea Bright Pavilion. But you don’t need a beach badge to enjoy the walkway scene. —R.C. StaabMonmouth BeachMy Kitchen WitchCrumb cake is a Shore staple, but when you want something healthier for breakfast, try My Kitchen Witch. The decor is fun, the menu playful, and the food so tasty. Try a Wicked Witch of the Shore omelette, with pork roll, peppers, onions and pepper jack. There are a café, a shop and an all-organic Magic Potions juice bar. —Julia Martin29 Beach Road, 732-229 3033Long Branch Avenue Rooftop LoungeArrive before the sun goes down to get a prime spot along the outdoor terrace’s perimeter. Views overlook the beach and offer premier people watching, volleyball-spectator cheering and sunset gazing. A bar and DJ contribute to the party atmosphere, while the pool and indoor/outdoor seating give full resort vibes. Set on top of the popular Avenue Le Club, a French restaurant in the heart of Pier Village—a hub for shopping, dining and being seen—the rooftop is public, whether or not you are dining there. —Deborah P. Carter23 Ocean Avenue North, 732-759-2900WANT MORE? Shop at Pier Village; try honey wine at Beach Bee Meadery; stay at the trendy Wave Resort.*[RELATED: Inside Long Branch’s Swanky Private Beach Club]
[caption id="attachment_334501" align="alignright" width="350"] Buy our June 2024 issue here. Cover photo: Ann Coen[/caption]DealHistoric MansionsIn the early 1900s, Deal saw a who’s who of famous people summering in their fabulous beachfront mansions, including Isidor and Ida Straus, who cofounded Macy’s and whose tragic love story was made famous in the film Titanic. Sadly, their mansion no longer exists, but many more still stand, including that of the A&P heir E.V. Hartford. His former estate is on the corner of Ocean and Roseld avenues and was designed by famed architect Stanford White. For more info, go to oceanmuseum.org. —Jacqueline MrozAsbury ParkMadam Marie’sBoardwalk fortune teller Madam Marie was immortalized by another Shore icon: Bruce Springsteen. The Boss used to stop by her booth and have his fortune read. Rumor has it she told him he’d someday be a huge success. (She was right!) Springsteen mentions Madam Marie in his song “4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy).” Madam Marie—whose real name was Marie Castello—died in 2008, but her family continues to give readings. —J. MrozFourth and Ocean Avenue, 908-338-5434WANT MORE?* Catch a show at the famed Stone Pony; visit Danny Clinch's Transparent Clinch Gallery; stroll Cookman Avenue. Click here for a guide to 24 hours in Asbury Park.Ocean GroveGreat AuditoriumNo matter what religion you practice, if any, you’re welcome at the Sunday morning (10:30 am) or evening (7 pm) Methodist service in Ocean Grove’s enormous and gorgeous Great Auditorium, built in 1894. There are a magnificent pipe organ and choir, stirring speakers, and nattily dressed ushers who do a coordinated march to bring up the offerings. Enormous windows funnel in the sea air. —J. Martin21 Pilgrim Pathway, 732-775-0035*WANT MORE?* Walk by the unique summer tent community; see the controversial cross-shaped pier. Click here for more on what to do, see and eat in Ocean Grove.Bradley BeachLive Music at the GazeboIn this family-friendly Shore town, a lovely way to spend your evening is to stop by the gazebo on the boardwalk at Fifth and Ocean avenues and listen to some free live music. Anyone can dance along to the sounds, which can be anything from blues to rock to standards. Go to bradleybeach.com/events for a schedule. —J. MrozWANT MORE? Eat a fabulous breakfast at the Buttered Biscuit; play 18 holes on the boardwalk at Shipwreck Island Mini Golf. Click here for a guide to 24 hours in Bradley Beach.BelmarFender Guitar/Springsteen TributeSpringsteen fans can stop by the corner of 10th Avenue and E Street and see the 8-foot Fender guitar that marks the site where his band rehearsed in the early days. The intersection, home to the Belmar Public Library, gave the E Street Band its name; E Street is where former keyboard player David Sancious lived. —J. Mroz*WANT MORE?* Sit outside on the deck at Beach Haus Brewery; sit and order fresh seafood at Klein’s Fish Market or pick some up to grill at home; enjoy dinner and views at Marina Grille; go parasailing with Belmar Parasail.Spring LakeThunder Road BooksConveniently located to provide your beach reads, Thunder Road also hosts summer book clubs on the third Wednesday of each month and author visits. Best-selling author Jodi Picoult will visit town on August 19, sponsored by Thunder Road. They’re happy to give recommendations, too, in person and on the website. —J.Martin1108 Third Avenue, 973-436-0914*WANT MORE?* Explore the charming downtown; stop by the lake; stay at the Breakers on the Ocean.Sea GirtThe Parker HouseIn a quiet neighborhood sits a stately building that is, surprisingly, home to one of the most raucous summer nightclubs around. The Parker House, built as a seasonal hotel more than 100 years ago, is today mostly known for its wild party scene in “God’s Basement.” For a more tranquil experience, head to the main level for lunch and dinner served on the outdoor terrace with the scent of the ocean one block away. —RCS290 1st Avenue, 732-449-0442ManasquanInlet Beach[caption id="attachment_334675" align="alignnone" width="778"] Photo: Andrew Mills[/caption]Surfing in Jersey is an exercise in patience or fearlessness. When the water is warm, you’ll often wait weeks for decent breaks. When the water is cold, the waves are epic, but often beyond the skill level (and temperature threshold) of casual surfers. Inlet Beach is our most consistent surfing spot due to its enormous jetties, which corral approaching waves into long, glorious breaks. Things get interesting before storms and during late-summer swells. The spot can, however, get crowded on summer weekends.WANT MORE? Bring your pup to Doggie Beach at Fisherman’s Cove Conservation Area.Point Pleasant BeachJenkinson’s Aquarium[caption id="attachment_334667" align="alignnone" width="778"] The touch tank at Jenkinson’s Aquarium Photo: Courtesy of Jenkinson’s Boardwalk[/caption]Marine life typically resides outdoors at the Shore, but here, at one of the best aquariums in the state, you can get up close with fish, penguins, seals and sharks—right on the bustling Jenkinson’s Boardwalk, where the rides, games and boardwalk treats usually take center stage. The littlest visitors will love the touch tank. —Julie Gordon300 Ocean Avenue North, 732-892-0600WANT MORE? Eat at Red’s Lobster Pot (expect a wait at peak times); cool off at Hoffman’s, one of our favorite ice cream spots at the Shore.Avon-by-the-SeaThe PromenadeIn this town, a perfect blend of bustling cosmopolitan and laidback beach community, you’ll want to stop on in at the Promenade, the casual yet elegant BYO restaurant located right on the beach, with a front-row view of the sand and surf. Enjoy a scrumptious seaside meal of crispy chicken and Belgian waffles, coconut shrimp, or chicken Milanese with friends and family. —CC600 Ocean Avenue, 732-505-7770OCEAN COUNTY* Bay Head*Beach House Classic Boardshop*[caption id="attachment_334661" align="alignnone" width="778"] Beach House Classic Boardshop sells apparel, accessories and boards, like this 6-foot-8-inch Hot Potato board from Clean Ocean. Photo: Courtesy of Beach House/Eric Beyer[/caption]This is a throwback, brick-building surf shop that celebrates authentic surf culture in the heart of town. Find vintage used boards, but also new, handcrafted longboards, fish and mid-length-style boards inspired by ’60s and ’70s design with updated elements. It’s also a great spot to pick up surf accessories or check out full lines of timeless surf and Bay Head apparel. —Jon Coen**517 Main Street, 732-714-8566WANT MORE? Stay or eat at Grenville, a bubblegum-pink Victorian hotel.MantolokingCoastline AdventuresIn this teensy town, learn something new with Coastline Adventures, which offers surfing, bodyboarding and stand-up paddleboarding lessons at Brick Beach 3 and Trader’s Cove. Kids’ camps are offered most weekdays, and adult surf camps are on weekends. Adaptive surf lessons are available. Prices are $75-$400-plus. Get more info or register at njsurfschool.com. —Emily MelvinNormandy Beach Charlie’s Farm Market, Café & BakeryFor decades, the big, brown placard for Charlie’s Farm Market on Route 35 has been a welcome sign to those arriving at the Shore. Pull in from either the north or south side of 35 and stock up on watermelon, Jersey tomatoes and fresh corn. There’s a café with basics like burgers and onion rings, and a bakery where you can pick up one of their classic cheesecakes. —J. Martin491 Route 35LavallettePickleball Courts[caption id="attachment_334666" align="alignnone" width="778"] Photo: Ann Coen[/caption]Aficionados of the fastest-growing sport in America can find some friendly competition every Saturday and Sunday from 8 am to noon on the eight pickleball courts along the bay at Magee Avenue. Just stick your paddle in the fence and drop $5 in the bucket, and it’s game on. —J. MartinWANT MORE?* Visit Crab’s Claw Inn for seafood.Ortley Beach Barnacle Bill’s AmusementsBarnacle Bill’s Amusements is a vintage Shore classic that’s been around since 1963, with prizes for Skee-ball, pinball and video games—plus an 18-hole miniature golf course that’s a true Shore favorite. The iconic 1967 giant fiberglass statue of black-bearded Barnacle Bill oversees the ninth hole. —Barbara Leap1968 Route 35 North, 732-793-9345WANT MORE? Pick up fresh fish at Ortley Seafood Market.Seaside HeightsFunhouse MirrorsOn the Seaside Heights boardwalk, you get used to emptying your wallet. But there’s plenty of fun to be had for free posing in front of the fun-house mirrors in the arcade space along Ocean Terrace. Seeing everyone’s bodies stretched thinner, wider and longer by the wavy mirrors, it’s impossible not to laugh out loud. —J. Martin*WANT MORE?* Drive past the house at 1209 Ocean Avenue where the Jersey Shore cast lived.Ship Bottom (LBI)The Local Market & KitchenBlessedly just seconds from Long Beach Island’s entrance, this is a small but mighty one-stop spot for a tasty breakfast, lunch, early dinner or afternoon pick-me-up. Offerings include hearty sandwiches, sides, salads, a tantalizing array of fresh baked goods, and specialty coffees precariously piled with whipped cream and indulgent toppings. Stop in to grab sustenance on your way to the beach, or stick around to eat on the patio. —Jennifer Finn604 Central Avenue, 609-342-0061Seaside Park* Island Beach State ParkThis little-known barrier-island preserve contains almost 10 miles of pristine, sandy beach, an extensive shoreline along Barnegat Bay, dense maritime forests, rolling sand dunes and tidal marshes. There’s a vehicle entry fee of $6-$20, and, when parking is full, the park is closed to additional cars. The most popular activities are swimming and surf fishing, but you can also ride your bicycle, surf, go for a hike, have a picnic, kayak, or even bring your horse. However, Island Beach State Park may be most famous as the site of former governor Chris Christie’s 2017 family beach jaunt, which they enjoyed even though he’d closed state parks and beaches during the July 4th holiday weekend due to a state-government shutdown. —J. Mroz**2401 Central AvenueWANT MORE? Stop by Betty & Nick’s Bait & Tackle, which is part luncheonette and part full-service tackle shop with rods, reels, rigs and a famous fishing report.Barnegat Light (LBI)Barnegat LighthouseThe beauty and tranquility of nature are the draw for this Long Beach Island town’s big attraction. Nicknamed Old Barney, the 19th-century lighthouse was designed by George Meade, the Union general who won the Battle of Gettysburg. Though not in operation today, visitors can enjoy the lighthouse’s majesty and learn about the history and ecology of the surrounding area at the adjacent Barnegat Lighthouse Center against the backdrop of rolling surf, sandy shores and ocean breezes. —CC208 Broadway, 609-494-2016WANT MORE?* Explore Viking Village, a commercial fishing port with great eateries and shops; tours available.Harvey Cedars (LBI)Sunset ParkWith fantastic facilities for the LBI day tripper, including ample parking, this three-block-wide public park sits on Barnegat Bay just a block from the beach. It offers a playground and ball fields, as well as a launch for kayaks and paddleboards, plus the all-important bathroom with showers. Wednesday night concerts are a tradition here. —JC1 West Salem AvenueSurf City (LBI)* Surf City 5 & 10For many LBI vacationers, no trip is complete without at least one visit to the Surf City 5 & 10. The fourth-generation, family-owned shop stocks a smorgasbord of vacation essentials—from beach gear and apparel, to souvenirs and jewelry, to housewares and barbecue supplies. Grab a handful of saltwater taffy for good measure. —JF**411 North Long Beach Boulevard, 609-494-1872Long Beach Township (LBI)*Loveladies and North BeachNorth Beach and Loveladies have some of the most exclusive real estate in New Jersey. The beaches are public, while vehicle access to them is mostly private. But anyone with an LBT beach badge and a little initiative can park in Surf City, Harvey Cedars or Barnegat Light and walk onto the same secluded beaches enjoyed by the elite. —JCBeach Haven (LBI) Fantasy Island Amusement ParkFor an afternoon or evening of nostalgic family fun, head to Fantasy Island Amusement Park, celebrating its 40th anniversary this summer. If you can handle heights, a spin on the Ferris wheel is a must for its striking bird’s-eye view of the island. In addition to rides ranging from the peaceful carousel to the towering Lighthouse Launch, there are games, an arcade and food. Trust us: Order the fried Oreos. —JF750 North Bay Avenue, 609-492-4000WANT MORE? Visit the bustling, charmingly clustered shops and eateries of Bay Village and Schooner’s Wharf. Click here for a guide to 24 hours in LBI.ATLANTIC COUNTYBrigantineSea Life Museum at Marine Mammal Stranding CenterThis free museum has educational displays about sea life, artifacts such as a sperm whale’s jawbone, an interactive exhibit for kids, and a “bone garden.” Though the stranding center isn’t open to the public, a live feed of staff caring for the seals can sometimes be viewed inside the museum. Check hours at mmsc.org before you visit. —J. Martin3625 Atlantic Brigantine BoulevardAtlantic CityBoogie NightsIn a town with a storied history of nightlife (stretching back to the Frank Sinatra days and, before that, the Prohibition era), Atlantic City still has numerous concerts, clubs and drinking establishments that draw visitors in droves. A favorite club right now is the retro Boogie Nights at Tropicana Resort & Casino. Disco the night away on the colorful dance floor to hits from the 1970s through early 2000s. The club often has performers, impersonators and themes. —EM2831 Boardwalk, 888-940-7080WANT MORE? Stroll the Boardwalk, the country’s first; visit Island Waterpark at Showboat hotel; take in stunning ocean views from the decks at Ocean Casino Resort; eat at Café 2825 (what one NJM reviewer deemed AC's best Italian restaurant) or the legendary White House Sub Shop. Click here for a guide to more great restaurants in Atlantic City.VentnorVentnor City Fishing PierLove to fish? Love to watch people fish? Just want to take a stroll 1,000 feet out from the beach on the longest fishing pier in New Jersey? You’ve come to the right place. This impressive municipal pier attracts pros and novices alike, and you can stop by Ventnor’s fishing store, Ship Shop, just down the road to get all the bait and tackle you can handle. —Victor FiorilloSouth Cambridge Avenue and the BoardwalkMargateLucy the ElephantSeeing a six-story-high elephant isn’t a typical activity at the Shore—unless you’re in Margate. Lucy the Elephant is America’s oldest roadside attraction, built in 1881, and she is quite the sight to see. Lucy underwent her latest round of renovations in recent years to the tune of $2 million. Visitors can tour the interior, take photos of the exterior, and witness a slice of New Jersey roadside history. —JG9200 Atlantic Avenue, 609-823-6473*WANT MORE?* Eat dinner at Tomatoe’s.LongportOzzie’sOf all the sleepy Jersey Shore beach towns, Longport is one of the sleepiest. But one place that always seems to be hustling and bustling with locals and shoobies alike is this iconic luncheonette, which serves breakfast and lunch seven days a week. For the early risers, the banana-nut pancakes are all the rage. And at lunchtime, we find it hard to resist the towering turkey-bacon-avocado club sandwich and the hearty salads. —VF2401 Atlantic Avenue, 609-487-0575CAPE MAY COUNTYOcean City Asbury AvenueIn this dry town (and family favorite), spend some time shopping along Asbury Avenue, where unique shops include Sun Rose Words and Music (an indie book, music and art supply store), White Lotus (a chic, metaphysical boutique), Ashore Fit (a new fitness and athleisure shop), and Mia’s Christmas Gallery (a store that is filled with beachy Christmas-themed items galore.) —EM*WANT MORE?* Cool off with Polish Water Ice on the boardwalk; indulge in crispy goodness at Jilly’s French Fry Factory; go on the rides and be prepared for thrilling fun at Gillian’s Wonderland Pier.StrathmereThe Deauville InnThis historic Shore restaurant has been on the Strathmere bayside in one form or another since the 1800s. As such, it has a loyal crowd whose families have been coming for generations. The restaurant underwent a massive renovation and rebranding in recent years, and the results are nothing short of spectacular. The food and drinks are good, but the sunset views are even better. You’ve got to show up early if you want the best seats, which are on the deck. —VF201 Willard Road, 609-263-2080*WANT MORE?* Hit the sand and surf; it’s one of NJM’s favorite hidden beaches.Sea Isle CityLaCosta Lounge & Deck BarIf you’re staying in Sea Isle City and wondering what all that noise is at 11 pm, it’s undoubtedly this long-standing bar, whose booming outdoor summer dance parties are the stuff of legend. People travel from miles around (hopefully, via rideshare) to take in what is most certainly a scene, imbibe maybe a little more than they should, and bump and grind well into the night. If you’re single and looking to mingle, this is the spot. —VF4000 Landis Avenue, 609-263-3611*WANT MORE?* Visit Fish Alley for seafood eateries and markets (faves include Mike’s Seafood and Marie’s Lobster House).AvalonPirate Island GolfHitting the mini greens is always fun, and Pirate Island makes for a lively night out in this Shore town that is low on bustle and high on chic residents and guests. The 18-hole course is peppered with challenges and theme-park-style waterfalls, pirate ships and bridges. Pirate Island also has locations in Sea Isle and Ocean City. —DPC2738 Dune Drive, 609-368-8344Stone HarborSalt SpaGet away on your getaway by booking a treatment in the Turkish Bath at the Salt Spa in Stone Harbor. When you step into the retreat room, floor-to-ceiling tiles sparkle in dim light while Swarovski crystals on the ceiling mimic stars. Steamy and dreamy, there is relaxing music playing and a mood-enhancing play of lights designed to lift your spirits. Options include a detox mud treatment or the body-nourishing, fruit-based scrub. —DPC9628 Third Avenue, 609-961-3009WANT MORE? Visit the retro-look Harbor Square movie theater.The WildwoodsThe Beach[caption id="attachment_334662" align="alignnone" width="778"] Beach access in the Wildwoods is free. Photo: Courtesy of Greater Wildwoods Tourism Improvement & Development Authority/Chris Lo Bue[/caption]Clearly, going to the beach is a huge part of going down the Shore. In most Shore towns, beach badges cost anywhere from $6 and up, daily. But in the Wildwoods, access is always free. Also of note: The Wildwoods have the widest beaches at the Shore, 1,500 feet in some spots, so you can get your steps in before chilling on the sand. —JG*WANT MORE?* Splash around at Morey’s Piers water parks, Raging Waters and Ocean Oasis; visit the Doo Wop Experience Museum (one of NJM's must-visit Jersey museums) and take a local tour of retro Doo Wop architecture run by the establishment; get a hoagie at the retro Wawa on Rio Grande.[RELATED: Inside New Jersey’s Love Affair with Wawa]*
Cape May Golf CartsWhile it may be true that nothing beats a stroll, wheels cover more ground, and tootling around in a rented golf cart may count as a compromise. At a max speed of 15 mph, the wonderful variety of Victorian colors and architecture on the famed strip of Painted Ladies on Gurney and other streets, is more than just a blur from the car window. Choose a two- or four-seater; either will fit into tight parking. And don’t forget the sensation of whizzing down Beach Avenue with the sun just over your shoulder—it’s worth the price of admission. —DPCWANT MORE? Hunt for Cape May “diamonds” (quartz pebbles); visit Beach Plum Farm for a day trip or overnight stay (an item on NJM's list of 52 things you must do in New Jersey); enjoy some of the best birding in the country. Click here for a guide to 24 hours in Cape May.
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For a front-row vantage point to one of the world’s most stupendous views—the New York City skyline—head to the Hudson River Waterfront Walkway, which stretches along the western shore of the Hudson River. On sunny days, the Hudson River sparkles. On overcast days, it radiates a steely gray.Walking or running along the river, you hear the insistent cries of gulls and the waves lapping against the shore. Watch ferries glide quickly across the water from Weehawken to midtown Manhattan. Pick out landmarks: the Empire State Building, One World Trade Center, the Statue of Liberty.“It’s tranquil and it’s energizing at the same time,” says Melissa Yanurian, 36, of Edgewater, a pharmacist who likes to push her infant son’s stroller along the path. “The view itself is calming, but the city skyline is energizing.”[RELATED: The Best Outdoor Activities in New Jersey]
The walkway runs from Bayonne to Fort Lee, with some gaps. On the New Jersey side, you’ll pass townhouses, apartments, condos, businesses and parks. Memorials in Jersey City, Hoboken and Weehawken honor 9/11 victims.In Liberty State Park in Jersey City, the path goes past the historic 1889 terminal of the Central Railroad of New Jersey. Other Jersey City landmarks include the old Colgate factory clock; a statue honoring 22,000 Polish victims killed by the Soviets in the 1940 Katyn Massacre; and an 80-foot-tall sculpture of a head, called Water’s Soul.In Hoboken, the walkway slices straight between the train shed and the waiting room at the Hoboken rail terminal.The Hudson River Waterfront Walkway traces its beginnings to the mid-1980s, when the state Legislature passed a law requiring waterfront property owners to build a section of public walkway any time there was a change in a property’s use.“As more and more industries closed and more developers came in to develop what is now called the Gold Coast, the walkway has appeared,” says Don Stitzenberg, president of the Hudson River Waterfront Conservancy, a nonprofit that monitors the pathway’s construction and maintenance.He says the walkway is “largely complete from Port Liberte in Jersey City to the George Washington Bridge,” and it will “hopefully” be finished in the “next few years.”Beyond walking and running, there is plenty to do. The Hoboken Cove Community Boathouse, a nonprofit public boathouse located at at 1100 Frank Sinatra Drive North, offers free use of kayaks, paddleboards and outrigger canoes. The season runs May 25 to mid-September. Urban Paddle in Jersey City, located at Liberty Harbor Marina, offers kayak and standup paddleboarding lessons and tours. They are available from May 11 to early October.You can also rent a bike at one of the 82 Citi Bike stations in Jersey City or Hoboken, both of which have great options to stop for a drink or a meal.You could even try your hand at fishing, though, in Stitzenberg’s words, “Whether or not you’re going to eat fish out of the Hudson River is a whole other question.”The walkway includes a small segment in Bayonne, where the waterfront is still largely industrial. But Stitzenberg says that if, as expected, the waterfront is ultimately redeveloped there, it will be finished through Bayonne and will cover 18.5 miles from the George Washington Bridge to the Bayonne Bridge.GETTING THEREParking and public transit can be a challenge. Try these access points:Edgewater Harbor55 River Road, EdgewaterA small parking lot behind the stores has some spots designated for the walkway. However, you can’t walk north along the waterfront here without detouring inland.Guttenberg/North Bergen Waterfront ParkRiver Road on the border of North Bergen and Guttenberg, a little south of Hackensack Meridian Palisades Medical CenterThere are 15 parking spots here.Port Imperial4800 Avenue, WeehawkenPaid parking is available in decks near the NY Waterway ferry terminal.HobokenMunicipal parking decks are a few blocks from the waterfront. Or travel by NJ Transit train or bus, or the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail.Exchange PlaceJersey CityNear parking lots and some street parking, it can also be reached on the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail and via PATH.Liberty State Park1 Audrey Zapp Drive, Jersey CityEnjoy free parking. It’s also on the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail. Kathleen Lynn lives in northern New Jersey and is a contributing writer to New Jersey Monthly.
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[caption id="attachment_332687" align="alignnone" width="778"] Sharrott Winery in Hammonton serves enticing wines and gastropub-style food. Photo: Courtesy of Sharrott Winery[/caption]Maybe you already know South Jersey’s Hammonton as the blueberry capital of the world—or as first lady Jill Biden’s birthplace. But this farm-encircled Pinelands town of 15,000 has come into its own as a day-trip or getaway destination. It has a thriving wine culture, intriguing eating, a vintage downtown, and an aura of welcome. “Visitor or resident, Hammonton just draws you in,” says local Kelly Perone. “My family tore ourselves away from Montclair to start up Blueberry Rascal Distillery and encountered this friendly, creative, inclusive community. Hammonton has incredible spirit.”A half-hour from Philly’s Jersey suburbs and Atlantic City, Hammonton is a stop on the NJ Transit train connecting them. But it has never been a mere stopover. For decades, visitors have descended upon Hammonton to pick blueberries in June and July. Others drop into town after adventures in the adjacent Wharton State Forest, which offers 123,000 acres of nature’s magic.Now, visitors to Hammonton are also driven by its boutique wineries’ tasting rooms.Overall, New Jersey wine has reached critical mass, garnering oenophile buzz, impressive ratings and national awards. Hammonton has emerged as a Jersey-wine superstar with its own official grape-growing region, Outer Coastal Plain. Here, rich soil and Atlantic-gentled seasons nourish robust vines of red and white grapes: Old World, New World and French-American hybrids. But what ultimately raises Hammonton’s wine game is its committed, inspired winery owners and masterful winemakers.MORE ROAD TRIPS*:On Washington’s Trail: A Road Trip for the History BuffNew Jersey Road Trips for the Animal LoverNew Jersey’s Top Pizza ToursRetro Road Trips to Take Through New Jersey*
Visitors experience the fruits of their labor while swirling, sipping, and dipping into food pairings in country-chic winery tasting rooms. The Hammonton-centric Wine and Ale Trail of South Jersey, whether self driven or on low-priced jitney tours, conveniently links local wineries and craft breweries.White Horse Winery, run by father and son Brock and BJ Vinton, is a must-visit for Parisian brasserie eats, refined Bordeaux blends aged in French oak, and mellow chambourçin red. Over at Sharrott Winery, founder Larry Sharrott says visitors “come for the bottle and stay for the food.” That bottle could be a lip-licking vignoles white or Tango, a lively cabernet blend. And the food? Enticing gastropub-style bites.The Wine and Ale Trail includes Hammonton’s trio of high-quality craft breweries, known as the Brewmuda Triangle. Jersey breweries cannot provide food service, so food trucks roll up on weekends, and patrons are encouraged to bring their own grub. At the convivial Three 3’s microbrewery, taps dispense 14 frothy house lagers and ales. Vinyl Brewing Company is bouncy and social, and its gutsy, small-batch beers wink-wink with monikers like Adult Party and Low Life. Smack downtown, Chimney Rustic Ales’s tasting room and sidewalk tables prove handsome settings for flights and pints.Curtis and Kelly Perone’s Blue Rascal Distillery is embraced by cocktail connoisseurs. Distiller Veronica Townsend’s spirits highlight Hammonton blueberries, some grown on Curtis’s family farm. Six fruit liqueurs showcase South Jersey berries and cherries. Tipplers can opt for tastings, shots, full pours, or sophisticated cocktails with “zero junk ingredients,” says Kelly.Hammonton’s dining is as vibrant as its drinking. El Nuevo Mariachi Loco delivers fun, flavor and name-dropping; the premises of this authentic Mexican cantina once housed the ornate drugstore and soda fountain owned by the first lady’s paternal grandparents. The accent is Italian at Bagliani’s, a fourth-generation specialty market. Waffles are the way at the laid-back Funky Cow. Since 1972, Evelyn Penza has run Penza’s Pies at the Red Barn, slinging breakfast, lunch and hefty berry pies. Annata Wine Bar, a modern bistro, uncorks 125 wines (some from Hammonton), and Rocco’s Town House proffers an appealing, something-for-everyone menu and a downstairs speakeasy, Rock Bottom.“There’s so much to love about Hammonton, but six words say it,” says local entrepreneur Jim Donio, founder of the Eagle Theatre. “Small-town feel, big-city appeal.”KT Harrison, a career journalist on the lifestyle beat, is a longtime New Jersey Monthly dining critic and the magazine’s online Eat & Drink columnist.
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George Washington was in a fix. The British had chased Washington and his ragged Continental Army off Manhattan Island and across the Hudson River to what is now Fort Lee. Enlistments were ending, and there was little money to feed and clothe what remained of Washington’s fighting force.Washington needed a victory, and he needed it fast. For that, he looked to New Jersey.On the night of Christmas Day, 1776, Washington, who had retreated all the way to Pennsylvania, led his troops on their fateful crossing of the Delaware River, landing on the Jersey side just south of Lambertville. What followed were what historians call the Ten Crucial Days. Without Washington’s surprising series of successful engagements with the British and their Hessian mercenaries during those 10 days, we might all still be English subjects.[caption id="attachment_332695" align="alignnone" width="778"] Artist John Cameron’s 1876 painting of Washington crossing the Delaware. Painting: Library of Congress/John Cameron[/caption]Washington’s men traveled mostly on foot—some with feet wrapped in rags—for those 10 frigid days. Today, you can tour the key locations on their trek in the comfort of your family car in less than a day, including stops at three museums, two impressive monuments and several battle sites. You can use this story as your guide or join a tour.Our journey starts at Washington Crossing State Park (along Route 29 in Titusville). From the parking lot alongside the Delaware, you can sense the heroic effort required for Washington to float 2,400 troops across the rushing waters in the dead of night. Now, factor in the ice floes that pocked the river that Christmas and the brutal nor’easter that roiled the waters, driving rain, sleet and snow into the faces of the ill-clad soldiers. (The same night, two other planned crossings of 3,000 additional troops farther down the river failed.)MORE ROAD TRIPS*:New Jersey Road Trips for the Animal LoverRetro Road Trips to Take Through New JerseyNew Jersey’s Top Pizza ToursWhy You Must Wine and Dine in Hammonton*
After viewing the riverfront, drive up the hill to the visitor center museum (open daily, 9-11:30 am and 12:30-4 pm; admission free; 609-737-0623). The museum has two rooms of period artifacts, including an original letter from Washington to Colonel Richard Humpton directing him to gather the sturdy Durham boats the army needed for the crossing. You can also watch a 27-minute film on the Ten Crucial Days (admission $1). If you care to linger, visit the 18th-century Johnson Ferry House (open Wednesday-Sunday) or stretch your legs on one of the park’s many walking trails.From the state park, we head east on Washington Crossing-Pennington Road and south on Bear Tavern Road (Route 579), following Washington’s actual march toward Trenton, 9.5 miles away. (Watch for the Victory Trail signs.) For Washington’s men, this was a brutal slog along a rocky, rutted, icy trail. The troops struggled with ropes to haul heavy artillery pieces up and down the steep ravines.Turn left at Upper Ferry Road onto Route 634 (watch for the Dunkin’ Donuts). This is the very intersection where Washington divided his army for a two-pronged attack on the force of about 1,500 Hessians (paid soldiers from Germany) encamped in Trenton. According to local historian and volunteer tour guide Roger Williams (our guide for this day), it was here, just before sunrise, that Washington told his generals, “Synchronize your watches.” His goal: to ensure that the two divisions reached the initial Hessian outposts at the same time.[caption id="attachment_332719" align="alignright" width="350"] Buy our May 2024 issue here. Cover illustration: Mary Kate McDevitt[/caption]Follow Route 634 (Parkway Avenue) all the way to Route 31 (Pennington Avenue). Turn right (there’s yet another Dunkin’ Donuts) and you’ll reach the Trenton Battle Monument, which towers above the busy confluence of five main streets. There’s no dedicated parking here, but you can park a few blocks away at the Greater Mount Zion AMA Church (42 Pennington Avenue) or pull into the gravel lot on your left as you reach the monument.When it opened in 1893, visitors could enter the base of the 150-foot-tall monument—constructed at a cost of $60,000—and ride to the top in the world’s first Otis elevator. These days, the interior is closed, so the best visitors can do is gaze up at the monument and imagine the scene that unfolded at this spot in 1776.That’s Washington in bronze signaling the attack atop the fluted column, but he wasn’t the only historically significant figure on the scene. Picture, to your left, a battery commanded by Alexander Hamilton firing on the Hessian positions along King Street (now Warren Street). Several hundred feet down King Street, a young lieutenant (and future president) named James Monroe led his third Virginia Regiment against the Hessians. In a moment that could have changed history, Monroe suffered a near-fatal neck wound in close combat with the enemy.Much as Washington envisioned, the Continentals engaged the Hessians from multiple directions that morning of December 26, 1776—a mere 4.5 hours after crossing the Delaware. The street fighting was chaotic. Outmanned by about 2-to-1, the surprised Hessians fell back. Washington’s army captured 900 prisoners and, satisfied that they had won the day, slipped back across the river to regroup.For your next stop, head down Warren Street to West Front Street for a visit to one of NJM's favorite museums, Old Barracks Museum (101 Barrack Street; open 10 am-5 pm, Wednesday-Saturday; adults, $10; students and seniors, $8; children under 5 and active military, free; 609-396-1776).Built in 1758 to shelter British soldiers during the French and Indian War, the Old Barracks housed British and Hessian troops at the time Washington captured Trenton. Having taken Trenton, the Continentals used the barracks as a prison and, later, as a military hospital. Today, the Old Barracks serves as a museum of Colonial times, with a collection of around 2,000 objects.From the museum, head about three blocks south to Mill Hill Park (at the corner of East Front and South Broad streets), which commemorates the Battle of Assunpink Creek (aka the Second Battle of Trenton). It was here, on January 2, 1777, that Washington’s troops held off three assaults by a larger British and Hessian force, which had just marched from Princeton. These were fresh troops under the command of Lieutenant General Charles Cornwallis, who was bent on reclaiming Trenton for the Crown.Washington had stationed his troops on the high ground south of the creek. Today, you can stand astride the creek on Mill Hill Park’s black-iron footbridge and visualize Washington’s forces on the neighboring hillside, repelling the British and Hessians as they repeatedly attempted to cross the nearby Queen Street Bridge (now the Broad Street Bridge).At the far end of the park stands the yellow clapboard Alexander Douglas House, where Washington held a council of war with his regimental commanders to determine his next move. (At the time of the battle, the house was on the south side of the creek, where Washington’s troops held sway.)Rather than engage the enemy again the next day, Washington, content with his pair of morale-boosting triumphs at Trenton, slipped away in the night, leading his army to Princeton on today’s Quaker Bridge Road. To confound Cornwallis, Washington left behind a small detachment to lob shells across the river and keep fires burning, as if the full army were encamped for the night. By morning, as the British prepared to attack, all of Washington’s troops were gone.On today’s Quaker Bridge Road, 12 small, granite obelisks (placed in 1914 by the Sons of the Revolution) represent Washington’s 12-mile march to Princeton. You can follow that road, or take the more direct Route 1 north to the Province Line Road exit onto Route 533 north. Cross the bridge over the Delaware & Raritan Canal and turn right. Just ahead, you can spot obelisk number 11 at the edge of a broad field. Your next stop is the Princeton Battlefield (500 Mercer Road).[caption id="attachment_332684" align="alignnone" width="778"] A reenactment at Princeton Battlefield State Park. Photo: Al Pochek[/caption]Approaching Princeton, Washington and his army of about 6,000 men finally had the advantage of a larger force. Cornwallis had taken most of his troops to Trenton, leaving behind only about 1,200 soldiers to defend Princeton. Again, Washington divided his forces for a multipronged attack.Things did not go as planned. Early on January 3, as Washington’s force marched toward Princeton, a small brigade led by Brigadier General Hugh Mercer (namesake of Mercer County) encountered a British column. The Battle of Princeton was on.Before touring the battlefield, drive up the adjacent road to the Thomas Clarke House, the only remaining structure from the era. Inside the white clapboard farmhouse museum, two rooms display artifacts of Colonial times (open 10 am-4 pm, Wednesday-Saturday; 1-4 pm Sunday; admission and battlefield tours free; 609-921-0074).The battle actually broke out down the hill. The opposing forces faced off less than 50 yards apart. As musket balls whizzed through the air, the British fixed bayonets and charged. As the fighting intensified, Mercer’s horse was shot out from under him. The general drew his sword, but fell to multiple bayonet wounds.The fight was raging when Washington arrived at the scene, ordering his troops to attack the British left flank. As the battlefield filled with blinding smoke, the seemingly invincible Washington, tall in the saddle, rode between the lines and rallied the Americans, famously calling out, “Parade with me, my brave fellows.”It was an iconic, death-defying moment, which, says battlefield interpreter Will Krakower, “catapulted George Washington to mythical status.” Indeed, it was the turning point of the battle. The Americans counterattacked and overwhelmed the British, capturing more than 250 enemy soldiers. Washington’s army proceeded into Princeton, where the last of the British troops had barricaded themselves in Nassau Hall. An American artillery barrage forced their surrender.The Battle of Princeton lasted less than two hours, but turned the tide of the war. After the battle, Washington led his tired army to Morristown, where it would encamp for the rest of the winter.After touring the battlefield, you can continue into downtown Princeton and stroll among the town’s numerous Revolutionan-era sites, including Nassau Hall (on the university campus); Morven Museum & Garden (home to Richard Stockton, a signer of the Declaration of Independence); the 50-foot-tall Princeton Battle Monument (which depicts Washington on horseback and the death of Mercer); and the Princeton Cemetery (final resting place for many key figures from the Colonial era).The Battle of Princeton marked the climactic end of the Ten Crucial Days. At the start of that span, Washington’s army had been on the run. His earlier force of 20,000 men had been reduced to fewer than 8,000. What’s more, he was losing the support of the citizenry and the Continental Congress. But the swift succession of victories at Trenton and Princeton were game-changers. Enlistments rose, Congress changed its tune, and the British never fully occupied New Jersey again. Overseas, the French responded to the good news by opening discussions on an alliance with the Americans that proved indispensable.The war dragged on for six more years, but few battles were as pivotal as those frigid engagements in central New Jersey. “If we lose, that’s it,” says Krakower. “If we win, the sky’s the limit. And we win.”Ken Schlager is the former editor of New Jersey Monthly and a frequent contributor.
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There are so many things to love about New Jersey—beaches, quaint main streets, mountains and rivers. But when it comes to planning drives around the state, I always jump to, “What are we going to eat?” And since I have young kids, it’s most likely, “Where are we stopping for pizza?”The pizza tour is a natural extension of that idea. It doesn’t hurt that New Jersey is, arguably, the pizza capital of the world. All styles of pies can be found here, from wood-fired Neapolitan pizzas to only-in-Jersey pies slicked with mustard, not to mention perhaps the most iconic Jersey style of all: the bar pie.I chose three counties where some of my favorite pizzerias are located, and which have other points of interest as well. Heading to the Great Swamp or points farther west? Swing through Morris County. If a visit to Grounds for Sculpture or Princeton is on your agenda (and it should be), Mercer County has great pizza. Or if you’re hitting the northern part of the Shore, Monmouth County has top options.Or just go on a pizza tour without any other agenda. No judgment!MORE ROAD TRIPS*:On Washington’s Trail: A Road Trip for the History BuffNew Jersey Road Trips for the Animal LoverWhy You Must Wine and Dine in HammontonRetro Road Trips to Take Through New Jersey*
MORRIS COUNTYConiglio’s Old Fashioned, MorristownA lot has been said about Nino Coniglio, the Jersey native who opened a bunch of pizzerias in New York City before coming home in 2022. He is very particular about flour—what he uses in his naturally leavened dough is from a few New Jersey producers or Italy. He is also a true pizzaiolo, having won numerous awards. Besides adoring pizza, Coniglio loves life here. “Morristown checks all the boxes,” he says.11 South StreetReservoir Tavern, BoontonOpen since 1936, this delightfully old-school restaurant serves Italian classics with some creative twists, but the bar-style, thin-crust pizza is renowned. I like to keep it simple, but you can’t go wrong with hot cherry peppers and sausage.92 Parsippany BoulevardColumbia Inn, MontvilleFor ultra-thin crust, hit up Columbia Inn. This stuff practically shatters like a cracker, yet it’s stable enough to support any toppings you like.29 Main Road[caption id="attachment_332719" align="alignright" width="350"] Buy our May 2024 issue here. Cover illustration: Mary Kate McDevitt[/caption]MERCER COUNTYPapa’s Tomato Pies, RobbinsvillePapa’s was established in 1912 in Trenton and is the oldest continuously family-owned pizza restaurant in the country. (It moved to its current location in 2013.) It’s also famous for tomato pies (sauce on top) and for the mustard pie, which is just what it sounds like: Mustard is smeared on the dough, followed by cheese and sauce on top. As OG pizza fans know, it’s downright tasty.19 Robbinsville Allentown RoadDeLorenzo’s Tomato Pies, RobbinsvilleLike Papa’s, DeLorenzo’s is a tomato-pie spot with a mustard pie on the menu and roots in Trenton. It’s been open since 1947.2350 Route 33Conte’s Pizza, PrincetonA constant in an ever-shifting college town, Conte’s has been selling pizza since 1950. (It was Witherspoon Bar first, which opened in 1936.) Be prepared for thin-crust bar pies, real toppings and zesty sauce. Perfect.339 Witherspoon StreetMONMOUTH COUNTYBrooklyn Square, ManalapanPeter Grippo makes upside-down pizza Sicilian style (square, cheese under the sauce), similar to the way they do it at the famous L&B Spumoni Gardens in Brooklyn, which coincidentally is near where he was raised. At Brooklyn Square, that’s the pie to try. Note: The flagship is in Jackson.73 Wilson AvenueTalula’s, Asbury ParkNeapolitan-style pies with farm-to-table toppings can be found at this spot—one of NJM's favorite eateries in Asbury Park!—with decidedly cool vibes and sourdough-fermented dough. The Sausage Party, topped with fennel sausage, miso-creamed kale and pickled cherry peppers, is delicious.550 Cookman Avenue, #108Vic’s, Bradley BeachOld-school, bar-style, New Jersey cred up the wazoo. Need I say more? Get a classic pizza, and eat it hot. Vic’s has been doing this since 1947.60 Main StreetRosie’s, Middletown (coming soon)The original Rosie’s is just over the Ocean County border in Point Pleasant, but a Monmouth County location will open soon in Middletown. I love their blistered-to-perfection pies, made with natural sourdough. “When you’ve eaten a slice down to the end, and all you have left is that folded piece of crust with no sauce or cheese left…you should want to finish it because that last bite of crust tastes so damn good,” says owner Mike Mercuro.Georgia Kral is a professor of journalism and communications at Saint Peter’s University.
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There’s nothing quite as humbling as having a wolf dog jump up to lick your face or feeling a giraffe grab a leaf from your outstretched hand. Before summer is in full swing at the Jersey Shore, commune with exotic and extraordinary animals in places close to or along the Garden State Parkway.[caption id="attachment_332719" align="alignright" width="350"] Buy our May 2024 issue here. Cover illustration: Mary Kate McDevitt[/caption]Near the geographic center of the state, in Jackson Township, Mike Hodanish bought a 10-acre former chicken farm to raise his two wolf dogs, rather than suffer complaints from his neighbors in suburban Bordentown. With his love of these furry animals—which are part dog, part wolf, and can be kept as pets in New Jersey—as well as requests from people to rehome their overly active wolf dogs, he created a nonprofit education center, which has been offering tours since 2012.Before the one-hour tour starts, there’s an orientation with instructions on how to interact with the 12 wolf dogs who make Howling Woods Farm their permanent home. Some of these mixed breed animals have as much as 95 percent wolf in their DNA, and they are surprisingly friendly, playful and even shy. Before entering the pens, guides ask visitors to remove anything with an odor from their pockets.MORE ROAD TRIPS*:On Washington’s Trail: A Road Trip for the History BuffRetro Road Trips to Take Through New JerseyNew Jersey’s Top Pizza ToursWhy You Must Wine and Dine in Hammonton*
At the first stop inside the pens, two or three wolf dogs typically come over to sniff visitors, lick them, or ask for head scratches. Selfies are permitted at some stops on the visit.At one point during the tour, which includes three or four pens, visitors are prompted to shed their inhibitions and howl loudly—which usually triggers a howling chorus of wolf dogs throughout the property.In addition to the permanent residents at Howling Woods, Hodanish always has other wolf dogs that he actively tries to rehome to new owners. More than 300 wolf dogs have been rescued and rehomed since he started the center.Because New Jersey permits wolf dog ownership and interaction but surrounding states do not, this is the only such attraction within hundreds of miles. Tours are Wednesday and Friday afternoons and one weekend day. Private tours are available. Be sure to call, not email, to make reservations.Less than 10 minutes from Howling Woods is Six Flags Great Adventure, where visitors can get up close and personal with more than 1,200 animals at the property’s 350-acre Wild Safari park. Hop into a tour vehicle to experience an off-road adventure, where you’ll see giraffes, elephants and more. (Guests can no longer drive their own cars through the park.) During the ride, animals roam free. Be on the lookout for friendly giraffes. Admission is included with an amusement park ticket, or costs $25 per person without going into the amusement park.[caption id="attachment_332690" align="alignnone" width="778"] At Six Flags Great Adventure’s Safari Park, visitors can enjoy animals in exciting off-road vehicle tours. Photo: Courtesy of Six Flags Great Adventure Resort[/caption]Starting in June, visitors can “glamp” right in Wild Safari. A two-night minimum reservation is required to stay at the Savannah Sunset Resort & Spa in one of 20 luxury tents that fit up to six people. The price includes breakfast, evening events, a giraffe experience, and more. Even at the starting rate of $600 a night, plus a $100 resort fee, accommodations are likely to sell out.[RELATED: Where to Go Glamping in New Jersey]
[caption id="attachment_332681" align="alignnone" width="778"] Admission to the Cape May Zoo is always free, though visitors can pay a fee to enjoy a private tour or an animal encounter. Photo: Courtesy of cmczoo.com[/caption]Farther south at the Shore, head to the Cape May Zoo. Admission is always free, but private tours, which we highly recommend, cost extra. You can experience encounters with animals such as the newly popular capybaras, the world’s largest rodents. It’s one of the few places in the country to interact with capybaras, so book well in advance.To round out a weekend road trip, navigate to Galloway Township, just off the Parkway, to visit the 8-mile Wildlife Drive of the Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge. Spring migration will be in full splendor, with shorebirds swooping and nesting. There is a modest $4 admission charge per car.R.C. Staab is a travel writer, book author, and wildlife and Jersey Shore enthusiast.
