LBI: The Jersey Shore
The Jersey Shore tends to get a bad rap for obvious reasons. I know when my fiance first invited me ‘down the shore’ for his family vacation five years ago I was a little on the fence. I thought: seriously? Your family goes to The Jersey Shore for vacation every year? But my love of the ocean (and for my man) won out, and I went with them. And you know what? It’s gorgeous. Every year we stay at the top of Long Beach Island (LBI) near Barnegat Lighthouse on the canal and it’s such a lovely spot. There’s plenty to do, you’re a short walk or bike ride from the ocean, and it’s sublime. I’ve rounded up some of my favorite things to do so that you’re never bored when you make your way to the Jersey Shore!
Every morning I like to wake up early before anyone else in the house and get my workout in. The views are stunning, whether you’re running, biking, walking, or finding a nice shady area to do some form of strength training!
When I get back, usually someone else is awake and by then it is coffee time. Luckily, the house we always stay at is a short bike ride away from the best coffee on LBI: How You Brewin’. Not only is their name adorable, but their coffee is delicious beyond words. They have fun seasonal flavors like s’mores, but I always stick to my tried and true iced vanilla latte.
In the same area as How You Brewin’ is Viking Village: a collection of little boutiques. I always check out The Spotted Whale for their fun home decor, and this year I bought us some wall art from the antique shop The Seawife! Those driftwood sculptures are going to look amazing in our bathroom.
If you’re like me, then you also want to maximize your oceanfront time. Usually, we all slather on the sunscreen and head to the beach for a good portion of the day. The beaches are hardly ever crowded, and the waves are gentle enough so you don’t have to fear getting pulled out to sea, but rough enough that you can body surf and not be bored in the water! I always recommend a good beach read as well, and this year I read Prey by Michael Crichton (an oldie but a goodie!)
Once the day at the beach is done, we’ll head back to our rental house for showering and relaxing.
If you’re looking for an activity to do in the afternoon, Jen’s Links has the most fun mini golf course!
And if you just want to go straight to dinner, Ship Bottom Shellfish has the best seafood bisque of your life (and a decent lobster roll, too!) It’s not located in Barnegat Light proper, but trust me- this soup is worth the drive down the island.
While we’re digesting, we usually take a walk down to the end of the lane and watch the sun set. I don’t know about you, but I’ve always found sunsets on the beach to be magical.
And what’s a day at the beach without ice cream?! We always finish our day with Poppy’s - which has the best ice cream on LBI. They carry seasonal flavors, and a special “Jersey Shore” variety (which is vanilla & caramel). My go-tos are s’mores & sugar free moose tracks.
As a girl raised in the Carolinas, I grew up making the yearly trip to the Outer Banks’ Ocean Isle - so I never thought I’d love a northern beach as well. While the Jersey Shore got a bit of a bad name from a certain Reality Show, don’t let that stop you from visiting the beautiful beaches of LBI - a lesser known gem of the Northeast.
xoxo, Sarah