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[caption id="attachment_332682" align="alignnone" width="778"] Retro Roadmap author Beth “Mod Betty” Lennon says people need to get out and explore more. “Overcome the inertia of the internet and go create some memories instead of regrets,” she says. Photo: Courtesy of Retro Roadmap[/caption]How many of us wish we could time travel back to a less stressful, more playful era? Well, here’s your chance. Mod Betty (born Beth Lennon), a day-tripper with decidedly old-fashioned tastes, has written five books detailing vintage venues she enthusiastically recommends to those who revel in all things retro. Two of her Retro Roadmap books aim the spotlight solely on New Jersey, where she spent hundreds of hours tooling along Garden State roads in search of funky destinations.She found plenty. “Without these charming vintage landmarks, which unfortunately keep disappearing, the United States would be one boring, beige box store after another from town to town, coast to coast,” she says.With those recommendations in mind, here are three road-trip itineraries guaranteed to deliver nostalgic fun. Now rev up that engine and enjoy!NORTH AND CENTRAL JERSEY[caption id="attachment_332691" align="alignnone" width="778"] The classic Summit Diner, built in 1938. Photo: Courtesy of Retro Roadmap[/caption]Nothing says New Jersey like breakfast at a diner. We are the diner capital of the world, after all! Start your day at a classic spot, like the Dumont Crystal Diner, built in the 1920s and thought to be Jersey’s oldest. Other options include the Roadside Diner in Wall Township (1932), the Summit Diner (1938), and the Bendix Diner in Hasbrouck Heights (1947). Want to breakfast like the Boss? Bruce Springsteen is known to visit Roberto’s Freehold Grill (formerly Tony’s) on occasion.[RELATED: Meet the Couple on an Epic Mission to Try Every Single Jersey Diner]
[caption id="attachment_332697" align="alignnone" width="778"] The family-owned Wild West City amusement park in Stanhope. Photo: Courtesy of Retro Roadmap[/caption]Then buck up for an adventure at Wild West City, a family-owned Western-heritage theme park in Stanhope founded in 1957. Or, if you’re not in a rootin’ tootin’ mood, shop in downtown Closter, where a visit to Ward’s 5 & 10, open since 1960, is a must. If you’re closer to charming Lambertville, you’d be remiss to miss Finkle’s Hardware, more than a century old.Dinner and a show are on tap for your evening. Dinner choices include Kinchley’s Tavern in Ramsey, which has been there since 1937 (you can’t miss the giant Clydesdale horse statue out front), or Chick & Nello’s Homestead Inn in Trenton. Finally, take in a show at one of our state’s historic theaters, like State Theatre New Jersey in New Brunswick or Brook Arts Center in Bound Brook.SOUTH JERSEY[caption id="attachment_332683" align="alignnone" width="778"] The 18-foot Nitro Girl statue in Blackwood. Photo: Courtesy of Retro Roadmap[/caption]Visit McMillan’s Bakery, in Haddon Township since 1939, for a take-along breakfast. If you have kids with you, it’s off to Storybook Land, a family-owned amusement park featuring fairy-tale characters and buildings, built in Egg Harbor Township in 1955.[RELATED: A Nostalgic Ride Through New Jersey’s Family-Owned Amusement Parks]
[caption id="attachment_332696" align="alignnone" width="778"] Weber’s Drive-In in Pennsauken. Photo: Courtesy of Retro Roadmap[/caption]With or without children in tow, feed your sweet tooth at Damask’s Candies, in Swedesboro since 1906, or Aunt Charlotte’s Candies, founded in 1920 in Merchantville. Next, head to lunch at Weber’s Drive-In, built in 1954 in Pennsauken, just a few miles from Aunt Charlotte’s. This seasonal spot, with its homemade root beer and spinning lollipop sign, is one of the last old-fashioned drive-in eateries still standing.Be sure to make a pit stop to check out a roadside attraction unlike any other you’ll see in this area: the 18-foot Nitro Girl fiberglass statue that makes her home at Werbany Tire Town in Blackwood.[caption id="attachment_332680" align="alignnone" width="778"] The Landis Theater in Vineland, which has been in operation since 1937. Photo: Courtesy of Retro Roadmap[/caption]End your day with a play at one of South Jersey’s vintage theaters, all listed on the National Register of Historic Places: the Levoy (1908) in Millville, the Broadway (1926) in Pitman, or the Landis (1937) in Vineland. Before stepping inside, be wowed by their lit-up marquees. Or watch a double feature at Vineland’s Delsea Drive-In, the Garden State’s only remaining drive-in theater (open weekends only, seasonally through early September). It was built in 1949. The concession stand offers a range of dinner foods.[caption id="attachment_332719" align="alignright" width="350"] Buy our May 2024 issue here. Cover illustration: Mary Kate McDevitt[/caption]Another choice for your evening entertainment is a concert at Collingswood’s Scottish Rite Auditorium. Be sure to look up at the unique ceiling.SOUTH JERSEY SHOREStart your adventure with breakfast at the Forked River Diner, or order a to-go lunch for later.Head south to Margate for an interior tour of Lucy the Elephant. The six-story-high pachyderm was constructed in 1881 of tin-covered wood (nearly a million boards) as a tourist attraction. A National Historic Landmark, Lucy is the oldest surviving roadside attraction in America.Then it’s off to the Harbor Square Theater in Stone Harbor for a movie. The four-screen theater projects current and classic films—and is a classic itself, built in 1947. Don’t scarf down too much popcorn, as your next stop is dinner at Atlantic City’s Knife and Fork Inn, a 1912 restaurant where political boss Enoch “Nucky” Johnson (the inspiration for HBO’s Boardwalk Empire) downed many a meal during Prohibition. Later guests included Frank Sinatra. While in AC, don’t forget to take a walk on the city’s Boardwalk, the country’s oldest.[caption id="attachment_332678" align="alignnone" width="778"] Wildwood Crest’s Caribbean Motel is on the National Register of Historic Places. Photo: Courtesy of Retro Roadmap[/caption]Want to make your road trip a weekend getaway? Check into Wildwood Crest’s 1957 Caribbean Motel. After breakfast the next morning at Larkin’s Restaurant, check out the Doo Wop Experience Museum—one of NJM's favorite museums in the state!—which features vintage signs and memorabilia in the the Doo-Wop architectural style Wildwood is famous for.Then head to the Ocean City boardwalk, constructed in 1880, where you can choose your steed on the 1926 carousel at Gillian’s Wonderland Amusement Pier. Take home goodies from Shriver’s Candies, established in 1898. What could be sweeter?For more information on Mod Betty and her books, visit retroroadmap.com.MORE ROAD TRIPS*:On Washington’s Trail: A Road Trip for the History BuffNew Jersey Road Trips for the Animal LoverNew Jersey’s Top Pizza ToursWhy You Must Wine and Dine in Hammonton*
Barbara Leap, turning 74 while writing this article, realized she’s retro herself.
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Situated beyond New Jersey’s city streets and suburban sprawl is a bounty of natural beauty. Our forests, lakes, rivers and Shore are assets to residents and visitors alike.Many of our state’s natural wonders, and access to them, would not exist without the work of the New Jersey chapter of The Nature Conservancy (TNC), a nonprofit established in 1951 that works to conserve land and water, improve life, and address climate change and biodiversity in more than 70 countries.[RELATED: The Best Outdoor Activities in New Jersey]
TNC began its work in New Jersey in 1955, and its priorities continue to be our coasts, rivers, land and cities, which all benefit nature, critters and human life. Some of TNC’s biggest projects include working to plant more trees in Newark, which helps to reduce urban heat, and building and maintaining Bobcat Alley to provide a protected wildlife corridor for endangered bobcats to move safely between the Kittatinny and Highlands ridges within the Appalachian Mountains in New Jersey.Year-round, TNC works across the state to “ensure that we don’t lose some of the characteristics of New Jersey that are so important,” says New Jersey state director Barbara Brummer, who has been leading New Jersey’s team for 20 years. TNC is a 501c3 nonprofit that is funded by private donors, foundations and public grants. TNC in New Jersey currently has more than 25,000 members.But the best way to get involved, Brummer says, is to get outside and experience nature for yourself, which can also be a great way to improve personal health.[caption id="attachment_330464" align="alignright" width="350"] Buy our April 2024 issue here. Cover photo: Bryan Anselm[/caption]Brummer recommends visiting any of New Jersey’s flagship preserves, which are run by TNC and offer a wonderful chance for residents to get out in nature. They are South Cape May Meadows Preserve, Garrett Family Preserve at Cape Island Creek in Lower Township, Lizard Tail Swamp Preserve in Middle Township, Maurice River Bluffs Preserve in Millville, Johnsonburg Swamp Preserve in Warren and Sussex counties, Blair Creek Preserve in Stillwater and Hardwick townships, and High Mountain Park Preserve in Wayne and Passaic counties.Special features and experiences abound at the preserves. At the Garrett Family Preserve, a haven for migrating birds, raptors, bumble bees and butterflies; there’s even a monarch-butterfly statue people can pose in front of to look like a butterfly with big, orange wings. From the top of the Summit Trail at High Mountain Park Preserve, there are incredible views of the New York City skyline and North Jersey.TNC is working on improving accessibility at all of its preserves, including South Cape May Meadows, an internationally known birding spot and the most visited preserve in New Jersey. A fully ADA-compliant, wheelchair- and stroller-accessible boardwalk trail will allow all visitors further access when it opens within the year.“I want people to appreciate the natural wonders that we have in New Jersey,” Brummer says. “One way to do that is to take a look at the kinds of work we’re doing and support our efforts to protect this wonderful state we’ve all chosen to live in.”Visit nature.org to learn more.
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Taking a hike off the beaten path can be a wonderful experience—until it isn’t. What happens if you get lost? Kathy Gardiner is a master naturalist who volunteers at Bass River State Forest. She teaches a class for campers and hikers on what to do if you get lost. Here are her tips.[RELATED: The Best Outdoor Activities in New Jersey]
Stay togetherDo not separate from your group, and don’t follow a pet. Members of your group should also keep away from rivers and lakes.Make yourself visiblePull out something bright, colorful and/or shiny so that rescuers can see you. You can also make yourself look bigger for searchers by lying on the ground and acting like you’re making an angel in the snow.Remain in one place or areaDon’t wander. Find a cozy waiting place, but make sure it isn’t a hiding place.Keep warmPack a hat and layers to bring with you, and put them on if you’re lost in cold weather.Create a survival bedUse sticks, branches and pine needles to create a bed as big as the one you have at home. Then put it on top of yourself; it will keep you warmer and drier than being on the ground.Do not eat anything you can’t identifyIt is better to be lost and hungry than lost and sick.
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Anyone who ventures to the ocean’s edge in April and feels the wind blasting across 40-degree water is likely tempted to flee until Memorial Day. But take a lesson from those who live and work close to nature at the Shore: Spring is the time to experience a marine world where ospreys are returning from their winter homes, seals are playing on the rocks before heading north, and buds on the beach-plum bushes are waiting for the last freeze before blossoming.“I am evangelical that you should go outside year-round because there’s something to see every day of the year,” says self-described bird nerd Lindsay McNamara, assistant director of the American Littoral Society. “Seeing the seasonality of a place is really beautiful; if you only visit two or three days of the year, you don’t get the spirit of the place.” Here is how locals are embodying that philosophy.Spiritual connection[caption id="attachment_331087" align="alignnone" width="778"] Ivette Guillermo-McGahee and her family live on a home along the Mullica River. Photo: R.C. Staab[/caption]Within a long kayak ride of Barnegat Bay, Ivette Guillermo-McGahee and her family live in a home on five acres along the Mullica River, with Batsto Village and Wharton State Forest nearby in the Pinelands.Living in a natural environment is essential to Guillermo-McGahee and goes beyond her physical well-being. “I work in mental health with people who have a lot of issues in their life,” she says. “Sometimes it’s hard to not bring things [home] with me.” Being in nature provides her with a much-needed “reminder that there is beauty close. It’s just a source of hope and confidence. We have internal resources to regenerate, to come back to life, to repair.”[RELATED: The Best Outdoor Activities in New Jersey]
In 2012, Guillermo-McGahee founded Allies in Caring, a nonprofit providing mental health services to children and families in South Jersey. Initially, Guillermo-McGahee and her family lived in the town of Hammonton, but moved to their current location for a variety of reasons, including a vision that came to her in a dream. “I had a dream, and I thought, We need to have chickens and live in nature,” she says.For almost a decade, they scouted for a rural home. “Nature connects me to the spirit of things, the spirit of life that, in a city, gets lost,” she says. “I have a spiritual way of doing things; that is, I make a decision and put it in my heart. I thought, This is not going to be only for us, but this is really a space where we can help create community.”That includes leaving technology out of the equation. “You have to give up TV and social media and everything,” says Guillermo-McGahee. “It’s better to spend time outside with the plants.” And the chickens? They were around for many years, but last year, “they went into retirement” when they were no longer producing eggs.Active lifestyle[caption id="attachment_331099" align="alignnone" width="778"] Wayne Brodbeck loves to bike at Island Beach State Park. Photo: R.C. Staab[/caption]While some are focused on the spiritual nature of the outdoors, Wayne Brodbeck of Berkeley Township, near Seaside Park, is fixated on how much energy he burns when biking, kayaking or walking almost every day of the year.Pointing to the monitors that measure his calories and glucose levels, Brodbeck talks about the life-changing moment in 2016 when he was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. After his diagnosis, Brodbeck retired from his job and moved from Jackson to the tiny section of Berkeley Township across the street from Island Beach State Park, less than a block from Barnegat Bay and a block from the beach.“The target was how to have a super-high-quality retirement living in a beautiful place by the ocean,” he says.As the largest state park at the Shore, Island Beach is a panacea for the sedentary, especially from Labor Day to Memorial Day.“For biking,” he says, “I want to go into Island Beach State Park whenever I can, because it’s a nice, steady, I-don’t-have-to-think 17 miles where I can burn 600-700 calories.”[RELATED: New Jersey’s Best Biking Trails: A Passionate Cyclist Shares His Secrets]
In the state park, he says, “Animals are more comfortable to come out without all the cars. Foxes, turtles, seagulls, ospreys, pelicans, dolphins, whales, raccoons. And lots of red foxes: I’ll probably see one cross right in front of me once a month when I’m biking at dusk.”In the off-season, Brodbeck also loves riding the boards of the Seaside Heights boardwalk any time he wants—something he can never do in the summer.“In the winter, you’re on your own. One thing I like about here: it’s six months of serenity,” he says.Wheeling his kayak from his yard, it takes Brodbeck less than 10 minutes to reach the marina at Island Beach State Park. After launching into Barnegat Bay and heading south, he’s eager to burn another 500 calories weaving around coves and small islands dotted with Shore birds and raptors flying overhead.Family legacy[caption id="attachment_331086" align="alignnone" width="778"] Justine Gaver and her family found respite on a farm in her native Cape May. Photo: R.C. Staab[/caption]Justine Gaver grew up at the Shore on a 26-acre farm adjacent to the Cape May Canal, only a 10-minute bike ride away from the Victorian homes and resorts that have made Cape May one of America’s top seaside destinations.“Going for walks outside is a big part of living here. Growing up, we walked in the woods every weekend. My dad called it our version of going to church,” Gaver says.Leaving home to attend college in Philadelphia at the University of Pennsylvania, she eventually moved to New York, where she met and married professor of creative writing Daniel Magariel, whose recently published novel, Walk the Darkness Down, is partly set in the fictional town of Destiny, a clear nod to Cape May and the farm.They started an educational services agency, which she runs, and had a son, Laurence. (They’ve since had another son, Sebastian.)The Covid-19 pandemic changed their destiny in April 2020. They escaped the city for the family farm. “We were here for about two weeks when Danny looked at me and said, ‘Let’s expedite that long-term plan and finally build that house.’ It was always something we intended to do, but I figured it was something we would do 10 years from now,” Gaver says.[RELATED: Jersey Shore Is Transforming Into a Hotspot for Year-Round Living]
Fortunately, since she left, she says, “the state really expanded, developed and curated the opportunities that it provides for residents to interact with nature in a meaningful way.” Cape May remains a place that is, as she tells first-time visitors, “a little island where one side is predominately farm fields and woods, and the other side is this Victorian town.”Gaver says her husband used to tease her about being afraid of bugs, but now her older son can’t seem to get enough of them. “When he finds an insect exoskeleton, he wants to bring it home and put it in a jar on his bedside table,” Gaver says. “He loves fishing. He loves climbing trees. He’s digging in the dirt every chance he gets.”Work and play[caption id="attachment_331090" align="alignnone" width="778"] "If you only visit two or three days of the year, you don’t get the spirit of the place,” says Lindsay McNamara, who works in Sandy Hook. Photo: R.C. Staab[/caption]On the opposite end of the Shore, Lindsay McNamara, assistant director of the American Littoral Society, “works in a national park, but doesn’t work for the national park.” The park in question is the Sandy Hook unit of the Gateway National Recreation Area, which permits the American Littoral Society, an organization that promotes the study and conservation of marine life and habitat, to have offices there and offer guided birding walks, typically on a two-mile hike over flat terrain starting at Fort Hancock.“We are walking from a field with raptors—invasive birds such as starlings and pigeons—past old stands with dead snags where the woodpeckers like to be,” she says. “Then we go through some bramble and brush area, and, as we get closer to marsh, we see the wading birds—the herons flying over. We can see in an hour and a half 40 different bird species in one walk because we are hitting so many different habitats.”The change of the season from winter to spring is one of Sandy Hook’s must-visit periods, especially to see seals hanging out in the bay on rocks near Fort Hancock.“They are very much sea puppies,” McNamara says. “They are very interactive when they don’t look like they are laying on a couch. They jump out of water like dolphins.”At this time of year, northern gannets, which are offshore birds, are an example of what people don’t expect to see down the Shore. She says, “They are really striking, coming back to create a spectacle—a large number of birds or wildlife all together at the same time. You can watch them circle up by the thousands, and it becomes almost like a tornado of birds.”Of course, nature has its dark side. “My mom is a Disney environmentalist. She likes to believe nothing eats anything. I say, ‘Hawks got to eat. So who are you rooting for? Somebody’s got to go!’”McNamara is always birding and looking at nature. She enthusiastically tells everyone, “You just have to look up! If you look up, it’s there! I promise.”“There are great parks in New Jersey—county, state, these little pocket parks, local spots,” she says. “They are what you make of them. And you don’t have to go to Yellowstone to see really cool things. And you don’t have to go in July.”R.C. Staab is a travel writer, book author, and wildlife and Jersey Shore enthusiast.
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Ready to make the most of the Garden State's great outdoors? We've got guides to unique hiking spots, the best biking trails, glamping destinations, wild and scenic rivers, a magical hidden gem nestled in South Mountain Reservation, and more. Happy exploring! South Mountain Reservation Fairy Trail: A Magical Place to VisitThe enchanting half-mile trail, dotted with dozens of tiny homes made from items found outside, sparks a reverence for nature among visitors of all ages. READ MORE Hike and Hang! These Scenic NJ Spots Have It AllHit the trails—then slow down, take a stroll and stop to smell the roses. READ MORE[caption id="attachment_330464" align="alignright" width="350"] Buy our April 2024 issue here. Cover photo: Bryan Anselm[/caption] NJ’s Best Biking Trails: A Passionate Cyclist Shares His SecretsForget the Turnpike! Biking is the best way to explore New Jersey. READ MORE Where to Go Glamping in NJ: Sleep Under the Stars in StyleSpending the night in the woods never looked so luxurious. Amenities include beds, personal lawns, Wi-Fi and even hip design elements. READ MORE How to Enjoy NJ’s Wild and Scenic RiversProtected by Congress, these three rivers offer "rare beauty"—and exceptional boating, birding, hiking, kayaking, canoeing, tubing and camping. READ MORE Fun Things to Do Outside in NJ This SpringEnjoy the beauty and fun of NJ's outdoors. READ MORE
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[caption id="attachment_331097" align="alignnone" width="778"] The Maurice River is one of many beautiful places to visit in New Jersey. Photo: AEROJO Drone Productions[/caption]One day in 2006, while boating with his grandson on South Jersey’s Maurice River, Dave Scherer was struck by the realization that Millville, his hometown, was harboring a secret that cried out to be shared.“It occurred to me that, because the river is unspoiled, offering rare beauty in our overdeveloped world, more people should get to enjoy it,” he recalls. “I asked myself what I could do to make that happen.”Scherer was aware that, on December 1, 1993, Congress had officially designated 35.4 miles of the Maurice River and its tributaries, the Manumuskin River and Menantico and Muskee creeks, as wild and scenic. This designation is significant, forever keeping any river that receives it primitive, free-flowing, and protected from commercialism and overdevelopment.The National Wild and Scenic Rivers System was created in 1968, ultimately protecting nearly 14,000 miles of 226 rivers in 41 states and Puerto Rico.[caption id="attachment_331096" align="alignnone" width="778"] The Musconetcong River is a tributary of the Delaware. Photo: AEROJO Drone Productions[/caption]The Garden State is home to three such rivers. Two of them, the Maurice and the Great Egg Harbor rivers, are nestled in the 1.1 million-acre New Jersey Pinelands, with its unique, protected ecosystem. The third is the Delaware. Sections of the Musconetcong River, a tributary of the Delaware in the Highlands region of North Jersey, are included as wild and scenic: the 3.5-mile segment from Saxton Falls to the Route 46 Bridge, the 20.7-mile segment from the King’s Highway Bridge to the railroad tunnels at Musconetcong Gorge, and the 4.3-mile segment from Hughesville Mill to the confluence with the Delaware River.[RELATED: The Best Outdoor Activities in New Jersey]
So what became of Scherer’s dream of sharing the natural beauty of the Maurice River? He purchased a hurricane-damaged pontoon boat in Florida, had it transported to Millville, and rehabbed it with the help of his grandson David Enright. They added a canopy, 18 seats, a long table for onboard dining, and a tiny bathroom.[caption id="attachment_331085" align="alignnone" width="778"] The Great Egg Harbor River is located in the Pinelands. Photo: AEROJO Drone Productions[/caption]Scherer had earned his master captain’s license in 1996, so he was all set to start offering environmental rides on the river in a new business he christened Maurice River Cruises. As Captain Dave, he takes passengers on two-hour, 20-mile, round-trip rides launched from Millville.The boat gets as close as a couple of hundred yards from wildlife. Bring binoculars or use a pair provided onboard for close-up views of turtles and the occasional otter, beaver, fox, muskrat or deer, plus numerous osprey, egrets, bald eagles and their nests in this primitive watershed.Captain Dave, now 80 and a great-grandfather, guarantees eagle sightings, or passengers get a future ride for free. “The Maurice River area has the largest concentration of bald eagles in South Jersey,” he points out, adding that, of all the trips he’s captained in nearly two decades, only one was eagle-less.Starting May 17 and running through October, Captain Dave is once again offering Friday and Saturday daytime cruises and Wednesday sunset cruises. Charters can also be arranged. He narrates each voyage, pointing out historic riverside structures and offering entertaining stories about colorful local residents and Millville’s vibrant glass-manufacturing history. Reservations can be made by calling 856-327-1530.[caption id="attachment_330464" align="alignright" width="350"] Buy our April 2024 issue here. Cover photo: Bryan Anselm[/caption]Nature and water lovers can enjoy all three wild and scenic rivers and their environs in a variety of ways besides boating. Birders and hikers can experience stunning vistas of the Maurice River at the Maurice River Estuary Trail (1 Strawberry Avenue, Port Norris), Maurice River Bluffs Trail (1200 Silver Run Road, Millville), and Harold N. Peek Preserve (1400 S. Second Street, Millville).Want to get your feet wet? Kayaking, canoeing and tubing can’t be beat for tranquility, escape and contemplation. Two Mays Landing businesses rent equipment and arrange rides along the Great Egg Harbor River. Palace Restaurant & Outfitters (6924 E. Black Horse Pike; 609-625-8552) is open starting at 9 am, Tuesday-Sunday, from early May through late September, and also offers riverside dining. The last van carrying adventurers (age 5 and up) to the river entranceway leaves the Palace at 3 pm. Bring insect repellent.Those wishing to stay overnight just feet from the Great Egg Harbor River can rent one of three pet-friendly cabins offered by Palace Outfitters. The Winding River Campground (6752 Weymouth Road), also pet friendly, offers campsites for RVs and tents, plus two cabins and amenities such as a pool. For kayaking, canoeing and tubing, it opens at 9 am daily (last launch leaving at 2 pm) from May 1 through October 15. Paddlers and tubers are driven to the historic Weymouth Furnace site and finish up at the campground’s backyard.[RELATED: Where to Go Glamping in New Jersey: Sleep Under the Stars in Style]
Historic spots to be explored near the Musconetcong River are Waterloo Village, Stanhope, Asbury and Finesville. Those with canoes, kayaks and tubes can put in at numerous points along the wild and scenic sections of the Delaware. Recommendation for tubers: Bring a short paddle to help you escape impediments like fallen tree trunks.One thing explorers of New Jersey’s wild and scenic rivers are sure to discover: They are quite a contrast to the Turnpike!Barbara Leap enjoys reading a book while blissfully tubing on the wild and scenic Great Egg Harbor River.
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Before I ever lived in New Jersey, I was riding bikes in New Jersey.Back when I was living in Brooklyn, I would often find myself on weekends at my in-laws’ house in Sparta’s Lake Mohawk community. As a keen cyclist, I soon discovered that Sussex County, once you got away from routes 15 and 206, was surprisingly ideal for riding. Whizzing past knee-high corn; stopping for an egg sandwich at the quaint little country store in Tranquility; riding down quiet roads with names like Shades of Death (which, eerily, would take you to Ghost Lake); rolling past ponds and fields on the crunchy gravel of the Sussex Branch Trail—I sometimes felt like I could have been in Vermont.Early on, in 2015, a local rider named Connor Sokol pinged me on Strava, the running and cycling app. We chatted briefly, and, on the principle that it’s always better to ride in a group, we started heading out together. Much to my surprise, he was in high school (I am his father’s age—well, even a bit older). But he seemed wiser than his years, and he knew a lot about bikes—and the local landscape. My secret training base, as I jokingly called it, kept getting bigger as we occasionally banged out 100-mile rides up into the Delaware Water Gap and over the toll bridge (cyclists cross free) into Pennsylvania.[RELATED: The Best Outdoor Activities in New Jersey]
Fast-forward nearly a decade, and I’m sitting over a steaming bowl at Cranky Noodles, a little ramen shop housed within Gears n’ Grinds, a bike shop in Sparta founded three years ago by none other than Connor Sokol. “From the beginning, I wanted to do more than a bike shop,” he tells me at the mechanic’s stand, clad in an apron and holding a wrench. “I wanted to create a community hub.”So he partnered with chef Andre de Waal (who helms Andre’s Lakeside in Sparta) on what was at first going to just be a pop-up, but evolved into a permanent fixture. Sokol gets a flow of locals who come in to kibbitz over bikes and coffee, but also sees customers from the downhill bike park at Mountain Creek—“like a guy from South Jersey who drove all the way up, and he’s on his third run of the day on a $65 lift pass, and he destroys his rear wheel.” As Sokol notes, “We got him sorted and saved his day.”My own life has come full circle, in its own way, and now that I’m a resident of New Jersey, my conviction has only deepened that the Garden State, despite its famous density—and all the cliches about turnpikes and traffic—can be an incredible place to ride a bike. Sure, there are monster highways lined with Jersey barriers and seemingly endless permutations of nails, bagel and tanning outposts. But there are also quiet, family-friendly trails that run for miles along quaint rivers; Belgian-style races (the Hell of Hunterdon) on little-traveled back roads; dewy hilltop meadows where you might come across a black bear; even epic single-track mountain biking in a defunct 1970s wildlife theme park known as Jungle Habitat. As someone who is down for pretty much anything on two wheels—I’ve even ridden a “Sno-Go bike” at American Dream’s Big Snow—I can confidently say that New Jersey provides choices.[caption id="attachment_331084" align="alignnone" width="778"] A trail through Bedminster. Photo: Courtesy of Tom Vanderbilt[/caption]Curiously, when I moved to Madison in 2021, I didn’t have cycling on my mind at all—we picked the town mostly because we knew it a bit, my wife having gone to high school in nearby Chatham in the 1980s. But fate seemed to intervene. A few months before we arrived, I met, via a mutual friend in Vermont, a local resident named Paul Rosica who, as it turned out, had a cycling club that met almost every day at 6 am in the parking lot of a local Starbucks for a prework (and often predawn) ride.It didn’t take me long to become fully ensconced. Now, most mornings, we typically roll through the Great Swamp or Jockey Hollow, sometimes competing for sprints. On weekends, there are longer jaunts, over thickly wooded hills and through rolling horse country, to places like CocoLuxe Fine Pastries in Peapack-Gladstone, Bex in Califon, Chez Alice in Princeton, or King’s Gambit in Belvidere (good coffee and pastries, in my opinion, are as essential to cycling as wheels and brakes). Weather permitting—and New Jersey winters are statistically getting milder—we ride in all four seasons.Cycling, of course, is about more than scenery or exercise; it’s about community. One of the benefits of living in the country’s most densely populated state is the opportunity to meet and ride with many other cyclists. Madison, like many towns, has its local bike shop (Hilltop Bicycles, 973-822-2453) and a shop ride.Murat Koksel, a native of Turkey who works in the maritime industry and has lived in Madison for ten years—and who will do 100-mile ultra runs for either fun, punishment, or some combination of the two—leads the Saturday expedition, sending out a route (often named for a Pink Floyd or Metallica song) the night before. He has become so attached to these rituals that, a few years ago, when he received a few job offers that would have taken him out of the country, he eventually turned them down.[caption id="attachment_330464" align="alignright" width="350"] Buy our April 2024 issue here. Cover photo: Bryan Anselm[/caption]“I thought about what really makes me happy and what I look forward to every day,” he tells me. “I thought about these roads and the friends I’ve made—I wasn’t ready to give that up for another place.”It’s not just road cycling, of course. I routinely take my daughter, who doesn’t feel entirely comfortable riding next to the occasional car (or maybe it’s me who feels uncomfortable), for a ride on one of the state’s many rail trails. Owing to its industrial heritage (and, again, its density), the state is blessed, according to the Rails to Trails Conservancy, with more than 50 trails, covering some 326 miles (with more on the way), converted from former train lines. These trails, apart from being scenic—and flat—places to ride, are historically significant, from the Sussex Branch, on which mule-drawn trains hauled iron ore, to the Delaware and Raritan Canal, once a vital 19th-century conduit for transporting goods from New York City to Philadelphia. At more than 70 miles, it’s one of the country’s longest rail trails.When we want something more challenging, we head even farther off-road, taking advantage of the state’s impressive array of mountain biking trails. Tom Hennigan, CEO of the Jersey Off-Road Bike Association, notes that, while the state doesn’t have a single concentration of professionally built mountain biking infrastructure like such hotspots as Vermont’s Kingdom Trails or Bentonville, Arkansas, he thinks the state is getting closer to becoming a destination.Hennigan says, “When people start thinking, Should I drive six hours up to Kingdom Trails or bop on over to Jersey?, we want to get to the point where people say, ‘It’s not worth the drive when I could ride here.’” Trail riding, particularly in North Jersey—in spots like Wawayanda, Ringwood or Allamuchy—tends toward the steep, rooty and rocky, and is often not for the fainthearted.“It’s either talus or till,” Hennigan says, referring to rocks that have broken off of hillsides or been dumped by glaciers.Moving south, the trails become sandier, more sinuous—a personal favorite is Franklin Township’s Six Mile Run, which, while mildly challenging in sections, is more beginner friendly.Not all is perfect, of course. The League of American Bicyclists ranked the state 16th out of 50 in its annual Bicycle Friendly State chart in 2022 (dropping a bit from the year before), noting that “New Jersey has a bicycle fatality rate worse than the national average” and that the state “spends a very low amount of federal funding on biking and walking per capita.”There are signs of improvement, however. Jersey City, for example, reached its Vision Zero goal of having no traffic fatalities in 2022, even as it saw a rise in cycling thanks to new infrastructure—like 20 miles of new, protected bike lanes—and expansion in the CitiBike system. (In what’s often called a “safety-in-numbers effect,” cycling tends to get safer when more people are cycling).On the horizon are projects like LINK, a 34-mile, multiuse trail that will connect 17 communities in Camden County; and the nine-mile Essex-Hudson Greenway—New Jersey’s version of Manhattan’s High Line—which, when completed, will allow cyclists to travel easily and safely from Montclair to Jersey City.Whether you’re imagining you’re in the Tour de France as you climb to High Point, the state’s most elevated peak, or taking a sunset ride on a beach cruiser at the Jersey Shore, two wheels can take you to places you’ve never been in the Garden State.Tom Vanderbilt is the author, most recently, of Beginners: The Joy and Transformative Power of Lifelong Learning. He lives in Madison.
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[caption id="attachment_331089" align="alignnone" width="778"] Illustration: John R. Holmes[/caption]The thing I like best about hiking is stopping—or, more accurately, slowing down in a trail-adjacent spot that encourages less strenuous activities like strolling, taking in the sights or tossing a ball around. In the Garden State, there’s no better place for hikers seeking occasional respite than the Skylands area, the region that comprises much of northwestern New Jersey, and is home to Ringwood State Park and nearby Norvin Green State Forest. Each offers the opportunity to hit the trails and then press pause.Streams, views and a hidden graveyard[caption id="attachment_331098" align="alignnone" width="778"] Illustration: John R. Holmes[/caption]Ringwood State Park sprawls over more than 4,000 acres straddling the New York-New Jersey border, and many of its 18 blazed trails lead to spectacular vistas, including the glittering Wanaque Reservoir and the New York City skyline. The park also offers two extraordinary strolls, both of them anchored by large, historic houses.One of my favorite hikes, known as the Manor Trail, begins and ends at the parking lot of Ringwood Manor, a rambling mansion built over the course of a century, from 1810 to 1910, and home, most famously, to the Cooper and Hewitt families. The approximately 3-mile, blue-blazed loop around the manor takes you past and across streams (waterproof footwear recommended) and offers views of a valley that was once home to several of the iron mines that flourished in the area in the 18th and 19th centuries. Before returning to the manor, you’ll pass Sally’s Pond, named for one of the Hewitt daughters. The reward for your exertions (and damp feet) will be a delightful ramble around the home and its environs.[RELATED: The Best Outdoor Activities in New Jersey]
The manor itself is an impressive bit of architecture, but what I love best about Ringwood are its grounds, gardens and outbuildings, which look like they could use just a tiny bit of TLC, but are, in fact, all the more wonderful for their lack. An air of mystery permeates the site, as you wander past its scattered treasures, which include sphinxes, oversized urns, marble columns holding up nothing but air, and an almost-hidden graveyard whose stones are eroding into eternity.Ponds, blooms and a balancing boulderAnother hike, also in Ringwood State Park, is longer and a little more challenging. The 5-mile, pink-on-white-blazed Five Ponds Loop, beginning and ending at Skylands Manor, leads you past the bodies of water for which the trail is named. No matter how many times you’ve hiked the loop, each of the ponds feels like a fresh discovery as it comes into view. Approaching Gatun Pond, look for the balancing rock, a large boulder that appears to defy gravity as it teeters atop a pile of smaller stones. The hike also affords two splendid views, one from the crest of Mt. Defiance (take a brief detour onto the Ringwood-Ramapo Trail to get there), the other overlooking the densely forested hills of Tranquility Ridge County Park.When you’ve returned, stop and smell the flowers—literally. You’ll certainly want to gawk at Skylands Manor, the striking, Jacobean-style mansion built in the late 1920s for financier Clarence McKenzie Lewis. But once you’ve finished taking in its stained-glass windows and crenellated towers, make your way to Magnolia Walk, a broad, grassy path between two long rows of sweet bay magnolia trees, whose blooms fill the spring air with a heady fragrance.The Walk is just one small section of the New Jersey Botanical Garden, where you can also stroll past azaleas, peonies, rhododendrons, a profusion of lilacs, a shady wildflower garden, and too many other blooms to list here.Water, water everywhere[caption id="attachment_331088" align="alignnone" width="778"] Illustration: John R. Holmes[/caption]About a mile’s drive from Ringwood State Park is Norvin Green State Forest, an undulating landscape of undisturbed woods and waterways whose 18 blazed trails range from rugged to moderately challenging. I like to hike the loop around the Highlands Natural Pool, which takes you along a brook, across a footbridge and past a quarry (no longer accessible to hikers). From the trail, you’ll get a good look at the pool itself, a man-made marvel carved out of the rocky hillside in the 1930s by a group of outdoors enthusiasts calling themselves the Nature Friends.[caption id="attachment_330464" align="alignright" width="349"] Buy our April 2024 issue here. Cover photo: Bryan Anselm[/caption]On three sides, it’s a basic concrete swimming pool (albeit Olympic size and surrounded by dense forest), but on its far side, it butts up against rock and woods, where understory plants dip delicately into the water. The loop also connects you to other trails. For a short side trip, follow the Hewitt-Butler Trail to Wyanokie High Point, which offers a dramatic view of the Wanaque Reservoir.Depending on the season and the weather, you can end your trek with a leisurely game of Frisbee or flag football on the large field adjacent to the New Weis Center for Education, Arts and Recreation or, if it’s swimming season, a dip in the bracing, spring-fed waters of the natural pool. If you opt for the latter, don’t be surprised if you find yourself doing laps with the odd frog or friendly water snake—there’s a reason natural is part of the name.The field, just steps from the pool, is open year-round, but check the Weis Center’s website first to make sure there’s no event there that day. The pool is open weekends from Memorial Day weekend through June and during September and daily from the first weekend in July through Labor Day. Swimming is permitted only when lifeguards are on duty.Leslie Garisto Pfaff is a self-avowed lazy hiker and a frequent contributor to New Jersey Monthly.
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[caption id="attachment_321871" align="alignnone" width="778"] Illustration: Klaus Kremmerz[/caption]Do you know how difficult it is for most people to get to the beach?” I made pointed eye contact with my 10-year-old son in the rearview mirror. We were on our way to Cape May for a week. “Most people have to take a plane! Not only can we drive, we can get there before lunch!”
The first time my son saw the ocean, he was still in diapers. He was three when he built his first sandcastle, five when he was rolled by his first wave. Now 10, in Cape May, he dove in the surf for seashells, gaped at a pod of dolphins, and rescued a horseshoe crab, holding it up by its shell in order to marvel at its prehistoric underside before hefting it back into the waves. Going to the beach ranks among his top five favorite things, but I don’t know if he truly appreciates the ease with which he can feel sand under his feet and ocean breeze on his cheeks. But I certainly do.
I was 10, the same age he is now, before I ever laid eyes on the ocean. I was raised in Kansas, smack-dab in the middle of the country, landlocked to the extreme. It took my family 15 hours over two days of driving to reach a coast. As a kid prone to car sickness, I would spend the first 30 minutes of those trips absorbed in my Nancy Drew book, and the next 14 1/2 hours wracked with nausea, green faced and limp in the back seat. It was awful. But also, it was worth it.
My mother had briefed me on the magic of the ocean—toddlers with buckets and shovels, seagulls stealing snacks, young couples working on their tans (it was the ’80s!)—but no one could prepare me for the ocean’s unfathomable vastness and overwhelming beauty, a state of awe I only got to experience a handful of times before adulthood.
Now, I live an hour from the seaside. Since moving to New Jersey in 2015, we’ve explored the remote beaches in Island Beach State Park, eaten greasy fries and fed quarters into the arcade on the boardwalk in Point Pleasant, and lolled on Spring Lake’s pristine beaches and then gone for shellfish in Sea Girt. We’ve made the mistake of arriving at the beach in Ocean Grove before noon on a Sunday, when it opens. We’ve biked to the lighthouse in Cape May. I’ve even started saying “down the Shore.” (No. I’m lying. I don’t say that. But maybe someday!)
[RELATED: The Joys of Putting Down Roots in New Jersey]
Recently, on my son’s birthday, we responded to a random day off from school and a favorable forecast with a drive to Sandy Hook. It was the off-season, and the weather wasn’t nearly as nice as my iPhone app had predicted. The sun hid and the wind bit. We spent most of the afternoon lying face down on the sand where it was warmest, wrapped in our towels like burritos, the wind whipping our hair. My son got his feet wet, but kept his sweatshirt on the entire time. It was pretty much a bust.
But here’s the thing—it didn’t matter. It had only taken us an hour to drive there. If we wanted, we could have gone back the next weekend. And the one after that.
Katherine Dykstra is the author of What Happened to Paula: An Unsolved Death and the Danger of American Girlhood, now out in paperback.
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Guests won't have to wait until next summer to check out Atlantic City's newest major hospitality venture.Nobu Hotel Atlantic City, opening within Caesars, is now accepting reservations for stays beginning on January 2, 2024.The boutique hotel is set to feature 85 rooms, including suites with ocean views. The hotel is part of Caesars' $240 million resort renovations project (a new rooftop pool, for example, overlooks America’s first Boardwalk).[caption id="attachment_317202" align="alignnone" width="778"] Nobu Hotel is on the top three floors of the Centurion Tower. Rendering: Courtesy of Nobu Hotel Atlantic City[/caption]The first Nobu Hotel opened in 2013 in Las Vegas. An additional 37 hotels have opened worldwide since, in cities from Miami Beach to Malibu to Marrakech."We are delighted to partner with a world-class hospitality brand like Nobu to further elevate the experience at Caesars Atlantic City,” John Koster, regional president for Caesars Entertainment's Eastern Division, said in a statement.[caption id="attachment_317201" align="alignnone" width="778"] Rendering: Courtesy of Nobu Hotel Atlantic City[/caption][RELATED: The Best Restaurants in Atlantic City]
The hotel joins Caesars' existing Nobu restaurant, an outpost of the famed Robert De Niro-backed Japanese fine-dining brand of chef Nobu Matsuhisa, which opened in October 2022. When New Jersey Monthly critic Victor Fiorillo visited the restaurant earlier this year, he deemed the experience to be a gamble. The ambience "ranges from bland and claustrophobic to perfectly elegant," he wrote. The service "ranges from ridiculously bad to top-shelf." Some of the food was "very good and some nearly exquisite"; other dishes were "forgettable."Will the hotel prove a more consistent experience? Only time will tell.Rooms start at $135. Amenities will include access to a pool, a fitness center and a business center. For more information or to make a reservation, visit caesars.com/caesars-ac. 2100 Pacific Avenue, Atlantic City; 609-348-4411
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Named for the indigenous people who once inhabited northern New Jersey, the 36-mile Lenape Trail links 18 parks and 11 municipalities as it carves its way in a horseshoe shape through Essex County.The trail—which follows dirt or gravel paths and paved walkways—reveals an Essex County that’s more than urban downtowns and leafy suburban enclaves. At its eastern end, the trail passes through beautifully manicured parks, often along effervescent rivers and brooks. After turning west, it rises up and over two parallel thickly wooded ridges, First Watchung Mountain and Second Watchung Mountain.In the fall, the leaf-peeping seems to get better with every step, especially atop the Watchung Mountain ridges. First Mountain in particular provides incomparable, foliage-framed views of Manhattan to the east.[RELATED: Leaf-Peeping Reaches New Heights in High Point State Park]
This being a suburban trail, it occasionally requires long walks through local neighborhoods, often on busy streets. For my trail walk, I broke the hike into five segments that stayed almost exclusively in park or forested areas, while skipping most of the stretches on local streets. The longest segment is 7 miles one way.Throughout its length, the trail is marked with yellow blazes (rectangular patches) on trees and posts. These painted markings and the trail itself are maintained by volunteers from the New York-New Jersey Trail Conference, in partnership with local park conservancies (such as the Hilltop Conservancy and the South Mountain Conservancy) and the Essex County Park System.For any segment of the trail, make sure to carry sufficient water, and consider downloading the free Avenza app, which helps keep you on track. Additionally, a trail guide (with map) is available to download free at nynjtc.org. It’s always smart to walk with a friend. Pro tip: Head out with two cars and park one at the end of that day’s segment, turning each segment into a one-way hike. In the forested areas, expect to cover about two to three miles in an hour, with plenty of refreshment breaks.[RELATED: The Best Fall Day Trips in New Jersey]
Branch Brook Park to Yanticaw Park[caption id="attachment_316389" align="alignnone" width="778"] Branch Brook Park's seasonal foliage is spectacular. Photo: Ron Wyatt[/caption]Our hike starts at Branch Brook Park, the nation’s first county park, esteemed for its nearly 100-year-old collection of cherry trees. You won’t see their fabulous pink blossoms in the fall, but there will be plenty of seasonal foliage to admire.Enter the park by car at the Clifton Avenue entrance, just south of Newark’s magnificent Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart (89 Ridge Street). Drive across the overpass and park along the road, with Branch Brook Lake to your right. You begin the hike with a dramatic view of the cathedral across the lake.The paved path follows the lake north through the park, a popular urban oasis for walkers, joggers and cyclists. Use the crosswalk over Heller Parkway; after 3 miles, you’ll reach the Cherry Blossom Welcome Center. Past the welcome center, the trail turns left into a wooded, secluded section. You can avoid this diversion by following several paths up the hill and to the left, toward Belleville Park.So far, you’ve gone about 4.5 miles, mostly on flat, paved ground. You can end this segment here or continue onto Belleville Avenue. From here, the trail goes through local streets for about 2 miles (map or app essential) before reaching Booth Park at Harrison Street in Nutley. As you enter, there’s a park house with clean restrooms.The trail proceeds for another mile through Booth Park and Yanticaw Park, a swathe of green along the tree-lined Third River. This leg of the walk ends at Chestnut Street in downtown Nutley. You’ve walked an easy 7 miles from the Branch Brook entrance. (The trail continues on local streets for almost 3 miles through Nutley and Bloomfield, including a footbridge over the Garden State Parkway, all the way to Brookdale Park.)Brookdale Park to Mills Reservation[caption id="attachment_316398" align="alignnone" width="778"] Brookdale Park Photo: Laura Baer[/caption]Enter Brookdale Park at Watchung Avenue, just west of Broad Street in Bloomfield. Once in the park, you can deposit your car along the roadway or in the lot halfway up the park’s eastern edge. Look back and find the trailhead—it’s well marked—at the southern end of the park. Follow the paved trail up the hill into the woodsy stretch along the park’s west side. Along the way, you’ll pass numerous fitness stations, where you can add a workout to your walk if you're so inclined. You’ll also pass the county dog park and the hilltop rose garden, which still sports plenty of color in the fall.The trail curves down toward the archery field (top archers from all over practice here), then turns left at the archery house, exiting the park. Cross Bellevue Avenue and turn left and then right onto Glenside Terrace. It’s about a one-block walk to the entrance of Montclair’s Yantacaw Brook Park, with its rolling lawns and pretty little pond.[caption id="attachment_316397" align="alignnone" width="778"] Yantacaw Brook Park Photo: Laura Baer[/caption]Exiting the park at Club Road, continue straight on Yantacaw Brook Road to Alexander Avenue. It’s about a 1.5-mile walk on local streets to Presby Memorial Iris Gardens. (The irises bloom in late spring, typically around Memorial Day weekend.)If you turn back here, you’ve covered about 3.5 miles. To continue into Mills Reservation, walk up the hill behind the Iris Gardens and turn left on Highland Avenue (you can park here, too). Turn right on Windsor Place, walk up the steep hill, and turn right at Warfield, which dead-ends at the Mills entrance.[caption id="attachment_316393" align="alignnone" width="778"] Quarry Point, Mills Reservation Photo: Ron Wyatt[/caption]Throughout Mills, the trail is dirt and gravel. Follow the yellow blazes up to the Quarry Point lookout, which offers a dramatic view over Montclair and beyond. You can now say you’ve scaled First Watchung Mountain. Leaving Quarry Point, follow the yellow blazes another mile to the Normal Avenue parking lot, which marks the end of this leg of the hike. You’ve covered 5 miles. (If you're walking with a friend, you can leave a second car in the Normal Avenue lot to avoid doubling back.)[caption id="attachment_316447" align="alignright" width="350"] Buy our October 2023 issue here. Photo: AEROJO Drone Productions[/caption]Cedar Grove Park to Hilltop ReservationFrom Normal Avenue, it’s a 4-mile walk around Cedar Grove Reservoir and on local streets (plus a short section of the West Essex rail trail) to reach Cedar Grove Park. Instead, we’re starting this leg of the walk by parking at Cedar Grove’s Robert J. O’Toole Community Center (199 Fairview Avenue). The park entrance is across the street. This section of the trail is only about 2 miles, but it includes a strenuous ascent to the top of Second Watchung Mountain (elevation 675 feet).Once you enter Cedar Grove Park, the yellow blazes direct you to the right, over a footbridge and then in an arc to the left around the northern edge of the park. As the paved path straightens, watch for the yellow blaze directing you into the woods to the right. The trail here is not easy to discern. Head uphill, then swing to the right and up to the left until you spot a yellow blaze toward the top of the hill. Next, two right turns deliver you to a paved section of the trail. Now, watch for a quick turn to the left onto a narrow, wood-chipped path.The narrow path leads you to one of the highlights of the trail: an open grassland meadow sprawling across a plateau atop the ridge. The evergreens bordering the meadow suggest Colorado—but no, we’re still in Essex County. Waves of tall grass, milkweed and all manner of wildflowers make this a sanctuary for bees and butterflies. A slice of local history hides here, too. Although it has returned to its natural state, the meadow was once the site of the Essex Mountain Sanatorium, where tuberculosis patients were housed for much of the last century. A water tower at the edge of the meadow hints that civilization is nearby.Leaving the meadow, watch for a left turn back onto a wood-chip path leading into thick woods. There are two unmarked forks ahead; turn right at the first, left at the second. The trail gets rocky here as it tunnels beneath the overhanging branches and heads uphill. The trail curves left and reveals the edge of a neighboring town house development, then swings back into the woods and down a winding path. Finally, you emerge on an open ridge with a panoramic view of First Watchung Mountain to the east.From here, the path heads downhill, ending at a football complex. You can turn back here or continue down the rocky trail to the left until you reach the Verona Community Center (880 Bloomfield Avenue). This is a good place to deposit a car if you are hiking with others and prefer a one-way hike. If you want to continue to the next section, turn left on Bloomfield Avenue and walk a half-mile downhill to Verona Park.Verona Park to Eagle Rock Reservation[caption id="attachment_316396" align="alignnone" width="778"] Verona Park Photo: Ron Wyatt[/caption]Enter Verona Park at the corner of Bloomfield and Lakeside avenues. There’s plenty of street parking on Lakeside. Walk on the paved path along the western edge of this popular neighborhood park. Loop around Verona Lake past the boathouse until you reach the Children’s Garden. Here, the trail heads out of the park toward Manor Road and Sunset Avenue. Follow Sunset across Propect Avenue to Glen Road and uphill to Gordon Place.Just south of the intersection of Gordon Place and Afterglow Avenue, you’ll see the northern entrance to Eagle Rock Reservation. You’ve walked a bit more than 2 miles. Alternatively, you can park on Afterglow and start this segment of the hike at the reservation entrance.The Eagle Rock section of the trail is unpaved and, at points, rugged and rocky. The trail rises steeply to the North Lookout—where you get a great view of Manhattan through the foliage—before flattening out along the ridge.After a little more than a mile, you emerge at the Highlawn, the elegant restaurant pavilion in the southeast corner of Eagle Rock. Follow the cobblestone sidewalk past the Highlawn to Essex County’s much-visited September 11th Memorial. The Eagle Rock monument and memorial wall comprise one of the Garden State’s most moving tributes to the lives lost in the World Trade Center attack.Although no traces remain, a lot of history was made at Eagle Rock. During the American Revolution, George Washington’s lookouts perched here to monitor British troop movements across the Hudson River. Fast-forward to 1901, and automobile races tested the ability of early motorized vehicles to climb what was then known as First Orange Mountain (but is actually a section of First Watchung Mountain).From the memorial, walk west toward the parking lot beyond the gazebo. Turn right and reenter the yellow-blazed trail to the left, at the end of the lot. There’s an immediate fork; take the trail to the left. This is a pleasant, woodsy stretch. After about 10 minutes, turn right at the unmarked T intersection. At the bottom of the hill, a left turn takes you to the busy corner of Eagle Rock and Prospect avenues. You’ve walked 2 miles from the northern entrance. From here the trail follows busy streets through West Orange for about 4 miles to the next segment in South Mountain Reservation.Alternatively, turn right at the bottom of the hill and follow the red-blazed trail along the western edge of the Reservation back to the northern entrance where you came in. This turns the segment into a loop of about 4 miles.South Mountain ReservationWelcome to the most challenging part of the Lenape Trail. It has some long ascents, but nothing that should scare you away. You can start this section at the Mayapple Hill Picnic Area off Cedar Lane in West Orange for a hike of about 6 miles. I shortened the trek by starting at the Tulip Springs Picnic Area, south of Orange Reservoir. Turn into the Tulip Springs area off Cherry Lane and make an immediate right to reach the picnic area parking lot. At the end of the lot, you reenter the trail on the left at the yellow-blazed steps. Soon, a right turn leads to a footbridge over South Orange Avenue.[RELATED: Get Lost in South Mountain Reservation]
Follow the yellow blazes to the base of Hemlock Falls, a popular spot for picture taking. Take a break here and watch the water cascade between the sheer, lichen-covered cliff walls into Hemlock Brook. Feeling energetic? Climb the steep flight of slate steps to the left for the view from the top of the falls.Return to the trail and carefully walk up the narrow ledge opposite the falls. Wet leaves can render this spot tricky; trekking poles will help. Continue deep into the woods and be prepared for a long, well-marked ascent. At the Ball’s Bluff kiosk, turn left onto the gravel path, then quickly right onto the narrow dirt trail and up the hill to a circle of stone ruins.The trail continues uphill for a considerable distance before flattening out along the top of a ridge. About an hour into the hike, you start heading downhill to Beech Brook Cascade (it was just a trickle when I passed through) and up a short hill to Lilliput Knob, which provides a nice, 360-degree prospect of the surrounding woods. Your next landmark is the tumble of boulders known as Maple Falls Cascade. Again, it was barely a trickle.Finally, you reach Washington’s Rock. Climb up the rocky steps, past the tattered American flag, and read the plaques explaining this promontory’s role in the Revolutionary War. From here, Washington’s scouts (and possibly Washington himself) kept an eye on Hobart’s Gap, a potential British route to Washington’s 1780 encampment in Morristown. Today, Washington’s Rock provides a view of downtown Millburn; and provides a picnic pavilion and a port-a-john.The trail continues on the paved road to the right of the pavilion. Watch for the right turn back onto the dirt trail, which descends to the Locust Grove Picnic Area and parking lot. You’ve done it! That’s the end of the trail. (For a one-way walk, leave a second car in the Locust Grove lot. Alternatively, you can check the trail map and pick one of several routes to loop back to Hemlock Falls.)Ken Schlager is the former longtime editor of New Jersey Monthly.
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Even though summer is behind us, the desire to be out in nature near water hasn’t subsided.This fall, visit New Jersey’s breathtaking waterfalls, which are mainly found in the northern part of the state, where elevations are greater.The majestic Great Falls in Paterson has the highest profile as New Jersey’s largest waterfall by volume and its newest national park (since 2011); Buttermilk Falls, in the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, is the state’s tallest at 85 feet.But scores of lesser-known natural waterfalls dot the landscape, along with a few created by dams; these engineering marvels are arguably no less stunning.Any of these falls would be the start of a beautiful autumn day trip.[RELATED: The Best Fall Day Trips in New Jersey]
Apshawa FallsApshawa Preserve, West MilfordIf you’re seeking a waterfall destination that doesn’t require advanced hiking skills, Apshawa, in the heart of northern New Jersey’s Highlands region, is a top choice. The falls are located within the 576-acre Apshawa Preserve, accessible via a beginner-level hike along 3.5 miles of mostly flat trails (marked with blue blazes) through a lovely forest of oak and sugar-maple trees. The cascade comes from Apshawa Brook, a tributary of the Pequannock River that spills over a wide dam 40 feet high; the visible drop averages a healthy 25 feet, depending on the water level in the brook below.From above the falls, a few dozen feet back along the trail, the widening brook creates an optical illusion similar to an infinity pool, a phenomenon common on dammed waterways. Other interesting features worth noting inside the preserve, which is open year-round and jointly managed by the New Jersey Conservation Foundation and Passaic County, are the ruins of several old stone buildings from a century-old water collection/purification project, and a half-dozen enormous metal water tanks nearby, which seem frozen in time. The preserve is located at 4 Northwood Drive (off Macopin Road) in West Milford. Park in the small lot, enter through a gate in the deer-proof fence, and hit the blue trail. Seeing a set of natural falls in the preserve requires a much steeper hike. (Apshawa means “upon the mountain” in Lenape.) Take the orange trail where it forks left off the blue, then right at its junction with the green trail, and descend via a series of switchbacks that hug the brook before it reaches the dam.Van Campens GlenHardwick Township, Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area[caption id="attachment_316387" align="alignnone" width="778"] Van Campens Glen Photo: AEROJO Drone Productions[/caption]At this Warren County destination, considered one of New Jersey’s loveliest outdoor spots, a pair of waterfalls bookends a 2.2-mile out-and-back hike along Van Campens Brook. Take Old Mine Road past the upper Van Campens parking lot (right side of the road) to the lower lot (left side). Follow the path to wooden steps ending at a railed overlook above the first set of falls. Work your way upstream via the trail until you come to a fork. Take a left away from the water, descend another set of stairs, cross the pedestrian bridge over the brook, and head uphill again for a few minutes, emerging at a rocky beach. Yet more steps run adjacent to the ravine surrounding the steep upper falls, the crown jewel of Van Campens Glen, which is punctuated by a series of pools. (Swimming is strictly prohibited; Turtle Beach, the only legal swimming hole on the Water Gap’s New Jersey side, is 3.5 miles west along Old Mine Road.) Then reverse your steps to complete the trip. Or, if you prefer a mostly downhill hike—starting with the more dramatic waterfall—park in the upper lot, cross Old Mine Road to the clearly marked trailhead, and head across a bridge to the top of the falls. Both parking areas have bathrooms. Also nearby: Millbrook Village, a living-history site operated by volunteers. Old Mine Road is closed in the winter.[RELATED: Fall Festivals and Fairs]
Little FallsTownship of Little Falls[caption id="attachment_316384" align="alignnone" width="778"] Little Falls Photo: AEROJO Drone Productions[/caption]So named to distinguish itself from Paterson’s Great Falls, Little Falls is really not that little. Stunning in its own right, Little Falls has a rich history that underscores the complex interplay of nature and commerce in the eponymous community along the Passaic River. The waterfall was created by the construction of Beatties Dam in the 1840s by a carpet manufacturer in need of power for a nearby mill. It remains the anchor of the township, easily visible from the bridge over Union Boulevard. Or walk along the Morris Canal greenway, accessible from Main Street, for a view of the falls from below. (The canal itself ran through a huge stone aqueduct above the falls that was demolished in the 1920s.) The current dam, a concrete structure dating to 1932, produces a substantial cascade that fueled far more than a floor-coverings factory: Water-flow control and flood prevention had an enormous impact on real estate values. The Beattie Carpet Mill closed in 1982, long after its namesake had become the richest man in Passaic County. But some buildings remain, converted into a luxury condominium complex called the Mill at Little Falls. Parking there is for residents; Montclair Avenue, a side street parallel to Union Boulevard, has plenty of spots to leave your car.Laurel Falls and Waterfalls at Dunnfield CreekWorthington State Forest[caption id="attachment_316388" align="alignnone" width="778"] Worthington State Forest Photo: AEROJO Drone Productions[/caption]South and slightly west of Van Campens Glen, and just half a mile from Turtle Beach, waterfall-rich Worthington State Forest is a can’t-miss for cascade seekers. The forest’s tallest falls, Laurel, comprise three separate sections of a stream that runs from Sunfish Pond directly into the Delaware River. The 41-acre rock-basin lake atop Kittatinny Ridge boasts multiple spectacular scenic overlooks and is considered one of New Jersey’s seven natural wonders, carved by glacial forces during the last ice age. Laurel’s middle and lower falls are the most impressive, though like all waterfalls, their volume is dependent on recent rainstorms. Leave your car at the Douglas Trail parking lot and cross Old Mine Road; the lower section is accessible by a short climb up an unmarked path directly opposite the lot. Swimming is prohibited in the forest. The Douglas Trail parking lot is 4 miles from the last exit off Route 80 West (Millbrook/Flatbrookville).Visitors to Worthington should not miss the Dunnfield Creek Natural Area and its impressive series of falls. Descending from the southern end of Sunfish Pond, the Dunnfield waterway has a few large drops and several smaller ones. Take the Dunnfield Creek Trail (moderately steep and marked by light-green blazes) straight up to the pond to see them all. Or get your waterfall fix while notching an Appalachian Trail experience on the portion of the storied trail, in a dense forest of mature hemlock and other hardwoods, that weaves its way through the forest. Follow the Appalachian Trail’s white blazes until you reach a fork, then bear right to pick up the Dunnfield Creek Trail. The first set of falls is less than a mile from the Tammany parking area, which sits just east of the Millbrook/Flatbrookville exit. The Tammany lot leads right to the Dunnfield Creek Natural Area, with both trailheads clearly marked.[RELATED: Explore NJ's 36-Mile Lenape Trail]
[caption id="attachment_316447" align="alignright" width="350"] Buy our October 2023 issue here. Photo: AEROJO Drone Productions[/caption]Lake SolitudeHigh Bridge, Hunterdon CountyA dam that Preservation New Jersey once listed among the state’s most threatened historic sites is the source of a popular waterfall destination in Hunterdon County. The falls from the stone spillway over the Raritan River’s South Branch, reconstructed a decade ago, produce a breathtaking spray just a mile from downtown High Bridge. Like the dam that forms Apshawa Falls, the majority of 42-foot-high Lake Solitude Dam rises above the lake it created, making for a 25-foot cascade even when the water level is particularly high. Take in the sights from the observation deck above the dam. The levee was originally built to furnish electric power for the Taylor-Wharton Iron and Steel Company, which produced munitions for American forces from Revolutionary times through the early 1970s; some officials hope to see it revived as a hydroelectric plant. Off River Road/Route 639, the parking lot holds only a half-dozen cars.Lockatong FallsLockatong Wildlife Management Area, Stockton[caption id="attachment_316390" align="alignnone" width="778"] Lockatong Falls Photo: AEROJO Drone Productions[/caption]Deep in Hunterdon County, this wildlife preserve boasts a deep pool fed by a multi-tiered waterfall that is easily accessible from the road. Park in the Lockatong WMA lot off Route 519/Hog Hollow Road and take the trail into the woods to the left of the lot (not the one through tall grass to the right). There’s no map at the trailhead, but a 25-minute walk along the mostly flat path ends at the best view of the main drop, 10 feet above a cliff, and several smaller ones along the same ridge. Meander upstream along Lockatong Creek and you’ll see a few more pretty falls. The charming village of Frenchtown is 10 miles north of the preserve, and worth visiting after you are finished enjoying nature.Pamela Weber-Leaf has covered the environment beat at two daily newspapers. She was formerly an environmental lawyer.
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Tasting rooms in New Jersey run the gamut. You can find them tucked away in warehouses, in small airport complexes, and behind shopping centers. While there’s nothing wrong with these locations or the beverages they serve, fall weekends call for something more scenic.For views of rolling vineyards, orchard rows and fields of grain to accompany your seasonal sips, seek out these farm-based tasting rooms, where some of the ingredients needed to produce the wine, cider, beer or liquor are grown, and where winemakers, cidermakers, brewers and distillers deeply believe in the value of crafting beverages from the Garden State’s own bountiful harvests.[RELATED: The Best Fall Day Trips in New Jersey]
BREWERIESReadington Brewery & Hop FarmReadington TownshipIn 2019, former home brewers Braun Kiess and Dan Aron turned a stretch of commercial farmland into this expansive, 25-acre farm brewery. One of the largest hop farms in the state, Readington Brewery & Hop Farm also grows wheat, barley and fruits that are used to brew a range of craft beers on-site. Take in the entire farm-to-glass process during your visit to the tasting room, a space that features cathedral ceilings, exposed wooden beams and plenty of relaxed seating options.937 US Highway 202 SouthScreamin’ Hill BreweryCream RidgeA rustic, 19th-century, red barn turned tasting room is the beating heart of Screamin’ Hill Brewery, which sits on the 170-acre Bullock Farms that has operated as a family farm since 1860. To help ensure the future of the farm, Brett Bullock opened the brewery in 2016 with brother-in-law Patrick Jones and friend Ryan Cole. The goal has always been to grow as many beer ingredients as possible on-site, including barley, wheat, rye, hops, and natural flavorings such as habanero peppers, raspberries and even tomatoes.83 Emleys Hill RoadSource Farmhouse BreweryColts Neck[caption id="attachment_316386" align="alignnone" width="778"] Philip Petracca, left, and Greg Taylor, co-owners of Source Farmhouse Brewery, enjoy the property’s inviting outdoor area. Photo: James J. Connolly[/caption]Located on an old dairy farm next to the beloved Delicious Orchards, Source Brewing stays true to Colts Neck’s long-standing commitment to agriculture, growing and sourcing local ingredients for their brews. The brewery and taproom are housed in the farm’s 130-year-old barn, which was renovated prior to opening in 2019 to accommodate stainless steel tanks, more than 20 taplines, and plenty of tables. The outside area is just as inviting, complete with Adirondack chairs, a beer garden and games.300 Route 34[RELATED: The 30 Best Restaurants in New Jersey of 2023]
WINERIESAlba VineyardMilfordNestled in the rolling hills of Warren County, Alba Vineyard sits a stone’s throw from the Delaware River, making it an ideal spot for fall leaf peeping. Find a cozy spot on the outdoor stone patio overlooking the 93-acre estate (originally a dairy farm that dates to the 1700s) and its many vineyards.269 Riegelsville Road[caption id="attachment_316447" align="alignright" width="350"] Buy our October 2023 issue here. Photo: AEROJO Drone Productions[/caption]Beneduce VineyardsPittstownThe Beneduce farming family got its start growing roses for New York City flower markets, eventually expanding into a large garden center and nursery. Fourth-generation farmer Mike Beneduce now carries on the agricultural tradition at Beneduce Vineyards, a bucolic winery that has gained acclaim in Jersey and beyond. Try the estate-grown wines (especially the blaufränkisch, a red grape from Austria) in the welcoming tasting room, which got a lively refresh last year. Then bring your favorite bottle out to a table overlooking 25 rolling acres of vineyards.1 Jeremiah LaneSharrott WineryHammontonSharrott Winery’s elegant tasting room, with indoor seating as well as tables outside on a heated patio, is the kind of place you’ll want to spend a long, wine-soaked afternoon. With vaulted ceilings, large windows, and a stellar kitchen complete with a pizza oven, it’s an ideal fall day-trip destination. The South Jersey winery, opened in 2008, makes dry and sweet wines—and some bubbly.370 South Egg Harbor RoadDISTILLERIESNauti Spirits DistilleryCape MayDiscover a new way of drinking down the Shore on this 60-acre coastal-farm distillery. Showcasing the agricultural side of spirits, Nauti Spirits sources Jersey-grown ingredients to craft vodkas, gins and whiskeys. No matter the season, there’s always a lively crowd to be found in the nautical-inspired tasting room and its adjoining patio, where you’re be surrounded by the very fields where your cocktails originated.916 Shunpike RoadPine Tavern DistilleryMonroevilleThis family farm turned family-owned-and-operated distillery got started in 2016, when it became the first (legal) distillery to open in Salem County since Prohibition. That’s when Bob Schmid fired up his first still in the old horse barn, where Pine Tavern Distillery’s moonshine, whiskey, rum and brandy are still produced and aged. There is now a second barn structure that houses tables, chairs and a small stage, where a rotating crew of local musicians perform. While you’re at Pine Tavern, don’t miss out on exploring the rest of the property, too, on which the family still grows corn to feed the stills.149A Pine Tavern RoadCIDERIESBurnt Mills CiderBedminster[caption id="attachment_316395" align="alignright" width="350"] Savor some cider at Burnt Mills Cider in Bedminster. Photo: Courtesy of Burnt Mills Cider[/caption]When John Coates opened his cidery during the pandemic in 2020, he wasn’t sure what to expect. Unable to welcome guests into the new tasting room, he invited them to picnic on the 8-acre property instead. The cidery became a quick favorite. Taste flights inside the barn-inspired tasting room, then bring your glass outside for a picnic.3540 Route 206Ironbound FarmAsburyThis Hunterdon County cidery is a dream destination for any locavore. The 108-acre regenerative farm is home to Ironbound Hard Cider, but expect to see more than just apples. Grab a seat in the outdoor cider garden and dig into a flame-cooked meal featuring meats, cheeses and vegetables that are all grown on-site or sourced locally.360 County Road 579Shelby Vittek writes frequently about food, wine and agriculture, and is the Libations columnist for New Jersey Monthly.
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Friday Night Fireworks on the Beach September 1: Kick off the long weekend with some pyrotechnics. Fireworks will light up the sky behind the famous Wildwoods sign. Rio Grande Avenue Beach; 10 pm. FREE.
Jr. Clamshell Pitching Tournament September 1: The Rich Reinhart Junior Clamshell Pitching Tournament, named for the founder of the International Clamshell Pitching Club of Cape May, is open to kids ages 6 to 17. Each player tosses a clamshell about 25 feet towards a small hole in the sand. Shells are provided, or kids can bring their own lucky clamshells. Windsor Beach (across from Congress Hall); noon. FREE.
AirFest 2023 September 1-4: It’s a bird ... no, it’s a plane—and lots of them! This year’s AirFest from the NASW Aviation Museum in Cape May will feature aircraft performing aerial acrobatics. Attendees can also enjoy live music, food and more. 500 Forrestal Road; 10 am–4 pm. $14–$18; children under three, FREE.
Labor Day Concert and Fireworks September 2 (rain date: September 3): Spend Saturday night on the beaches of Manasquan listening to music and watching fireworks light up the evening sky. Main Beach; 7:30-10 pm. FREE.
World Championship Skee-Ball Tournament September 2: At Ed’s Funcade in Wildwood, players vie for skee-ball glory, a trophy and a $1,000 Amazon gift card. Lincoln Ave and Boardwalk; 7-10 pm. FREE.
Fireworks at the Tropicana September 2: End summer with a bang in Atlantic City with a mesmerizing fireworks display. Tropicana beachfront; 10 pm. FREE.
BBQ & NJ Craft Beer Festival September 2-4: Sample brews and barbecue at this annual three-day festival at the Monmouth Park Racetrack in Oceanport. Offerings include tender pulled pork, juicy brisket, smoky ribs and more. Wash it all down with an ice-cold craft beer from a selection of more than 40 options. Live music and free parking make this festival even more of a must. 175 Oceanport Avenue; 11 am–5 pm. $6 per day.
End of Summer Block Party
September 3: This festival will be rocking the block in Wildwood’s Fox Park. Visitors can enjoy crafts, games, rides, food and live entertainment. Ocean Avenue, directly across from the Wildwoods Convention Center; 1-10 pm. FREE.
Viking Village Art & Craft Shows
September 3: Head to LBI's Barnegat Light for a shopping spree, where more than 70 vendors will sell handmade wares. This event will be held rain or shine. 19th Street and Bayview Avenue; 10 am-4:30 pm. FREE.
Labor Day Race
September 4: Lace up your sneaks and get your heart pumping in Ocean City. Participate in the five-mile or one-mile run/walk to benefit local recreation scholarships and programs. 23rd Street Beach; race starts at 9 am. $15-$35.
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There are 564 municipalities in New Jersey. That includes our largest cities (Newark and Jersey City), a long list of medium-sized towns, cities and boroughs, and dozens of small towns. How, you may ask, did the editors at New Jersey Monthly narrow down this list to just a dozen towns?
It was tough, but we considered a variety of factors. First, all of the towns are the kinds of places you just don’t want to leave. They have small-town beauty and charm, and interesting people running their businesses; unique places to shop; culture in the form of theaters, movie houses or galleries; and plenty of terrific restaurants (this is New Jersey, after all).
Our list of towns should satisfy both day-trippers and New Jerseyans looking for a weekend getaway. They are places where activities and fun are to be had. We provide hotel recommendations for each town, too, so that you know where to stay.
We also made a concerted effort to represent North, Central and South Jersey, so that New Jerseyans from all areas of the state would be able to enjoy our recommendations without traveling too far.
Read all about these 12 towns—and start planning your next trip—below.
[caption id="attachment_314743" align="alignright" width="350"] Buy our September 2023 issue here. Cover photo: Laura Moss[/caption]
BURLINGTON: A City With a Rich History and Culture Visitors to Burlington, which was gloriously settled along the Delaware in 1677, can immerse themselves in Burlington’s vibrant culture and history, charming downtown shopping district, waterfront area, and exciting events and festivals.
CHESTER: One of NJ’s Most Charming Small Towns If you close your eyes and picture a quaint, historic town, that’s Chester. Explore the charming downtown, farms, hiking trails and more.
CLINTON: Beautiful Scenery and So Much More Even if you’ve never visited Clinton, you’ve certainly seen it. The town’s picturesque Red Mill, perched alongside the South Branch of the Raritan River, is one of New Jersey’s most photographed sites. Follow our guide for a great day trip or weekend getaway in Clinton.
FORKED RIVER: A Waterfront Hamlet in Ocean County You will give yourself away as an outsider if you fail to use two syllables when pronouncing the first word of this Ocean County hamlet—as in FORK-ed River. Here, the water is the main draw—enjoy a day on a chartered fishing boat, restaurants along the water and more.
HIGHLANDS: An Historic Waterfront Community You’ll find an eclectic mix of residential neighborhoods tucked into the cliffs that give the town its name, plus a plethora of restaurants and shops.
HOPATCONG: Lake Life All Year Round The lake, New Jersey's biggest, is the center of activities all year, with skating and ice fishing in the winter and swimming and boating in the summer. No matter what month you visit, there's always fun to be had.
ISLAND HEIGHTS: An Enchanting Throwback in Time If you are an artist or a sailor, or someone who loves Victorian architecture and beautiful water views, you will be enchanted by Island Heights.
LAMBERTVILLE: Eclectic Shops and Riverfront Fun Everyone from antique lovers to outdoorsy types to art enthusiasts will have a great time in Lambertville.
MOUNTAINSIDE: A Borough of Picturesque Trails and Parks Enjoy the beauty of nature in this Union County borough.
OCEAN GROVE: A Resort Town Unlike Any Other The best part of Ocean Grove is taking in the town itself, which boasts the country’s greatest conglomeration of Victorian architecture, from the summer tents that surround the Great Auditorium to tiny porched cottages to mansions.
PITMAN: Where Tradition Meets Innovation A walkable downtown, al fresco dining and a nearly century-old theater make Pitman a destination worth visiting.
SPRING LAKE: One of the Shore’s Prettiest Towns Spring Lake has pristine beaches, great downtowns shops and charming restaurants.
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Just 1.25 square miles set alongside the Raritan Canal, this one-time factory town’s downtown is full of eclectic shops and fine and casual restaurants serving a myriad of cuisines. Outdoorsy types will enjoy a stroll or bike ride along the Delaware towpath, and adventurous folks can rent kayaks or canoes and hit the the river.
WHAT TO DO Antique lovers revere this Hunterdon County town, which has a population of 4,200, because it brims with shops filled with fun finds. Favorite spots include Antique Center at the People’s Store, which is a multi-dealer site, and Bridge Street Antiques, with jewelry, lighting and more. On Wednesdays and weekends, the Golden Nugget Antique Flea Market is a go-to for vintage-loving fortune seekers. This year-round, 50-year old institution features approximately 200 vendors, who showcase wares such as antique milk glass dishes, lucite furniture, signage and retro fashion.
[caption id="attachment_314560" align="alignnone" width="778"] Cross Pollination Gallery's SiriOm Singh and Ayala Shimelman. Photo: Courtesy of Cross Pollination Gallery/Gala Derroisne[/caption]
Art lovers will find galleries like Cross Pollination, where artist couple SiriOm Singh, a painter, and Ayala Shimelman, a mixed media and jewelry maker, showcase their wares.
Or forgo shopping and loll away an afternoon on the river by kayak, standup board or canoe; reserve your watercraft from Big Bear Gear right in town.
WHERE TO EAT [caption id="attachment_314743" align="alignright" width="350"] Buy our September 2023 issue here. Cover photo: Laura Moss[/caption]
There are hosts of cafés and restaurants, many with sidewalk seating—great for people watching—and a few with canal views. TheFull Moon is excellent for breakfast—an all-day affair. At Lambertville Station Restaurant, fine dining has river views, or head for its basement Wine Cellar, where unique wines, tapas and fine cheeses can be enjoyed on plush couches in front of the fireplace of this circa 1800s building. For cocktails, check out the off-the-beaten-path Boathouse Bar. This little gem brims with nautical charm, and friendly patrons.
WHERE TO STAY Forty-three of the 46 rooms at Lambertville Station have sweeping river views, and, with a nod to traditional inns, a continental breakfast is included with your stay. Rates are from $359. Another option, set right in the midst of the downtown bustle, is the Lambertville House Inn; handsome with ornate millwork and second-floor porches, the hotel opened its doors in 1812. Each of the 26 rooms is uniquely appointed, and most also have fireplaces. Rates start around $265 per night.
Want to keep exploring? Check out more of our 12 favorite small towns to visit now.
Antique Center at the People’s Store, 28 N. Union Street; Bridge Street Antiques, 21 Bridge Street; Golden Nugget Antique Flea Market, 1850 River Road (Route 29); Cross Pollination Gallery, 3 N. Union Street; Big Bear Gear, 1874 River Road; Full Moon, 23 Bridge Street; Lambertville Station, 11 Bridge Street; Boathouse Bar, 8 1/2 Coryell Street; Lambertville House Inn, 32 Bridge Street
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From a nearly century-old theater to a rise in al fresco dining and recently legalized alcohol sales, tradition and innovation have made Pitman a destination. The Gloucester County borough of 8,861 people combines small-town charm with a walkable downtown that features a thriving restaurant scene.
WHAT TO DO The Broadway Theatre is the hub of the business district. The venue, which opened showing silent films in 1926, offers an annual theater subscription series, children’s plays, comedy shows, and weekend concerts with tribute acts. The Pitman Historical Museum traces the town’s history from its founding as a Methodist camp meeting site in 1871 to its incorporation as a borough in 1905 and beyond. The museum is part of Pitman Grove, which was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1977. The museum is open by appointment.
[caption id="attachment_314721" align="alignnone" width="778"] Fahrenheit Ceramic Studio serves as a social center for date nights and birthday parties. Photo: Courtesy of Patti Forte[/caption]
Patti Forte, owner of Fahrenheit Ceramic Studio, helped kick-start the downtown’s rebound with a paint-your-own pottery studio that opened in 2014 and serves as a social center for date nights and birthday parties. The studio seats 45 and also has outdoor seating. Words Matter Bookstore, meanwhile, presents open-mic nights for poetry and free musical performances alongside a diverse range of books. Another great social event is Pitman’s Fall Craft Show, which is being held along Broadway and surrounding streets on September 16 this year. The event features more than 350 vendors, including food trucks. “It’s a like a big block party,” says show coordinator Kara Knauss.
WHERE TO EAT [caption id="attachment_314578" align="alignnone" width="778"] Martini’s on Broadway serves dishes like this prosciutto-wrapped burrata with melon and figs. Photo courtesy of Martini's On Broadway/Joe Grasso[/caption]
Merryman’s Pub opened in 2020 with Pitman’s first liquor license and offers burgers, sandwiches and flatbreads indoors and outdoors. Martini’s on Broadway serves up a varied lunch and dinner menu, brunch on Sunday, and a diverse offering of martinis. Family Mediterranean Cuisine specializes in kebabs and other Turkish dishes. Nine Thai Cuisine lives up to its name with great Thai food.
[caption id="attachment_314743" align="alignright" width="350"] Buy our September 2023 issue here. Cover photo: Laura Moss[/caption]
WHERE TO STAY The Inn on Holly is a bed and breakfast with three bedrooms for guests. The inn, a Victorian home built in 1906, is a block off Broadway.
Want to keep exploring? Check out more of our 12 favorite small towns to visit now.
Broadway Theatre, 43 S. Broadway; Pitman Historical Museum, 71 Circle Avenue; Fahrenheit Ceramic Studio, 8 S. Broadway; Words Matter Bookstore, 52 S. Broadway; Merryman’s Pub, 106 S. Broadway; Martini’s on Broadway, 47 S. Broadway; Family Mediterranean Cuisine, 466 W. Holly Avenue; Nine Thai Cuisine, 7 S. Broadway; Inn on Holly, 120 W. Holly Avenue
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Occupying New Jersey’s northeasternmost shoulder, Highlands provides spectacular views in most directions: to the east, the Atlantic Ocean; and to the north, Sandy Hook Bay and the southern tip of Brooklyn; veering west, Staten Island and the Verrazzano Bridge. The Monmouth County borough is just 1.39 square miles, and almost half of that is water. But within its confines, you’ll find an eclectic mix of residential neighborhoods tucked into the cliffs that give the town its name, and downtown restaurants and shops that make for a pleasant day of browsing.
With high-speed ferries to New York City, the historic waterfront community is popular with day-trippers as well as those who live here (the population is 4,620) and commute to the city. Highlands is also the jumping-off point to Sandy Hook Gateway National Recreation Area, with its pristine ocean beach just a short causeway ride away.
WHAT TO DO [caption id="attachment_314743" align="alignright" width="350"] Buy our September 2023 issue here. Cover photo: Laura Moss[/caption]
Along Bay Avenue, you’ll find fun cafés, bakeries, restaurants and a seafood market called Lusty Lobster, while HartshorneWoods Park provides a nature respite. A visit to the Twin Lights Historic Lighthouse is a must, where you can climb the twin lighthouse towers and learn about the national-landmark site that dates back to 1862. And plan to spend a beach day at Sandy Hook, which has its own 250-year-old lighthouse.
WHERE TO EAT The popular waterfront Bahrs Landing seafood restaurant has been serving the public its fresh fish and more since 1917, and gained some new fans after providing the setting for a Sopranos-themed Chevy commercial during the 2022 Super Bowl. Porciniis an Italian trattoria and BYO spot.
WHERE TO STAY SeaScape Manor is a pet-friendly bed and breakfast, where rooms go for about $150-250 a night. For an oceanfront experience, there’s BeachWalk at Sea Bright, a hotel and pool across the street from the ocean in Sea Bright, where rooms go for about $250-$450 a night.
Want to keep exploring? Check out more of our 12 favorite small towns to visit now.
Lusty Lobster, 88 Bay Avenue; Hartshorne Woods Park, 1402 Portland Road; Twin Lights Historic Lighthouse, 2 Lighthouse Road; Bahrs Landing, 2 Bay Avenue; Porcini, 168 Bay Avenue; SeaScape Manor, 3 Grand Tour; BeachWalk at Sea Bright, 344 Ocean Avenue, Sea Bright
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You will give yourself away as an outsider if you fail to use two syllables when pronouncing the first word of this Ocean County hamlet—as in FORK-ed River. Though it’s technically part of Lacey Township, most of the 5,274 people who live here refer to Forked River as home, and take pride in the geographic feature that gives this waterfront community its name: the river that flows in from Barnegat Bay and then divides into two, and eventually three, branches.
These main branches and their many tributaries serve as the backyards (and boat-docking opportunities) of many of the homes here. They also feed much of the commerce that is associated with Forked River, from the numerous charter fishing operations that line the north branch, to the marinas and waterfront restaurants that boast spectacular sunset views.
WHAT TO DO [caption id="attachment_314743" align="alignright" width="350"] Buy our September 2023 issue here. Cover photo: Laura Moss[/caption]
If you dream of landing a bigeye tuna, or even a shark, you can sign up for a day trip on one of the many chartered fishing boats that launch from Forked River, including Sophia-Grace Charters and Barnegat Charter Fishing. More leisurely water activities can be enjoyed at Forked River Beach Bayfront Park, with its small beach and playground on a point where the river flows into the bay, or inland at the fresh water beaches on Cedar Lake, which give a whole different feel to the area.
WHERE TO EAT Head over to the Captain’s Inn and Tiki Bar, an institution on the banks of the north fork where you can boat right into one of the restaurant’s slips to grab dinner or drinks. A bit east of Captain’s Inn, there’s the Waterfront, a multi-story restaurant and bar with extensive outdoor dining and event space. For Italian fare, there’s Il Giardino Sul Mare, where they also host monthly wine tastings.
WHERE TO STAY Guests at the Inn at Rivers Edge Marina, a Victorian-era home that is now a bed and breakfast, should expect to pay about $210 a night for a room and a gourmet breakfast before taking off to explore the area. Alternatively, at the Blue Creek Inn, a hotel with a pool in nearby Waretown, rooms go for about $300 a night.
Want to keep exploring? Check out more of our 12 favorite small towns to visit now.
Sophia-Grace Charters; Barnegat Charter Fishing; Forked River Beach Bayfront Park, 1514 Beach Boulevard; Captain’s Inn and Tiki Bar, 304 E. Lacey Road; Waterfront, 361 E. Lacey Road; Il Giardino Sul Mare, 2 Hollywood Boulevard; Inn at Rivers Edge Marina, 223 E. Lacey Road; Blue Creek Inn, 535 U.S. 9, Waretown
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Located in Union County on the line between Central and North Jersey, with a population of 6,957, Mountainside is nestled up against the Watchung Mountains, which gives the area its picturesque name.
WHAT TO DO [caption id="attachment_314743" align="alignright" width="350"] Buy our September 2023 issue here. Cover photo: Laura Moss[/caption]
Watchung Reservation is divided among a few different towns, and some of the best parts of this extensive park and trails system can be found in Mountainside. Adults and especially children will love the interactive and engaging exhibits found at the Trailside Nature & Science Center, a wonderful place to visit and learn about the history and wildlife found in this part of the state. Especially fun is the wildlife-at-night show, which is presented in a little side room with amphitheater-style seating. There are live and taxidermied animals and a giant American beech tree growing right in the atrium. The center is also the designated starting point for the 6-mile Watchung Reservation History Trail, and just outside is the popular Sensory Trail for children. Closer to the business center of Mountainside is Echo Lake Park. In the winter, kids go sledding, and in the warmer months, you can rent a pedal boat.
WHERE TO EAT A local favorite is the the Publick House, an upscale gastropub. This is the place to go for all occasions: date night, cocktails, happy hour, a family celebration, you name it. To quote one local, “I haven’t found a loser on the menu.” Tip: Try the smoked crab dip. Chrone’s is a less polished option, but this bar-meets-Italian joint serves a mean New Jersey-style bar pizza (thin crust). Don’t skip the pillowy cavatelli with broccoli, garlic and oil. Surprisingly, Spanish cuisine is an option in Mountainside, too. The Spanish Tavernserves plates of paella and Serrano ham croquettes to rave reviews.
WHERE TO STAY Mountainside doesn’t have any lodging within its borders, but the historic Grand Summit Hotel in nearby Summit offers a boutique experience, complete with an attractive outdoor pool.
Want to keep exploring? Check out more of our 12 favorite small towns to visit now.
Trailside Nature & Science Center, 452 New Providence Road; Echo Lake Park, 1028 Springfield Avenue; Publick House, 899 Mountain Avenue; Chrone’s, 906 Mountain Avenue; Spanish Tavern, 1239 U.S. 22 East; Grand Summit Hotel, 570 Springfield Avenue, Summit
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If you are an artist or a sailor, or simply someone who loves Victorian architecture and beautiful water views, you will be enchanted by the borough of Island Heights. Tucked into a pocket of the north shore of Toms River, this 1-square-mile Ocean County town feels like a throwback in time, with its stately former sea captains sitting proudly along the banks of River Avenue. Across the street is the 125-year-old Island Heights Yacht Club, where sailboats skim along the river.
Founded in 1878 as a Methodist camp-meeting site, the town of just 1,650 residents attracts day-trippers who come to watch a regatta or take a sailing lesson, and artists who find a wealth of paint-worthy spots to set up their easels. One world-renowned artist, the trompe l’oeil master John F. Peto, moved to Island Heights in 1889 and lived there until his death in 1907.
WHAT TO DO [caption id="attachment_314743" align="alignright" width="350"] Buy our September 2023 issue here. Cover photo: Laura Moss[/caption]
Art or history buffs can see where Peto lived and worked at what is now the John F. Peto Studio Museum on Cedar Avenue (which is one of NJM's favorite under-the-radar museums), or visit the Island Heights Cottage Museum on Simpson Avenue to get a sense of life here in the late 19th century. With a reputation as an artists’ colony, Island Heights is also home to the Ocean County Artists Guild, which hosts exhibits, events and classes.
The waterfront comes alive with Sailfest on the second Saturday in September, New Jersey’s largest sailing festival featuring music, food and boating.
For those seeking a bit more action, Seaside Heights is just across the causeway, where boardwalk amusements and beaches await.
WHERE TO EAT Xina Restaurant, just before the causeway to Seaside Heights, is a large, family-oriented fish and sushi restaurant, where the portions are large. Also located nearby is Aqua Blu Kitchen & Cocktails, a New American bistro that is in Toms River.
WHERE TO STAY The Avon Hotelin Toms River is a two-star hotel just outside of Island Heights en route to the Shore, where rooms go for about $150-$215 a night.
Want to keep exploring? Check out more of our 12 favorite small towns to visit now.
Island Heights Yacht Club, 65 River Avenue; John F. Peto Studio Museum, 102 Cedar Avenue; Island Heights Cottage Museum, 105 Simpson Avenue; Ocean County Artists Guild, 22 Chestnut Avenue; Xina Restaurant, 3430 Route 37, Toms River; Aqua Blu Kitchen & Cocktails, 3410 Route 37, Toms River; Avon Hotel, 2215 Route 37 East, Toms River
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If you’re visiting Ocean Grove for the first time, you can expect, on arriving, to experience a pleasant sense of dislocation. Founded by a group of Methodist clergymen in 1869 as a retreat from the physical and psychological assaults of the urban summer, the Monmouth County town of 3,057 looks much as it did at the turn of the 19th century and offers a similar sensation of escape, whether you’re visiting in January or July.
WHAT TO DO [caption id="attachment_314743" align="alignright" width="350"] Buy our September 2023 issue here. Cover photo: Laura Moss[/caption]
Special events abound, especially in the summer and on weekends throughout the year, including car shows, flea markets, house and garden tours, and classical concerts in the Great Auditorium, the 129-year-old theater whose breathtaking wooden interior was designed to evoke an upturned ship. But the real pleasure of Ocean Grove is taking in the town itself, which boasts the country’s greatest conglomeration of Victorian architecture, from the summer tents that surround the Great Auditorium to tiny porched cottages to mansions decked out in architectural gingerbread. Any walk through the town should include a stroll along its resolutely noncommercial boardwalk and its newly rebuilt fishing pier.
[RELATED: What Life Is Like In Ocean Grove’s Unique Tent Community]
WHERE TO EAT As its name suggests, Seagrass offers an ocean-inflected menu that includes sesame-encrusted ahi tuna, roasted Atlantic salmon in shrimp beurre blanc, and seared dayboat sea scallops. If you can’t imagine the Shore without a slice, step into Tino’s Artisan Pizza, an outlet of the popular New Jersey chain, where you can sample thin-crust marvels like the X Pie (cremini mushrooms, white truffle oil) and the Ruchetta (mozzarella, prosciutto, baby arugula, balsamic reduction), plus a plethora of pastas, salads and antipasti. Odyssey Coffee, which bills itself as a “vigorous refuge for thinkers,” also welcomes the sleepy and footsore in need of a caffeine fix and a nibble. A caveat: Ocean Grove is a dry town, so you’ll have to BYO.
WHERE TO STAY The Ocean Plaza Hotel features 16 rooms and three suites, many with wraparound porches and ocean views. Also offering beach vistas, Selah is an intimate B&B with five nicely appointed rooms and a basement suite.
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Great Auditorium, 21 Pilgrim Pathway; Seagrass, 68 Main Avenue; Tino’s Artisan Pizza, 50 Main Avenue; Odyssey Coffee, 50 Main Avenue; Ocean Plaza Hotel, 18 Ocean Pathway; Selah, 7 Ocean Avenue
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If you close your eyes and picture a quaint, historic town, that’s Chester.
The Morris County town, which dates back to the 1700s (when it was known as Black River), has its roots in farming—and a number of farms are still in operation today, offering pick-your-own veggies and fruits as a fun fall activity. (Of note: Chester is divided into the Borough, which has a population of 1,675, and the township, with a population of 7,729.)
But the center of the action here is the bustling yet quaint downtown, a lovely stretch of several blocks dotted with funky independent boutiques (no chains here!), great small restaurants, a newly reopened historic hotel and, of course, plenty of interesting people to meet.
WHAT TO DO Head to Main Street and explore the shops. Favorites include Comfortably Chic for home goods and beautifully framed, affordable art; Dainty Dandelion for custom painted vintage furniture; Black River Candy Shoppe for sweets; &Home for handmade home goods; and Chester Crafts, Collectibles & Antiques for quirky antiques.
[caption id="attachment_314570" align="aligncenter" width="778"] Ruth Chodniewicz, founder of Yellow Orchid Co. in Chester, calls the town "my own Stars Hollow," referencing the charming town where TV's "Gilmore Girls" is set. Photo: Laura Moss[/caption]
Stop by the Art Diner, an art studio with drop-in hours and events, plus a delightfully messy Splatter Room. Also visit the chic new storefront for Yellow Orchid Co., an event-planning and floral-design company that also sells funky home items.
Municipal Field, meanwhile, hosts a smattering of townwide events, including the Fall Craft Show September 9-10.
Beyond downtown, visit the stunning Willowwood Arboretum. The gardens are exquisite, and life-size sculptures by Seward Johnson are on display through November 15. Part of Hacklebarney State Park is in Chester; enjoy a hike, then stop at Hacklebarney Farm for cider and pie.
An odd but interesting sight is located in Highlands Ridge Park: more than 700 old and abandoned telephone poles, nicknamed the Telephone Pole Farm. The location is a former testing facility for AT&T.
For apple picking, visit Riamede Farm. On your way out of town, stop at Chester Meat Market; the hot dogs are the stuff of local legend.
[caption id="attachment_314572" align="aligncenter" width="751"] Pren Kitchen serves scratch-made comfort food in a very comfortable environment. Photo: Laura Moss[/caption]
WHERE TO EAT [caption id="attachment_314743" align="alignright" width="350"] Buy our September 2023 issue here. Cover photo: Laura Moss[/caption]
A short drive from downtown is Bill’s Luncheonette, an excellent, family-run joint since 1949. Downtown, options include Pren Kitchen for scratch-made comfort food, Fresco Mexican for tasty Mexican food, and Sally Lunn’s Tea Shoppe & Restaurant for a classy lunch. If you're in the mood for something sweet, head to Taylor's Ice Cream Parlor for homemade ice cream or , Crib Bakery for top-notch cookies and cupcakes.
WHERE TO STAY The historic Publick House Hotel (which dates back to the early 1800s), revamped, renovated, and reopened in January. The hotel features a steak house downstairs and 10 charming suites upstairs; one-bedrooms run $175/night and two-bedrooms are $225. Manager Jennifer Evans says the history of the area is the biggest draw. “Some people say, ‘Put me in the haunted room,’” Evans says. But the bigger question is: Which room?
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Comfortably Chic, 47 Main Street; Dainty Dandelion, 58 Main Street; Black River Candy Shoppe, 44 Main Street; &Home, 54 Main Street; Chester Crafts, Collectibles & Antiques, 28 Main Street; Art Diner, 18 Main Street; Yellow Orchid Co., 38 Main Street,; Willowwood Arboretum, 300 Longview Road; Hacklebarney Farm, 104 State Park Road; Highlands Ridge Park, Riamede Farm, 122 Oakdale Road; Chester Meat Market, 27 W. Main Street; Bill’s Luncheonette, 455 North Road; Pren Kitchen, 52 Main Street; Fresco Mexican, 137 E. Main Street; Sally Lunn’s Tea Shoppe & Restaurant, 15 Perry Street; Taylor's Ice Cream Parlor, 18 Main Street; Crib Bakery, 57 Main Street; Publick House Hotel, 111 Main Street
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The post What to Do, See and Eat in Chester: One of NJ’s Most Charming Small Towns appeared first on New Jersey Monthly.
Even if you’ve never visited Clinton in Hunterdon County, you’ve certainly seen it. The town’s picturesque Red Mill, perched alongside the South Branch of the Raritan River, is one of New Jersey’s most photographed sites.
WHAT TO DO [caption id="attachment_314743" align="alignright" width="350"] Buy our September 2023 issue here. Cover photo: Laura Moss[/caption]
The Red Mill, which dates to 1810, has been preserved as a museum of 19th-century life, with displays of the machinery used in milling wool, grain and talc—all of which were produced here. Behind the mill, a village of restored buildings includes a log cabin, a one-room school house, a blacksmith shop (with live demonstrations), and picnic tables along the river.
Just across the walkable, one-lane steel bridge, the Hunterdon Art Museum rises on the east bank of the river. Housed in a stone-clad, 19th-century grist mill, the museum showcases contemporary art, crafts and design. (The museum will be closed most of September for installation of fall exhibitions, reopening October 1.)
Gift shops, boutiques and restaurants line both sides of Main Street for a single block east of the river. Among the highlights: Fourchette Kitchen (with 14 tanks dispensing artisanal olive oils and vinegars; a cheese counter; and shelves of fancy foods and housewares); the Curious Plantaholic (for seeds, soaps, sachets and gardening accessories); Lily & Atlas (home goods and gifts); and the museum-like Karen’s Dollhouse Shop.
[caption id="attachment_314586" align="aligncenter" width="778"] The Curious Plantaholic sells seeds, soaps and gardening accessories. Photo: Laura Moss[/caption]
Cross to the south side of Main Street to browse Greens & Beans (florals and botanicals); Chameleon Blue (gifts, home décor and clothing); Primrose & Poppy (a children’s boutique); Kilhaney’s Pickles (specialty foods); and Art Alley, a mashup of small galleries and a bike-repair shop.
[caption id="attachment_314599" align="aligncenter" width="778"] Clinton has a nice selection of charming places to eat, including the Daily Dose Café. Photo: Laura Moss[/caption]
WHERE TO EAT Alongside the river at Art Alley, grab a patio table for lunch or a snack accompanied by the best view of the Red Mill. The River Mill View has a full menu of salads, pastas and entrées. For lighter fare, choose the neighboring Riverside Coffee & Tea. Options along Main Street range from white-tablecloth dining at Dora to quick bites at Citispot Tea & Coffee or Daily Dose Café. Be sure to finish your visit with a cup or cone at JJ Scoops.
WHERE TO STAY You have a choice of two chain hotels in Clinton (TownePlace Suites or Hampton Inn), but for a more memorable stay book one of the five tastefully appointed rooms at the stately Raritan Inn in Califon, about 10 miles north, on that same South Branch of the Raritan River. Each room has a private bath; breakfast is included.
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Red Mill, 56 Main Street; Hunterdon Art Museum, 7 Lower Center Street; Fourchette Kitchen, 36 Main Street; Curious Plantaholic, 20 Main Street; Lily & Atlas, 26 Main Street; Karen’s Dollhouse Shop, 14 Main Street; Greens & Beans, 19 1/2 Old Highway 22; Chameleon Blue, 19 Main Street; Primrose + Poppy, 25 Main Street; Kilhaney’s Pickles, 41 Main Street; Art Alley, 49 Main Street; River Mill View, 41 Main Street; Riverside Coffee & Tea, 51 Main Street; Dora, 17 Main Street; Citispot Tea & Coffee, 44 Main Street; Daily Dose Café, 27 Leigh Street; JJ Scoops, 1 Main Street; Raritan Inn, 528 County Road 513, Califon
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Gloriously settled along the Delaware River in 1677 by a group of William Penn’s Quakers, Burlington was West Jersey’s first capital. Today, nearly 350 years later, visitors can immerse themselves in Burlington’s vibrant culture and history, charming downtown shopping district, waterfront area, and exciting events and festivals.
WHAT TO DO [caption id="attachment_314743" align="alignright" width="350"] Buy our September 2023 issue here. Cover photo: Laura Moss[/caption]
Get a true flavor of this historic town by starting your day with a walking tour from Burlington Tours, which leaves from 100 High Street on various days. Highlights include author James Fenimore Cooper’s house; the birthplace of War of 1812 naval hero James Lawrence (“Don’t give up the ship”); the Ulysses S. Grant house; the Burlington County Historical Society and its Armed Forces Heritage Museum; and the 1685 Hutchinson-Revell House—Burlington County’s oldest building, where a 17-year-old Benjamin Franklin once bought gingerbread and ate supper en route to Philadelphia from Boston in 1723. Other must-sees are the 1783 Quaker meetinghouse and its much earlier graveyard, the final resting place of Lenape chief Ockanickon, a friend of the Friends.
Burlington, located in Burlington County, is a walkable town. In the extensive High Street shopping district, a highlight is the popular and historic Burlington Antiques and Art Emporium—15,000 square feet of treasures, from vintage jewelry to kitchen gadgets to film cameras, offered by 65 dealers in a 1918 building.
Burlington, which has a population of 10,016, is small but mighty when it comes to events. Between now and December, there are more than a dozen on tap, including the beloved Wood Street Fair, a spooky Walk With Ghosts tour, and Winter Fest.
Entertainment isn’t lacking either. Take in a stage show by the Bridge Players Theatre Company at the Broad Street United Methodist Church, the company’s performance site and the Garden State’s oldest Methodist congregation. Also at the 253-year-old church is the town’s annual theatrical highlight: A Christmas Carol performed by Charles Dickens’ great-great-grandson Gerald Dickens, who travels from his English home each year to perform around the world. His energetic one-man show features 26 characters and hits Burlington at 1 pm and 7 pm on November 24.
[caption id="attachment_314500" align="aligncenter" width="778"] End your day in Burlington with ice cream at the very charming ice cream parlor Ummm. Photo courtesy of Ummm Ice Cream Parlor[/caption]
WHERE TO EAT Locals favor the two-story Riverview Restaurant & Bar, which overlooks the Delaware and has stunning views, as well as Doc’s Irish Pub, Amy’s Omelette House, Kum Fong Restaurant, Third State Brewing and Il Portico, which features live music on weekend nights. Get sweets at JB Bakery and the very charming Ummm homemade ice cream shop.
WHERE TO STAY The Lily Inn, a 300-year-old mansion turned bed and breakfast, is conveniently situated within the historic district. It’s the perfect spot to stay while soaking up history and charm in Burlington.
Want to keep exploring? Check out more of our 12 favorite small towns to visit now.
Burlington Tours; Burlington Antiques and Art Emporium, 424 High Street; Broad Street United Methodist Church, 36 E. Broad Street; Riverview Restaurant & Bar, 219 High Street; Doc’s Irish Pub, 100 Jones Street; Amy’s Omelette House, 637 High Street; Kum Fong Restaurant, 1817 Mount Holly Road; Third State Brewing, 352 High Street; Il Portico, 273 W. Route 30; JB Bakery, 712 S. High Street; Ummm Ice Cream Parlor, 236 High Street; Lily Inn, 214 High Street
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Hugging the length of the western shore of Lake Hopatcong, New Jersey’s largest lake, the borough of Hopatcong takes full advantage of its cove-laden waterfront. Named by its Leni Lenape settlers and meaning “stone over water,” Hopatcong is now home to 14,531 residents.
Its past as a weekend getaway for entertainers and New York City’s wealthy set is still evident, with grand lakefront homes dotting the coastline, some with impressive boathouses at the water’s edge. More contemporary houses and a small commercial district are found near the center of this 12.41-square-mile Sussex County town.
WHAT TO DO The lake is the center of activities year-round, with skating and ice fishing in the winter and swimming and boating in the summer. From the small neighborhood beaches to the large Hopatcong State Park at the southern tip of the 9-mile-long lake, swimmers can gain access to the lake. So can boaters, many of whom find their way to Byram Cove, where spontaneous boat parties spring up on most weekends during the summer. For those who don’t own their own watercraft, boat rentals and lake cruises are available, mostly from marinas on the eastern shore of the lake, and at Nolan’s Point in Jefferson, where there are also several restaurants. A favorite is Lake Hopatcong Cruises.
WHERE TO EAT Most restaurants are on either side of the bridge that crosses the River Styx. The choices include pizza and pasta at the Grotto, or Thai cuisine at Twist on Thai Café. Also popular is Patrick’s Pub, which has a large outdoor deck facing the inlet.
WHERE TO STAY The Holiday Inn Express in Mount Arlington, on the eastern shore of Lake Hopatcong, has rooms for about $200 a night, while the Quality Inn Ledgewoodin Dover has rooms for about $70-$100 a night.
Hopatcong State Park, 260 Lakeside Boulevard, Landing; Lake Hopatcong Cruises; Grotto, 454 River Styx Road; Twist on Thai Café, 430 River Styx Road; Patrick’s Pub, 470 River Styx Road; Holiday Inn Express, 176 Howard Boulevard, Mount Arlington; Quality Inn Ledgewood, 1691 Route 46, Dover
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Sometimes called the Irish Riviera because of the people of Irish ancestry who settled here, Monmouth County's well-heeled town of Spring Lake (population: 2,776) has to be one of the prettiest spots to visit at the Shore. From its pristine beaches to its flower-filled, immaculate downtown to its grand old Victorian homes, Spring Lake is an immensely pleasurable small town for a day or weekend trip. Some say fall is the best time of year here, when the crowds have diminished, but the weather is still warm.
WHAT TO DO Start your day at the beautiful beach, strolling along the boardwalk and taking in the scenery. Remember, there’s no eating on the beach, but visitors may snack on the benches along the boardwalk. After driving around town to take in the impressive, stately old homes, head to the delightful downtown. In the center is a small courtyard filled with flowers and topiaries shaped like dolphins.
Then stroll along the main street—Third Avenue—stopping in shops like Thunder Road Books, Jean Louise Homemade Candies and Bare Wires Surf and Skate. There’s still a shop downtown selling Irish goods, Irish Centre, and even a place for your pets—Dandy Canine. Most of the businesses are open year-round. No visit here is complete without a stop at the lake, with its picturesque footbridge and lovely views. On September 2 and 23, the downtown will be alive with the Spring Lake Art Walk.
WHERE TO EAT For a quick bite, stop at Spring Lake Pizza or Dune Donuts and Bagels. Around the corner, you’ll find Joseph’s Delicatessen on Warren Avenue and Nick + Sons Bakery on Morris Avenue. For your coffee fix, check out Driftwood. Spring Lake Seafood is a casual new dining spot and fish market downtown that offers fresh, local fish with a modern twist. The owners work with local fishing boats and farms to provide high-quality products while supporting the local economy. Of course, don’t forget to finish off your meal with a visit to one of the town’s enjoyable ice cream spots, such as Belle’s Ice Cream or the Sundae Times.
WHERE TO STAY [caption id="attachment_314583" align="alignnone" width="778"] The Breakers on the Ocean boasts 75 newly renovated rooms (and is the only hotel in town with a pool!). Photo: Arron Andrews[/caption]
The Breakers on the Ocean, a lovely hotel across the street from the ocean, is a delightful spot to relax while also feeling pampered. Joseph Scardino and his family have owned this spot for 44 years—it’s the only full-service hotel on the ocean, and the only one in town with a pool. The hotel, which has incredible views of the ocean from its front porch, has 75 newly renovated rooms.The food is fabulous here as well, with breakfast, lunch and dinner on offer.
The Spring Lake Inn, with its huge front porch, is only a block from the ocean and is elegant yet unpretentious. The Chateau Inn & Suites is another lovely place to stay in town and is located near the lake and the downtown area.
Thunder Road Books, 1108 3rd Avenue; Jean Louise Homemade Candies, 1205 3rd Avenue; Bare Wires Surf and Skate, 1307 3rd Avenue; Irish Centre, 1120 3rd Avenue; Dandy Canine, 1111 3rd Avenue; Spring Lake Pizza, 1110 3rd Avenue; Dune Donuts and Bagels, 1408 3rd Avenue; Joseph’s Delicatessen, 516 Warren Avenue; Nick + Sons Bakery, 304 Morris Avenue; Driftwood, 1102 Third Avenue; Spring Lake Seafood, 1300 3rd Avenue; Belle’s Ice Cream, 300 Morris Avenue; Sundae Times, 17 Atlantic Avenue; Breakers on the Ocean, 1507 Ocean Avenue; Spring Lake Inn, 104 Salem Avenue; Chateau Inn & Suites, 500 Warren Avenue
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[caption id="attachment_313979" align="alignnone" width="778"] Stephanie Ruhle calls summers on LBI the “greatest escape” for her family. Photo: Courtesy of Eric Hance[/caption]
Stephanie Ruhle, anchor of political news broadcast The 11th Hour on MSNBC, seems to have a charmed life: a happy family, a fantastic job and two lovely homes—one in Manhattan and the other, a cherished Jersey Shore homestead on Long Beach Island. She would be the first to say her life is not a matter of luck, but a result of hard work.
“I have New Jersey hustle,” she says, grinning, while sitting in her corner office at 30 Rockefeller Center. In contrast to her polished image under the studio lights, Ruhle is wearing jeans, sneakers and a casual khaki jacket. But the high-spirited demeanor she’s known for and the quick smile that dazzles the camera are just as evident in person as on TV.
The more she discusses her early life and career, the more surprising her professional trajectory seems. “My mom used to tell me, ‘You’re not the smartest, you’re not the tallest, you’re not the fastest, you’re not the most beautiful, but nobody can outwork you. You can do anything you set your mind to,’” says Ruhle. “That’s just the most Jersey approach ever, right? Nobody’s gonna outwork you!” She grew up in a middle-class family in the small town of Park Ridge in Bergen County, attending public schools; she only had 70 kids in her graduating class. “I had great parents, a great family,” she notes. “I don’t have a sad story to tell.”
It seems that the things that stood out about her then (and still stand out now) were her spirit, her confidence and her driving desire to be part of the great, big, exciting world.
“New York was always sort of a dream for me, a love story,” she says thoughtfully. “One of my earliest memories was taking my dad to the train station with my mom in the morning, seeing him get on the train and saying, ‘That’s what I want to do. I don’t want to get back in this car, I don’t want to go to school. I want to live that life.’”
While in college at Lehigh University, Ruhle decided she wanted to explore a career in the banking industry. Not knowing how to get started, she wrote to alumni, seeking advice and contacts, and was offered an internship at Merrill Lynch.
Ruhle was only an intern, but she immediately set about climbing the ladder. “At the first desk I rotated on, there were a bunch of 45-year-old guys who had to go out and entertain clients every night,” she recalls. “So I made friends with every single nightclub doorman, every maître d’ at every hot restaurant, and booked dinner tables for all these guys. I told them, ‘You can’t go unless I’m at the table. It’s my reservation.’ I was 21 years old, and I went straight Jersey. I ended up meeting all the biggest clients. If I hadn’t done that, I would’ve just been the girl answering the phone.”
Upon graduation, Ruhle secured a job at Credit Suisse. But the boys’-club environment was tough on her. “Banking is the sharpest of the sharp elbows,” she says, thinking back. “There weren’t a lot of people who looked like me. I didn’t go to an Ivy League school, I didn’t go to a fancy prep school, I didn’t have a background in business. In banking, I definitely suffered from impostor syndrome. I was always competing. It was exhausting.”
Even as she worked hard in the financial sector, she dreamed of a career in television. It didn’t seem possible, especially because she was rising in the ranks at Credit Suisse. After nearly six years, she was promoted to a vice president position. Even then, she says, “TV was always in the back of my mind.”
Eventually, she accepted a lucrative job from Deutsche Bank in 2003. Right before her job was about to begin, however, she spontaneously attended an open-call audition to guest host Live! With Regis and Kelly while Kelly Ripa was out on maternity leave. “My husband thought I was insane,” she recalls, laughing. “We had to get up at three o’clock in the morning and wait in line at ABC Studios for, like, seven hours.”
Ultimately, Ruhle wasn’t chosen for the gig, although she did make it to the finals. So she reported to work at Deutsche Bank and, after several years, was promoted to managing director in global markets senior relationship mangagement. By then, she was doing a lot of public speaking, trying to help professional women rise in the industry as she had. She felt strongly that the world of finance offered excellent opportunities for women, but was disappointed that there were few women in it. “I didn’t have any homegirls in finance,” she says, still a bit exasperated. “Nobody. I thought, This has to change.”
Advocating for women’s financial empowerment has been Ruhle’s passion for years, and it continues to be. She is the founder of the Corporate Investment Bank Women’s Network and has cochaired the Women on Wall Street steering committee. She is also a member of the board of trustees for Girls Inc. New York, and has been involved with numerous other groups as well. “It doesn’t make sense for women not to have financial autonomy,” she says. “Sharing a bed with somebody, building life with somebody, parenting with them, is really hard. And if that other person also controls all the finances in your life, that makes life extra hard.”
One day, in 2011, the White House Project hosted a presentation and Ruhle was a guest speaker. Having worked at Deutsche Bank for about eight years by then, she was asked what she wanted to do in her next chapter. It was a pivotal moment in her life.
“I realized that I was afraid,” she says. “You know, it’s embarrassing to say out loud, ‘I want to take a leap; I want to do something totally different.’ You run the risk of people laughing at you. But that day, I said it out loud: ‘I’ve always wanted to work in TV. Especially business TV.’”
That experience made her realize that television was the next critical step in her career. She told the audience that day, “Our banking system finances the American dream. We’re a country of entrepreneurship. There are amazing stories to tell. And that’s what I want to do.”
A panelist from Bloomberg News was so moved by her speech that she offered to introduce Ruhle to the then head of Bloomberg TV, Andy Lack (who went on to become chairman of NBC News before stepping down in 2020 amid controversy). Never one to squander an opportunity, Ruhle knew exactly what to say when she met him.
“I told him, ‘Pay me the lowest amount of money of anybody in your organization, but give me a real shot. Give me a show to anchor. Teach me how to be on TV. If I fail, it won’t cost you that much.’” To her surprise he said, “It’s a deal.”
Ruhle went on to co-anchor a series of shows on Bloomberg TV. She discovered that the businesses of money acquisition and news gathering weren’t so different. “Let me tell you, a trading floor and a newsroom look almost identical,” she explains. “People screaming, open floor plan, very, very intense. Everyone looks like they’re fighting, but they’re actually not. They have a common goal.” After so many years in finance, Ruhle felt right at home.
Ruhle worked at Bloomberg for nearly five years. She interviewed some of the world’s most powerful people: business tycoons, Wall Street traders, CEOs, celebrities. But she was beginning to feel a tug to her roots. The issues of real, everyday people sometimes felt more important than the concerns of her niche industry. When Lack announced he was leaving Bloomberg to accept a job at NBC, she decided to follow him.
The move gave her just what she was looking for. At NBC, in addition to finance, she reported on trends, pop culture and politics. It was a steep learning curve, especially because 2016 was a challenging time to cover America’s rapidly changing political landscape. However, it was exhilarating. Ruhle says she felt like she was in the right place at the right time.
Ruhle co-anchored a smart-money MSNBC program with her friend and colleague Ali Velshi. During that time, Brian Williams (also from New Jersey) hosted the popular nighttime show The 11th Hour, a position he slid into after losing his anchor job on NBC Nightly News when it came out that he’d exaggerated some of his reporting experiences in the field. In 2022, Williams left The 11th Hour, and the baton got passed to Ruhle.
Nowadays, The 11th Hour With Stephanie Ruhle covers a mix of political news, hard news and a bit of economic policy. Ruhle can often be seen in daytime programming, too. She’s a frequent contributor across NBC’s multiple platforms and series, including its iconic morning program, the Today show. Because the national discussion so often focuses on money matters like inflation, the debt ceiling, estate planning, Covid recovery and small business issues, Ruhle is a sought-after guest on many of her colleagues’ programs.
[RELATED: ‘Today’ Co-Host Dylan Dreyer Calls Growing Up in NJ ‘the Reason I am Who I am’]
On May 5, 2023, Ruhle had the opportunity to interview President Joe Biden at the White House. Calling it “the honor of a lifetime,” she believes Biden granted her the interview because of her focus on economic policy and her show’s wide, national, multi-demographic audience. “I think the President sat down with me because I covered in depth a number of bills he passed in his first two years in office,” she says. “I work really hard to not just cover noise. I try to make my audience better and smarter. I can only hope that’s maybe what the White House saw.”
Fealty to truth, says Ruhle, is a critical component of every show she broadcasts.
“Look, we have a complicated country,” she says. “We have a lot of angry people. Viewers who have never watched you may assume you have an ideology or you’re pushing an agenda. Um, no. There’s no right or left with me. You know what there is? The truth. Every night we cover the truth. And that, to me, is a very Jersey thing.”
She adds, smiling, “New Jersey is a no-BS state. And I’ve tried to create a no-BS show.”
Ruhle's life on LBI [caption id="attachment_313980" align="alignnone" width="778"] Ruhle and husband Andy Hubbard with their kids, Drew, Harrison and Reese, and their cavapoo, Skipper Dipper. Photo: Courtesy of Eric Hance[/caption]
Her New Jersey ethos inspired Stephanie Ruhle to work hard (“People in New Jersey are just like scrappy builders,” she says), but her parents provided the bedrock of love a child needs to face the world with confidence. Nowadays, her parents give that same support to Ruhle’s kids. “My children will all tell you that my mother is their best friend,” she says.
Which is why, media career notwithstanding, Ruhle says the best parts of her life are long, lazy summer days spent with family on Long Beach Island. Her sister’s summer home is four houses down from hers, and her parents travel from Park Ridge every weekend to join them.
It’s an idyllic life. Ruhle’s husband, Andy Hubbard, takes their three kids swimming and sailing. Reese, 14, is in a lifeguard training program, while Harrison, 17, is among the best young competitive sailors in the state. Ten-year-old Drew performs at local venues like the Surflight Theater and Show Place ice cream parlor.
“LBI has given all of us the greatest escape from our busy, scheduled New York City life,” Ruhle says. “We can literally shout out the window and our neighbors will come over for s’mores after dinner. Having that community, that safe haven, with neighbors, cousins, grandparents—it’s truly a blessing.
“A Jersey way to think is to be on a team. That’s how I grew up.”
Linda Federico-ÓMurchú is an award-winning journalist whose work has appeared in outlets including NBC News, CNBC, the Today show and TheStreet.com. A Montclair resident, she is currently working on three books.
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The infant sperm whale lay on its side in the cold sand, sleek and shining in the December sun. Adult sperm whales can grow up to 67 feet and weigh as much as 45 tons. This one was tiny by comparison—weighing about a ton and, at 12 feet long, measuring roughly the size of a kayak. Authorities from the Marine Mammal Stranding Center (MMSC) in Brigantine noted that it was still nursing before it died and speculated that it might have gotten separated from its mother and starved to death.
What made this whale particularly significant, though, wouldn’t become clear for several months. As it happens, it was the first of an alarming number of dead whales that washed up on, or were spotted near, East Coast beaches between December 2022 and March 2023—30 in all, 11 of them in New Jersey. (More than two dozen dolphins were also stranded in New Jersey during that time.) Of those 11 whales, 9 were humpbacks; the other two were a sperm whale and a pygmy sperm whale. In comparison, the average number of annual humpback strandings in the entire U.S. is between 6 and 22.
In fact, the number of whale strandings along the East Coast has increased markedly since 2016, a year before the federal National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) declared an unusual mortality event (UME)—defined as “a stranding that is unexpected; involves a significant die-off of any marine mammal population; and demands immediate response”—for humpback whales and North Atlantic right whales, an endangered species whose population has dropped to around 340. As of this writing, the East Coast has seen 200 humpback strandings and 98 strandings of right whales since the UMEs were announced.
Ever since environmental organizations raised the rallying cry “Save the Whales” in the late 1970s, the awe-inspiring marine mammals have become symbolic of the negative impact we humans have wrought on the natural world. So it should surprise no one that this latest surge in strandings has raised deep concern for the whales’ wellbeing and a clamor for a definitive explanation of their deaths. One potential cause has received more press recently than any other: the geotechnical and geophysical surveying of the seafloor in preparation for the construction of Ocean Wind I, 99 wind turbines to be built off the coast of Atlantic City by the Danish company Ørsted—the first wind farm authorized for New Jersey but likely not the last.
[caption id="attachment_313632" align="alignnone" width="778"] Illustration: Shutterstock[/caption]
In our highly polarized era, it was almost inevitable that the issue would become politicized, with (mostly) Republicans pointing to the offshore wind exploration as a potential cause of the whale strandings and (mostly) Democrats rejecting that explanation as baseless. As calls for an explanation mount, the split down party and political lines isn’t likely to contribute positively to the search for clarity.
EXPLORATION It was the fifth dead whale on New York and New Jersey beaches, a female humpback that washed up in Atlantic City, that sounded the alarm for Cindy Zipf, executive director of the Long Branch-based nonprofit Clean Ocean Action (COA). “It caused us concern enough to ask, ‘What is happening?’” she says. “We looked into what was different about this December and early January.” The only thing that she and Kari Martin, COA’s advocacy campaign manager, could point to, she says, was offshore wind exploration. “We looked at shipping, and shipping didn’t seem to be any different. The same fishermen were fishing. And the only thing we noticed were the number of IHAs that had been issued.”
IHAs—Incidental Harassment Authorizations—are allowances granted by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, authorizing the incidental, but not intentional, harassment of a specified number of marine mammals for no longer than a year. What Martin found was that IHAs had been issued to 11 companies engaged in offshore wind exploration activities, allowing them to incidentally harm more than 63,800 marine mammals. (Since then, additional IHAs have been issued.) When a sixth dead whale washed up, again in Atlantic City, Zipf and Martin were moved to send a letter to President Biden demanding, among other things, an immediate investigation into the whale deaths in New York and New Jersey and a moratorium on offshore wind activity off the two states until an assessment of the cause of the deaths was determined.
No one is blaming the deaths on wind power itself or on the construction of wind farms, since that construction isn’t planned until 2024. Instead, critics have expressed fears that the sonar and other sounds used to map the ocean floor could be detrimental to whales, perhaps by frightening them or deafening them, both of which, they suggest, could lead to ship strikes or fishing gear entanglement—the two leading human-caused means of death in marine mammals. If so, that would be difficult to prove through a necropsy, since it would entail examining certain microscopic parts of the ear bones, which, according to Allison Ferreira, NOAA’s communications and internal affairs team supervisor, decompose within hours. “If a whale is already in moderate to advanced decomposition, as is often the case unless a whale is alive when first stranded,” she says, “then microscopic changes in the ears are no longer detectable.” Critics like COA also posit that an increased number of ships working in the area to survey the sea floor could be leading to an increase in ship strikes.
After the COA’s White House letter, additional demands for a moratorium and/or investigation followed. At the end of January, 12 mayors of Jersey Shore towns—Bay Head, Brigantine, Deal, Linwood, Long Beach Township, Mantoloking, Margate, North Wildwood, Point Pleasant Beach, Spring Lake, Stone Harbor, and Wildwood Crest—sent a letter to New Jersey members of Congress, urging them “to take action now to prevent future deaths from needlessly occurring on our shorelines.” A similar letter, this one calling for a moratorium on offshore wind exploration and signed by 30 New Jersey mayors, was sent to representatives Jeff Van Drew (R-NJ), Chris Smith (R-NJ), and Frank Pallone (D-NJ) in late February. On March 22, Van Drew introduced a congressional resolution demanding a moratorium on offshore wind development. And on March 30, Smith introduced an amendment calling for an independent investigation into the environmental review processes for East Coast offshore wind development, which lawmakers approved, 244 to 189.
Like Zipf and Martin, Van Drew believes that the timing is telling: “The dates [of the whale deaths] alone coincide with when they really started to do the research,” he says, referring to the surveying of the sea floor. That work began in January 2019, two years after the latest humpback and North Atlantic right whale UMEs were announced.
It should be noted that 26 of the 30 mayors and a town council member who’ve proposed a connection between whale strandings and offshore wind exploration, along with the two New Jersey congressmen who’ve done the same, are Republicans, and Republicans are far more likely than Democrats to oppose or criticize wind power. (A 2021 survey conducted by the Pew Research Center found that 91 percent of Democrats favored the creation of more wind farms, as opposed to 62 percent of Republicans, the latter figure down from 80 percent in 2016.) Certainly, Van Drew was a critic of offshore wind before he and others suggested a relationship between wind and whales. He admits that even if it were proved that there was no connection between the two, he’d still be loath to endorse wind power. “And that wasn’t always my opinion,” he says. “It has changed over time for sure.” Among reasons for that change he lists potential negative effects on fishing, tourism, and the environment.
At least one of the New Jersey-based environmental organizations calling for a moratorium on wind exploration, Protect Our Coast NJ, has been linked to the Caesar Rodney Institute, which has received funding from the fossil fuel industry. Ed Potosnak, executive director of the New Jersey chapter of the nonprofit League of Conservation Voters, says that the South Jersey politicians clamoring for a moratorium “are opposed to offshore wind possibly because it will obstruct their view. When you ask questions, in every instance—and we’ve been through this on many issues—the main connection is that they’re opposed to offshore wind at all costs.”
IF NOT WIND, WHAT? Since the beginning of the year, when questions about offshore wind activity as a cause of whale strandings began to arise, government agencies—including NOAA and the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management—and many environmental groups have made the point, as Potosnak does, that “there is no evidence of a connection between the strandings and offshore wind, and there’s no evidence that wind exploration has caused the death of any marine mammal.” (In April, NOAA issued a report stating that offshore wind activity—not, specifically, offshore exploration—couldn’t kill or seriously harm marine mammals but might “adversely affect” them.)
What evidence of death we do have consists of necropsies conducted by the MMSC, who examine the whales on the beach and, when possible, send tissue samples off to be examined in a laboratory. One of the 11 whales that washed up recently on New Jersey beaches was too badly decomposed to be necropsied; two were only witnessed floating offshore; and one necropsy couldn’t be fully completed due to a coastal storm. Of the others, four showed evidence of ship strikes; further research may reveal whether the strikes occurred before or after death. More than half of all whales found dead on beaches, in fact, evidence no clear cause of death, either because decomposition is too advanced or because they may have died of an infection that isn’t easily detectable. As of this writing, no reports based on the tissue samples have been issued, and on its blog, MMSC notes that “final necropsy results can take several months to be returned.” (MMSC declined to be interviewed for this article, and while it didn’t offer an explanation, it’s possible that the organization has become media-shy after receiving threats from offshore wind opponents accusing the center—without evidence—of hiding the truth about the whale deaths and taking money from the offshore wind industry.)
One simple explanation for the increase in whale deaths may be the increase in whales. Research has shown that the number of humpback whales feeding off New Jersey and New York has burgeoned in recent years. A 2019 study published in the journal Marine Policy, for example, reported a substantial uptick in both humpback sightings and strandings in the area since 2011.
The humpbacks are likely following food—notably menhaden, an oily fish that makes up a substantial portion of their diet, along with herring and sand lance. Malin Pinsky, an associate professor in Rutgers’ department of Ecology, Evolution, and Natural Resources, notes that “warmer ocean waters, along with other factors, have been linked to more menhaden in our region.” Documentably cleaner waters may also be drawing the whales closer to shore.
Of course, it’s possible that at least some of the ship strikes evidenced in the recent strandings originated from vessels engaged in offshore wind exploration. But Potosnak believes that’s unlikely. He notes that every vessel involved in wind exploration is required by the federal government to have a Protected Species Observer (PSO) aboard. The PSOs, he explains, “listen with headphones to the water to hear if any whales are around, and visually, they’re looking constantly for evidence of whales. And if they find that evidence, they stop activity right away.”
Should a PSO miss whale activity, it’s not clear that sonar and other sounds generated during seafloor mapping would cause significant harm. Ferreira notes that “existing data indicate that the acoustic sources used during site assessment surveys do not have the potential to injure, seriously injure, or kill whales.” These low-frequency sounds differ from the seismic air guns often used during surveys for offshore oil and gas drilling, which have been shown to affect the feeding rates of sperm whales and breathing patterns in bowhead whales.
BACK AND FORTH Despite the recent outcry, Governor Murphy has said several times that there will be no moratorium on offshore wind exploration. On February 22 his office responded to calls for such a moratorium by noting that “the results of investigations have been unanimous and unmistakable: at this time, there is no evidence of specific links between recent whale mortalities and ongoing surveys for offshore wind development.”
That hasn’t stopped calls for a moratorium or, in the case of a March 28 letter from four Democratic U.S. senators—including New Jersey’s Cory Booker and Robert Menendez—calling for more transparency from NOAA regarding its investigations into the whale deaths. Potosnak observes that we’ve already had a moratorium of sorts, during the period after NOAA noticed a spike in whale mortality in 2016 and before seafloor mapping began in 2019.
Amid the high-decibel back-and-forth about offshore wind, one important point is in danger of being drowned out, and that’s the predicted impact of ocean warming on marine life. “If folks are really interested in protecting our marine mammals,” Potosnak says, “then they need to understand that the greatest threat to them is climate change itself.”
Leslie Garisto Pfaff, a contributing writer to New Jersey Monthly, has had a longtime interest in the environment.
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The post What’s Behind the Disturbing Surge in NJ Whale Strandings? appeared first on New Jersey Monthly.
[caption id="attachment_313139" align="alignnone" width="778"] Partners David Gill, left, and Joel Romano keep busy at Wildwoods BBQ in North Wildwood. Photo: Courtesy of Wildwoods BBQ[/caption]
Preeminent in pizza, pork roll, frozen custard and other delights, New Jersey cannot claim a long tradition in the art of barbecue.
That has encouraged some determined souls to import the benchmark styles of the South and Midwest. What began in the 1980s as lighthearted approaches to barbecue at kitsch-filled restaurants such as Memphis Pig-Out in Atlantic Highlands (closed in 2017) and Big Ed’s BBQ in Matawan, still packing a crowd, has expanded and evolved.
Now you can find convincing renditions in all four Shore counties, variously adhering to the major styles: Texas, Carolina, Memphis and Kansas City.
“We didn’t need another pizza joint,” asserts Len Dagit, co-owner with brother John of Back Bay BBQ, a cash-only, dog-friendly, seasonal stand in Somers Point, Atlantic County. “Pulled pork is a staple. You get a sandwich for less than $10.”
At the behest of his wife, Lisa, who manages the front of the house, Len added seafood to the menu. “She said to me, ‘You’re running a stag house,’” Dagit says, laughing at his wife’s reference to the otherwise carnivorous menu. His own tastes, he says, run to “Hellmann’s mayo on cold brisket.”
Back Bay does offer indoor seating and tables with umbrellas on the patio overlooking Ship Channel, which feeds into Great Egg Harbor Bay. Dagit and his brother, John, originally wanted to build a marina on the property. When that didn’t pan out, they pivoted, opening Back Bay in 2009. They eschewed gas in favor of outdoor cooking with what Dagit proudly calls “real smokers and grills” fueled by cherry wood.
For baby-back ribs, Dagit favors Memphis-style dry rubs, traditionally sweetened slightly with brown sugar and a complex mix of spices, including paprika. On Back Bay’s affordable menu, the $30 full rack is a “high-end” item, Dagit says. “There’s nothing better.”
Whatever the fixings, smoke is transformative. “The beauty of barbecue,” says Texas-trained Doug Walsh, who co-owns Jersey Shore Barbecue in Point Pleasant Beach with his wife, Dana, “is taking cheap, tougher cuts of meat and making them magical.” He smokes brisket 18 hours over pecan wood, “and it outsells everything. In Texas, brisket is king.”
Walsh opened his first location in Belmar in 2010; in 2017, a second in East Brunswick with his cousin, Denis Barnao. After receiving several readers’ choice awards, he closed Belmar and, in 2021, opened the 5,800-square-foot restaurant in Point Pleasant Beach, with two smokers and a coal-fired pizza oven. The barbecue is Texas style, focused on beef.
“Palates in New Jersey are catching up to smoked foods,” Walsh says. That includes delicately flavored cold-smoked foods. Walsh serves cold-smoked lobster salad and tops pizzas with cold-smoked cheeses and meats.
[RELATED: Best Places to Eat at the Jersey Shore]
Steve Raab has collected many accolades, including overall wins at the New Jersey State Barbecue Championship in 2009 and 2011, under the name Fat Angel, and as Local Smoke in 2013 and 2017.
“We bring the best of the country to New Jersey,” Raab says of the six Shore locations serving North Carolina-style pulled pork, Texas-style brisket, and ribs sweetened to St. Louis and K.C. standards. Raab uses cherry and maple, running his Southern Pride gas-assisted smoker 24/7.
Local Smoke’s top seller is pulled pork, but Raab thinks his chicken, fresh from Holly Poultry in Maryland and brined by him, is what Local Smoke does best. “The freshness makes the difference,” he says. “I know the birds are walking around on Sunday, are slaughtered Monday morning and are brined by Monday afternoon.”
Joel Romano and David Gill, childhood friends from Australia, added a fresh perspective when they opened Wildwoods BBQ in North Wildwood in 2021. They handed customers paint pens to decorate the pink walls. Valuing sustainability, they make hot dogs from scraps of spare ribs, burgers and brisket. They’ve experimented with making shrimp sausage, but have yet to perfect the recipe. Veggies are no afterthought. They feature main dishes of pulled mushrooms and fried cauliflower. Still, beefy Aussie sausage with pepper, salt and cumin “is our signature,” says Romano. “People are adventurous and open to trying new things. There is no cooking-for-the-masses here.”
The scene continues to expand. Mutiny BBQ opened in Asbury Park in 2021. New to Barnegat this summer is Andrea’s Soul Food Cafe, which Shakierra Morris named for her daughter.
“Low and slow,” the mantra of barbecue, refers to cooking at low temperature, with indirect heat, for hours. At Jersey Shore BBQ, an average day starts at 7 am and ends at 9 pm. “On catering days,” notes Walsh, “even longer.” At Back Bay BBQ, says Dagit, “we use prime brisket, four inches thick, and it takes 12 hours to grill.”
The constant cooking creates a siren’s song for the hungry. “Our greatest advertisement,” Dagit says, “is when the wind blows smoke across the highway.”
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The post Jersey Shore Barbecue Joints to Savor appeared first on New Jersey Monthly.
The familiar scent of chlorine is almost non-existent throughout Atlantic City's 120,000-square-foot Island Waterpark at Showboat—which bills itself as the world's largest oceanfront water park. The unpleasant odor, which typically smacks indoor water park or pool enthusiasts in the face upon arrival, dissipates due to the Island Waterpark's retractable roof. The sun's rays bounce off of the 11 slides and brighten the six bars as parents indulge in margaritas before relaxing in the 6,500-square-foot Island Drift Lazy River.
That's only one reason that it appears Bart Blatstein's brand-new Atlantic City gamble is a winner. The Tower Investments CEO and Showboat owner has opened the massive Island Waterpark, which complements his arcade and go-cart attractions at the former casino.
The park pleases both parents and children, which is an accomplishment. The line for the 1,000 square-foot Wild Wave FlowRider surf simulator was long on the day I visited, as kids tried to stay on their boards as long as possible. Parents kicked back and enjoyed refreshing frozen margaritas, despite being a whopping $21 each.
There's even an adults-only pool, which is a serene oasis. However, many moms and dads were navigating such slides as the rapid Sonic Serpent and the unpredictable Electric Eel when I visited.
[caption id="attachment_312605" align="aligncenter" width="778"] A retractable roof helps Island Waterpark avoid that infamous chlorine smell.[/caption]
The latter provides the greatest visceral thrill courtesy of the combination of unpredictability, speed, curves and a cool splashdown. There are one and two-person inflatable tubes. Go with the latter since additional weight adds speed. The lead racer will get drenched.
There are two tidal racer slides, where guests zoom head-first on a water mat at a respectable speed. There's a man-made waterfall that is one of the largest custom water forms in the world and a 30-foot-tall Indoor Tree House that can be booked for private parties. There's a pool with two basketball hoops and plenty of balls. We had no problem shooting to our hearts' content while splashing around in between runs on slides.
Island Waterpark has a sleek adults-only venue with a DJ, who spins while overlooking the Bliss Pool. The 21-and-up pool enables guests to gaze at the Atlantic City beach and boardwalk. The Bliss Pool includes Atlantic City's only swim-up bar with bar stools. Free massages are available upon request. There are manicure stations, chair massages, workspaces and Peloton bikes. There's an outdoor turf zone with corn hole. But guests must pay for access to the VIP Bliss Pool area. An additional 30 bucks for access to the adults-only area is worth it if you have children who are fine on their own.
[caption id="attachment_312601" align="aligncenter" width="778"] The Bliss Pool is for adults 21 and up.[/caption]
Admission isn't cheap—$89 per person or $69 at twilight between 4-9 pm. Neither is the food, but it's plentiful. Cocktails start at $17. Burgers are priced at $15. Boardwalk fare, hot dogs, pretzels and chicken fingers are offered. Lines move quickly at the stands, which are located next to arcade attractions.
The park gets a big thumbs-up for cleanliness. The staff was constantly cleaning and often checked the pH levels. It seems as if every other water park experience I've had is followed by an ear infection, but not so after the Island Waterpark.
It's a chill vibe with a playlist, which is designed to appeal to parents. A classic rock tune is almost always followed by a country track surfing over the din of children's laughs and squeals. There's an abundance of staffers, who are attentive. There's lockers for guests. It's $15 for a small locker and $20 for a large locker.
The Showboat has taken a page from the Disney World playbook by incorporating a "Rise n' Shine" hour, which allows hotel guests an exclusive morning hour prior to the general public's arrival. It'll be curious to see if more family-friendly attractions will be added to what used to be known as "America's Playground," which is where seaside recreation was born.
The Island Waterpark is following in the footsteps of the orange loop, which is a developing downtown full of non-casino options, which is finally giving Atlantic City some much needed balance.
Island Waterpark, 801 Boardwalk, Atlantic City; 609-964-7663. Admission is $89, $69 at twilight 4-9 pm (kids 3 and under are free).
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The post A Look Inside Island Waterpark at Showboat, Atlantic City’s Massive New Attraction appeared first on New Jersey Monthly.
Look up at a water tower on the Jersey Shore and, most likely, you’ll see the name of a beach town, a tourist slogan or a local attraction, such as Lucy the Elephant. On the southern end of Long Beach Island, the water tower reads Holgate, along with an image of what appears to be a modest beach house. Near the base of the tower along Barnegat Bay, the image becomes reality—a private house with a thin lookout tower.
That Holgate home shares a heritage with more than two dozen buildings along the Jersey coastline that are hidden in plain sight. They are former life-saving stations from the 1800s and early 1900s—essentially large boathouses built along the oceanfront. Upon seeing a ship in distress, locals would go to a station and wheel life-saving equipment and boats across the dunes to the water’s edge to rescue people from drowning and, if possible, save personal effects and cargo.
[caption id="attachment_312352" align="alignnone" width="788"] The Monmouth Beach station became a cultural center in 1999. Black-and white photo: Courtesy of the U.S. Life-Saving Service Heritage Association; Color photo: R.C. Staab[/caption]
Today, these stations have been renovated as private homes in Bay Head, Strathmere, Sea Bright, Spring Lake and Avalon, or repurposed for diverse uses such as a cultural center in Monmouth Beach, the meeting hall of the Kiwanis Club in Cape May and the tax office in Seaside Park.
All of these buildings, in one way or another, owe their existence to New Jersey physician William Newell, who witnessed a shipwreck and death of 13 crew members in 1839, not far from today’s Holgate water tower. When later he was elected to Congress, Newell was instrumental in securing funding in 1848 to create the United States Life-Saving Service to preserve “life and property” along America’s coastline. For more than 65 years, the Service built small boathouses, then larger life-saving stations, every few miles from Sandy Hook to Cape May. Despite the stormy waves of nor’easters and the pressures of real estate development, more than two dozen of these structures built between 1849 and 1915 have become part of the fabric of the Shore.
Remarkably, two such boathouses built more than 150 years ago survive.
In the shadow of the lighthouses at Twin Lights Historic Site in Highlands sits the last boathouse of its kind from the 1849-1850 era. After having been replaced by a newer structure in 1872, sold by the government to a local businessman to use as a horse stable, repurchased by the government in 1930 to refurbish as a museum, decommissioned by the government after World War II, and then finally given to the Borough of Highlands in 1956, the station was moved to the highest spot along the Jersey Shore overlooking its former home at Sandy Hook.
Today, visitors to Twin Lights can see the boathouse and its lifecar, an invention seemingly right out of a Jules Verne novel. In the mid-19th century, a rescuer on the beach would fire a line from a cannon-like gun to tie to the mast of a ship that was sinking or stranded. Then, the lifecar was hoisted onto the line and sent over the waves to the ship. Passengers and crew would climb into the car, lying beside or on top of each other, and then the car would be hauled safely back to the beach. It was first used at Squan Beach (Manasquan) to rescue passengers from the British ship Ayrshire and subsequently helped to rescue thousands of people.
[caption id="attachment_312353" align="alignnone" width="788"] A former boathouse–turned–private home in Bay Head. Black-and white photo: Courtesy of the U.S. Life-Saving Service Heritage Association; Color photo: R.C. Staab[/caption]
Another interesting tale of a boathouse is told by John Beers, who owns a two-story Dutch colonial house in Bay Head. The front part of his home was originally a boathouse, built in 1871 in what was then Point Pleasant Beach. In 1871, Elijah Chadwick, a local fisherman and farmer, bought it.
“Of all the buildings that the Life-Saving Service built, 99 out of 100 were purposely designed to move. They would jack them up and move them to prevent damage from sea encroachment,” explains Tim Dring, past president of the U.S. Life-Saving Service Heritage Association and a retired Navy commander.
That was what Chadwick did, moving the house one block west to Main Avenue. He replaced the pitched roof with a Dutch colonial to make a comfortable home at the sparsely populated beach. When Lake Avenue was created, he moved the house one last time, to a quieter street near the bay.
Years went by as rooms were added under different owners. In 1982, Beers and his wife, Gail, purchased the property. As Beers says, it would have been a prime candidate for a McMansion because it sits on a double lot. But Beers says that the town historian “almost made me swear that I wouldn’t muck up the house and tear it down.” The family kept the historic parts of the house intact, adding a new kitchen, family room and second-floor addition in the back.
[RELATED: Inside the Jersey Shore’s Unique Community of Tiny Houses]
Though the life-saving stations were initially successful, Dring says federal support was sporadic, there weren’t trained crews, and eventually “the stations were broken into and the equipment pilfered.” By the end of the Civil War, the federal system had fallen into disrepair. In 1871, the Treasury Department convinced Congress to increase spending to hire full-time staff and build new stations that could accommodate larger boats, more equipment, staff lodging, and rooms for rescued people who needed a place to stay before continuing their journeys.
The stations that the government built, rebuilt, remodeled and moved along the Shore from 1871 to 1915 have inspired Shore architects for more than 100 years. The turrets, lookout towers, peaked roofs and dormer windows of the Life-Saving Service era are now such a part of Shore style that, in some beach towns, it’s easy to mistake a recently constructed home for a restored life-saving station.
After 1915, the Life-Saving Service was merged with the Revenue Cutter Service and became the United States Coast Guard, which eventually had little use for these stations, except for the Townsend Inlet station in Sea Isle City, which the Coast Guard still uses as a recreational facility. Why would the Coast Guard decommission or abandon prime beachfront property? Dring says the advent of steel ships with powerful engines and an increasing focus on recreational boating accidents steered the Guard away from the beachfront to locations on inlets and rivers where they could directly launch into the water.
Each remaining station took a different route to its present use.
[caption id="attachment_312355" align="alignnone" width="788"] The former Cold Springs Station is now the meeting space for the Kiwanis Club in Cape May. Black-and white photo: Courtesy of the U.S. Life-Saving Service Heritage Association; Color photo: R.C. Staab[/caption]
Imagine paying $120 (or $2,600 in today’s money) in Cape May for a building across from the ocean, where today there are million-dollar Victorian homes and hotels. In 1939, that’s what the Kiwanis Club paid for the Cold Springs Station along Beach Avenue in an auction of decommissioned federal property. “There was a Coast Guard officer who had been at Cape May station who had been very friendly with the Kiwanis guys. He was transferred to New York Fourth Naval District,” Cape May Kiwanis member and former mayor Robert “Bob” Elwell explains. With a wink and a chuckle, Elwell says, “He happened to be the guy who opened the bids. And so it turned out that the Kiwanis Club bid was a few dollars higher than the highest other bid!”
Throughout the world, most Kiwanis Clubs meet in restaurants. But in Cape May, meetings at the clubhouse are often followed by lively card games upstairs, following in the tradition of surfmen who used the space as their bunkroom.
Farther up the Shore, in Stone Harbor, American Legion Post 331 and its Auxiliary were meeting in the Borough Hall and in firehouses. In 1948, when the Coast Guard deactivated what had been a life-saving station at the southern tip of Seven Mile Island, the legionnaires and auxiliary bought the building, plus its two-lot property, for $2,539. The men and women of Post 331 have enthusiastically embraced the history of the building, restoring its exterior. The building is open for free tours from Flag Day to Labor Day. In addition to a military museum on the second floor, visitors can climb to the lookout tower for remarkable views.
[caption id="attachment_312359" align="alignnone" width="788"] This private home, originally built in southern Ocean City, was dismantled in 1924 and rebuilt in Strathmere. Black-and white photo: Courtesy of the U.S. Life-Saving Service Heritage Association; Color photo: R.C. Staab[/caption]
It’s not only social organizations that were able to buy stations. Stephen and Wendy Bell have a home in Strathmere that served as a station on an island farther north. The station, built in 1872 in southern Ocean City, was imperiled by shifting sands and storms. So, in 1924, the Coast Guard dismantled it, put it on a barge to cross Corson’s Inlet, and rebuilt it on Bayview Drive in Strathmere. In a more protected space and with a new boathouse across the street along the bay, the Coast Guard used it until 1964.
The Bells took care to restore the property after buying the house in 1994. The couple and their four children use the house as a summer home that, when stretched to capacity, can sleep 14 people. A special guest feature of the house is the queen size bed in the lookout tower, a room they’ve dubbed the honeymoon suite.
“In the summer, people often walk down the street and ask questions,” Bell says. “Sometimes, to my wife’s disdain, I invite them inside!”
Communities have united to help save stations. With the threat of a wrecking ball looming in 1999, local residents banded together to save the Monmouth Beach station and turn it into a cultural center. In Seaside Park, the borough purchased the building in 1966 and then, 30 years later, moved borough offices into the newly restored building. At Island Beach State Park, the state created an interpretive center in part of one old station, while in another section of the park, a former life-saving station serves as a maintenance facility, visible from the road near the entrance.
[caption id="attachment_312349" align="alignnone" width="788"] The Spermaceti Cove station in Sandy Hook National Park, built in 1894, recently underwent an exterior renovation. Black-and white photo: Courtesy of the U.S. Life-Saving Service Heritage Association; Color photo: R.C. Staab[/caption]
Another branch of the federal government has also joined the effort. In Sandy Hook National Park, the Spermaceti Cove station, built in 1894, survived several government transfers, as well as Hurricane Sandy. The exterior was recently renovated by the park service in a near picture-perfect setting atop a dune overlooking the ocean. One can easily imagine a turn-of-the-century station keeper in the tower searching the New York Bay and the Atlantic Ocean for ships in distress.
In many ways, the history of the U.S. Life-Saving Service has been eclipsed by the life-saving efforts of the U.S. Coast Guard and its fleet of modern, mechanized boats. Yet two restored stations are keeping the memory of the Service alive.
In Manasquan, Ron Jacobsen, president of the Squan Beach Life-Saving Station Preservation Committee, describes former Station No. 9 as “the most beautiful historic structure in New Jersey.” Although the town bought the building for just $1 in 2000, the town and the committee have spent hundreds of thousands of dollars removing asbestos, redoing the plumbing, replacing shingles covered with lead, and collecting and displaying artifacts. The station is open May through September. Admission is free.
For the most colorful and historic look at life in a station between 1885 and 1905, visit U.S. Life Saving Station 30 in Ocean City. “When you come in the building, you are living the way men lived during the Life Service,” says its president, John Loeper. “You’re seeing what they saw day to day.”
The boathouse section of the building features a 26-foot surfboat, life-saving equipment, and even gear that the men used for hunting and fishing. Recreated rooms include the station keeper’s office, kitchen, dining room, and an upstairs bunk room with a ladder to the lookout tower.
The keepers of Station 30’s history are doing a deep dive into the individual histories of the 65 men who worked there, rescued people from shipwrecks, and were buried nearby. They are giving life to the history of a service that, in 60 years, with non-motorized boats and equipment, helped to save more than 186,000 people from treacherous waters around New Jersey.
Beyond the life-and-death stories of survivors, Loeper tells the story of the service’s other mission: to protect cargo: “There was a produce ship sailing up the coast full of watermelons that got in trouble at a sandbar. The captain said ‘lighten the loads,’ so the crew threw the watermelons overboard.” The ship safely docked, but the life-saving crew, not the ship’s, had one more task. Loeper says, “They spent two or three days rowing the inlet to save the watermelons and return them safely to the ship in Somers Point.”
R.C. Staab writes extensively about the Jersey Shore, including the book 100 Things to Do at the Jersey Shore. In the summer, he runs, swims, kayaks and walks the beaches from Sandy Hook to Cape May.
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There are already plenty of reasons to pay a visit to good old Atlantic City: the beach, the Boardwalk, the flashy casinos, the delectable food and restaurants. But there could be a new attraction to the city that would appeal to Formula 1 racing enthusiasts: a $3.3 billion racetrack.
The proposed project, called the Renaissance at Bader Field, would also include commercial development and residential housing. The site of the track is proposed for the former Atlantic City Municipal Airport located near Route 40, south of the bustling casino area.
DEEM Enterprises, a local company, is expected to pay $115 million for the land. The project would then move forward under the terms of a City Council resolution that calls for studies over the next six months. DEEM would pay all costs associated with land assessment and analysis.
The 2.44-mile track would be built to fit Formula 1 standards. If approved, the project would take six to nine years to complete and would provide housing and job opportunities for the community.
“This has been a long time coming,” said Mayor Marty Small Sr. at a press conference. “What I don’t think gets discussed enough is, this won’t cost city taxpayers a dime. This project won’t just change the landscape of Atlantic City, but it will give our taxpayers relief like never before.”
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[caption id="attachment_310744" align="alignnone" width="778"] Patty Barber manages daily operations at Silverball Retro Arcade in Asbury Park. Photo: Krista Schlueter[/caption]
Pings, clicks and boings fill the Silverball Retro Arcade in Asbury Park. The satisfying clunk of Skee-Ball and the electro-melodies of Pac-Man mingle with the thwack and jangle of pinball. These are the sounds of fun.
First and foremost, Silverball Retro Arcade is a place to play games. New Jersey has its share of well-stocked arcades, from Game Vault in Morristown to the Yestercades locations in Westfield, Somerville and Red Bank, Lucky Snake in Atlantic City, Jilly’s Arcade in Ocean City, and Retro Arcade & Fascination in Wildwood. But with its scholarly emphasis on rare and vintage pinball machines, Silverball is also a lively museum, as well as a year-round destination on the boardwalk in Asbury Park. Silverball highlights about 200 pinball machines from a rotating collection of about 600. This is where the pinball cognoscenti go to play games.
“All year, people come here from across the country and the U.K.,” says Patty Barber. The senior vice president of Silverball, she manages the daily operations in Asbury Park. “We have one guy who comes up from Philly every week. We also host tournaments through the International Flipper Pinball Association every other month in the offseason.”
[caption id="attachment_310697" align="alignnone" width="778"] Silverball is a pinball lover's paradise, highlighting about 200 pinball machines from its rotating collection of about 600. Photo: Krista Schlueter[/caption]
In 2015, Silverball opened a second location in Delray Beach, Florida, where founder Rob Ilvento lives in the offseason. His pinball empire has humble origins, going back to its 2009 opening in the basement below Groovy Graveyard, a record store on Cookman Avenue in Asbury Park. It was a place to showcase his pinball collection. But Ilvento, a West Long Branch native who dropped out of Rutgers and founded Cluck U Chicken in New Brunswick in 1985, had a knack for knowing what would take off. When his elder daughter took a liking to pinball, Ilvento sensed the potential for a new audience for a game familiar to Baby Boomers and Gen X’ers.
In 2010, Silverball moved to the boardwalk, where it became popular with tourists and beachgoers. (“If you go to Asbury Park, you’ve gotta go there,” Ilvento says.) It cultivated a following of serious players through its VIP membership, which offered a discount on admission and other benefits for subscribers. Paul Rubin, a pinball aficionado who lives in the Laurence Harbor section of Old Bridge, hits the arcade at least once a week. “The attitude at Silverball is wonderful,” Rubin says. “They’re very friendly, they’re happy to see you, and they have some very, very rare machines.”
[caption id="attachment_310751" align="alignnone" width="778"] People come to play games at Silverball from across the country and the U.K. Photo: Krista Schlueter[/caption]
Among those rarities, Ilvento is proud to include a Kiss machine, which Bally introduced in 1979 in tribute to the hard rock band with the painted faces. Among the oldest machines at Silverball is Knockout, a 1950 boxing-themed game by Gottlieb. Ilvento himself loves the Bally machines from the 1960s, along with a favorite from childhood: Evel Knievel, Bally’s 1977 tribute to the daredevil stuntman.
Rubin, 72, has been playing pinball since childhood. “My great-grandfather lived in the Asbury Park area, and he’d give us handfuls of pennies and nickels for the arcade,” Rubin says. “In 1967, I was a lifeguard in Belmar, and there was an arcade in town where I’d play. When pinball took off again with Silverball, I decided to start playing in tournaments.”
Rubin advises newcomers to the game to start slowly and keep practicing. “You can even go to YouTube and learn and practice basic moves,” Rubin says. “It’s like learning to play an instrument.”
[caption id="attachment_310698" align="alignnone" width="778"] Game design delivers an eyeful, whatever the score. Photo: Krista Schlueter[/caption]
At Silverball, a placard hangs above each pinball machine extolling its particular virtues and putting it in historical context. The placard for Melody, a 1966 pinball game by Gottlieb, credits Ed Krynski as the designer and Art Sternholm as the artist, explaining, “This game parallels the classic Gottlieb game Kings and Queens, which is in the museum,” and adding helpful hints: “If you hit the four numbers in one color sequence, the matching eject hole randomly lights to score an extra ball. A lot of points will be awarded if you land in the left hole as the ball is advanced to the right and then ejected to the flipper.”
“I knew people would appreciate the beauty of these machines,” Ilvento says. “It’s art that you can interact with.”
Of course, there’s a difference between the way someone like Rubin interacts with the art and the way your average 10-year-old smacks the flippers and yanks on the plunger. Commercial pinball machines take a lot of abuse and, therefore, need a lot of upkeep. That’s where Tim Sullivan, a 28-year-old from Keansburg, comes in. As operations manager for Silverball, he is in charge of keeping the tech in working order. Tasks include vacuuming the interior of the pinball cabinet, the box-like body that holds the play field, to reduce damage from dust, as well as performing minor repairs such as replacing the coil on a plunger or tightening a flipper.
[caption id="attachment_310694" align="alignnone" width="778"] Some machines are older than ace technician Tim Sullivan, 28. Photo: Krista Schlueter[/caption]
Sullivan also fully restores pinball machines for Silverball. When necessary, a part can be cannibalized from a machine that is beyond repair, but, he says, most parts are commercially available. Working on a 300-pound pinball machine is a lot like being an auto mechanic, he says.
“It’s fun to restore a pinball machine, remove the filth, and bring it back to life,” Sullivan says. He is mostly self-taught. “I’ve been around pinball all my life,” says Sullivan, whose father repairs pinball machines, slot machines and jukeboxes. “I used to go on service calls with my dad.” The younger Sullivan can rattle off arcane details about pinball machines: “There is a mile of wire in a typical game.”
Barber considers Sullivan a wunderkind. “He can hear a strange noise from across the building, know what’s wrong and on which machine,” she says. As a player, Sullivan favors pinball games from the 1990s, such as Getaway, by Williams, and Creature From the Black Lagoon, by Bally, both released in 1992. He holds the high score on many machines at Silverball. Among modern games, he is intrigued by anything made by Jersey Jack, founded in 2011 in Lakewood and now a competitor to Stern, the last of the classic American pinball companies. Jersey Jack designed and manufactured its games in Lakewood, but moved to Elk Grove Village, Illinois, in 2020 to be closer to Chicago, long the center of the industry.
[caption id="attachment_310695" align="alignnone" width="778"] “It’s art that you can interact with,” Silverball founder Rob Ilvento says of the arcade's game machinery. Photo: Krista Schlueter[/caption]
Rubin has a soft spot for the pinball machines of his youth, but he also eagerly follows new releases by Jersey Jack. In Rubin’s opinion, Stern games are overrated. “Jersey Jack is like a Cadillac,” Rubin says. “Stern is like a Chevy.”
Reached by phone while at a pinball event in Paris, Jack “Jersey Jack” Guarnieri likened his company’s mission to a Broadway production. “You want to tell a story of what the game is,” says Guarnieri, who lives in Toms River. “We need to write a whole script for the speech calls. For Toy Story 4 [2022], we hired Tim Allen and Tom Hanks’s brother to record them: ‘Shoot the ramp!’ and ‘Multi-ball!’ and so on. And we need to hire good artists. It’s sensory overload.”
Jersey Jack releases a new game about every year. The first was Wizard of Oz in 2013, the theme of which Guarnieri hoped would appeal to women and young people. The guitarist Slash has purchased Jersey Jack pinball machines for his home, so Guarnieri approached him about creating a Guns N’ Roses machine, which was released in 2020. “We licensed 22 songs for that,” Guarnieri says.
Jersey Jack machines are known for innovations such as LCD screens on both the play field and the upright panel called the back box. There are headphone jacks for full immersion and cameras in the back box to take selfies.
Silverball does not arrange its machines chronologically: Gottlieb’s Melody from 1966 stands next to Jersey Jack’s Pirates of the Caribbean from 2018. But the arcade makes sure that the games most sought by patrons are on the floor. Among the most popular this year is Jersey Jack’s latest release, The Godfather 50 Years, released in 2023 to commemorate the classic 1972 Francis Ford Coppola film. “It’s important to have places like Silverball,” Guarnieri says. “It’s important to have physical public locations to play games. That’s how interest in the games will grow.”
[caption id="attachment_310693" align="alignnone" width="778"] Patty Barber rarely gets to sit down on the job. Photo: Krista Schlueter[/caption]
Anticipating growth, the arcade expanded in 2022, adding about 500 square feet, for a total of about 4,500 square feet, by taking over the adjacent space that had previously housed the restaurant Pop’s Garage. “We took the kitchen out of the game area to make more room for games and to space things out,” Barber says. Silverball also moved the private-party area from the middle of the game floor to its own separate area.
Ilvento would like Silverball to grow even more. He has his eye on the Fourth Avenue pavilion. “That building has 16,000 square feet on the ground level and 16,000 square feet upstairs,” he says. “That would make us the biggest arcade in the world. And we can handle it! Some of our winter weeks are even busier than the first few weeks of summer.”
Kelly-Jane Cotter is a veteran journalist who grew up grooving on the arcades of Asbury Park and Beach Haven.
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[caption id="attachment_310630" align="alignnone" width="778"] Superfrico's tiramisu is made with a crunchy topping, meringue and dark chocolate. Photo: Courtesy of Spiegelworld[/caption]
Vibrant Italian-American food is already a strength of New Jersey's dining scene. But a new experience on Atlantic City’s Boardwalk promises to take it even further.
Get ready for Superfrico at The Hook and its “Italian-American psychedelic” cuisine. The Hook, an entertainment enclave created by Spiegelworld, opens in Caesars on June 30 in the 1929-vintage Warner’s Embassy Theatre space, its glorious Art Deco entrance intact.
Superfrico’s dining room is the province of culinary director and chef Anna Altieri, who aims to lead diners on “trippy meals”—which range from a "tingly" cacio e pepe to a "sexy" tiramisu.
Below, Altieri chats about her passion for amped-up Italian food and Atlantic City.
[caption id="attachment_310628" align="alignnone" width="778"] Anna Altieri is the culinary director and chef of Superfrico at The Hook in Atlantic City. Photo courtesy of Spiegelworld[/caption]
"Psychedelic" is a pretty powerful word. Why does the team think Superfrico will intrigue Atlantic City visitors?
Altieri: People have always come to Atlantic City for thrills and chills—to step into a surreal world, à la Vegas, but with Jersey Shore energy and spirit. No one wants a boring meal in Atlantic City.
At The Hook, our number one goal is to maximize the grown-up fun factor. Along with Superfrico, The Hook offers lounges, daters’ nooks, a mixology bar and dive bar, a DJ, and acts by magicians, acrobats and showgirls, plus a ticketed nightly show. With its festive party vibe, The Hook is one-stop shopping for an unforgettable evening. And that’s what AC is about.
How is the menu different from the Italian food Jerseyans know?
Altieri: At first glance, you’ll see your favorite dishes. But here they’re dramatically flavor-forward, with unexpected touches on the palate and in the presentation. I promise that your Superfrico meal will be unique, and that we’ll be all over TikTok and Instagram.
[RELATED: The Best Restaurants in Atlantic City]
[caption id="attachment_310631" align="alignnone" width="778"] Tableside mozzarella gets a stretch by a "mozzarellista." Photo: Courtesy of Spiegelworld[/caption]
Can you give us a little menu tour?
Altieri: Here are some hot picks from what I call "our unruly menu." You can start with Dot’s Meatballs. Dot’s my grandma. At 92, she’s still making them. Their flavors are incredibly vibrant, and they’re served atop crisp iceberg lettuce. The texture contrast is just wild.
Get the fried mozzarella too—as in deep-fried. The pasta with crab gravy is something people cook at home in AC, but you couldn’t find it in a restaurant until now. It’s really unusual but totally works.
Tingly cacio e pepe is the creamy classic, sort of a Roman mac and cheese, but with Chinese peppercorns that light up your tongue. Chicken Parm is a roller coaster for your tastebuds: The chicken breast is smooth, the breading tangy, and the marinara one spicy little devil. It’s topped with our house-made mozzarella, which we’re really proud of.
The mozz is its own course—served from a cart by our own "mozzarellista" with intense sauces and creatively topped focaccia.
[caption id="attachment_310627" align="alignnone" width="778"] Superfrico's chicken Parm is spicy, tangy and topped with house-made mozzarella. Photo: Courtesy of Spiegelworld[/caption]
I’m guessing your desserts are decadent?
Altieri: [Laughs.] Oh, yes—bring your secret dessert fetish to Superfrico. Our sexy tiramisu teases you with a crazy crunchy topping, meringue and, of course, deep, dark chocolate. Mexican hot chocolate budino pudding is a mischievous take on classic AC custard, but with dark chocolate, chile and cinnamon.
How did you get to be a mind-bending chef?
Altieri: My family, from metro Philly, has always spent summers in AC. Its excitement, and Italian flavors, run through my veins. I graduated from the Culinary Institute of America, and my mentor is Anthony Falco. He founded the instantly famous hipster pizzeria, Roberta’s, in Bushwick, Brooklyn, and was a big part of Spiegelworld's original Superfrico in the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas.
Now I’m bringing my own tastes and tricks to Superfrico AC. My approach is this: Italian food is so great; let’s intensify that beloved marinara and pump up the flavors. Come and check out the buzz.
For more info on Superfrico at The Hook, click here. To make reservations, click here.
This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.
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Angela Andersen wears many hats. They include a full, brimmed sun hat and a beanie, depending on the season when she is out on the bay.
Andersen, 54, is the sustainability director/field station manager for Long Beach Township on Long Beach Island.
Her career has included roles with the American Littoral Society, which promotes the study and conservation of marine life and habitat, and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, as well as coproducing three locally based documentaries.
Of all her work, Andersen’s legacy will likely be her role in the return of the wild oyster, a staple harvest of our Shore waterways, long since erased. It’s been an overwhelming ecological success story.
“Oysters grow on hard structures, traditionally on the back of their dead ancestors,” Andersen says. “As we were filming our documentary The Oyster Farmers, the ecosystem told us it was healthy enough to support a renewed industry of sustainable shellfish growth and harvest, but also complete habitat restoration. That cycle can’t happen in an unhealthy system.”
Andersen was integral in building oyster reefs by implementing a system that brings together environmental, municipal, academic, business and aquaculture groups to collect oyster shells from restaurants, introduce them to millions of oyster larvae (called spat), and then place them into lease areas on the bay floor.
[RELATED: Former Shore Restaurateur Turns to Recycling Seafood Shells]
Oysters are now growing on the reefs, as well as in an increasing number of commercial oyster farms, and have even been found in the wild for the first time in 50 years. The reefs filter microplankton and absorb carbon from the bay—both dangerous in overabundance. Moreover, the well-publicized projects educate residents and create jobs for a new generation of bayworkers.
Now, Andersen is building on that success to protect the ecologically important 160 islands (a total of 3,000 acres) in the Barnegat Bay watershed. She recently secured an $87,000 National Fish and Wildlife Community Resilience grant to fund the restoration of habitats on the bay islands of New Jersey. And she’s happy to take you on a kayak tour of it all.
“Bay islands absorb storm surge and fetch energy coming across the open bay, as well as being critical nursery habitat for our fisheries—and the birds love them too,” she says.
The restoration means engineering clam- and oyster-shell reefs adjacent to the islands.
“The funds we’ve secured for community resilience will enable restoration of the bay islands protecting our waterfront communities,” she explains. “The projects grow upon each other over time for the greater good, just like oysters. I’m lucky to be in the middle of it all, making the connections.”
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The post This LBI Environmentalist Helped Bring Long-Gone Wild Oysters Back to the Shore appeared first on New Jersey Monthly.
[caption id="attachment_310149" align="alignnone" width="778"] 34-year-old Ben Graeff, better known as Ben Gravy, is one of New Jersey's most famous surfers. Photo: Dave Moser[/caption]
Maybe you’ve seen someone trying to ride waves on a summer afternoon at the Shore, attempting to stand on small, poorly formed Atlantic chop. You might get the impression that real surfing only happens in Hawaii or California. But you didn’t witness an October day with a hurricane offshore, or the frosty barrels from a February blizzard, or even a warm August morning with perfect little peeling waves. Very few Jerseyans know our state has a thriving surf scene.
“I think that the average waves in New Jersey aren’t as good as the average waves in California or Florida. And a lot of the time our best conditions are in the off season or very early in the morning, so the general beach-going public doesn’t see it,” says surf industry veteran Kevin Morris, the buyer and manager of Heritage Surf in Margate and a surfer for 43 years. “But when our waves get good, they are world-class. And they can be very technical and powerful.”
Surfing took hold in New Jersey in the 1950s, and by the ’70s, surfers were braving winter’s frigid ocean in full wetsuits. The industry grew from Sandy Hook to Cape May, and by the 2000s, there were several dozen Jersey surfers getting paychecks from global brands, with a host of professional contests in state. Each September for the last 20 years, the Belmar Pro has attracted surfers from around the world. On June 4, the New Jersey Surfing Hall of Fame inducted its sixth class of legends.
As for big names, they include Somers Point native Dean Randazzo, 53, and 34-year-old Ben Graeff, better known as Ben Gravy, one of the most popular surfers on YouTube and social media for his adventures around the world.
There are over 40 core surf shops in the state, as well as dozens of surfboard factories and surf camps.
So you think you know Jersey? Check out our list of fascinating things you might not know about our state.
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The post Yes, the Jersey Shore Has a Thriving Surf Scene appeared first on New Jersey Monthly.
Woodstock wasn’t the only three-day music festival during August of 1969. The Atlantic City Pop Festival, which was held two weeks before music fans camped out at Max Yasgur’s farm in Bethel Woods, New York, somehow slipped through the cracks of history despite hosting an incredible array of talent.
Janis Joplin, the Byrds, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Jefferson Airplane and B.B. King were just some of the legends who performed August 1-3 at the Atlantic City Racecourse in Hamilton Township for more than 100,000 fans. A ticket for the entire weekend was $15, and it was $6 per day.
[caption id="attachment_310151" align="alignnone" width="778"] An original program from the three-day Atlantic City Pop Festival in 1969. Photo: Erik Rank; Program: Collection of Ken Schlager[/caption]
Joplin and her Kozmic Blues Band impressed with an incendiary set. Little Richard, who filled in for Johnny Winter, invited fans to dance onstage while he delivered his visceral tunes. Joe Cocker mesmerized the crowd with his unique version of “With a Little Help From My Friends.”
Joni Mitchell walked offstage in tears after delivering just one song, complaining about the audience’s indifference.
The crowd embraced Santana, introduced by Joplin and the Mamas and the Papas’ Mama Cass, during their initial East Coast appearance. Crosby, Stills & Nash and the Moody Blues were notable no-shows. Still, the AC Pop Festival was arguably the greatest assemblage of recording artists to ever perform at the Shore.
So you think you know Jersey? Check out our list of fascinating things you might not know about our state.
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The post Two Weeks Before Woodstock, NJ Held Its Own Iconic Music Festival appeared first on New Jersey Monthly.
Even lifelong New Jerseyans can still be surprised by our state: the beauty of a sunset at the Shore, the sight of sea life off the coast, the architecture of a building. Then there are the interesting pieces of forgotten history, the shocking factoids and the attractions you wouldn’t expect to find here.
Here you’ll find New Jersey Monthly’s extensive list of things that even the most seasoned and knowledgeable New Jerseyans might not know about our home. It’s a must-read for Garden State newbies and longtime residents alike.
SURF SCENE, USA [caption id="attachment_310149" align="alignnone" width="778"] 34-year-old Ben Graeff, better known as Ben Gravy, is one of New Jersey's most famous surfers. Photo: Dave Moser[/caption]
Maybe you’ve seen someone trying to ride waves on a summer afternoon at the Shore, attempting to stand on small, poorly formed Atlantic chop. You might get the impression that real surfing only happens in Hawaii or California. But you didn’t witness an October day with a hurricane offshore, or the frosty barrels from a February blizzard, or even a warm August morning with perfect little peeling waves. Very few Jerseyans know our state has a thriving surf scene. “I think that the average waves in New Jersey aren’t as good as the average waves in California or Florida. And a lot of the time our best conditions are in the off season or very early in the morning, so the general beach-going public doesn’t see it,” says surf industry veteran Kevin Morris, the buyer and manager of Heritage Surf in Margate and a surfer for 43 years. “But when our waves get good, they are world-class. And they can be very technical and powerful.” Read more here. —Jon Coen
BY DESIGN Dating from 1853, Llewellyn Park in West Orange is America’s first planned residential community. Comprising nearly 422 acres, the suburban park has a mountainside setting with the ambience of a country estate, with wooded, communal grounds. Today’s residents, including famous names like Whoopi Goldberg, continue to enjoy easy access to Manhattan. Llewellyn Park established the concept of a commuter suburb. —Fred B. Adelson
WHO'S NEXT DOOR? They’re creepy and they’re kooky, they’re altogether ooky—and have Jersey roots. America’s oddest brood, the Addams Family, is the brainchild of Westfield cartoonist Charles Addams, whose 1940s and ’50s illustrations for the New Yorker became the basis for movies, a Broadway musical and TV shows, including the 2022 Netflix hit Wednesday, where eagle-eyed viewers spied Jersey plates on the family’s hearse. (Past Addams Family works have had New Jersey mentions, too.) Every October, Westfield hosts AddamsFest, with events like a masquerade ball, cemetery tours and a house-decorating contest. —Julie Gordon
[RELATED: New Jersey’s Famous Firsts: Baseball Games, M&M’s and More]
HOME GROWN Abraham Browning of Camden, the former state attorney general, gave the Garden State its nickname. While speaking at the Philadelphia Centennial exhibition on New Jersey Day in 1876, Browning coined the phrase while comparing the state to an immense barrel filled with good things to eat—that are grabbed by New Yorkers at one end and Pennsylvanians at the other. The name stuck. In fact, food and agriculture are the state’s third largest industries. As of 2017, more than 10,000 farms generated over $1 billion in cash receipts from more than 100 different crops. While the state is known for its tomatoes, its most valuable crops are blueberries and cranberries, followed by apples, peaches and strawberries. Salem County has the most farmland in the state, with Hunterdon and Burlington counties close behind. —Jacqueline Mroz
OPEN SPACE If you’ve ever driven down the New Jersey Turnpike, it may be hard to believe that this state has more undeveloped than developed land. As of 2019, around 53 percent of the Garden State’s total land area—some 2.48 million acres—was protected from development, according to New Jersey Future, a nonprofit organization that promotes sensible and equitable development in the state. —JM
CLOTHING OPTIONAL If you’re looking to partake in the nudist or naturist lifestyle, you may be surprised to learn that the state is home to quite a few nudist clubs. The Rock Lodge Club in Stockholm is one of the oldest nudist clubs in the country, founded in 1932. The Goodland Country Club and Spa in Hackettstown and Sky Farm in Basking Ridge have also been around for decades, located on large grounds with multiple recreational activities for members. —Thomas Neira
NOT MOUNT VESUVIUS But, yup, there is a volcano located in New Jersey. Don’t worry—experts estimate that Rutan Hill, in Sussex County’s Beemerville, has been dormant for hundreds of millions of years. Scientists say that erosion following its last eruptions destroyed its volcanic cone, obscuring the typically pointed mound. Though it is located on private, residential property, its rocky remnants are said to be visible from hikes in High Point State Park (which is the highest point in New Jersey). —Jennifer Finn
OUR SUMMER OF LOVE [caption id="attachment_310153" align="alignnone" width="778"] Two weeks before Woodstock, Jersey had its own massive festival in Atlantic City. Photo: David Weitz[/caption]
Woodstock wasn’t the only three-day music festival during August of 1969. The Atlantic City Pop Festival, which was held two weeks before music fans camped out at Max Yasgur’s farm, somehow slipped through the cracks of history despite hosting an incredible array of talent. Janis Joplin, the Byrds, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Jefferson Airplane and B.B. King were just some of the legends who performed August 1-3 at the Atlantic City Racecourse in Hamilton Township for more than 100,000 fans. A ticket for the entire weekend was $15, and it was $6 per day. Read more here. —Ed Condran
A PIECE OF THE WEST Picture this: You pile into open-air bleachers on a Saturday night to watch bull riding, barrel racing and steer wrestling. Is this Texas? Wyoming? No! It’s Cowtown Rodeo right here in New Jersey—Pilestown to be precise. Even more surprising, Cowtown, which has been in operation since 1929, is believed to be the longest-running professional rodeo in the United States. One of NJM's 52 Things You Must Do in New Jersey, Cowtown is open Saturdays from Memorial Day weekend through September, as well as for special events, so head there this summer. —Olivia Bardo
INDIA TO THE SHORE Some of the earliest Asian American immigrants to New Jersey came from the Bengal region of India in the 1880s. Many settled in Shore destinations such as Asbury Park and Long Branch, where they sold handicrafts to tourists. At the time, there was a craze for trinkets and other goods from India. —JM
[RELATED: Some of America’s Favorite Toy Brands Originated in New Jersey]
WHITMAN'S LAST DAYS Walt Whitman lived in Camden for the last eight years of his life but spent the summers of 1876-1881 at the farm of his friends, the Staffords. Sometimes he slept in an upstairs bedroom of the farmhouse, at other times in an outbuilding. He spent his days exploring the woods, taking mud baths in the creek, and, not surprisingly, writing. The Whitman Stafford House is now a museum honoring the poet. In 1891, incorrectly assuming that Whitman was dead, workmen constructing the tomb the poet had designed for himself in Camden’s Harleigh Cemetery carved that year above the tomb entrance. Upon discovering the error, Whitman had the number 1 chiseled away. The 1 was replaced with a 2 the following year (1892) after Whitman really did die. Traces of the error can still be seen today. —Barbara Leap
LANDMARKING A LEGACY [caption id="attachment_310160" align="alignnone" width="778"] The Howe House on Claremont Avenue in Montclair is an important part of Garden State history. Photo: Courtesy of Zillow[/caption]
In 1831, James Howe was deeded 6 acres and a small house on Claremont Avenue in Montclair. That house still stands. For many years, the worn clapboard house was known locally as the slave house. James Howe was owned by Nathaniel Crane. A member of one of the town’s founding families, Crane left the property to Howe (rumored to be his son) upon his death. Read more here. —Deborah P. Carter
OUR UNDERWORLD [caption id="attachment_275398" align="alignnone" width="778"] Gregory D. Lattanzi, New Jersey’s state archaeologist, says there’s evidence of humans in the region dating back 11,000 years. Photo: Rebecca McAlpin[/caption]
The majority of drivers speeding past Exit 15X on the New Jersey Turnpike have no idea they’re rolling over a fascinating archaeological site, let alone one that highlights a unique—if macabre—slice of history. When the Turnpike Authority built the interchange in 2002, giving drivers access to the Secaucus Junction train station, dozens of archaeologists were called in to join the massive effort because of what was located deep below: hundreds of bodies from a graveyard dating back to the 1880s. “If you want to go all Sopranos about it, there are bodies everywhere.…Hey, it’s Jersey!” Gregory D. Lattanzi, who is New Jersey’s state archaeologist, told New Jersey Monthly in 2021. “But seriously, you’re always walking or driving on streets built on land used by humans for thousands of years.” Read more here. —Sharon M. Goldman
PANIC IN JERSEY Everyone associates the infamous 1938 War of the Worlds radio broadcast with aliens and sheer panic. But the New Jersey connection to the event is often forgotten. Orson Welles’s radio drama, based on H.G. Wells’s sci-fi novel of the same name, caused alarm when radio listeners heard that Martians had invaded Grovers Mill, a small town located in Mercer County, and thought the fictional story was a real news report. Since the 1980s, a large, bronze monument to the broadcast has stood in Grovers Mill. —JG
HISTORIC REMAINS The Garden State is home to more than 600 battlegrounds, skirmishes and graveyard sites from the Revolutionary War—more than any other state. George Washinton’s famous crossing of the Delaware River occurred as the Continental Army traveled from Pennsylvania to Mercer County, leading to the Ten Crucial Days of important victories for Washington and his troops in Princeton, Trenton and Assunpink Creek. Washington also set up headquarters in Morristown, which history buffs can still visit today. —TN
PILE O’ PASTA A big batch of pasta in New Jersey is no surprise at all. But how about 500 pounds of the starchy stuff mysteriously appearing in the woods? Now that’s unexpected! In late April, a massive amount of spaghetti, elbow macaroni and ziti was spotted (and photographed) in the Middlesex County town of Old Bridge, causing social media users to run amok with theories as to how and why it ended up there. The answer? According to reports, a local man cleaning out his late mother’s home found a stockpile of pasta and, instead of donating or trashing it, dumped it in the woods. —JG
NJ FAULT LINE While not as common as in other states, New Jersey still gets its fair share of earthquakes. This is due to the Ramapo Fault, the longest fault in the northeastern United States. It runs from Pennsylvania to New York, cutting through Hunterdon, Somerset, Morris, Passaic and Bergen counties along the way. There is typically at least one earthquake in the state each year, ranging between 1.5 and 3 magnitude on the Richter scale. The largest earthquake in state history happened in 1783, believed to have been about a 5.3 magnitude. —TN
A JAPANESE ENCLAVE [caption id="attachment_310167" align="alignnone" width="778"] Masaru Nakawatase, 79, came to Seabrook Farms at three years old. Photo: Dave Moser[/caption]
In 1944, a farm in a quiet corner of South Jersey was looking for more workers to help with its crops. Seabrook Farms, a 57-acre farm located in Cumberland County, was a major supplier of vegetables to the military, but it faced a labor shortage due to World War II. To fill that void, Charles Franklin Seabrook began hiring Japanese Americans who were being held in internment camps during the war. By 1947, nearly 2,700 Japanese Americans were living and working on the site—the largest concentration of Japanese Americans in the country at the time. Masaru Nakawatase, 79, was born in an internment camp in Arizona and came to Seabrook at three years old. He and his family lived in dormitories on the farm property. “The hours were crazy. In the growing season, when the crops were coming in, from June until the end of summer, you had to work 12-hour shifts,” he says. Read more here. —JM
SAND GEMS [caption id="attachment_310156" align="alignnone" width="778"] Cape May diamonds are actually polished, faceted quartz. Photo: Jessica Orlowicz[/caption]
At Cape May’s Sunset Beach, water-tumbled quartz stones sparkle when they are wet, earning the name Cape May diamonds. The stones, which are most easily found by beachcombers after, can be faceted into sparkly gems that can be mounted as jewelry. The Sunset Beach gift shop sells ready-made bracelets, necklaces and more featuring the stones. —DPC
CHINESE COMMUNITY [caption id="attachment_310155" align="alignnone" width="778"] This 1876 etching captures one of Belleville’s earliest Chinese New Year celebrations. Illustration: Courtesy of Belleville Historical Society[/caption]
In 1871, Chinese immigrants to the small town of Belleville, in Essex County, celebrated the Chinese New Year—making it the first celebration of its kind and attracting revelers from across the East Coast. Most of the immigrants, who came to Belleville to escape racial violence on the West Coast, worked at Passaic Steam Laundry. They decided to settle there and were welcomed into the town, creating the first Chinese community in the area. —JM
BURIED TREASURES? There are thousands of shipwrecks off the coast of New Jersey just waiting to be explored by certified divers (an activity on NJM's Jersey Shore bucket list). The R.P. Resor, located 120 feet below the surface and 32 miles off Long Beach Island, and the Gulf Trade, which split into two dive sites at Barnegat Inlet, are two examples. Both were oil tankers torpedoed by World War II-era German U-boats. The USS Algol, meanwhile, remains intact beyond Point Pleasant, where it now serves as an artificial reef after sinking in 1991. —Gary Phillips
ELLIS ISLAND, NJ New York isn’t the only state that can claim the historic Ellis Island as its own. In 1998, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that, while the island’s National Museum of Immigration, located in the hall where 12 million immigrants were processed from 1892 to 1954, is located in New York, most additional buildings are actually part of New Jersey. A nonprofit, Save Ellis Island, is working to stabilize, restore and preserve the Ellis Island Hospital Complex on the Jersey side. —JF
NJ, WE DIG IT One of the world’s first nearly complete dinosaur skeletons was discovered in Haddonfield in 1858. The Hadrosaurus foulkii is named after William Parker Foulke, who excavated the fossils after hearing of others being found—and even given away to friends—by unsuspecting farmer John E. Hopkins 20 years prior. Replica bones cast from Foulke’s finds are on view at Philadelphia’s Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University. —JF
[RELATED: Haddonfield Home Redesign Inspired by Neighboring Dinosaur Landmark]
DANCE FEVER Anyone down for a do-si-do? The square dance has been New Jersey’s official state dance since 1983. When local dancers attend events like the National Square Dance Convention, they often don green ensembles as a nod to the Garden State. If you’re interested in joining clubs or classes, consult the Northern New Jersey Square Dancers Association, which was founded in 1958 and is comprised of 13 clubs with hundreds of members. —JF
A TOWN COMES TO LIFE [caption id="attachment_310236" align="alignnone" width="778"] Zombie Wedding filmed in Vineland this past fall. Photo: Courtesy of Zombie Wedding/Jeff Harris[/caption]
Vineland, a small city in Cumberland County—once home to the Progresso soup company and the poultry industry—is on the verge of becoming a filmmaking hub in South Jersey. Greg D’Alessandro, a writer and producer who grew up in Franklin Lakes, has opened a 40,000-square-foot production studio in town. His company, Weekly World News Film (yes, that Weekly World News), filmed its new movie, Zombie Wedding, there this past fall. Zombie Wedding is part of a trilogy, and WWN is also producing a documentary about the newspaper. D’Alessandro also plans to rent the studio to other production companies. “We want people to use the building and help Vineland,” he says, noting his crew spent more than $800,000 in town on hotels, restaurants and bars during a recent filming. They also used residents as crew members and extras. Read more here. —JM
PHONEY FARM [caption id="attachment_310295" align="alignnone" width="778"] Highlands Ridge Park in Chester was a testing facility for AT&T. Photo: Courtesy of Terence McKenna[/caption]
There is something curious at Chester’s Highlands Ridge Park: nearly 700 abandoned telephone poles standing like trees. For almost 50 years, the park, often called the telephone pole farm, served as a testing facility for AT&T. The story of this unusual park begins in 1928, when 15 acres of farmland were rented by the phone company and set up to test the durability of its telephone poles. By 1930, the company purchased an additional 85 acres to expand their research. The farm was abandoned in the 1980s as advancements discovered at the testing facility made it continued operation obsolete. Read more here. —OB
ALL ABOUT THE BUZZ [caption id="attachment_310150" align="alignnone" width="778"] Frank Mortimer says he became a beekeeper out of a pure love for being around stinging insects. Photo: Dave Moser[/caption]
New Jersey is the Garden State, but our state insect since 1974, the honeybee, is crucial for us to keep that moniker. “We have some significant crops that are pollinated by honeybees and rely upon the honeybee to maintain [them], specifically, cranberries and blueberries,” explains Frank Mortimer, certified master beekeeper and former president of the Northeast New Jersey Beekeepers Association. Though Ridgewood-based Mortimer makes and sells honey and other products, from beeswax candles to lip balm and hand cream, his interest stems from a desire to simply “be around stinging insects” and the wildlife they inhabit. Read more here. —JF
DRONE SCHOOL The drone craze burst onto the scene as a mainstream trend in the 2010s, but learning how to fly and operate one can prove very challenging. Luckily, there are a number of organizations in the state dedicated to teaching students of all ages the ins and outs of flying a drone. The first Drone Academy opened in 2015. —TN
WE'RE TREE LOVERS The Tree City USA program recognizes cities and towns across the country that work on planting and taking care of their trees, and awards grants to help maintain and further tree growth. Over 160 municipalities in Jersey have been recognized as Tree Cities USA since the program started in 1976. Paramus and Parsippany lead the way for most years recognized by the program at 46, with Kearny and Morris Plains following closely at 45 each. —OB
WATER EVERYWHERE Jutting into the Atlantic, curving around Delaware Bay and up the Delaware River, South Jersey is surrounded by water, which makes New Jersey flanked by more water than any state except Florida. California has a longer coastline, but is exposed to the sea on only one side. —Eric Levin
[RELATED: Iconic Candy Brands Born, Bred and Made in New Jersey]
TRAILBLAZERS Did you know the Appalachian Trail winds through New Jersey? The 2,190-mile trail, which spans from Maine to Georgia, includes 72 miles of trailway in the northwestern part of the Garden State. Beginner and expert hikers alike can enjoy the trail. Pochuck Boardwalk in Glenwood is a great choice for easy hiking on a scenic pathway. For a bit more of a challenge, give Stairway to Heaven in Vernon a try. The view from the summit makes the scrambles worth it. Whatever your preference, the Appalachian Trail is a great way to escape for a day, and maybe spot Jersey’s state bird, the eastern goldfinch. —OB
WOMEN'S RIGHTS In 1776, New Jersey’s first constitution allowed female property owners to vote (in fact, it allowed all property owners to vote, including African Americans). Sadly, by 1807, that right was revoked, and the right to vote was only granted to free white men. These voting restrictions remained in place until 1920, when the 19th Amendment was ratified, giving white women the right to vote. —DPC
MYSTERIOUS DEVIL The legendary creature known as the Jersey Devil is said to roam the Pine Barrens at night. While variations of the creature’s origin story have been told for over 250 years, the most popular account claims that the creature is the 13th child of a poor woman called Mother Leeds, who gave birth in 1735. The myth holds that the baby transformed into a beast—said to have a horse’s head, wings, hooves and red eyes—flew up the chimney (or out the window, or to the basement) and headed for the marshy parts of the Pine Barrens. People have reported seeing this curious figure in the Pine Barrens after sundown, some say they have even heard the Jersey Devil screeching. —OB
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[caption id="attachment_309950" align="alignnone" width="778"] Sandy Hook Lighthouse is the oldest operating lighthouse in the United States. Photo: Courtesy of Mike Boucher[/caption]
While the Jersey Shore is best known for its beautiful beaches, lively boardwalks and world-class casinos, many of our Shore towns have deep-rooted historical significance.
Here are a few destinations New Jerseyans should be sure to check out this summer.
[RELATED: The Ultimate Guide to Summer 2023 at the Jersey Shore]
Fort Hancock and Sandy Hook To enter New York Harbor prior to the 1900s, ships needed a deep channel. That meant sailing along the coast of Sandy Hook. It was in 1764 that the Colony of New York built the Sandy Hook Lighthouse to assist navigation. But in 1776, Sandy Hook peninsula was captured by the British, and unlike most of New Jersey, both the Sandy Hook Lighthouse and New York City remained in British and loyalist hands until the war’s end in 1783. Today, visitors can tour the lighthouse, which is the oldest one operating in the United States, and enjoy area trails and beaches.
Harriet Tubman Museum Harriet Tubman lived in Cape May in the early 1850s, working to help fund her missions to guide enslaved people to freedom. She lived among many other notable abolitionist activists who are also featured in the museum’s exhibits. Cape May served as a destination to which fugitive enslaved people escaped via the Underground Railroad, and the museum educates the community about the history of the African American community in Cape May and the surrounding area.
New Jersey Maritime Museum In Beach Haven, on the southern end of Long Beach Island, you can explore an extensive collection of maritime history and artifacts. Visitors can learn about the many shipwrecks that have occurred in the waters along the New Jersey coast. There is an entire room dedicated to the SS Morro Castle, an American ocean liner that caught fire and ran aground in 1934, resulting in the loss of 137 passengers and crew. The museum also features a Jersey storm-photo collection and rotating exhibits of shipwreck artifacts recovered by local divers.
Count Basie Center for the Arts Summer down the Shore is not complete without checking out a concert, and one of the most historic places to do so is the venue named after Red Bank native and renowned jazz musician William “Count” Basie. The building opened in 1926 as the Carlton Theater and, in 1984, was renamed the Count Basie Theatre, and later, the Count Basie Center for the Arts. Performers such as James Brown, Olivia Newton-John, Bruce Springsteen and Jon Bon Jovi have graced the historic auditorium, which was recently renamed the Hackensack Meridian Health Theatre. The venue is listed on the National Register of Historic Places in America.
Absecon Lighthouse Ascend 228 steps to the top of one of the oldest American lighthouses, and the tallest in New Jersey (third tallest in the country), to check out breathtaking views of the Atlantic City skyline. First lit in 1857 and placed on New Jersey’s Register of Historic Places in 1970, the Atlantic City lighthouse features a replica of the 1925 keeper’s house and contains exhibits on tidewater, shipwrecks, Jonathan Pitney and General George Meade, as well as its original Fresnel lens.
Steve Adubato, PhD, is the author of five books including his latest, Lessons in Leadership. He is also an Emmy® Award–winning anchor on Thirteen/WNET (PBS) and NJ PBS. Check out steveadubato.org. Steve has appeared on CNN, FOX5 in NY and NBC’s Today Show, and his “Lessons in Leadership” video podcast with co-host Mary Gamba airs Sundays at 10 am on News 12+. Steve also provides executive leadership coaching and seminars for a variety of corporations and organizations both regionally and nationally. For more information, visit stand-deliver.com.
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Discover the Caribbean's best-kept secret at Lopesan Costa Bávaro Resort, Spa & Casino. This all-inclusive paradise, nestled on one of the world's finest beaches, offers everything you need for an unforgettable stay. Immerse yourself in luxury at this five-star resort, renowned for its meticulous attention to detail and endless blissful possibilities.
Situated on the captivating Bavaro Beach in the heart of the Dominican Republic, Lopesan Costa Bávaro is a haven of relaxation. Indulge in the resort's seven freshwater swimming pools, each adorned with cabanas, sun chairs, and hammocks. The bi-level infinity pool mirrors the stunning shoreline, while two beach clubs ensure top-notch service while you bask in the sun.
Fitness enthusiasts will find their haven at the Titan Gym Bávaro, equipped with the latest Hammer Strength Fitness machinery and offering various fitness classes, including yoga and water aerobics. Pamper yourself at Om Spa, where 39 massage types and therapeutic care packages await, along with hair and makeup services.
Culinary delights abound at Lopesan Costa Bávaro. Delight your palate at seven upscale international restaurants, ranging from Asian to Mediterranean cuisine. Sip craft cocktails and beverages at any of the resort's 16 bars.
The resort transcends the traditional all-inclusive experience by providing endless activities and entertainment. The Boulevard, the resort's activity hub, boasts a theater, boutiques, a casino, a discotheque, bowling, an arcade, and more. Unleash your inner child with free, unlimited access to the onsite waterpark, kids club, and teens club.
Lopesan Costa Bávaro offers a range of service levels. Choose from Resort, Adults-Only, or Unique by Lopesan. The adults-only concept ensures privacy and breathtaking views, while Unique by Lopesan adds extra amenities and space, perfect for larger groups. Families will appreciate the resort concept's spacious rooms and dedicated family-friendly activities.
Unforgettable memories await at Lopesan Costa Bávaro Resort, Spa & Casino!
The post Inside Lopesan Costa Bávaro Resort, Spa & Casino, One of the Caribbean’s Best-Kept Secrets appeared first on New Jersey Monthly.
Ocean Casino Resort in Atlantic City celebrates its fifth birthday on June 28 with the opening of its Birthday Bar Pop-Up Experience. A grand-opening party with Vanderpump Rules star James Kennedy will take place two days later on Friday, June 30. Additional celebrity appearances and surprises are likely throughout the summer.
The Birthday Bar, which is located in Ocean's 1927 lounge, will be set up for those celebrating the anniversary of their entrance into the world.
The laid-back bar will feature whimsical décor and cool cocktails, and is designed to make anyone who pops by on their birthday feel special. Bring your ID for the extra treatment. Those who are marking other anniversaries or occasions will also be fêted.
Not celebrating anything specific? You'll still be able to hang out, enjoy live music, an Instagram-ready balloon wall and drinks such as the Sea Isle Spiked iced tea.
[RELATED: The Best Restaurants in Atlantic City]
The festive theme will reign supreme for Ocean—which continues to invest millions in renovations and refreshes—throughout the summer. Ocean is enjoying a renaissance along the Orange Loop; it's one of Atlantic City's most successful casinos, along with the Borgata and the Hard Rock.
"Ocean is thrilled to include and support our local small businesses as we celebrate our fifth birthday,” said Bill Callahan, general manager for Ocean Casino Resort. “Whether it’s toasting with your friends at our pop-up Birthday Bar or enjoying a drone show in the Park, we want all visitors to be a part of our summer-long festivities.”
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The post Get Special Treatment at Ocean Casino Resort’s Birthday Bar Pop-Up appeared first on New Jersey Monthly.
Driving up and down the Jersey Shore shortly after the end of World War II, hauling laundry along New Jersey Route 35 from Point Pleasant Beach to Seaside Heights, Fred Pearl and Ed Patnaude dreamed big. With the war over, here was their chance to turn sparsely developed ocean-view land into communities of vacation homes like the suburban tracts with modest, single-family homes springing up across the country.
If they could get a bit of money together, they could build little cottages for the average working person—cop, baker, butcher and returning GI. One by one, the banks all turned them down. They had no collateral. But Ed’s brother-in-law bought into the dream when the banks wouldn’t. Fred and Ed were off on a new venture.
To make the economics work, the houses were basic: two bedrooms, a kitchen and living area, a very small bathroom with a shower and toilet, and a porch where a family could sit outside and hear the waves crashing along the beach. They divided up the land into 1,500-square-foot lots of stand-alone homes, side-by-side and back-to-back with enough room for a car (or two) to park and a small patio for barbecuing or taking in the early-morning sun.
No heat. No insulation. No air conditioning—just sticks to prop up windows. For showers, there was a tin bucket on the roof to collect rainwater that, weather permitting, would be heated by the sun. If a buyer wanted to splurge, a water heater cost $6.
In 1946, these 420-square-foot houses on cement slabs were attractively priced at $2,095. Some homes were sold with the land underneath, while others were sold at a discount, but required a yearly lease fee. They sold quickly. Fred and Ed doubled down. They helped create 4 of the 12 communities in skinny horizontal rectangles from ocean to bay. They built so many that, in the Ocean Beach III (OBIII) section alone, there are almost 1,000 houses in an area about one-third of a square mile. It may be the densest area of single-family homes anywhere on the Jersey Shore.
Despite the hurricanes and the even stronger tug of economic forces, Fred and Ed’s vision has endured.
Some 75 years later, Robert and Marie Chrone sit on their porch along Tarpon Way in a 480-square-foot house that, with some modest upgrades, looks just as it did when Fred and Ed built it. Together with their son, they purchased the home in December 2020, like many others who sought refuge at the Shore during the Covid-19 pandemic. Marie says of her husband, who works unpredictable hours as a utility-company supervisor, “He has a hard time relaxing. When you drive over that bridge…it transforms you. We’re only an hour and 15 minutes from home [in Moorestown], but we feel a million miles away.”
Robert adds, “I just park the car. We walk. We can be at the beach looking at the water in 30 seconds. It’s pretty cool.”
[caption id="attachment_309795" align="alignnone" width="778"] Robert and Marie Chrone’s 480-square-foot summer cottage is a refuge. Arriving in town, Marie says, “transforms you.” Photo: R.C. Staab[/caption]
Like many homeowners, the Chrones rent out their cottage on a weekly basis during the prime summer season, carving out two weeks for themselves. Nowadays, most of the homes are upgraded with heat and air conditioning, better siding, and new windows—critical for rentals. Families with one or two children happily pay $2,500–$3,000 a week for a vacation spot within steps of the beach. The Chrones’ rental enables them to cover most of the cost of their mortgage, insurance payments and property tax.
With home prices on most lots from $625,000 to $650,00, it’s debatable whether these homes are in reach for the average working person. But considering the run-up of property prices along the ocean in Monmouth and Ocean counties, the cottages—with their in-demand rental income—are considered a bargain for first-time buyers at the Shore looking for something other than a condo.
Fred and Ed’s clever business strategy included selling some homes outright for the capital, but selling other homes while keeping a long-term lease on the land, eventually creating an annuity for their families. One-third of the homes in OBIII still sit on leased land. It’s a dilemma for some buyers, knowing they have to pay homeowners association fees, property taxes and about $10,000 a year for the lease. Marie says, “Leased land was a foreign concept to us. Why would someone buy a house on it? We couldn’t bring ourselves to do it.” But homes on leased land sell for about $150,000 less than those on owned land, making them attractive to entry-level buyers.
Along busy Route 35, drivers can blink and never notice they’ve passed through OBIII and its 11 neighboring communities, including Ocean Beach I and Ocean Beach II, none of which are contiguous. Sandwiched between Brick Township Beaches and Lavallette, this tiny seaside section of Toms Rivers Township is variously known as Shore North, Shore North Beaches, Dover Beaches North or Lavallette, if one asks the post office for the mailing address.
[caption id="attachment_309798" align="alignnone" width="778"] Ocean Beach III may be the densest area of single-family homes anywhere on the Jersey Shore. Photo: R.C. Staab[/caption]
Each community has a homeowners association (or club, as the locals say) with separate dues, rules, beach badges and lifeguards. Most clubs have a bayside playground or community space for movie nights, barbecues, kids’ activities and more.
OBIII is different for one reason: the streets. It’s not the fact that the streets are mostly named for birds or marine life. As Kevin Iredell, who lives in Cranford and owns a vacation home on Albacore Way with his wife, Lisa, says, “Ocean Beach III is unique because it only has sandy streets.” The sandy streets have what Lisa describes as a good vibe. “This to me is as beachy as it gets,” she says.
It’s a good vibe unless you have a dog. Pets are not permitted on the paths and roads. As resident Bridget Chirchirillo describes it, “You have to have to carry them up to [Route] 35 or drive them up.”
The look of the roads contributes to another factor that people frequently mention as a key selling point. Paul and Bridget Chirchirillo had previously owned a Shore home in Bradley Beach, sold it, moved to Wall Township and started looking for another beach spot during the pandemic. They found it on Dolphin Way. Paul says, “This place appealed to us because of the sand roads and the traditional way of life. The more we spoke to people, they would say, ‘My grandmother owned a house. I grew up here. My kids grew up here. All my grandchildren—70 years of tradition.’”
[RELATED: The Pandemic Fueled These Incredible Home Renovation Projects]
Paul says when his grandchildren saw the house, “they lost their minds, they were so happy. They ran up to the dunes and the beach and saw it. The next day, they asked when they were going to come back.”
Perhaps the quaintest of the communities, OBIII today most closely resembles Ed and Fred’s original vision. “There are deed restrictions,” adds Kevin Iredell. “You can’t go up. You can’t put an addition on. You basically have to leave it the way it is. That keeps that old-school, 1950s kind of Jersey Shore feel.”
There are no McMansions and no five-bedroom houses for partygoers like those infamously featured on MTV’s Jersey Shore in nearby Seaside Heights. People who buy and rent in OBIII know what they are getting, choosing the family-oriented, quiet lifestyle, away from the boardwalks and clubs.
[caption id="attachment_309797" align="alignnone" width="778"] Ashley Swartz is among the handful of OBIII residents who live there year-round. Photo: R.C. Staab[/caption]
“It’s as if Dirty Dancing was filmed by the sea instead of a lake,” says full-time resident Ashley Swartz. When she first bought her house in 2015 while still living in New York City, she says “it felt like what I would imagine the Jersey Shore to be like in the 1950s, like time had stood still, with sand streets, these little cottages, and with children playing in the street, riding their bikes freely.”
Of course, a 500-square-foot house creates challenges, including having only one bathroom, which is typically only 40 square feet. In homes like the Chirchirillos’ that hark back to the 1940s, the bathroom is accessed by two doors—one from the kitchen and one from outside.
“It was designed for people to have their kids come right in from the beach into the potty and not have to go into the house,” Bridget says. They generally lock the outside bathroom door, but when Paul is barbecuing on the outdoor patio, everyone is warned he’ll be cutting through the bathroom to get to the kitchen.
The two bedrooms are the same size, barely big enough for a queen-size bed. Owners often add bunk beds in the second bedroom and a pull-out couch in the living room to attract renters. The Chirchirillos have told prospective renters their home sleeps six or seven people.
Storage space is severely limited as well. As Kevin Iredell describes it, “Everything we have has to have a place. We don’t bring any extra.”
[caption id="attachment_309796" align="alignnone" width="778"] Almost 1,000 tiny homes comprise the Ocean Beach III community. Photo: R.C. Staab[/caption]
Some homeowners, like the Chrones, haven’t been able to figure out how to add a washer and dryer without redoing the house completely. While space is tight inside, as Marie says, “a lot of the house is outdoor living. Almost everyone has a patio with chairs, a table and some outdoor grill.”
At first glance, the houses seem nearly on top of each other. But as John McDonough, local Realtor and one of Fred Pearl’s grandsons, says, “These are small lots on small streets. [Fred and Ed] didn’t want big houses, tall houses, to create almost a tenement affect, which you have up in the big cities of North Jersey. Most everything is in a checkerboard pattern the way the houses are laid out, so it maximizes the space between each house. You can’t be closer than 10 feet to the rear lot line. You’ve got to be 20 feet minimum away from your neighbor. So there’s always at least 20 feet from all these little houses. You don’t feel like you’re cramped, like someone is right there.”
Sure enough, despite many homeowners renting to new tenants each week throughout the summer, there’s very little complaining about rowdy behavior and noise. “We’re not a community that rents out to kids for parties,” Bridget Chirchirillo says. “People care.” Paul adds, “They respect it. It’s traditional. They want to maintain that 1950s, 1960s, maybe 1940s feel. Everybody goes to the ice cream store at night and waits to get their cone.”
Aptly, the ice cream store is a Dairy Queen.
While the vast majority of owners are families with children or retirees with kids and grandkids who come down in short stints, there are a few full-time residents. Swartz managed to buy one of the larger homes—all 729 square feet—on Osprey Way. She eventually moved to OBIII full time in 2017.
As a single professional woman without children who worked in Manhattan, Swartz says, “I could not have more different life experience than my neighbors, and sometimes that extends to politics. I have learned, which happens naturally when living in such small spaces, that despite this, we often have the same values.”
She adds, “I have beautiful neighbors; we are a family and a community, and they would and have done anything for me. I’m better at listening to hear and to better understand. Living here has made me a better person.”
For Swartz and the handful of others who live there year-round, there is one drawback: “The island becomes a ghost town as of the end of October, with street lights blinking.”
R.C. Staab writes extensively about the Jersey Shore, including the book 100 Things to Do at the Jersey Shore. In the summer, he runs, swims, kayaks and walks the beaches from Sandy Hook to Cape May.
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If you’ve ever shlepped all the way to the Shore to find you forgot your chair or towel, or are dismayed to find the beach entirely too crowded, you might want to consider joining a private beach club.
The Beach Club at Avenue in Long Branch is a welcome addition to the world of private clubs at the Jersey Shore. Avenue members get access to lounge chairs and towels, private cabanas with day beds and private showers, a locker room, and food and beverage service.
On a recent unseasonably warm weekend in May, I ventured to Monmouth County to check out this club with my fellow beach lovers—my sister, Michelle, and my niece, Chloe.
We arrived in Long Branch’s bustling Pier Village, with its fabulous shops and restaurants. Unfortunately, the club doesn’t provide parking, so we found a garage a block away that cost us $30 for the day.
[RELATED: The Ultimate Guide to Summer 2023 at the Jersey Shore]
We walked through Avenue Le Club, a wonderful French beachfront restaurant, to get to the beach club. We were led down a sandy walkway, past palm trees and turquoise lounge chairs, to our personal cabana, topped with a striped awning. Inside, there was an inviting daybed, a small fridge and a tiny back room with a personal shower and changing area.
Our adorable waitress brought over towels for our lounge chairs and soon came back to take our lunch order. I feasted on delicious avocado toast with grilled asparagus, roasted heirloom tomatoes and pickled red onions, while my sister and niece shared a smoked salmon sandwich, with crème fraiche on a bagel, and a side of French fries. Also on the menu: sandwiches, salads and a raw bar with oysters, shrimp and clams. There was no lemonade available, but the bartender generously made one for my sister from scratch.
[caption id="attachment_309622" align="alignnone" width="778"] The Beach Club's rooftop pool, open now during the day, will open as a nightlife lounge in July. Photo: Jacqueline Mroz[/caption]
Bathrooms are inside the restaurant, but that gives you a chance to check out the tiny-yet-luxurious rooftop pool, with views of the coastline and Long Branch. Lounge chairs and a fire pit add to the experience, along with a bar at the nearby indoor lounge. The rooftop currently closes at 5 pm, but is slated to open as a nightlife lounge in July.
[caption id="attachment_309609" align="alignright" width="350"] Avenue members Tom Uschok and Elena Tormey.[/caption]
Back on the beach, I noticed a couple nearby that was also enjoying the sunny day. Tom Uschok and Elena Tormey live in Hoboken for most of the year but have a condo in Long Branch, which they visit in the summer. This marks the second year they’ve been members at Avenue, and they love it.
“We like that we don’t have to lug beach towels and chairs to the beach, and we don’t have to pack a lunch,” says Tormey. “The overall convenience of being members here is fantastic.” They also like to bring friends to the club when they’re in town.
The club is now open, from 10 am to 7 pm, until September 4. Members also receive a wristband to access the public beach. (The only downside to the club, in my opinion, is the loud music that its DJ plays throughout the day.)
Membership for the season starts at $4,200 plus tax for families, and $2,700 plus tax for individuals. Cabanas cost extra. Members may bring guests, starting at $15 each.
For more information, visit Avenue's website.
23 Ocean Ave N., Long Branch; 732-759-2900.
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The post I Spent the Day at Long Branch’s Private Beach Club. Here’s What It Was Like appeared first on New Jersey Monthly.
At a prime corner in Wildwood Crest, developers are making a $28 million investment in the staying power of Doo-Wop—the funky, mid-century design style that came to define a Shore resort town and that has been under considerable threat for more than two decades. Madison Resorts has reimagined the 100-plus-room motel that opened as the Admiral in 1963, and this spring set about rebuilding its iconic jet-age lobby—hewing to its original design, with an asymmetrical blast-off roof that evokes the futuristic airport terminals of the 1960s. It is expected to open by the end of July.The Cape May-based developer bought the property, most recently called the Oceanview, after another plan to replace the deteriorating motel with a boxy condominium project faltered, much to the relief of Doo-Wop enthusiasts who have seen many of the unique motels on this barrier island at New Jersey’s southern tip meet similar fates.“We had been watching what was going on in the Wildwoods as a whole—there were a lot of condo conversions and townhouses—and it was sad to hear of the Oceanview going condo,” says Madison CEO Dan Alicea. “We kind of swept in and said, ‘Let’s keep Doo-Wop alive.’”[caption id="attachment_309473" align="alignnone" width="778"] A shot of the old Oceanview property, prior to renovations by Madison Resorts. Photo: Courtesy of Madison Resort Wildwood Crest[/caption]Wildwood, North Wildwood, Wildwood Crest and West Wildwood—collectively known as the Wildwoods—are home to one of the biggest collections of Doo-Wop architecture in the world, with the largest concentration found along a two-mile stretch in the Crest. The term Doo-Wop, taken from 1950s pop music, was applied to architecture and design as the style came under siege in the 1990s. It describes the colorful, space-age flair of the mid-century construction that supplied the Wildwoods with nearly 300 low- to mid-rise motels and an assortment of restaurants and attractions. There was a template: two- and three-story motels wrapped around a small pool, usually concrete, with shuffleboard courts to the side. But the Doo-Wop adornments made each unique: jutting or curved roof lines, geometric railings, bright colors. Each motel adhered to a theme, often evoking the Atomic age, like the Satellite and the Stardust, or the era’s fascination with tiki, found at the Royal Hawaiian and Waikiki. Some were just about fun, like the Lollipop, the Carousel and the Pink Champagne.The style had a decidedly kitschy flair that brought plastic palm trees and lots of colorful neon signs to the Jersey Shore. The building boom started shortly after the Garden State Parkway opened in the mid-1950s—beckoning motoring families from North Jersey, Philadelphia and French-speaking Canada, of all places. (Thousands of Quebecois still make the 21-hour round trip to the Wildwoods’ wide beaches each summer, and it’s common to hear French spoken on the three-mile boardwalk.)[caption id="attachment_285491" align="alignnone" width="778"] A Doo-Wop tour in the Wildwoods showcases years of unique architecture. Courtesy of Greater Wildwoods Tourism Improvement & Development Authority[/caption]By the late 1960s, there were as many as 300 Doo-Wop motels in the Wildwoods. Most were small—less than 50 rooms—and many were family run. Thirty years later, many of the buildings were overdue for maintenance and susceptible to the condo boom that had begun to remake the island, replacing motels that catered to middle-class families with higher-end housing. Tourists wanted amenities like central air, which many of the older motels lacked. It’s estimated that as many as half the Doo-Wop motels were lost to the wrecking ball or condo conversion since the 1990s.“We realized how fragile [the Wildwoods] were in the ’90s,” says Jack Morey, who, with others, founded the Doo Wop Preservation League in 1997, with the vision that the future of tourism in the Wildwoods was rooted in the recent past. “We needed to reinvent the town based on the attributes that were there. We have the largest collection of mid-century architecture, the biggest beaches and the biggest boardwalk.”Anyone who has spent any time in the Wildwoods will recognize Morey’s name, as his family owns and manages the biggest attractions on the boardwalk. The family built many of the Doo-Wop gems. The goal of the league is not preservation per se, but rather, encouraging developers to maintain the mid-century vibe, even with new construction.There have been successes. The Caribbean in the Crest is a popular boutique motel that is updated vintage, inside and out. The Convention Center and the Wawa on Rio Grande Avenue were both built nearly 50 years after the Doo-Wop era, but elevate their style with wavy neon and angular rooflines.Morey says he put his money where his heart was with the StarLux—a vintage motel near the boardwalk that was gutted and remade in 2002. A two-story glass lobby with jutted roof was added, as well as a kidney-shaped pool (of course!) with boomerang inlays.“Finding the balance between fresh, good-looking and tacky—that’s an art and a science, and I work really hard at that,” says Morey, speaking from the site of his latest project just north of Wildwood, a nine-hole golf course he says will embrace that fun vibe. The logo for Morey’s Big Little Nine features a classic 1960s happy face.Progress has been made to celebrate the kitschy-ness that endeared the Wildwoods to generations of vacationing families, says Morey. The Doo Wop Experience museum (which made NJM's guide to under-the-radar museums), open seasonally in Wildwood, has assembled a treasure trove of artifacts, including vintage neon motel signs. It’s housed in a former restaurant with a classic mid-century modern folded-plate (zig-zag) roofline.Still, every vintage neon sign lost to the landfill, every classic pink-tiled bathroom chipped apart, makes Doo-Wop aficionados wince. A new round of anxiety comes each spring, when longtime motel owners entertain the idea of selling and cashing in on the state’s soaring land prices. In March of 2023, there were a half a dozen motels for sale in the Wildwoods, including a couple of small, vintage, mom-and-pop properties: the 21-unit Starfire and the 22-unit Casa Del Sol, both on Ocean Avenue in Wildwood.The Madison project will preserve the Doo-Wop character of one of the island’s largest motels that is at the center of the Wildwood Crest motel district, recognized by the state for its historic significance. The investors purchased the oceanfront property at the corner of Ocean Avenue and East Rambler Road for $10 million and have budgeted another $18 million to rebuild and renovate, says Alicea, who grew up spending summers in the Wildwoods.Plans to preserve the existing lobby had to be scrapped because the structure was in such bad shape after years of neglect, but the rebuild will replicate its design, Alicea says. All mechanical systems are being upgraded, and a restaurant is being added. Don Cabrera, mayor of Wildwood Crest, says the Madison project is a “good opportunity to preserve and modernize Doo-Wop.... It’s a good balance. It will take it up a notch.”Preservationists remain concerned that there are no mandated zoning and planning guidelines to incorporate Doo-Wop into new projects, but informally, enough developers seem to be getting on board.The preservation league “put together a manual on how to Doo-Wop, meeting with and encouraging developers to use mid-century elements in construction,” says Ben Rose, director of marketing and public relations at the Wildwoods Convention Center. “It’s not so much preservation of the original building, but rather preserving the look and vibe that exists in the Wildwoods.”The league is trying to “get to a point where we can convince planners and developers that there should be design guidelines—ones that don’t stunt growth,” says John Donio, the league president and head of the Wildwood Business Improvement District. “We don’t want another beige box; it’s more profitable and there are more jobs that can be created by embracing the design.”This is Donio’s twenty-third season running the Daytona Inn and Suites, a classic 41-unit Wildwood motor lodge that he’s been upgrading while preserving the Doo-Wop vibe. “I’m a businessman first, a preservationist second. I’m also a design guy, and I know that there’s dollars behind design,” he says, noting that visitors often stop to post pictures on Instagram of the Daytona’s classic neon sign featuring a race car and colorful racing flags. “That’s free advertising!”Doo-Wop fans say the style separates the resort from cookie-cutter beach towns in the way that leaning into its Victorian roots has allowed neighboring Cape May to become a year-round destination. And they point to Miami’s embrace of its vintage architecture in the rejuvenation of South Beach. “What Art Deco is to South Beach, Doo-Wop is to the Wildwoods,” Rose says. Patricia Alex is a former reporter and editor at The Record in northern New Jersey.
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[caption id="attachment_309248" align="alignnone" width="778"] Jenn Hampton is Asbury Park's curator of public art. Photo by Krista Schlueter[/caption]When Jenn Hampton, known as Juicy Jenn, moved to Asbury Park in 2003, the city was still famously deserted, poverty-stricken and crime-ridden, and the historic Palace Amusements was being torn down. But her idea to create murals throughout the city helped transform Asbury into a destination for the arts and was a major part of the city-by-the-sea’s radical transformation. She gravitated to Asbury Lanes, the 1960s-era bowling alley that reopened as a live-music venue in 2004. Eventually, she took on the role of booking the fringe acts it was known for—the punk bands, films, burlesque performers, DJs, visual artists—along with cheap drinks and famous tater tots. And as she is known to do, she poured her whole being into it.
In 2006, the city was feeling positive momentum when Hampton, now 48, opened the Cry Baby Gallery and then the Parlor Gallery, both on Cookman Avenue.
She was still managing the Lanes, which became an indie clubhouse for the Shore and Central Jersey region, helping to attract new visitors, and even residents, to Asbury. When the company I-Star bought up 70 percent of the buildable land on the Asbury waterfront, it included Asbury Lanes. But the development company rebuilt and reopened the venue without her.
“Music creates a certain community that feeds an art community. An art community feeds a music scene,” she says. “I had the best of both of those worlds. I didn’t need anything else. I was so heartbroken after I lost Asbury Lanes.”
She comforted herself by spending time by the ocean and came up with the idea to commission artists to adorn boardwalk buildings with art. “I thought that working with artists to inspire visitors might heal my broken heart,” she says.
The proof of concept came when Hampton’s longtime business partners, Michael Lavallee and Brad Hoffer, painted an expansive mural in the boardwalk passthrough of the Casino building (which was recently closed indefinitely due to structural rust). In 2015, Carrie Turner, now executive director of the Asbury Arts Council, and Angie Sugrim, both former employees of Madison Marquette, which owned the boardwalk buildings, diverted funds from advertising to pay eight artists to adorn walls. “Art is educating people, making them comfortable. My brain doesn’t work in a way that is only driven to the profit. Your return on investment in art isn’t as obvious,” she says.
[RELATED: 24 Hours in Asbury Park, the Jersey Shore’s Coolest Town]
Today, Hampton’s Wooden Walls Project has grown to include ambitious installations and residencies, giving thousands of Asbury visitors a visual experience they won’t see anywhere else on the East Coast. She’s also worked to bring projects to the overlooked west side of the city.
But after 20 years of the transformation, Hampton is aware of the trade-offs. Facilitating public art helped fuel Asbury’s gentrification—but now some people who helped to pave the way can’t afford to live there.
“I try to tell our local officials that you wouldn’t want to be in this city if we didn’t have the vibrant music and art that we have,” she says. “That was why we were all drawn here.”
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[caption id="attachment_309163" align="aligncenter" width="778"] Great waves are only one reason we love Long Beach Island. Photo: Ann Coen[/caption]Here at New Jersey Monthly, we love putting together our annual Shore Guide. It gives us the chance to bring the unique joys of the Jersey Shore to each and every one of you.Here, you’ll discover everything you need to make your summer memorable. Food and drink recommendations? Check! Full day-trip itineraries? Check! A roundup of the coolest beach hotels, for those who don’t have a Shore house? Check!Enjoy reading, and have a great summer!Things to DoBest Things to Do at the ShoreOur updated Shore Bucket List, filled with destinations, day trips and activities you absolutely must check out this summer.Activities Beyond the BeachFor those days when it's raining or you just need a little break from the beach, here are 15 fun and unique things to do at the Shore that have nothing to do with surf and sand.What's New This SummerSure, most New Jerseyans have their favorite spots at the Shore. But this summer, add these new places—from a waterpark in Atlantic City to a plethora of fresh dining options—to your list.Where to Celebrate Memorial Day WeekendCheck out these great events happening all over the Shore for Memorial Day weekend. They are a great way to kick off summer at the Shore.Beach Town Guides24 Hours in Asbury ParkMusic, restaurants, boardwalk, beach and so much more: Here's our guide to the coolest town at the Shore.[caption id="attachment_308500" align="alignright" width="350"] Buy our June 2023 issue here. Cover photo by Ann Coen[/caption]24 Hours in Cape MayCape May is the final exit on the Garden State Parkway, but a visit should be first on your list. Here, we offer a guide to the best activities on and off the sand.24 Hours in Bradley BeachExplore this hidden gem's quiet beaches, great restaurants and fun activities like miniature golf and beach volleyball.24 Hours in Long Beach IslandAn array of restaurants, shops and family favorites make Long Beach Island a special destination to visit this summer.Coolest Shore HotelsBecause there is so much to do at the Jersey Shore, sometimes a day trip just isn't enough. If you don't have a home at the Shore, we've rounded up the best beach hot spots to soak up the sun, swim and stay over.What Life is Like in Ocean Grove's Unique Tent CommunityThe Jersey Shore community of Ocean Grove has 114 unique tents and 23 larger cottages available to rent each summer. Here's a peek inside this unique world.Beach GuidesThe Ultimate Jersey Shore Beach GuideAn at-a-glance guide to every town along the coast.20 Best BeachesFrom the top spots for family fun to the best boardwalk and best dining scenes, here is our definitive list of the 20 best beaches at the Jersey Shore.Food and DiningBest Places to Eat at the ShoreFrom custard to fries to seafood to fine dining, check out our ultimate guide to the best places to eat at the Shore.Best Breakfast SpotsThe morning sun is all the alarm clock you need at the Jersey Shore, but we’ve got tasty ways to satisfy the accompanying hunger pangs.Best Restaurants in Atlantic CityExplore Atlantic City's varied dining scene, from spots on the Boardwalk to steakhouses to top Italian spots.Best Restaurants in Asbury ParkOver the last decade, the city by the sea's restaurant scene has become one of the most dynamic in the state.Best Restaurants in Cape MayCape May is one of our favorite Shore towns, and one reason is the food, which spans from pancakes and pizza to fine dining in upscale locales.
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Cape May Music FestivalMay 25–June 22: This festival presents classical, jazz and more. Most concerts will take place outdoors at the Episcopal Church of the Advent. The series kicks off with a performance by OkCello on May 25 and a free performance by the Atlantic Brass Band at the Rotary Bandstand on May 28. $20–$50 per concert. Wildwoods International Kite FestivalMay 26–29: Head to the beach at Rio Grande Avenue for this free annual spectacle. Weekend festivities will begin with the Unlocking of the Beach ceremony on Friday and end with the World Indoor Kite Competition and Performance on Monday.Memorial Beach Challenge for 31 HeroesMay 27: The sand course features Navy SEAL–approved obstacles. The main competition is followed by a kids’ fun run. All proceeds benefit 31 Heroes, an organization that supports service members, veterans and their families.Beach Ball DropMay 27: All weekend long, the Atlantic City Boardwalk will buzz with contests, games, giveaways and music. Don’t miss the main event: the annual Beach Ball Drop. On Friday at 5 pm in front of Resorts Casino, more than 5,000 colorful beach balls pour out of giant nets over the Boardwalk.Bradley Beach Memorial Day FestMay 27–29: Tunes from bands and deejays fill the air, hundreds of craft vendors set up shop, food vendors sell fare and kids have fun with sand art and water slides. Saturday’s parade begins at 10 am. Events will happen at Ocean Avenue and Riley Park.Viking Village Arts & Craft ShowMay 28: Head to Barnegat Light to browse more than 70 vendors selling fine art, photography, ceramics, clothing and accessories. 10 am–4:30 pm; free admission. Rain or shine.Stone Harbor Turtle Trot 2023May 28: Come out of your shell and join the 23rd annual event. The name of the race is inspired by the Diamondback Terrapins that cross Stone Harbor roads in search of a nesting area. A portion of proceeds benefits the Terrapin Conservation Project at the Wetlands Institute. 8 am; $25–$35. 95th Street Beach.Margate Mothers’ Association Annual Memorial Day ParadeMay 29: Uniformed groups and decorated bikes/strollers will march in this short procession, stepping off at the corner of Ventnor and Union Avenues and ending at War Memorial Park, where a ceremony will follow.Wildwood Memorial Day Parade and CeremonyMay 29: The parade steps off at 10 am in front of Wildwood High School and ends at Memorial Park. A wreath-laying ceremony will follow.Highlands Craft ShowMay 30: Find a delightful array of handmade crafts at this rain-or-shine bazaar at Huddy Park. More than 50 artisans will sell their works from 10 am to 5 pm.
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Growing up as a year-round LBI resident, Emily Raleigh was surrounded by hustling small-business owners.She manned the take-out counter at Ship Bottom Shellfish, taught sailing at Brant Beach Yacht Club, and worked as a sales associate at Beach Haven boutique Sur La Plage. She even carpooled with the boutique’s owner, Bonnie, on the 45-minute drive across the bridge to and from her Toms River high school, absorbing shop talk from the back seat.Although she spent years mulling how to make her mark on the world, Raleigh, now 29, didn’t consciously harbor a dream of opening a brick-and-mortar shop on her beloved island. She attended business school, founded her own media company, and worked in brand development, living everywhere from Manhattan to Boston to Hoboken.But a temporary move back to LBI with her future husband during the pandemic soon turned permanent as Raleigh mused about the possibility of launching a business on her hometown turf.[caption id="attachment_307976" align="alignnone" width="778"] Everything at the Dune Market is ethically sourced. Photo: Courtesy of Picnic Perfect LBI[/caption]She opened the doors of the Dune Market in Beach Haven last spring. The chic, cozy, thoughtfully curated shop teems with treasures that celebrate aspects of “coastal living”—leisure, serenity and self-care.“I wanted it to feel like an old LBI cottage that has been in the family for generations,” Raleigh says.[RELATED: 24 Hours in Long Beach Island]
The shop comprises three distinct sections: the cottage (home décor and kitchenware, plus vintage pieces sourced with help from Raleigh’s mom, sister and aunt), the apothecary (non-toxic bath, body and wellness products) and the bookshop (a diverse array of beach reads). Everything is ethically sourced. This May, Raleigh also launched a wedding registry, available in the store and online.And the market’s name? It arose from Raleigh’s love of LBI’s dune grass, billowing in the sea breeze. “It’s literally our protection, but it’s also this natural beauty,” she says. “It’s something that has stood the test of time [as this island has] changed through the years.”
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Get weekly design advice and inspiration from the experts at Design NJ sent to your inbox.Email[caption id="attachment_308750" align="alignnone" width="778"] The ceiling in this Spring Lake Heights home rises to 16 feet in the living area. With walls two to three times as thick as today’s standard construction, the inside temperature remains stable and predictable without the need for a conventional, expensive, resource-guzzling heating and cooling system, architect Richard Pedranti says. Photo by Jeffrey Totaro, courtesy of Richard Pedranti Architect[/caption] Related posts from Design NJ: * An Eco-Friendly Home in Princeton * A Long Branch Lot Reaches Its Potential * Sustainable Outdoor Living Imagine living in a comfortable, modern house with no cold drafts, no temperature variations from room to room, and virtually no heating or cooling bills. “It might sound too good to be true,” architect Richard Pedranti says, “but these pleasant conditions are the norm for people who live in a Passive House,” a building standard that emphasizes energy efficiency, comfort, health and long-term affordability.
Pedranti’s award-winning Pennsylvania-based firm, Richard Pedranti Architect (RPA), specializes in energy-efficient design and was recently recognized by the Pennsylvania Chapter of the American Institute of Architects and its Committee on the Environment for the design of an environmentally sustainable project in Spring Lake Heights, New Jersey. The home, built using Passive House principles, was recognized for its architectural excellence and energy-conscious footprint.
The prefabricated beach getaway, designed as a weekend retreat for homeowners Theresa Lang and Scott St. Marie, also qualifies as a Net Zero Energy building, meaning it produces roughly as much energy as it consumes annually. Pedranti shares the process and benefits of Passive House construction.
Design NJ: Were your clients fully invested from the start in building a home with net-zero capabilities?Richard Pedranti: Yes, they wanted a modern, comfortable and energy-efficient home with a simple one-story layout that includes a seamless connection between the inside and outside living spaces to the expansive rear yard and garden.
DNJ: What Passive House features were used in the design and construction?Pedranti: High levels of insulation, airtight construction, triple-pane windows, passive solar orientation and the use of a heat recovery ventilator — features that allow the home to remain comfortable year-round without having a traditional HVAC system.
DNJ: As far as energy use, how does a Passive House compare with a standard house?Pedranti: A Passive House uses approximately 80% less energy for heating and cooling than a traditional building. That savings tends to grab the public’s attention and prompts them to learn more. What really surprises them when visiting a Passive House are the improvements in temperature and indoor air quality. I often tell our clients the energy efficiency is a byproduct of making a comfortable and healthy building.
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The post Why This Home in Spring Lake Heights Seems ‘Too Good to Be True’ appeared first on New Jersey Monthly.
[caption id="attachment_308737" align="alignnone" width="778"] Illustration by Trina Dalziel[/caption]What do I miss most about living in South Jersey?Selecting the best fresh Jersey tomatoes at local farmers markets. Jet Skiing in the Mullica River near Sweetwater Casino. Shopping in the quaint Rancocas Woods Village. Noshing on delicious wood-fired pizza. Visiting Batsto Village in Wharton State Forest. Celebrating special occasions at Settlers Inn. Going down the Shore for a day in Stone Harbor. Being one of the regulars at Mitchell’s comedy shows in Riverside—free admission with a two-drink minimum and the same lame opening jokes at every show.Also picking up scallion pancakes from our favorite Chinese take-out spots. Window shopping along Main Street in Haddonfield. Playing volleyball in the community league at Rancocas Valley Regional High School, then grabbing beers at Dadz Bar & Grill.When I moved from Mt. Laurel to Orlando in 1998, I knew I’d miss my family and friends, who had provided years of memories and a built-in support system. But I didn’t count on the snippets of Jersey life that would sometimes trigger waves of homesickness. While balmy temperatures and swaying palms certainly deliver the Sunshine State ambiance I crave, it doesn’t fill the void left by my move from South Jersey.I admit, I’m not a homegrown Jersey girl. A transplant from Pennsylvania, I met my husband, Kevin, at King’s College in Wilkes-Barre, and he whisked me away to beautiful Mt. Laurel. Having grown up in Marlton, Kevin introduced me to local gems sprinkled throughout Burlington, Camden and Gloucester Counties. I fell in love with the area.We go back every few years (not often enough, honestly) to visit our New Jersey crew and pop into our old haunts. Sadly, some places (like Settlers Inn) no longer exist. But others still deliver that feels-like-home vibe.On our recent visit, Kevin and I drove by Roberts Mill Apartments in Maple Shade, checking out our first home as newlyweds. Within walking distance, Gallo’s Bakery still serves up the region’s best cream puffs. We drove along Kings Highway, passing Burl-Moor-Driben Animal Hospital, whose veterinary staff provided such compassionate care for our beloved cat, Zeke. As we meandered along Main Street in Moorestown, the Community House looked as striking as ever, reminding me of my volunteer efforts at the Big Brothers/Big Sisters office there.Another day, our friends Jimmy and Fran took us sightseeing. We ate breakfast at the new-to-me Flying W Airport and Resort in Medford, sipping coffee as we watched small planes take off. Then we popped into Johnson’s Corner Farm so we could take some local flavor (apple butter!) back to Florida.Much of the area looks different now; there are new housing developments and shopping plazas where once there were fields. But much remains the same: rolling hills, maple trees and iconic restaurants still dishing up local favorites.While I don’t miss traffic circles and state income tax, I most certainly miss New Jersey—past and present. Yes, I miss old favorites, but I embrace the changes I see, too. On my next Garden State itinerary: checking out the exploding craft-brewery scene. I’m coming for you, Lower Forge Brewery!Lisa A. Beach is an Orlando freelance journalist, copywriter and content-marketing writer. Her work has been published in the New York Times, Good Housekeeping, Conde Nast Traveler, USA Today, Parade and dozens more.
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MORE FROM THIS PACKAGE*:24 Hours in Cape May: It’s Worth the Trip Every Time24 Hours in Asbury Park: A Guide to the Jersey Shore’s Coolest TownThe Coolest Hotels at the Jersey Shore*
My extended family on my mom’s side has been vacationing on Long Beach Island for a treasured week or two every summer since before I was born. A gloriously chaotic crew of 21 grandkids, several aunts, uncles and second cousins, and, in more recent years, a growing gaggle of great-grandkids—to whom we’ve had the joy of introducing our childhood traditions—cram into a bunch of humble rentals on a cluster of two or three streets. Although we spend the majority of our time on the beach by day and around big family dinners by night, we have honed an array of favorite haunts around the island.For breakfast before a full day on the beach, Beach Haven’s Blue Water Café (113th Street and Long Beach Boulevard) never misses. The vibe is just right (think: casual Paris bistro meets friendly Jersey diner). A handful of cousins and I start our day with a leisurely morning of eggs, pancakes and caffeine fixes out on the covered patio.[caption id="attachment_308491" align="alignnone" width="778"] Eggs Benedict is best enjoyed out on Blue Water Café's covered patio. Photo: Ryan Johnson[/caption]Our longtime go-to for fresh donuts is Marvel’s Bakery (4 W. Maryland Avenue), where you can watch the hypnotizing frying machine while waiting in line. Please don’t make me choose between the powdered-sugar and cinnamon-sugar flavors—I always order both. (Perhaps the only thing better than making the trip to Marvel’s? Waking up to a grease-stained paper bag on the kitchen counter with the gleeful realization that somebody’s already made an early run. Thanks, Dad!)Speaking of cinnamon sugar, one of the island’s most iconic sweets is the flaky, sticky, shareable elephant ear at Crust & Crumb Bakery (830 N. Bay Avenue) in Beach Haven’s bustling Bay Village. If you go during the day, walk down the cute alleyway flanking the shop—you’ll likely spot a baker in the window, prepping the enormous rounds of dough for the oven.[caption id="attachment_308475" align="alignnone" width="778"] LBI boasts a slew of tasty treats, such as the iconic elephant ear at Crust & Crumb Bakery. A window in the bakery's adjacent alleyway lets you peek at the pastry-making process. Photo: Ryan Johnson[/caption]I can’t resist popping into Breezin’ Up (9th and Bay Avenue), just a few steps away, to browse the latest batch of LBI-emblazoned T-shirts and sweatshirts. Do I need another one? No. Will that stop me? Also no. Across the street, nestled among the Schooner’s Wharf shops, is LBI Book Swap (325 9th Street), where I love to peruse new reads or trade in old ones. Don't miss the small wall haphazardly tacked with items found in the pages of customers’ used books—from receipts to ticket stubs to poignant love notes. It’s a strikingly intimate glimpse into the colorful lives of island visitors and inhabitants.At nearby amusement park Fantasy Island (750 North Bay Avenue), a spin on the towering Ferris wheel has become an annual tradition my brother and I take very seriously. A bird’s-eye view of LBI is such a treat—especially at night, when we can glimpse the faint lights on the very bridge that has brought us, every summer of our lives, to a place we cherish most.Very close to Bay Village is the Dune Market (414 N. Bay Avenue, Unit D), a newcomer on LBI’s shopping scene I can’t resist. Owner Emily Raleigh thoughtfully stocks the shop with ethically sourced home decor, wellness products and books. One of my other favorite shops is Just Bead It (1616 Long Beach Boulevard), where customers can buy and make their own jewelry. Because LBI has such sentimental ties for me, I’ve repeatedly brought in jewelry purchased elsewhere to have the kind owner, Stacey Fuessinger, custom-stamp it with meaningful initials or numbers.[caption id="attachment_308486" align="alignnone" width="1320"] Just Bead It in Surf City is a jewelry lover’s dream. Photo: Ryan Johnson[/caption]Come sunset, dinner and drinks on Daddy O’s (4401 Long Beach Boulevard) rooftop in Brant Beach is a lovely way to spend a summer night, even if, like me, you’re not staying at the hotel as a guest. Next up, for music and dancing, is Joe Pop’s (2002 Long Beah Boulevard) in Ship Bottom. I also unironically love well-known watering hole Nardi’s (118th Street and the Boulevard) in Long Beach—and not just because you can get a free lift home on one of the hot-pink party buses!My cousins and I end our night—as we’re fighting varying degrees of denial about our vacation coming to a close—at the legendary Chicken or the Egg (207 N. Bay Avenue)—“Chegg” to those in the know; open 24 hours Thursday-Sunday in the summer. We push a few tables together, feast on chicken tenders and milkshakes, and try not to dwell on the fact that it’ll be a whole year before we’re all together again in the same magnificent place.
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Is the weather forecast rainy or cloudy? Have you had one too many days in the sun? Is there too much sand between your toes?If you’re looking for a break from the beach for the day, here are some great places to go in the area for a day of fun. MORE FROM THIS PACKAGE*:What’s New at the Jersey Shore for Summer 2023*The Coolest Hotels at the Jersey Shore24 Hours in Bradley Beach: A Hidden Gem at the Jersey Shore
Revolution RailCape May[caption id="attachment_308418" align="alignnone" width="778"] Experience Cape May in a new way, courtesy of Revolution Rail. Photo: R.C. Staab[/caption]Tour Cape May like never before on purpose-built rail bikes. Starting downtown at the Welcome Center, Revolution Rail offers rail-bike tours on former passenger railroad tracks through a wondrous marsh, past farmland, and, finally, to the Cape May Canal. On the return trip, there’s a walking tour of the Garrett Family Preserve. The bikes are easy to maneuver for almost anyone, from teens to seniors. —R.C. Staab Renault WineryEgg Harbor City Opened in 1864, the Renault Winery Resort had fallen on hard times until 2019, when new owners expanded the resort to include a new hotel, upscale menus and more varieties of fine wines. Stop in any day for a wine tasting or book a historic tour (wine tastings are included) on a Wednesday, Saturday or Sunday. Family fun days are scattered throughout the calendar, and the last Saturday of each month features a car show. —RCS72 N. Bremen AvenueLucky Snake Arcade and RacewayAtlantic CityBring out the kid in you—and bring the kids!—for an afternoon of fun and games. Packed with all the carnival favorites like Ramp-Roll-A-Ball and Whac-A-Mole, a full range of popular video games, pinball machines, virtual reality “rides” and retro go-tos like Pac-Man, hours will pass without notice. Try your putt at mini golf, and when you are ready to get your heart racing hop into a go-kart at the Raceway, where vehicles can speed up to 25 miles per hour. Since it is located inside the Showboat hotel, when you’re ready for snacks or cocktails, there are five venues to choose from, including the Surf bar, where margaritas are $5 every day, all day. —Deborah P. Carter801 BoardwalkBell WorksHolmdel [caption id="attachment_308417" align="alignnone" width="778"] Bell Works boasts a diverse array of family-friendly activities. Photo: R.C. Staab[/caption]Inside the imposing Bell Works awaits a plethora of free activities for families, as well as artwork from local artists. Desks and lounge areas are available to spend the day remotely working with free WiFi. Visitors have access to a basketball court, table tennis, foosball, shuffleboard and foam play toys. Well-behaved dogs on a leash can go on a one-mile walk—the equivalent of two laps around the huge atrium. —RCS101 Crawfords Corner RoadRhythm & Spirits; Bar 32Atlantic CityEat, drink and be merry at this off-beach hot spot, offering a vigorous roster of live music and DJs jamming nearly every open night in June. Whether you come for the music or the food, you will leave satisfied on both counts. Choose from a tempting array of high-end pizzas; creative sharable small plates such as roast pork, broccoli rabe tacos and buffalo chicken sliders; entrées; and indulgent cocktails. Speaking of spirits, this summer the restaurant is introducing a marriage of cocktails with chocolate. To fulfill this swoon-worthy prospect requires the finesse of an expert. Enter mixology classes from the restaurant’s food and beverage expert, Lee Sanchez, who will help guests create their new go-to cocktail. Not feeling hands-on? Stop next door, where the restaurant’s sister spot, Bar 32, creates handcrafted chocolate, made on-site and paired with the perfect wines to elevate the taste of both. —DPC129 S. Tennessee Avenue; 121 Tennessee AvenueNAS Wildwood Aviation MuseumCape May[caption id="attachment_308416" align="alignnone" width="778"] Adults and kids alike will love exploring the NAS Wildwood Aviation Museum. Photo: R.C. Staab[/caption]With more than 26 aircraft on display, there’s a wow factor inside historic Hangar #1 at the Cape May Airport. Enthusiasts will want to investigate the Russian MiG-15 fighter plane and the TBM Avenger aircraft. Kids will likely focus on checking out the jet fighters, the helicopters and the Coast Guard patrol boat. Adults and kids can practice becoming a Top Gun pilot with a simulator. —RCS500 Forrestal RoadJersey Shore Whale WatchBelmar[caption id="attachment_308419" align="alignnone" width="778"] Board a boat with a whale-watching expert this summer. Photo: R.C. Staab[/caption]With cleaner waters off the coast, whales have been returning in record numbers—one reason for so many whale incidents this winter. There’s no better chance to see humpback whales and dolphins this summer and fall than with naturalist Danielle Brown (@NJwhalegirl), the head researcher for Gotham Whale. Join Danielle aboard a boat chartered by Jersey Shore Whale Watch leaving from Belmar Marina—and help spot whales for research. —RCS[RELATED: More Spots to Whale Watch at the Jersey Shore]
Fridays at Monmouth ParkOceanport On Saturdays and Sundays, Monmouth Park racetrack has a busy calendar of festivals and events. To hang out without the crowds along the track, or above the track in the voluminous grandstands, head out on Friday afternoons for a full schedule of live horseracing through mid-September. It’s an affordable alternative to the boardwalk, with free parking, a $6 general admission fee, and a minimum bet of only $2. —RCS175 Oceanport Avenue[caption id="attachment_308500" align="alignright" width="350"] Buy our June 2023 issue here. Cover photo by Ann Coen[/caption]The Osprey BoatCape May Motoring through the busy, commercial Cape May harbor is a modest 25-passenger pontoon boat offering a unique tour through the dense, shallow salt marshes behind Cape May and the Wildwoods. Led by low-key but knowledgeable Captain Bob Lubberman, the Osprey boat offers daily, two-hour morning and evening tours to witness the flights and wanderings of ospreys, bald eagles, falcons, herons, egrets and other Shore birds. Free binoculars are provided, and there’s a restroom on board. —RCSPopcorn Park Animal RefugeForked RiverHere’s a place with lions, tigers and bears. But it also has horses, cattle, goats, pigs and free-roaming peacocks. Established by the Associated Humane Societies in 1977, Popcorn Park is a sanctuary for animals who faced desperate circumstances and/or death, but found a friendly forever home. Visitors learn about the journeys of more than 200 animals who have found their way to a new place in the Pine Barrens, west of Toms River. —RCS1 Humane WayGirasoleAtlantic CityA dining mainstay in Atlantic City, Girasole has been luring patrons off the Boardwalk for 30-plus years with upscale Mediterranean flair. Fan favorites include an inventive variety of carpaccios, Wagyu meatballs, lobster risotto and tacos, which are all being offered this year in the restaurant’s new Fashionably Late Lounge. The late-night menu is offered from 9 pm-1 am Thursday-Sunday throughout the summer. Live music and DJs will keep the beat while patrons enjoy signature drinks in the Versace-pillowed indoor space or the outdoor lounge. Stop by on your way out for a pre-game mood-lifter or on your way in to wind down. —DPC3108 Pacific AvenueTuckerton Seaport & Baymen’s MuseumTuckertonExplore the life of a boat builder, fisherman, decoy maker, fishmonger, or lifesaving volunteer who rescued people and boats capsized or stranded by ocean storms. Climb to the top of the reproduction of the Tucker’s Island Lighthouse. Explore Tuckerton Creek on a guided boat tour or take a ferry ride across Little Egg Harbor to Beach Haven on Long Beach Island. —RCS1 W. Main Street[RELATED: Under-the-Radar NJ Museums]
Doo Wop Experience MuseumWildwood Packed with cool artifacts, fascinating history and bright neon lights, this Wildwood museum is a celebration of the Doo-Wop architectural style the city was famous for in its 1950s and 1960s heydey. Inside, check out memorabilia, as well as the retro-style malt shop; outside, experience the Neon Sign Garden, a display of fully restored and reassembled signs rescued from classic motels that have since been demolished. The museum also offers bus tours of the area. —Jacqueline Mroz4500 Ocean AvenueThe John F. Peto Studio MuseumIsland HeightsIn the charming Victorian town of Island Heights along Toms River sits a restored 19th-century home where American art is celebrated. In its gardens, home and studio, the museum recreates the world of artist John Peto, whose works can be seen in major museums. In the past half-century, Peto has been given his due for his trompe l’oeil still life paintings of letter racks, shelves of books, tabletops and doors with hanging musical instruments. —RCS102 Cedar Avenue
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From restaurants to a water park, the Shore welcomes a plethora of new places this summer.MORE FROM THIS PACKAGE*:The Coolest Hotels at the Jersey Shore*Beyond the Beach: 15 Fun and Unique Things to Do at the Jersey Shore24 Hours in Cape May: It’s Worth the Trip Every Time
Adjacent FestivalAtlantic CityA massive new music festival hits Atlantic City May 27-28, and it’s bringing some of the biggest punk, alternative and emo acts in the biz, including headliners Blink-182 and Paramore. Jersey acts including the Bleachers are part of the lineup, too. —Gary PhillipsIsland Waterpark at ShowboatAtlantic CityMaking its premier splash this summer, this 103,000-square-foot, tropical-themed water park features more than a dozen slides, a 1,000-square-foot surf simulator, and a 11,000 linear foot lazy river, where guests can float the day away. The year-round attraction offers sunshine during warm weather, and the retractable roof allows park access during the winter months. A zip line and the Cloud Coaster rollercoaster will get hearts pumping while offering views of the ocean and Boardwalk. After dark, a section of the venue becomes an adults-only zone with music and cocktails. This summer will also see the beginning of Showboat’s multimillion dollar room-renovation project. —Deborah P. Carter801 BoardwalkExit Zero Filling Station’s New ChevyCape May[caption id="attachment_308460" align="alignnone" width="778"] Guests can book private dining in a revamped 1949 Chevy truck at Exit Zero Filling Station. Photo: Courtesy of Exit Zero[/caption]Exit Zero Filling Station’s cool vibe has been filling up customers since 2016. The ambience is always fun, and this year, guests can book private dining in a revamped 1949 Chevy truck. Complete with a dining cabin that seats eight, this red four-wheeler even has an electric fireplace inside. On-site, there are also an Airstream trailer that seats six and a Winnebago where guests can spin vinyl while they dine. They’ve dubbed their new happy hour, from 3-5 pm, an Afternoon Delight à la Mad Men. The main dining room is getting in on the act by screening classic movies and TV. —DPC110 Sunset BoulevardThe Break; Low DiveAsbury ParkTwo new gathering places are joining the Asbury Park boardwalk, both operated by BarCo Brands, owner of Deal Lake Bar + Co. Continuing the tradition of predecessor Langosta Lounge, Low Dive features live music most nights, drinks and late-night food. At the Break, there’s a range of sushi options, large salads and more. —R.C. Staab1000 Ocean AvenueGood Dog BarAtlantic City[caption id="attachment_308461" align="alignnone" width="778"] Dig into a hearty burger at Good Dog Bar this summer. Photo: Courtesy of Steve Legato[/caption]Taking a cue from its Philly brother, this summer the Good Dog Bar’s second location will come, sit and stay in Atlantic City. Pups are the theme here, and they don’t just get top billing—they are welcome to join the party. More than a bar, Good Dog’s 5,000-square-foot, bi-level space has a full-service restaurant with a tempting array of dishes, from bar-food favorites like burgers to specialties like the lamb meatball sub. The menu is based on local ingredients and changes often. There are seats at the bar and tables for approximately 100 guests, and the upstairs includes pool tables and other games. A pre-opening photo contest gathered images of patrons’ pets that now line the walls, along with a canine-themed mosaic mural. Outside dining is framed by a building-sized, civil rights-themed mural featuring a photorealistic image of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. poolside at an Atlantic City resort as its centerpiece. The mural on Good Dog’s main entrance is a playful montage of—what else?—good dogs. —DPC3426 Atlantic Avenue[caption id="attachment_308500" align="alignright" width="350"] Buy our June 2023 issue here. Cover photo by Ann Coen[/caption]Seaside Heights CarouselSeaside HeightsA lion, camel and tiger are roaring back to the Boardwalk Promenade this summer. About a decade ago, Casino Pier was ready to auction off the historic Dr. Floyd L. Moreland Dentzel-Looff Carousel until the Borough of Seaside Heights stepped in to save it. After being dismantled in 2019, the carousel journeyed to Ohio, where it was restored to its 1910 vintage condition. It is set to reside in the newly built Seaside Heights Carousel Pavilion. —RCS1415 Ocean TerraceMobile Cigar LoungeVarious locationsHoly smokes! There’s a 32-foot-long luxury trailer outfitted with a cigar lounge breezing around the Shore this summer. Cigar aficionados (and novices) are welcome inside this custom-built, climate-controlled truck with leather seating and a stocked humidor with a wide selection of most major cigar brands, plus unexpected ones. Conceived by hospitality professionals, it will most often park in the Orange Loop neighborhood of Atlantic City—with its deck out for outdoor lounging—and can also be booked for events. Find Tennessee Avenue Tobacco Company on Facebook. —DPCFarmacie by the French MarketHighlandsLooking for fresh croissants, scones or quiches on the way to or from Sandy Hook park beaches? Stop and dine on the outdoor patio, or pick up an online order here. While waiting, browse the shelves of candles and interior-design accent pieces. —RCS165 Bay Avenue
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There is so much to do at the Shore that sometimes a jaunt to the beach requires more than just a day trip.But if you don't have a home on the coast—and are looking for somewhere chic to stay—there are plenty of modern, amenity-filled hotels where you can book a room. These are the best beach hot spots to soak up the sun, swim and stay over. MORE FROM THIS PACKAGE*:What’s New at the Jersey Shore for Summer 2023*Beyond the Beach: 15 Fun and Unique Things to Do at the Jersey Shore24 Hours in Asbury Park: A Guide to the Jersey Shore’s Coolest Town
Bungalow HotelLong Branch Opened in 2009 as part of Long Branch’s ambitious Pier Village development, the Bungalow was the Shore’s first contemporary boutique hotel. The vibe remains coastal cool, with a pool table in the lobby, streamlined furnishings and a calming palette. All 24 guest rooms (including five suites) have extra-wide king beds, gas fireplaces and kitchenettes. Amenities are minimal; there’s a lobby bar, but no restaurant. However, the $35 resort fee includes continental breakfast, parking, beach bikes, and access to the pool, fitness center and beach at the Wave, Bungalow’s sister hotel a few blocks away. The hotel is geared for adults, but a family-friendly two-bedroom suites can sleep up to six. In-season rates: $450-$800. —Ken Schlager50 Laird Street, 732-229-3700Wave ResortLong BranchSituated right off the beach and just steps from Pier Village’s great restaurants, plethora of shops, and a kid-approved carousel, the Wave, built in 2019, is a lively spot. The 67 rooms and variety of suite options include multifamily units. Perhaps best of all is the beach access. Guests have free use of beach chairs, towels and umbrellas in a private section of the sand right near the hotel. For a fun scene without the sand, check out the outdoor oceanfront pool and deck, which offer impressive water views and food and drink service (including a swim-up bar). Other amenities include multiple restaurants, a spa, a fitness center, a children’s playroom, and free use of cruiser bikes. In-season rates: $450 and up. —Julie Gordon110 Ocean Avenue North, 732-612-9283Asbury Ocean Club HotelAsbury Park [caption id="attachment_308421" align="aligncenter" width="778"] The Asbury Ocean Club has 54 rooms and suites, all on the fourth floor of the 17-story building. Photo: Nikolas Koenig[/caption]Madam Marie could never have predicted this: a glass-walled luxury tower across from the Asbury Park boardwalk with condos listed for up to $3 million and hotel rooms starting at $1,200 on weekends. Yes, it costs a fortune, but the location, amenities and ocean views are a dream. The hotel offers 54 tasteful rooms and suites, all on the fourth floor of the 17-story building. Exterior rooms have balconies, most with partial ocean views; interior rooms have patios facing a serene dune garden. Most impressive is the expansive pool deck with its ocean panorama, plush lounges, and all-day food and bar service. One flight down, the spa features three treatment rooms. In-season rates: $750-$3,500; valet parking, $70/night. —KS1101 Ocean Avenue, 732-481-0706The AsburyAsbury ParkSince opening in 2016, the Asbury has become a focal point of the town’s summer scene. The eight-story building showcases salvaged-brick walls and an industrial feel in the bustling lobby, with its bar, pool table, pinball machine, performance area, seating pit, picnic tables, and nostalgia-inducing shelves of old vinyl albums and tapes. The retro vibe carries into the 110 pet-friendly guest rooms decorated with rock- and surf-related photos and equipped with small turntables and random assortments of scratchy LPs. There are six room types and three suite types, including some with two or four bunk beds for groups. The spacious pool area features a food truck on weekends, drinks from the lobby bar, and special events all summer. Up on the roof, there are weekend yoga classes, nighttime movies and the open-air Salvation bar. In-season rates: $270-$765; valet parking, $45/night. —KS210 Fifth Avenue, 732-774-7100The St. Laurent Social ClubAsbury Park[caption id="attachment_308452" align="alignnone" width="778"] The St. Laurent mixes modernity with retro touches. Photo: Courtesy of Motion City Media[/caption]You won’t find a reception desk at Asbury Park’s newest and coolest gathering place. Co-owner Merissa Fleischhauer describes the St. Laurent as a smart hotel. To enter, guests are issued a code. Opened in July 2022, the St. Laurent, located in a residential neighborhood about five blocks from the beach, is freshly renovated. The 20 guest rooms are outfitted with bespoke Murphy beds that fold up to reveal sofas or work stations. Downstairs, famed chef David Viana has created Heirloom at the St. Laurent, an outpost of his celebrated Old Bridge restaurant, Heirloom Kitchen. The 78-seat restaurant opens out to the expanded and renovated pool area. Uniquely, the pool is open to the public by reservation. Also public is the clubby cocktail lounge. Like the rest of the St. Laurent, it mixes modernity with retro touches. The entire property is 21+. In-season rates: $325-$550 (including beach pass for each guest). —KS408 Seventh Avenue, 732-795-2582[caption id="attachment_308500" align="alignright" width="350"] Buy our June 2023 issue here. Cover photo by Ann Coen[/caption]The James BradleyBradley BeachThis boutique hotel, opened last year, is the only hotel in the quiet, charming town of Bradley Beach. Launched by Middletown native George DiStefano, the aesthetic is what he calls contemporary minimalism. All 17 rooms have been completely revamped since the hotel’s former days as the Sandcastle Inn. Homemade breakfast is served each morning, with pastries by the hotel’s own pastry chef. À la carte service is offered at the beach. Every guest gets a beach badge and chair and umbrella setups. There is also a bungalow, with a full kitchen and three bedrooms, available for overnight stays. —Jacqueline Mroz204 Third Avenue, 732-774-2875Hotel LBIShip BottomThis hotel’s imposing structure has been greeting visitors since 2019 as they cross the iconic bridge onto Long Beach Island. The airy common areas and main restaurant, Salt Kitchen & Bar—brimming with fun nautical touches—were designed by local character Thom Sweeney (who, ironically, happens to own the tiniest home on LBI). A model sailboat on display—on loan from the LBI Historical Association—once adorned the Manhattan office of designer Tommy Hilfiger. Amenities include a pool with a retractable roof, as well as a hot tub, fitness center, spa, and rooftop bar (watch the sun set over cocktails!). Each room has a well-equipped kitchenette. In the summer, there’s complimentary valet service; offseason, self-parking in the garage is free. Guests can borrow beach badges, chairs, towels, boogie boards and adult bicycles. In-season rates: Prices fluctuate as low as under $200 to as high as $1,000-plus. —Jennifer Finn350 W Eighth Street, 609-467-8000Borgata Hotel, Casino & SpaAtlantic City The Borgata brings glam off the Boardwalk in Atlantic City with almost 2,000 rooms, each with a marble bath and many with marina-facing water views. For the gamers, there are 161,000 square feet of casino, plus concert space, a salon, a barbershop, shopping, the luxurious Spa Tocare, and a top-notch selection of restaurants—15 in total. The newest eatery, B-Prime Steakhouse, offers impeccable service and takes steaks seriously. With its 20th anniversary in sight, the hotel is embarking on a major revamp of its adjoining guest-room tower, the Water Club, soon to be renamed the MGM Tower. In-season rates: $139 and up. —Deborah P. Carter1 Borgata Way, 609-317-1000Daddy OBrant Beach [caption id="attachment_308422" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] Guests and non-guests alike can grab al-fresco drinks at Daddy O. Photo: Courtesy of Daddy O LBI[/caption]A few hundred feet from the beach, Daddy O is a 22-room boutique hotel whose commanding rooftop signage is a familiar sight to anyone who’s made a few trips along LBI’s busy boulevard. The hotel has a homey, intimate feel, featuring a wraparound porch and vibrant, vintage-inspired decor. Rooms boast evocative, wall-sized photographs of cheery surfers and sunbathers of days gone by. Guests can unwind at the indoor restaurant and bar, the garden patio or the rooftop bar (worth a night out even if you’re not staying at the hotel). Beach tags, umbrellas and chairs are available to borrow. Parking is free. In-season rates: $378–$772. —JF4401 Long Beach Boulevard, 609-494-1300The Reeds at Shelter HavenStone Harbor At once beachy and luxurious, the Reeds in Stone Harbor offers its small-town coastal vibe year around, but summers are really hopping. With earned accolades from Travel + Leisure and Conde Nast Traveler, the 56 guest rooms are bright and comfortable, with beachy watercolors and crisp linens. Dining is offered at three on-site restaurants: Buckets Margarita Bar + Cantina for Mexican fare, Water Star Grille for indoor/outdoor dining and fabulous sunsets over the harbor; and Sax, a fine-dining venue. The hotel’s can’t-miss crown jewel is the bi-level Salt Spa. Here, guests are pampered with a Turkish bath, salt rooms, and body treatments from massage to CBD-enhanced facials. In-season rates: $289 and up. —DPC9601 Third Avenue, 609-368-0100Lokal Hotel Cape May[caption id="attachment_308424" align="aligncenter" width="778"] There are eight units at the Lokal. Photo: Courtesy of Heidi's Bridge[/caption]The Lokal joined the lodging scene in 2019, just before the pandemic. It turned out to be an ideal time to implement a hands-off, micro-hotel model. Across the street from the ocean and unassuming from the outside, the weathered-look shingles belie an interior that is at once modern and techno chic. Entry is keyless; you’ll only encounter other guests—no attendant or hovering homeowner. Conceived as a hybrid of a hotel and an Airbnb, owners Courtney and Chad Ludeman ventured into freestanding hospitality properties in Philadelphia that, like the Lokal, come with the comforts of home: Casper mattresses, Parachute sheets, handsomely tiled modern baths and a nifty iPad to play with and control the room’s devices. Niceties like bitters and cocktail ice cubes populate the full kitchen equipped with a smart oven to make cooking away from home a snap. The eight units share the saltwater pool and the private outdoor space with fire pit and a grill. In-season, mandatory two night stays: $1,300 and up. —DPC5 Stockton PlaceThe Hugh Bed & BreakfastCape May Set in a historic Victorian, the Hugh marries the aesthetic of the past with a glam-forward present. The house boasts all the architectural grandeur one expects from a period home: gables, fretwork and corbels. But in a bold palette departure, owners Sandy and John Vizzone painted the exterior black—and it works. Inside, modern art (an uber-cool, oversized black-and-white of Mick Jagger, for instance) and original details like ornate brass knockers on room doors work together like old friends. The eight rooms have comfy beds and unique names and color schemes. In 2020, the Vizzones opened Jardin at the Hugh, an adjoining French restaurant, which, with only 20 seats, bustles all season. A true B and B, Hugh guests start their mornings in the double-duty dining room with dishes like Sandy’s French toast with caramelized apples. In-season, mandatory two night stays: $750 and up. —DPC653 Washington Street, 609-435-5458
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MORE FROM THIS PACKAGE*:24 Hours in Cape May: It’s Worth the Trip Every Time24 Hours in Asbury Park: A Guide to the Jersey Shore’s Coolest TownThe Coolest Hotels at the Jersey Shore*
My family loves the quiet little beach town of Bradley Beach, which is often overshadowed by its attention-getting neighbors—Asbury Park and Ocean Grove. It offers beautiful beaches, great restaurants and a laid-back vibe, with easy access to nearby entertainment if you’re looking for it.With a population of around 5,000 people—it can reach up to 30,000 in the summer—Bradley Beach is named for James A. Bradley, the developer responsible for the creation of this town and Asbury Park. It also has the unlikely distinction of being the first place in the United States to charge bathers to access the beach, in 1929.The town has long been a draw to New Yorkers and northern New Jerseyans. In the 1930s, author Philip Roth and his family, who lived in Newark, vacationed here in the summers, and he wrote about it in his work. A photo of him with his father and brother at Bradley Beach graces the cover of his book Patrimony.[caption id="attachment_308314" align="aligncenter" width="778"] Bradley Beach often gets overshadowed by neighbors Asbury Park and Ocean Grove. Photo: James J. Connolly[/caption]What I love about the beach here is that the sand dunes and grasses provide a lovely viewpoint when you’re lying on the sand, making it seem like you can be just about anywhere. The dunes were installed in the 1990s to help protect the town from damaging winds and tides off the ocean. The decision to construct these dunes proved prescient, as Bradley Beach largely escaped the havoc wreaked by Hurricane Sandy on Shore towns in 2012.My son Owen and I start our day with a bike ride on the boardwalk, which is permitted before 10 am. We like to ride all the way to Asbury Park and back—about three miles round trip—stopping for coffee at a boardwalk food stand (Bradley Beach’s boardwalk doesn’t have shops along it, as Asbury’s does.)For a fabulous breakfast, we head to our favorite brunch place, the Buttered Biscuit (700 Main Street), for—you guessed it—homemade biscuits, plus eggs and banana-walnut pancakes. Get here early, because the wait can be long in the summer, and they don’t take reservations.After our delightful meal, it is time to squeeze ourselves into our bathing suits and head to the beach, to sunbathe and swim in the ocean.We decide to relax following our bike ride, but if we had wanted a little more exercise, we could have brought a volleyball to play at one of the nets set up on the beach. We’ve also often thought about trying a surfing lesson with the Summertime Surf School (732-599-2700), located on the beach on the Bradley Beach-Ocean Grove border.[caption id="attachment_308305" align="aligncenter" width="778"] Fin's Tropicali Cuisine is a laid-back California-Mexican restaurant perfect for a beach-day lunch. Photo: James J. Connolly[/caption]For lunch, my family’s go-to place is Fins Tropicali Cuisine—and today is no different. If you’re too lazy to leave the beach, they’ll even deliver there—just tell them which entrance you’re closest to, and they’ll meet you on the boardwalk.But if you want to dine in, look for the bright-yellow exterior of the restaurant at 120 Main Street. Surfing videos and surfboards set the tone at this laid-back, California-Mexican eatery. My personal favorite is the Bomba Shack salad, which has coconut-sesame battered whitefish served over a bed of mixed greens with seaweed salad and grilled pineapple. The staff is friendly and helpful, and the food is delicious, fresh and reasonably priced.[caption id="attachment_308306" align="aligncenter" width="778"] Shipwreck Island Mini Golf course is located right on the boardwalk. Photo: James J. Connolly[/caption]After lunch, we stopped at the Shipwreck Island Mini Golf course (800 Ocean Avenue) for 18 holes of mini golf right on the boardwalk. This fun spot is popular with families and teens.Another favorite place in Bradley, great for an afternoon pick-me-up, is Del Ponte’s Bakery (600 Main Street)—perfect if you have a sweet tooth, like Owen. Since 1999, this place has been popular with Shore residents and day trippers alike looking for a cake or a morning treat. We love their biscotti, which come in many different flavors, and the Italian pastries, such as sfogliatelle and lobster tails. Be prepared for lines out the door.[caption id="attachment_308307" align="aligncenter" width="778"] Del Ponte’s Bakery offers delicious Italian pastries like sfogliatelle. Photo: James J. Connolly[/caption]Just down the street from Del Ponte’s is another Italian institution in Bradley Beach: Vic’s Italian Restaurant (60 Main Street), where we eat dinner. For more than four generations, this family-owned, red-sauce Italian standby has been delighting customers with its thin-crust pizza, homemade ravioli, chicken parmigiana, and meatball sandwiches—earning it a spot on New Jersey Monthly's list of favorite Italian restaurants in the state. Manager Ed Dollive, whose great-grandfather was Vic, says they never change the menu at the restaurant. They also never change the brand of tomatoes that they use for their tomato sauce.“We like bringing people together with our food,” he says. We feast on pizza, tomato and mozzarella salad, and shrimp cocktail.[caption id="attachment_308308" align="aligncenter" width="778"] Vic's has been an institution in Bradley Beach for more than four generations. Photo: James J. Connolly[/caption]After dinner, we always have room for dessert, so we walk down the street to the Beach Plum (420 Main Street) for some yummy homemade ice cream. Again, if you get there during prime time, expect a line. Grab a treat and settle down at a picnic table out front to enjoy your treat and watch the world go by.Our last stop is the gazebo at Fifth Avenue on the boardwalk to enjoy live music and cool ocean breezes.For those who want to spend the night here, Bradley’s first boutique hotel, the James Bradley, opened last year. This lovely place is worth a visit, no matter how long your stay.
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MORE FROM THIS PACKAGE*:24 Hours in Asbury Park: A Guide to the Jersey Shore’s Coolest Town24 Hours in Bradley Beach: A Hidden Gem at the Jersey Shore24 Hours in Long Beach Island: Favorite Spots From a Sacred Family Tradition*
The first time I, a native Jerseyan, went to Cape May, I was an adult. Growing up, my father never drove past Sandy Hook for beach time. (From Essex County, the one-hour-plus drive to Gunnison Beach with three kids in the car was enough for him.) On my first visit to the town at the farthest reaches of our state, I understood my dad’s reluctance to add that extra hour to our trip, but upon arrival at exit 0, I also understood there was a payoff for making this trek, and it’s made Cape May my go-to beach town ever since.Last summer, my boyfriend and I headed out for a day (and overnight stay) at some of our favorite haunts. We like to arrive midday; by then, the sun is starting to wane a bit, and the suntanning crowd is thinning, leaving the lovely, 2.5-mile stretch of sand on Beach Avenue a tad less populated. Even if we don’t take a dip in the ocean, we grab a parking spot at one of the metered spaces on Beach Avenue to enjoy the waves first thing. On lucky afternoons, we catch dolphins dipping and diving their way along the coast.[caption id="attachment_308326" align="aligncenter" width="778"] Cape May’s convention hall hosts events from weddings to the Exit Zero Jazz Festival. Photo: Jessica Orlowicz[/caption]After a vitamin D fill up, we grab lunch at the newish Mexican spot Taco Caballito Tequileria (429 Beach Avenue). Opened in 2022, this roomy, bi-level eatery, with its urban-chic interior, is bustling. The menu of elevated Mexican fare includes inventive tacos, burritos, Mexican street corn and weekly specials, plus a long list of tequilas and mezcals at the full bar.After lunch, we stroll over to the Washington Street mall, a pedestrian promenade befitting this quaint town. On our walk, we pass the yellow behemoth that is the iconic Congress Hall hotel—the oldest beach resort in the country, where vintage photos of early American dignitaries, including several presidents, line the walls of the entry corridor, and revamped, Colonial-style rooms with delightful, original Jefferson doors (think floor-to-ceiling windows) open to ocean-facing balconies.Another block, and we are strolling the mall’s boutiques. We pop in Across the Way (313 Washington Street), a gift store brimming with novelties, jewelry, books and beachy wall art. Next, we hit Gallery D’May (401 Washington Street Mall) and chat up the proprietor about sculptor Paige Bradley’s newest works, like the striking, internally lit female figure in a lotus pose that I spied through the window. At the end of the mall, there’s a kiosk where visitors can purchase tickets for the themed trolley excursion from Cape May MAC, which offers a historic mansion-viewing tour, a ghost tour and an Underground Railroad tour, among others.After that, we decide to speed up our sightseeing, so we visit Pedego Electric Bikes (110 Park Boulevard), where we try out the electric tandem bike, but opt for one of the golf carts they rent in partnership with Orange Moose Golf Carts as our afternoon wheels.[caption id="attachment_308327" align="aligncenter" width="778"] A tandem bike is a great way to see the town.[/caption]Now that we are motorized, we take a spin down Gurney Street, which has the largest group of Cape May’s Victorian painted ladies. Then, we head over to the Willow Creek Winery (168 Stevens Street) tasting room for a glass of their homemade sangria (plus a growler to go!) and a cheese plate. The year-round, 50-acre farm is the only winery on Cape May Island. The tasting room is open daily, and there’s a roster of other tasting events, such as Fire Pit Fridays, with live music.[caption id="attachment_308330" align="aligncenter" width="778"] Some of Cape May’s famed Victorian painted ladies Photo: Jessica Orlowicz[/caption]It’s check-in time, so we head back toward our hotel, passing by the Harriet Tubman Museum (632 Lafayette Street). The house-based museum was opened in 2021, and exhibits artifacts and information about Tubman’s activities in Cape May as she worked to help enslaved people escape the South. Along with photographs and papers chronicling her journeys, the museum also showcases other abolitionist activism in Cape May and the accomplishments of the city’s early Black community.We make it back to La Mer (1317 Beach Avenue) after returning the golf cart and check in to a beachside suite, where we refresh from our day of fun. The room is spacious, tastefully decorated in soothing neutrals and complete with a sitting area and a balcony that offers an unobstructed view of the ocean.[caption id="attachment_308329" align="aligncenter" width="778"] Catching rays and shade in a cabana at La Mer Beachfront Resort is a great way to spend time in Cape May. Photo: Jessica Orlowicz[/caption]We have worked up appetites for our dinner reservations at the Lookout (110 Sunset Boulevard) at Exit Zero Ferry Park in North Cape May. When we arrive at the Cape May ferry terminal, we are a bit early, so we stop for a waterside cocktail at the Dockside Bar. We slide into one of the high-top tables alongside the huge bar and choose a cocktail from the tempting list. The ferry comes in as we sip; the sun is starting to set, and there is a good breeze as we watch the huge ship pull in.[caption id="attachment_308331" align="aligncenter" width="778"] A burger from the Lookout at Exit Zero at Ferry Park Photo: Courtesy of the Lookout[/caption]Upstairs at the Lookout, the panoramic view of the Delaware Bay is captivating. The octaganal room means great views are on the menu—though not to be overshadowed by the actual dining experience, which is fresh, full of creativity and well prepared.As our evening winds down and we head back toward the hotel, we are sad to see our sunny Shore day come to an end. But it’s Cape May, the weather is warm, and over the sound of the ocean in the distance, we hear strains of music and head that way. There are still tiki torches burning at the Rusty Nail (205 Beach Avenue), so we stop for a nightcap, settle into Adirondack chairs, and sink our toes in sand one last time.
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MORE FROM THIS PACKAGE*:24 Hours in Cape May: It’s Worth the Trip Every Time*24 Hours in Bradley Beach: A Hidden Gem at the Jersey ShoreThe Coolest Hotels at the Jersey Shore
Back when I was in college, my mom used to worry whenever I relayed greetings from Asbury Park.“Be careful,” she would text when I ventured there for a day trip with friends. I’d laugh as I passed by boutique stores, music-filled bars, trendy restaurants, or sands packed with jovial beachgoers. What was there to worry about in this picturesque City by the Sea?Now 28 years old, I am too young to have experienced Asbury at its lowest point. Doing some reading, listening to Bruce Springsteen’s somber “My City of Ruins,” and seeing structures that survived rock bottom are all the evidence I have that this place was once far gone. Yet, as I stroll the boardwalk and beyond, I can appreciate just how far Asbury has come.On a bright August day, my trip begins at Convention Hall. Built early in the Great Depression, this remnant harkens back to Asbury’s past and enhances the shorefront’s current charming aesthetic. But my girlfriend Aimee and I are not necessarily thinking about that. We’re focused on getting coffee from Asbury Park Roastery (1300 Ocean Avenue), one of several shops and restaurants inside, before our day can truly start.Fueled with caffeine—and dismayed by a gift shop’s hoodie prices—we exit toward the boardwalk. We soon see the famed fortune teller Madam Marie’s, where Springsteen used to have his fortune read back in the day. Aimee is delighted by the idea of me receiving a reading. I’m skeptical, but I give it a go. My suspicions are only confirmed when the fortune teller asks if there’s anyone special in my life. That was a freebie, I think to myself, with Aimee standing just two feet away.[caption id="attachment_308289" align="aligncenter" width="778"] Madam Marie's, where Bruce Springsteen used to have his fortune read back in the day, is an iconic Asbury Park boardwalk destination. Photo: James J. Connolly[/caption]Our next stops strike a stronger chord with me. First, we pass the legendary Stone Pony (913 Ocean Avenue), where I’ve enjoyed many a concert, both inside and outside.The musical trip continues with a stop at Transparent Clinch Gallery (210 Fifth Avenue), where renowned rock photographer Danny Clinch displays images of everyone from Springsteen to Tupac. The glass-walled gallery even features a small stage for intimate performances.[caption id="attachment_308294" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] Transparent Clinch Gallery is part art gallery, part concert venue. Photo: James J. Connolly[/caption]From there, it’s off to lunch. We venture to Cookman Avenue, where we stop at Talula’s pizzeria (550 Cookman Avenue, #108). Aimee and I quickly agree on the Margie, a pie with tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, burrata, olive oil, basil and sea salt.Midway through our meal, however, we realize that Yappy Hour is approaching at Wonder Bar (Fifth and Ocean avenues). So we pick up the pace and head back toward the beach for a couple of beers and, more importantly, barks. We haven’t brought our own pups to this dog-friendly event, but we are welcomed in the bar’s sandy section, where dogs mingle, splash in pools and beg for attention. We’re more than happy to mix in.[caption id="attachment_308290" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] People and pooches, like this furry guy named Vincenzo, love Yappy Hour at the Wonder Bar. Photo: James J. Connolly[/caption]After pets and pale ales, Aimee and I decide it’s time for drinks with more potency. Once again, we veer away from the beach—we could have planned this day better, but where’s the fun in that?—in favor of Asbury Park Distilling Co. (527 Lake Avenue). I’m out of my element, as I prefer beer to hard alcohol. But the distillery’s Breakfast cocktail, made with vodka, cold brew and horchata, provides a pleasant surprise (and another round of caffeine).[caption id="attachment_308288" align="aligncenter" width="778"] No Shore day is complete without a dip in the water, even if the ocean is chilly. Photo: James J. Connolly[/caption]Afterward, we return to the beach for a walk in the sandy tide. I haven’t had a chance to change into the bathing suit I brought, but the chilly water on my feet makes it clear that I was never going for a swim.I settle for saltwater via taffy. At the boardwalk’s Sugarpop Candy Bar, I truly feel like a kid in a candy store.[caption id="attachment_308291" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] Who wouldn't be sweet on Sugarpop Candy Bar? Photo: James J. Connolly[/caption]Aimee picks up a few treats for herself before we return to the Clinch Gallery. We’ve been invited back for one of those intimate performances we’d heard about earlier, this one with a young punk rock group for 30-40 guests.Once the band finishes up, Aimee and I set off on a mission. We’ve seen Instagram videos of a tropical-looking speakeasy called Laylow (603 Mattison Avenue), and we are determined to find it. The spot is hidden beneath Reyla, a Middle Eastern restaurant on Mattison Avenue. The eatery has an upstairs bar that’s cozy and elegant in its own right, but this is not what we have come here for. After speaking with a hostess and a short wait, we are led through an unassuming door, which gives way to a staircase. Suddenly, everything is illuminated with neon lighting and gives off an island vibe.I notice a cocktail made with Thai iced tea, one of my favorite non-alcoholic beverages. At Laylow, the orange tea is infused with rum and includes basil, coconut and lemongrass. I’m thrilled with my choice, and Aimee smiles ear to ear when her order arrives in a large, fish-shaped glass that’s more of a bowl.[caption id="attachment_308295" align="aligncenter" width="778"] The Hot Guava cocktail at Laylow is festive—and delicious. Photo: James J. Connolly[/caption]Content with our speakeasy search and the drinks it resulted in, we head back to Cookman for a late dinner. We’re in the mood for Japanese food, and we’ve heard great things about Taka (660 Cookman Avenue). The restaurant is packed, but a table for two is no trouble. The crispy karaage chicken appetizer is an excellent choice before an assortment of sushi rolls.We had planned to end the day with ice cream, but we’re too stuffed. A piece (or two or three) of saltwater taffy suffice for dessert.
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A new cross-shaped pier is set to open in Ocean Grove on Saturday, April 15.
Ahead of the ribbon cutting, some residents have voiced concerns that the pier’s T-shaped design resembles a Christian cross. Public officials and members of the LGBTQ+ community say that the use of religious imagery should not be permitted on the public beach.
Other New Jersey residents who are not religious or come from different faith backgrounds share that they have no qualms about the cross shape, and that the design does not conflict with their desire to use the pier.
Speculation about the intentionality of the cross shape began after the design was unveiled in July 2022.
The Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association, a Methodist community that has been living in Ocean Grove for over 150 years, privately funded the reconstruction project. They originally settled in Ocean Grove for tent-revival meetings in the summer months on the Jersey Shore. Today, the Camp Meeting Association owns Ocean Grove’s land, beach and new boardwalk.
The Camp Meeting Association has been embroiled in legal trouble on several occasions, including a 2007 lawsuit for refusing to allow LGBTQ+ couples use of a pavilion for civil union ceremonies; though in the subsequent years, some members of both the Camp Meeting Association and the LGBTQ+ community have sought restoration and understanding.
Still, some New Jersey residents worry that the pier represents a renewed effort toward religious coercion.
The ribbon-cutting ceremony marks the end of a 10-month-long reconstruction project to restore the Ocean Grove pier to its historic 500 feet, since it was destroyed by Superstorm Sandy in 2012. Despite its religious implications, many beach-goers are looking forward to a sunny season in Ocean Grove, viewing the finished pier as a symbol of perseverance and a blessing to the Jersey Shore.
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On the day before his 26th birthday in 2015, Tom Turcich took his first steps westward on what would become a record-breaking, 25,000-mile trek around the world.
He calculated the walk would take five years. It wound up taking seven.
Starting out solo, the Haddon Township resident realized after about five months that he wanted both the companionship and protection of a dog for the rest of his journey. In Texas at that point, he found an animal shelter, bonded with an abandoned Australian shepherd mix puppy, and was approved to take her with him.
Turcich’s adopted dog, Savannah, became the first canine in recorded history to complete a worldwide trek. Photo courtesy of Tom Turcich
Little did he know that his adopted dog, whom he named Savannah, would become the first canine in recorded history to complete a worldwide walk. Turcich became the 10th human to do so. Together, they covered six continents and 38 countries.
“I wasn’t out to prove anything,” says Turcich, who lost two close friends from Haddon Township while they were both still in their teens. “Their deaths drove home to me that life is short. I wanted to experience the world before I had to leave it, too.”
So, while completing high school and college, Turcich carefully mapped out a walking trip around the globe.
The journey included some unwanted surprises. Among the reasons the walk lasted an extra two years were pandemic restrictions and the time Turcich and Savannah had to take off to recover from life-threatening illnesses. For Turcich, it was an abdominal bacterial infection that started showing symptoms in Scotland; for Savannah, a bleeding disorder from a tick bite apparently inflicted in Peru.
They were held up at knifepoint in Panama, needed police escorts throughout their 45-day walk through Algeria, nearly froze while camping in South America, and were detained at gunpoint for two hours in Turkey near the Syrian border.
Though unsettling, these and other incidents weren’t enough to dampen Turcich’s spirits. “I never seriously considered ending the walk,” he says.
Tom Turcich and his dog Savannah enjoy the nice weather in Angoulême, France, during their trek around the world. Photo courtesy of Tom Turcich
There were countless positive aspects of the trip, such as his stop in Guatemala, where he visited Lake Atitlan. Nestled among mountains, it’s considered the world’s most beautiful lake and became one of his favorite places.
Turcich started his world walk with a positive outlook on humanity.
“Thousands of people worldwide helped Savannah and me,” he emphasizes. “We were offered places to sleep, meals, interesting conversation, encouragement and moral support, among many other kindnesses. I always kept in mind that I was a guest in other people’s countries. For that, I was repaid many times over.”
In the spring, the pair triumphantly crossed the Ben Franklin Bridge from Philly to Camden, surrounded by family members, friends and well-wishers.
Turcich is working on a book about his and Savannah’s world walk. A documentary is in the making, and a television docuseries is under consideration. He also has an agent arranging speaking engagements for him.
On February 18, Turcich will give a TEDx talk at Rutgers-New Brunswick, sharing highlights of what he saw and learned during his travels.
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To enhance the 52 weeks in your year, we at New Jersey Monthly are giving you 52 thrilling, quirky, only-in-New Jersey experiences to try (or revisit) this year. Ever been to Cowtown, Jersey’s secret rodeo? Seen the dazzling art at Luna Parc? Sat at Tony Soprano’s table at Holsten’s?
The question “What should we do this weekend?” just became more fun to answer.
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT1. DELIGHT ON THE GROUNDSNever been to Grounds for Sculpture in Hamilton? Place it at the top of your list. The 42-acre sculpture park blends peaceful pathways with installations of large-scale works by contemporary sculptors and the eye-popping sculpted tableaux by Seward Johnson, the park’s founder. A dozen resident peacocks add to the enchantment. Start (or end) your visit with a taste of French home cooking at Rat’s Restaurant. The park is open Thursday-Monday year-round and is a treat in any season. —Ken Schlager
2. WALK IN A WACKY ART WONDERLANDIf the devil is in the details, Ricky Boscarino is one devil of an artist. Luna Parc, his home, workshop and ever-changing magnum opus in Montague, is crammed with details that dazzle, delight and sometimes confound. The house and environs give new meaning to the term adaptive reuse, as in a hut ablaze with bottles and a pathway dotted with bowling balls. Luna Parc is open to the public several weekends a year. —Leslie Garisto Pfaff
3. TAP YOUR TOES IN THE PINELANDSEvery Saturday night, the Pinelands Cultural Society in Waretown presents a lineup of live country and bluegrass artists, many from the Pine Barrens area. The all-acoustic shows take place at Albert Music Hall, an air-conditioned, indoor pavilion built in 1997 to replace a venue that burned down in 1992. Most shows feature five different acts from 6:30-9 pm. At $5 per ticket, it’s an old-fashioned bargain. —KS
4. SADDLE UP FOR FUNCowtown Rodeo is one of New Jersey’s must-attend spots. Photo by Bill Streicher/billstreicher.com
Here’s a secret: New Jersey has a rodeo. Said to be the longest-running weekly event of its kind in the country, the 90-year-old Cowtown Rodeo in Pilesgrove presents classic cowboy kicks and tricks on Saturday nights from Memorial Day weekend through September. See bull riding, steer wrestling, saddle-bronc riding, bareback riding, team roping and barrel racing—and be sure to grab piping-hot roasted peanuts before taking your seat. —Olivia Beach
5. HIT THE JACKPOT IN ATLANTIC CITYNot much about the Jersey Shore is a gamble, but in the state’s gaming mecca, the beaches are often a side bet. Look to Atlantic City for a vibrant array of entertainment, from slots and Blackjack to top-notch restaurants and rocking music venues, upscale hotels to the bustling Boardwalk. Want more? Check out the arcades, hit a plush spa, or take the kids to the IMAX Theatre. —Deborah P. Carter
6. BASK IN THE BARDSee Shakespeare as he was meant to be seen at the Outdoor Stage of the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey. Nestled in a hillside on the campus of Saint Elizabeth University in Florham Park, the grass-and-stone amphitheater seats 400 and offers views through towering evergreens. But come summer evenings, all eyes turn to the stage, where actors serve up the best of the Bard. Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. —Monica Cardoza
7. DRINK FROM A GLASS THAT’S ALWAYS FULLGlassmaking has been a South Jersey tradition for more than 300 years, and the Museum of American Glass in Millville explores that creative, colorful history. Artifacts range from a mid-1700s food jar made in Alloway to the world’s largest glass bottle, which stands at 7 feet, 8 inches tall. The complex, part of WheatonArts and Cultural Center, belatedly celebrated its 50th anniversary with a special exhibit last year. —Tom Wilk
8. EXPERIENCE JERSEY CITY’S ART SCENEEduardo Kobra’s David Bowie mural in Jersey City.
Jersey City’s burgeoning art scene can’t be contained in its studios, though places like 150 Bay Street in the Powerhouse Arts District and Mana Contemporary—which offers studio tours you can book online—are great places to start. You can also spend a whole day walking (or driving the 21 square miles) around Jersey City and taking in the murals and street art (including Eduardo Kobra’s well-known David Bowie piece) for which the area is famous. Visit jcmap.org/our-murals for a virtual map. —Falyn Stempler
9. GET A NOSTALGIC FIX AT THE DRIVE-INOnce an American cultural staple, drive-in theaters abounded nationwide, reaching their peak during the 1950s with more than 4,000 sites. Today, a handful remain, with several in the Garden State. Built in 1949 and reopened in 2004, the Delsea Drive-In, located in Vineland, offers single and double features on weekend nights from spring into fall for $11–$22. Newer to the scene is Newark Moonlight Cinema, which opened in 2020 and aims to promote the work of Black actors and filmmakers. Most locations are seasonal, including Demarest Farms in Hillsdale, Barnegat Summer Drive-In Movies and Cranford Theater Drive-In.
—FS
FOOD & DRINK10. INDULGE IN MIND-BLOWING BREAD AND BUTTERCarb central at Jersey City’s Razza. Bryan Anselm
Razza in Jersey City is famed for its pizza, but chef/owner Dan Richer puts the same care into bread and butter ($8). He bakes the loaves from a mix of three different flours from a sourdough starter he has fed daily since creating it in 2008 from wild yeasts gathered in Hunterdon County. He churns the butter from organic cream. “I liken butter to cheese,” he says. “I think butter can have that same appeal.” Next project? Aged butters. —Eric Levin
11. DRINK YOUR APPLE A DAYAt Ironbound Farm, the 108-acre regenerative farm and cidery in the rural heart of Hunterdon County, the tasting room and market are open year-round. Warm up with hard apple ciders and seltzers, fortified ciders (enhanced with brandy, herbs and botanicals), and cocktails, some of which feature local ingredients like Pine Barrens cranberries or farm-grown ginger. —Shelby Vittek
12. HEAD TO THE IRONBOUNDCome for the twinkly lights festooning Newark’s Ferry Street and stay for the tapas, custard cups and port. Newark’s Ironbound section is four square miles of multiethnic feasting. Classic stops include the tapas institution Mompou, the beloved bakery Teixeira’s, and Lopes Sausage, a butcher shop with an old-school salt table, for those who prefer meat preserved in salt. For Portuguese port, Lisbon Wines & Liquors is a must-visit. And don’t overlook the latest dining additions to the neighborhood scene. Dutch’s, in the Hotel Tryp, is one of longtime Newark tour guide Liz Del Tufo’s go-tos. —Tammy La Gorce
13. RECREATE TONY SOPRANO’S LAST SUPPERThis famed booth at Holsten’s in Bloomfield was featured in the last episode of The Sopranos. Photo by Eric Levin
An old-fashioned ice cream parlor (making its own ice cream) in Bloomfield, Holsten’s traces its history to 1939, but its place in pop culture was cemented in 2007 by the final moment of HBO’s The Sopranos, in which the camera zooms in on Tony in a booth then cuts to black. The moment is commemorated with a plaque that reads, “This booth reserved for the Soprano family.” —EL
14. GET A FOOD LOVER’S FRONT-ROW SEATStep inside Hearthside BYOB in Collingswood (which is one of NJM’s 30 Best Restaurants), and your nostrils relay the news: The wood-burning grill and oven propel the New American menu. Reserve a literal front-row seat among the four chairs at the counter facing the open kitchen. You’re close enough to shake hands with the chefs, and you won’t be the first to do so. —EL
DOWN THE SHORE15. BIKE ON A BOARDWALKCycling on a boardwalk is a unique thrill. It’s easy (they’re all flat), scenic (the ocean is always in view) and exhilarating (thanks to the briny breezes). During the summer months, New Jersey’s oceanfront boardwalks typically limit cyclists to early morning, but in the off-season, longer hours prevail (check ahead). The Atlantic City Boardwalk—the nation’s first—provides the longest ride. You can bring your own bike or rent a beach cruiser from a local shop. —KS
16. EAT THE FRESHEST SEAFOODBill Bright’s fishing vessels, Retriever and Defiance, cast off from Wildwood from spring to fall and return laden with reminders that the Garden State’s bounty doesn’t end at the shoreline. At Hooked Up Seafood’s dockside tables, people feast on the likes of mahi, tuna and swordfish, blackened or seared, in generous portions with a vegetable side. Bright’s family also farms littleneck clams. —EL
17. VISIT THE TENT COLONYPicture a tightly knit neighborhood of 114 canvas tents attached to small wooden cottages, with tiny porches and colorful striped awnings. This summer colony in Ocean Grove, founded in 1870 as part of a Methodist retreat, offers an unexpected shot of charm near the Great Auditorium and the vibrant nightlife of Asbury Park. A perfect day trip to the area includes strolling along the streets, getting a scoop at Day’s Ice Cream, and hanging at Ocean Grove’s low-key beach. —Sharon M. Goldman
18. GO BACK IN TIMEEven if you’ve never been to Island Beach State Park, you may recognize the Judge’s Shack, so ubiquitous are images of this last of the oceanfront fishing shacks that once dotted the dunes along the longest stretch of undeveloped coastline in the state. You can’t go into the shack, but you can walk along the beach and try to capture its regal and rustic countenance with your own camera. Park at lot 13, follow the trail up the dune, walk down to the beach, and head north, marveling at what all of the Jersey Shore once looked like. —Kevin Coyne
19. SEE THE WINDMILL AT WINDMILLYou know you’ve arrived at the original WindMill restaurant in West End, Long Branch, because a replica windmill with blades about 20 feet long stands on its roof. Decades ago, the blades actually turned, says owner Rena Levine Levy. (In 2015, when the blades were stationary, a winter storm sheared them right off.) At nine inches, the WindMill dog, a pork-beef blend, is lengthy itself and is sold nationally. —EL
20. PLAY A MEAN PINBALLSilverball Museum Arcade is a family-friendly stop in Asbury Park. Courtesy of Charles Acosta/pinballphotos.com
Enter Asbury Park’s Silverball Museum Arcade, and the blinking lights and clanging bells make it immediately clear that this is no fussy, quiet showplace. Instead, armed with an entry pass that replaces quarters and tokens, kids of all ages can play nonstop classic pinball games and other arcade games—from Skee-Ball to Pac-Man. —SMG
21. VISIT THE SANDY HOOK LIGHTHOUSEAt the tip of Sandy Hook’s thin peninsula in Highlands, which juts into the southern end of New York Harbor, the oldest operating lighthouse in the United States, the Sandy Hook Lighthouse—which was first lit in 1964 and is still in use today—stands tall. In fact, the beacon atop the octagon-shaped tower, which sits on the grounds of the decommissioned Fort Hancock, has only been darkened during the Civil War, Spanish-American War and two World Wars. The lighthouse has been closed for repairs, but is set to reopen for tours this spring—making a visit even more special. —SMG
22. CHECK OUT THE CHICKENSTucked away at the end of a sandy road in West Cape May is Beach Plum Farm, a working farm that supplies various items to prominent restaurants in the area and also serves breakfast and lunch from an Amish barn to guests at indoor and outdoor tables. The bar loft is home to a tiny shop of housewares and local products, while fresh-from the-chicken eggs, produce, meats, wine, herbs and honey are also for sale. Guests are welcome to sit around and relax at the firepit, take a tour of the farm, or stroll along the grounds, where chickens also roam freely. For a more immersive experience, Beach Plum Farm offers cottages for overnight stays. —Amanda Staab
SHOPPING & WELLNESS23. CULTURE SHOPDevoted to all things Japanese, Mitsuwa Marketplace in Edgewater is like your first taste of wasabi: exciting and a bit overwhelming. In its gleaming supermarket aisles, you’ll find massive daikon radishes and squat kabocha pumpkins, gemlike salmon roe and culinary exotica like eggs poached in the shell. Specialty shops proffer elegant crockery and kawaii (“cute”) everything (otter-shaped pencil cases, Pikachu surgical masks). And then there’s the food court, with its dizzying selection of Japanese fast(ish) food, from ramen and katsu to bean-filled pancakes and mochi donuts. —LGP
24. TREASURE HUNTCharming and walkable, Lambertville is a great town for antiquing—from stores with high-end furnishings to multi-vendor spots with statuary, art, jewelry and more. Weekends and Wednesdays, the huge, year-round, outdoor Golden Nugget Flea Market is also worth a visit. —DPC
25. STRETCH IN THE SANDIf the thought of exercising outdoors, with the sun on your face and the soothing sound of waves in the distance, is appealing, yoga on the beach is for you. Bring a towel, water and sunscreen, and get ready for downward dogs in the sand. Classes typically run about $10. A list of offerings is at myareayoga.com.
—Jacqueline Mroz
26. BROWSE AND BUYBrand names abound at the shops at American Dream, the massive East Rutherford mall that is also home to attractions including a water park and an aquarium. Fashionistas will delight in Hermes, Tiffany and Louis Vuitton—and the list goes on! —DPC
27. GET READY TO RENOVATEOld-house lovers, DIY buffs and designers will love perusing the finds at Salvage Angel in Asbury Park, where 20,000 square feet of vintage architectural items like doorknobs, railings, plumbing fixtures and windows await new homes. —DPC
28. SAY AHH* AT THE SPAIndulge in some self-care at Edgewater’s SoJo Spa.* Photo by Ella Ross
SoJo Spa in Edgewater is an eight-level oasis of relaxation with seven saunas and multiple indoor and outdoor whirlpools. Open daily until midnight, the outdoor baths and rooftop infinity pool offer stellar views of Manhattan. Along with the saunas and whirlpools, you can partake in body treatments for an extra fee. SoJo also offers great midweek specials. —DPC
SPORTS & GAMES29. ARRIVE AND DRIVETake a spin around the track at Millville’s Motorsports Park. Mike Woeller/Wind Shadow Studios
If fast and furious is your M.O., visit New Jersey Motorsports Park in Millville for a 15-minute Arrive & Drive Go-Kart session on 1.1-mile Tempest Raceway. You’ll be given a brief overview of the kart, plus a helmet, neck brace, fireproof suit and gloves, before being let loose for 15–20 laps around the track. “The karts can hit 55 or 60 miles per hour, but top speed depends on how well you negotiate the turns,” says the park’s Brandon Schulhof. Drivers must be at least 13 years of age and 5 feet tall, and while walk-ins are accepted, reservations take precedence. —Lindsay Berra
30. SEE A DEVILS HOCKEY GAMENamed for the creature that—as legend has it—roams the Pine Barrens, these hockey-playing Devils call Newark’s Prudential Center home. The team has been playing in the Garden State since 1982 and is the only major professional sports team that proudly features New Jersey in its name (the Jets and Giants go with New York, despite playing at the Meadowlands). Rivalry matchups with the New York Rangers, New York Islanders and Philadelphia Flyers are always a treat, as are the many Jersey Shore–inspired concessions available at The Boardwalk in Section 126. —Gary Phillips
31. PUTTER AROUNDModeled after the famed Himalayas putting course at St. Andrews in Scotland, the Pynes Putting Course at the USGA Museum in Far Hills has just enough slopes and troughs to make it a challenge—even for the most-capable putters. Choose from one of two historic golf-ball replicas (the bramble or the square mesh) and one of four historic putters, and start reading the greens. The holes range in length from about 25 to 50 feet; each is a par 2. All of the holes are challenging, although some more than others. The greens fee is $5. The course is closed in winter, but typically reopens in March, depending on the weather. When you go, plan to check out the museum, too. —KS
32. GO OFF TO THE RACESIt’s a sure bet that tens of thousands of steeplechase fans will descend on Somerset County for the 101st Annual Far Hills Races each October, rain or shine. Revelers flock to this equestrian-themed affair, a nationally televised event, to enjoy tailgating, people watching and pari-mutuel horse-race wagering. Since the tradition began in 1870, the National Steeplechase Association event has raised more than $18 million to support local health care organizations. Individual tailgating spots and private tents are available. Avoid traffic by taking the train to Far Hills and walking to the nearby event. —Susan Brierly Bush
HISTORY & SCIENCE33. CHANNEL EINSTEIN AT PRINCETONWith its Collegiate Gothic architecture, lush landscaping and crisscrossing footpaths perfect for pondering, Princeton University gets obvious props as the Garden State’s only Ivy League university campus. But the charming town surrounding the school is also chock-full of historic attractions (be sure to check out Albert Einstein’s house at 112 Mercer Street, where Einstein lived from 1935 until his death in 1955) and delicious food choices (the Bent Spoon has been serving up award-winning farm-to-spoon ice cream since 2004). Then there is the (unfortunately) currently closed Princeton University Art Museum, which is expected to reopen in 2024 with a bold new building designed by architect David Adjaye. We can’t wait to start exploring. —SMG
34. BRIDGE THE HISTORY GAPThe last privately owned toll bridge across the Delaware River, Dingmans Bridge is a throwback to the days before E-ZPass. The two-lane span links Sussex County with Pike County, Pennsylvania. A toll taker collects the toll by hand ($1 each way, cash only) on the Pennsylvania side. The 530-foot wrought-iron truss bridge dates to August 1900. For the thrill of the crossing, take Route 15 North to Route 206 North toward Layton, and follow the signs to the bridge. —KS
35. RELIVE THAT FAMED DUELExperience the Hamilton-Burr saga in two acts. Up along the cliff that rises north of the Lincoln Tunnel helix, along a quiet, shady street in Weehawken with a postcard view of Manhattan, is a vest-pocket memorial park with a bust of Alexander Hamilton. It was below this spot in 1804, on the dueling grounds down near the Hudson River, that Aaron Burr fired the shot that still rings so loudly on Broadway, and that killed Hamilton. Drive a little more than an hour south, and you can see where Burr eventually ended up 32 ignominious years later—buried in Princeton Cemetery. —KC
36. LET YOUR SPIRIT SOARWhen Pope John Paul II visited New Jersey in 1995—the only time a pope has ever visited the state, whose population is proportionally among the most Catholic in the nation—he made two public stops: Giants Stadium for a Springsteen-scale Mass, and the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Newark, a soaring, granite, French Gothic edifice with twin bell towers that New Jerseyans are often surprised to learn is the fifth largest cathedral in North America. —KC
37. EXPERIMENT AND EXPLOREThe Jennifer Chalsty Planetarium is the biggest of its kind in the Western Hemisphere. Courtesy of Liberty Science Center
The massive, 300,000-square-foot Liberty Science Center makes learning about science fun for both kids and adults. Almost everything in the space is interactive, from the beloved Touch Tunnel to a live-animal display with 110 species. Liberty Science Center is also home to the biggest planetarium in the Western Hemisphere, the Jennifer Chalsty Planetarium, an 88-million-pixel dome. —OB
38. LIGHT UP WITH EDISONDiscover the place where modern America was molded at the corner of Main Street and Lakeside Avenue in West Orange. Take a tour of the Edison Laboratory Complex, which preserves original phonographs, motion picture cameras, electrical fixtures and other trappings used by Edison and his workers from 1887 to 1931. Also, walk through Glenmont, Edison’s 29-room, red-brick Victorian estate filled with mostly original interiors and family keepsakes. —OB
39. MEET A WAR HEROThe Battleship New Jersey in Camden is the most decorated in Navy history and saw action in World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Cold War and the Middle East. The ship has an overall length of 887 feet, 7 inches—and the Fire Power self-guided tour route covers 1.5 miles, so history buffs should plan on at least 90 minutes for a visit. —LB
OUTDOORS & NATURE40. FIND POWER IN FLOWERSHillsborough’s Duke Farms boasts a breathtaking Orchid Range. Photo by Laura Moss
Tropical flowers abloom in New Jersey? It happens all year long at the Orchid Range, a stunning glass-and-steel conservatory at Duke Farms in Hillsborough, the 2,740-acre estate that was once home to tobacco heiress Doris Duke. Some 1,300 brilliantly colorful orchid varieties thrive in the Orchid Range’s two LEED Platinum-certified buildings. Thanks to the large variety, plenty of orchids are always in bloom, whatever the season. When visiting, you can also stroll or cycle the miles of paved trails that weave around the park-like estate’s naturalized landscape. The Orchid Range is open daily, but winter weather can cause occasional closings. —KS
41. CHEER THE CHERRY BLOSSOMSSee the beauty of the cherry blossoms at Branch Brook Park. Photo by Shutterstock
For about two weeks every April, the nation’s largest concentration of cherry trees bursts into magnificent pink-and-white bloom in Branch Brook Park, a 360-acre urban oasis straddling Newark and Belleville. Essex County celebrates this arboreal pageant with its annual Cherry Blossom Festival, scheduled this year for April 1-16. You can join in a bike race (April 1), a 10K fun run (April 2), family day (April 15), or BloomFest, a parkwide celebration that includes entertainment, vendors and food trucks (April 16). Or just stroll at your own pace among the blossoming beauties. —KS
42. FLOAT OVER THE MEADOWLANDSTowering phragmites waving in the breeze welcome visitors as they step onto the half-mile floating boardwalk beneath the Marsh Discovery Trail sign at Richard W. DeKorte Park, a former landfill and today a thriving nature reserve in the Meadowlands. If the tide is high, you may feel a gentle rocking motion on the walkway as it advances through the tidal marsh, where long-legged white egrets fish for their dinner and diamondback terrapins sun themselves. Benches provide the perfect perch to scan for birds, all against the backdrop of the Manhattan skyline. Stay for the sunset, and investigate the other three miles of easy walking paths. —MC
43. WALK WITH DINOSAURSA colony of prehistoric beasts—built not from fossils but from from branches, animal bones and leaves by New Jersey artist Robin Ruggiero—can be found off the pink-blazed, 1.3-mile Boy Scout Trail at the east end of the group campsite at Allaire State Park in Farmingdale. After visiting the dinosaur trail’s unique and visually stunning Tyrannosaurus rex, triceratops, pterodactyl and stegosaurus, be sure to check out Allaire Village, a 19th-century iron-making town, and take a ride on the narrow-gauge Pine Creek Railroad. The park also features miles of other marked, multi-use trails, fishing on the Manasquan River, and a visitor’s center and museum. —LB
44. GO TO GREAT HEIGHTSThe highest point in New Jersey? At 1,803 feet above sea level, that would be the appropriately named High Point State Park. It’s also the Garden State’s northwesternmost point—and it’s a thrill to visit. Drive into Wantage’s 16,000-acre state park and head straight to the top. It’s a short uphill walk from the upper parking lot to the 220-foot-tall New Jersey Veterans’ Memorial monument. Walk around the monument’s base for a spectacular 360-degree view across New Jersey, Pennsylvania and New York. The interior of the monument is open on weekends from Memorial Day to Columbus Day. The intrepid can climb the 291 steps to the top for an even more breathtaking view. —KS
45. BE ONE WITH THE RIVERTubing on the Delaware River is the ultimate summertime water play for those aged six and over. The adventure begins at the Cooley Tract of the Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park on Route 29 in Kingwood, where outfitters from outdoors retailer Big Bear Gear in Lambertville rent gear and launch you and your tube into the river. Look for eagles, fish, turtles, and a short stretch of Class 1 rapids as you spend your day on the water. The 5-mile trip lasts between 90 minutes and three hours, depending on the current, and a shuttle returns you to your car. Take the time to register early to ensure your choice of tube (closed or open bottom) and accessories such as a cooler carrier. —MC
46. WITNESS A WONDERSince the Great Falls in Paterson became part of the National Park System a decade ago, more people have found their way to this hidden natural wonder, a sight that should be mandatory viewing for every New Jerseyan. The vertiginous footbridge across it, familiar as a body-disposal site to fans of The Sopranos, is closed now, as is Libby’s Lunch, the legendary neighboring hot dog spot whose famed Texas wieners were a highlight of Great Fallls visits for decades. But open nearby is the Paterson Museum, a sprawling, colorful repository of the history of the industrial city that arose around the Passaic River. —KC
47. FLOCK TO THE BIRDSA prothonotary warbler is just one of many feathered creatures you might spot at the Cape May Bird Observatory. Photo by JasonYoder/Shutterstock
Some birds live in New Jersey. Others think it’s a great place to visit. Most seem to gravitate toward Cape May. You don’t have to be an accomplished bird-watcher to enjoy the show they stage at the Cape May Bird Observatory. Birding is always in season, but the spring and fall migrations offer the most jaw-dropping sightings, as thousands of high-flying birds check in at the Cape May peninsula for a little rest and relaxation. Take a self-guided tour, or book a guided walk or boat tour on the observatory website. —KS
48. DANCE WITH THE WOLVESAs visitors arrive like clockwork for a morning tour at Lakota Wolf Preserve in Columbia, several powerful but serene-looking wolves prowl inside their enclosures. Jim Stein, who owns the preserve and cares for the animals with his wife, Becky Mace, leads the tour. Here, Stein delivers his entertaining and informative talk while tossing snacks over the 9-foot fences to keep the wolves engaged. At a visit last fall, 15 gray wolves (of various subspecies and colors) were in residence. The preserve provides tours and guided photo sessions year-round, weather permitting. —KS
49. GO UNDER THE SEADelight in underwater creatures at Camden’s Adventure Aquarium. © Adam Monacelli/USA TODAY NETWORK
Urchins, stingrays and sharks—not only can you gaze at them in their watery habitats, but at Camden’s Adventure Aquarium, you can pet all three. In fact, everything at this 8,000-square-foot facility was designed to bring visitors closer to its 15,000-plus aquatic and semiaquatic animals. Diminutive critters like salamanders and clownfish shimmy just out of reach behind glass portholes, and larger water-dwellers, like hammerheads, are never far from the glass walls enclosing them (including the apex predators swimming above and alongside you in the Shark Tunnel). Feeling adventurous? Walk the rope bridge over shark-infested waters or swim with them. Or just pull up a rocking chair and gaze out at the Delaware—a reminder that water—and its denizens—really are all around us. —LGP
50. EXPLORE BY BOATThe Delaware and Raritan Canal is a watery old shipping corridor that has been transformed into a long, narrow, snaking state park popular with runners, walkers and bikers. But a kayak or canoe lets you travel the canal itself the way it was meant to be traveled. The canal looks like a river, but it moves so slowly that you can paddle it like a lake, so you can make a round trip from a single launch spot. An easy, pleasant, shady journey starts at Princeton or Griggstown; rentals are available at both places. —KC
51. REFLECT AND REMEMBERA swath of greenery and cobblestone surrounded on three sides by the Hudson River in the northeast portion of Jersey City’s Liberty State Park is a tranquil, out-of-the-way spot to watch the setting sun beautifully illuminate Lower Manhattan. The area is also a place to quietly reflect and remember, as it is the home of the powerful Empty Sky memorial honoring the 749 New Jersey residents who lost their lives on 9/11. —MC
52. CHECK OUT A CRANBERRY BOGJust a short drive down a dirt-and-gravel road delivers you back in time to a restored cranberry farm from the 1870s. At the 90-acre Cloverdale Farm County Park in Barnegat, a replica of the original farmhouse that today serves as the visitor center (open Friday–Sunday) introduces visitors to the farm’s history. Then it’s off on a 1.4-mile, level, sandy, self-guided trail past the cranberry sorting house and around several cranberry bogs. Be sure to print out the self-guided nature-trail map before you go (you never know about cell phone reception in a bog). —MC
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Consignment shops across the Garden State are teeming with treasures. Photo by Rebecca Handler; styling by Susan Brierly Bush; hair & makeup by Sharon Royce; wardrobe & jewelry courtesy of Duet Curated Consignment in Livingston (Dolce & Gabbana dress, Prada purse, Piero Milano earrings).
We’ve got the best of everything here in the Garden State—great shops and terrific venues for sports, theater and all types of leisure.
But let’s face it, all of this comes at a price, and we are Jerseyans—we love a bargain.
Here are our top picks to help you enjoy it all for less.
HEALTH & BEAUTYCheck Out Local Spa Deals and SpecialsKick back for a day of indulgence at Elements Spa at Crystal Springs Resort in Hamburg. Photo courtesy of Elements Spa
Start 2023 off on a relaxing note. | READCULTUREEnjoy Free and Discounted Events“Transformed Objects Reimagined by American Artists” is one of the exhibits you can see for free at the Montclair Art Museum on the first Thursday of every month. Photo courtesy of Peter Jacobs
Snag deals on concerts, museum admission and more. | READBuild a Great Art Collection on a BudgetCheck out local galleries to see the work of emerging artists, such as this one by Nadia Liz Estela. Photo courtesy of Nadia Liz Estela
To outsiders, art collecting can seem mystifying, an unfamiliar terrain inhabited exclusively by the uber-wealthy and those to the manor born. But being an art collector need not require deep pockets. Here are some strategies to get started. | READMark Your Calendar for NJ’s 2023 Restaurant WeeksPlan a visit to the Sushi Loft at Red Horse in Rumson during Jersey Shore Restaurant Week. Photo courtesy of Red Horse/John Vitollo
Eating out is fun. Paying less than full price for terrific food makes it more so. Town-wide restaurant weeks are a great way to do that. | READSHOPPINGVisit NJ’s Best Thrift and Consignment ShopsThis Livingston mainstay offers luxurious items for a fraction of the cost. Photo courtesy of Duet Curated Consignment
Bargains await the clever shopper willing to do a little legwork to find the best deals. If you’re ready to navigate the world of more-for-less shopping, explore consignment shops and thrift stores. | READGet More Bling for Your Buck*Before your next jewelry hunt, heed this advice from local shop owners.* Photo courtesy of Ward Vintage
“Hunting for vintage jewelry is a thrill,” says Jennifer Ward, owner of Ward Vintage in Bernardsville. “Some of the best costume-jewelry brands were founded by people who had worked for Cartier, Harry Winston and other great designers. A piece doesn’t have to be signed for it to be of quality. If you find something that speaks to you, get it.” | READSPORTS & PLAYSave on Sports and Leisure ActivitiesRent a luxury car, get season tickets for less and more. | READEnjoy Eco-Friendly OptionsPrograms like Charge Up New Jersey offer incentives for clean driving. Photo: Shutterstock/Zviahintsev Denis
Take advantage of local incentives for clean driving, renewable energy and more. | READFind Tee-Riffic Savings at Local Golf CoursesTake advantage of weekday and twilight rates at Heron Glen in Ringoes. Photo courtesy of Heron Glen Golf Course
NJ abounds in great public and semi-private golf courses. | READREAL ESTATEBuy our January 2023 issue here. Cover photo by Rebecca Handler
Consider Property in Atlantic CityFor those who dream of owning a slice of the pie at the Jersey Shore but believe it’s unattainable, don’t forget Atlantic City. Not only are condos and homes affordable, but it’s one of the few cities in the country where properties can be purchased for less now than in 2005. Move quickly, since AC is being developed by some of the same heavy hitters that revitalized Asbury Park. —Ed CondranCheck Out Condos in WeehawkenSomehow, the charming city on the Hudson is under the radar. Weehawken is an easy ferry, bus or Uber from Manhattan, and it’s more affordable than Hoboken and Jersey City. —ECGETAWAYSTake Advantage of Winter in ACCheck out the Borgata Hotel and Casino’s off-season pricing in Atlantic City. Photo courtesy of Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa
Rooms in Atlantic City go for more than $500 a night during the summer. If you don’t care about the beach breezes during the balmy dog days, why not indulge during the off-season? Rooms at the Borgata go for around $100. A night at the Tropicana is $48. There are also an array of deals at various casino restaurants during the off-season. And don’t forget to consult our roundup of AC’s best restaurants. —ECSave at the Jersey ShoreAlready yearning for a trip to the Shore? Working directly with an agent is one of the best ways to cut costs because there are no hidden fees, says James Ward, a broker associate at Shore Points Vacations in Point Pleasant Beach. Book early, as prices may go up as inventory goes down. Renters can also save 20–25 percent by booking during summer’s shoulder seasons (late spring and early fall). —Falyn StemplerEXPERT ADVICEEffectively Make New Year’s Resolutions“Nothing helps achieve a bigger goal like achieving a small goal,” says life coach Allison Task. Photo courtesy of Donna Dotan
Making a resolution this year? “Be realistic and give yourself some grace,” says Montclair-based career and life coach Allison Task, author of the self-help book Personal (R)evolution. | READSave Money as a Garden State ResidentHere are a few practical tips for Garden State residents. Photo: Shutterstock/Pickadook
It may sound like an oxymoron, but there are some ways to save while living in New Jersey. We asked Roger Moss, an advisor with the Montville Financial Group, how Garden State residents can keep a little more of their hard-earned green. | READ
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Take advantage of weekday and twilight rates at Heron Glen in Ringoes. Photo courtesy of Heron Glen Golf Course
New Jersey abounds in great public and semi-private golf courses.
The best way to save on public golf is to register with your county. For an annual fee as low as $40 (depending on the county), residents get advance-booking privileges and reduced fees.
Monmouth County, for example, charges residents only $50 a year for a season pass (less for seniors and juniors). Passholders can play the highly regarded Hominy Hill for just $40 on weekdays (carts extra). Without the pass, it’s still a relative bargain at $65 on weekdays.
Wherever you play, weekdays and twilight times (typically late afternoon) always cost less. Twilight times are great in late spring and summer, when you can play into the early evening hours. Consider the challenging Heron Glen in Ringoes, where nonresidents of Hunterdon County pay $54 on weekdays and $33 weekdays after 3:30 pm (carts extra; less for seniors).
Be flexible! Some excellent courses (including Bowling Green in Oak Ridge and Architects in Phillipsburg) offer dynamic (or adaptive) pricing online, with great deals available based on open tee times.
Want more ways to live the luxe life for less in New Jersey? Check out more tips and tricks for saving on everything from entertainment to your taxes in the Garden State.
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The post Tee-riffic Savings for New Jersey Golfers appeared first on New Jersey Monthly.
That night, McReynolds would land the fish—and story—of a lifetime, a 90-minute-plus battle that eventually brought him down into the drink, almost on top of the beast, where he shoved his hand under its gill plate and bear-hugged the 78.8-pound striped-bass world record.
That fish would forever cement the Garden State as sacred waters for the species.
“New Jersey is one of, if not the top place to catch striped bass anywhere on the planet,” says Lavallette’s Nick Honachefsky, a 48-year-old angler, fishing journalist and host of the television series, Saltwater Underground With Nick Honachefsky.
Known scientifically asMorone saxatilis, striper are a migratory species found in the ocean, bays, rivers and tributaries—living in saltwater, but swimming up coastal rivers into brackish and even freshwater to spawn. They can be fished March through December, but the highlight of the year is when they migrate in the spring and fall. “During the fall run, you can see them blitzing, feeding thick in the surf, literally getting washed up in the waves and bouncing off your legs. That kind of excitement has always resonated with me,” Honachefsky explains.
Across the state, Barry Stevenson, 67, fishes much different waters, but with the same intensity. “My home court is the Delaware River,” he says. “Anywhere from Salem to the Commodore Barry Bridge, all from the bank. I’ve seen that river change from the early ’70s, when it was highly polluted and basically all you caught was catfish, maybe some perch. I’ve watched the Clean Water Act slowly but surely start to take effect. It’s not pristine, but it’s a hell of a lot cleaner than it was.”
Barry Stevenson’s godfather introduced him to fishing on the Maurice River, a tributary of the Delaware Bay, when he was 12. Photo courtesy of Barry Stevenson
When striped bass follow bait into local waters, they cause a fever among New Jersey fishermen. And while other species require expensive boats, complicated tackle and hundreds of dollars of fuel to head far into the ocean, these “linesiders” are the everyman’s trophy fish, offering the opportunity for pretty much anyone to land a massive catch.
Striped bass are fished by boat off the pristine shores of Island Beach State Park and all the way inside Newark Bay. Brave anglers chase them through cold water on kayaks. They’re hooked from huge party boats and little skiffs off sod banks. Fishermen target striped bass from shorelines and bridges way up the Delaware River to the Water Gap. And surfcasting for stripers is woven into the cultural fabric of all 127 miles of New Jersey’s beachfront.
“Anyone can go out there, whether it’s a sportfishing boat, from a pier, the surf, inside the back bay or from a jetty. Bass can be anywhere because they’re a migrating species—I think that generates the excitement,” grins Honachefsky.
Nick Honachefsky, Jersey fishing journalist and host of Saltwater Underground With Nick Honachefsky, lives for the mayhem of the fall run. Photo courtesy of Tom Lynch/Angry Fish Gallery
On the banks of the Delaware, Stevenson agrees.
“Most of the time, if you’re chasing a fish as big and strong as a striped bass, you’re spending an exorbitant amount of money. But you can go to a department store and get a 7-foot rod-and-reel combo with a pack of bloodworms for $50, meet down on the river and [fish for striper]. You can absolutely land a trophy fish.”
Stevenson grew up in Vineland. His godfather introduced him to fishing on the Maurice River, a tributary of the Delaware Bay, when he was 12. After his years at Bloomsburg University, he began investing more time in fishing. He and his wife, Victoria, settled in Woodstown, Salem County. “I can show up in the morning, catch that tide just turning to go out. There are certain moons we wait on. When it’s all lined up, the hair on the back of my neck will stand up,” Stevenson laughs.
Stevenson fishes bloodworm balls as bait—multiple bloodworms packed into a small mesh bag that he ties himself. Or he uses chunks of Atlantic menhaden known as bunker, a common baitfish, one of the most important animals in our coastal ecosystem, and one that striper chase regularly.
Peanut bunker (juvenile menhaden) swarm in Ocean County during a legendary striper feeding frenzy in 2016 that stretched more than 10 miles and lasted 10 hours. Photo courtesy of Tom Lynch/Angry Fish Gallery
Honachefsky grew up in Clinton. He first went saltwater fishing at six years old, when his father took him to Island Beach State Park, igniting a lifelong passion. He thrives on fishing in brutal nor’easters, “trying to throw a plug into a 35-mph wind at this mean green water. Maybe it gets hit by a 25-pound bass, challenging you in that surf. You can literally get sucked in and drown. Or, when you’re fishing at night, standing in the dark water, imagining what else is in the water with you: All your senses are on alert, listening for a slurp or trying to smell the bait. That’s just so exciting.”
After graduating from Villanova, Honachefsky moved to Normandy Beach when he was 22, and his first jobs in the industry were managing a tackle shop and working forthe Fisherman magazine in Point Pleasant. He left to pursue a living as a freelancer, writing for “every fishing mag that has ever been in existence.”
In 2014, he cohosted a show called Hookin’ Up With Nick and Mariko, his first foray into television. Five years ago, he went all in with Saltwater Underground With Nick Honachefsky, which has aired on the Sportsman Channel, Waypoint TV and, as of this winter, Discovery Channel.
Honachefsky fishes on any boat or beach where the bass are. He lives for the mayhem of the fall run, driving his buggy on the beaches of northern Ocean County, looking for the telltale signs of striper. He enjoys both targeting bass on lures as well as what he calls wait-and-bait fishing.
“But lures are another level. You try to match the hatch (look and movements) of the lures with the baitfish that are in the water—swimming plugs, metal or poppers. It’s a really dynamic way to fish. You can get a really aggressive strike. It’s exciting when you see a bass jump out of the water and blow out your popper. Or when you haven’t had a hit in a hundred casts, then you get whacked and your line gets tight.”
He explains that, even though areas of the state’s estuaries may become urbanized, bass won’t change their innate patterns. “They’re still going up those backwaters to spawn out. They’re still going to migrate up and down the coast. You find bass by the Statue of Liberty. People don’t realize those bass are still in the marsh banks of Jimmy Hoffa’s Meadowlands. I’ve fished way up the Raritan River by the Driscoll Bridge. It’s sketchy. Fishermen have had their gear stolen and knives pulled on them. You’re fishing these industrial areas, but the fish are there!” Honachefsky says.
The spring run starts in March and goes to June. The fall starts in late October and runs to the end of the year. By veteran anglers’ accounts, both seasons seem to happen later than they used to.
Striper don’t bite prey like a shark or even a bluefish. Like their freshwater cousins, they tend to just inhale bunker, sand eels, crabs, eels and pretty much anything else swimming off our coasts.
Rules around striper can be complicated and are always hotly debated. New Jersey anglers are only permitted to keep one striper per day, and it must be between 28 and 38 inches. The smaller ones are allowed to grow, and the larger ones are super-breeders. Both fishermen are committed to conservation of the species; Stevenson says he never keeps bass, and Honachefsky releases about 99.9 percent of his catches.
Anyone targeting striped bass must register with New Jersey Fish and Wildlife’s Saltwater Recreational Registry Program, which is free. No one is permitted to target striper beyond the 3-mile line in the ocean, and bass fishing is restricted in January and February.
All of this has helped to protect the fishery, but perhaps not as much as a rule, unique to our state, that bans the commercial fishing or sale of striped bass in New Jersey. You can cross the Hudson or the Delaware and order striped bass in a restaurant, but not in New Jersey.
“I love that New Jersey has protected the bass stocks. In the ’80s, they were almost legally extinct from commercial overfishing. Maryland put a moratorium on fishing them recreationally and commercially in the mid-80s. Then the stocks started to rebound. It’s really a success story,” Honachefsky muses, “as long as we don’t mess it up.”
Striped bass are also a vital part of the economy in coastal areas, specifically for Shore towns in what they call their shoulder seasons, before and after the summer. Anglers drop money not only on boats, marina slips, bait, gas and tackle, but also, increasingly, on restaurants, rentals and hotel rooms. According to the most recent Economic Contribution of Recreational and Commercial Striped Bass report by Southwick Associates, an outdoorsmen research firm, that number was $1.5 billion in 2016, 80 percent of which was for boats and fishing gear. The number goes up depending on the health of the fishery, which has become an economic motivation to protect them, in addition to the traditions of fishing.
“We’ve found that striped bass fishing contributes to over 18,000 jobs in the state,” says New Jersey Fish and Game Stock assessment scientist Mike Celestino. The last full assessment, done in 2018, showed patterns of mortality for caught-and-released stripers, but new regulations regarding hook types seem to be helping.
“One thing that has always made an impression is how willing anglers are to accept conservative regulations when it comes to striped bass. They really want to protect the stocks for recreational fishing and for future generations,” Celestino says.
Striper also serve a social function. “I’ve made so many good friends strictly around fishing,” says Stevenson. “Come November or March, we talk to each other every day like we’re family. Most of my fishing friends and I have nothing in common—politically, racially, religiously. But I like the diversity, because that makes me grow. We all have love for the river, fishing and conservation in common. Sometimes it’s just about going and hanging out with the buddies. Catching something is a bonus. We might work over someone going through chemo for the first time. One of the guys had already went through it and will tell how they handled it. No fish were caught, but we helped someone through something.”
McReynold’s world striper record was broken on the Connecticut side of the Long Island Sound in 2011, and McReynolds passed away in 2020.
Records don’t mean much, except in folklore. But with the dropping December water temps and those hungry fish heading down from Long Island, nothing much matters besides the bite.
Season 3 of Saltwater Underground will air on the Sportsmans Channel in January.
Jon Coen is an outdoor sports enthusiast who frequently contributes to New Jersey Monthly.
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As gamblers occupied tables and slots at Atlantic City’s Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Saturday night, a vastly different scene unfolded within the site’s Etess Arena.
There, the sounds of slot machines were drowned out by the rhythmic guitars and famous harmonies of the Beach Boys, who delivered good vibrations with a festive twist. The band’s current iteration, led by lead singer and original co-founder Mike Love, stopped in New Jersey on its “‘Tis the Season” tour, which features the Holiday Vibrations Orchestra.
The performance, a 35-song set with an intermission, included some of the Beach Boys’ most popular hits, such as “Surfin’ U.S.A.,” “I Get Around,” “Wouldn’t It Be Nice,” “Kokomo” and “Good Vibrations.” But the group, which first rose to fame in the early 1960s—albeit with a vastly different roster of members—also paused the nostalgia for holiday classics throughout the concert. With takes on “White Christmas,” “Jingle Bell Rock” and “Frosty the Snowman,” as well as originals like “Little Saint Nick,” the Beach Boys blended their expected fun-in-the-sun style with seasonal tunes fit for a crisp December evening.
The show was a reminder that the city referred to as America’s Playground has more to offer than just betting and gaming during the winter, when the cold weather leaves Atlantic City’s beaches and historic Boardwalk rather empty (often resulting in discounted hotel rates!). In addition to boasting delicious restaurants and other entertainment options in the casino resorts, the area attracts an array of famous bands, musicians and comedians—even when temperatures drop.
[RELATED: Is Atlantic City Finally On a Roll?]
Below are just some of the acts and holiday celebrations coming to Atlantic City’s casinos while it’s too chilly to enjoy the sand and surf.
Hard Rock’s Etess Arena holds 7,000 people at full capacity. Photo courtesy of Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City
Hard Rock Hotel & Casino* December 9–10: Greta Van Fleet * December 30–31: Earth, Wind & Fire * February 10–11: Def Leppard & Mötley Crüe * February 16–18: Billy Strings * March 16: The Killers
Borgata December 10: Nikki Glaser * December 10: Jerry Seinfeld * January 14: Dancing With the Stars* – 2023 Live * January 15: Sidewalk Angels featuring Rob Thomas * January 28: Whitney Cummings * March 3: Smokey Robinson
Caesars Atlantic City December 17: Atlantic City Ballet Presents: The Nutcracker * March 11: Patti LaBelle * March 26: Atlantic City Ballet Presents: Midsummer Night’s Dream*
Ocean Casino Resort* December 11: Cirque Dreams Holidaze * December 30: Duran Duran * February 25: Elvis Costello
Harrah’s Resort Atlantic City* December 8-11: Santa’s Christmas Wonderland * January 21: Pink Floyd Laser Spectacular
Tropicana Atlantic City* March 25: Chaka Khan
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