Back from a few nights at the Jersey shore...

[JerseyJanice]

Hope all of you DIS folks had a happy and healthy Fourth of July weekend!

We are just back from four nights in Seaside Heights, New Jersey. Had a fantastic time and thought I'd share a few highlights in case any of you are thinking about visiting there.

We stayed again at the Mark III motel. It is located on the north end of town, near the Ortley Beach border. We stay there primarily because we can bring our 120 pound lab mix to stay with us, but also because we really do like it. The rooms are very nice (for the NJ shore, that is); the owner and his assistant are great people too. This trip, we met some very nice families there as well. One family a few doors down had a 12 year-old DD who connected with my 9 year-old son. We wound up spending our last night on the Boardwalk with them so that the kids could ride the rides together.

Over the weekend, Seaside hosted a volleyball tournament. I have to mention that Crocs--yes, the ugly shoe--was the main sponsor of the event. They had a tent in front of the stadium, so I had to buy a pair. I got a style called "Schutes" that are a slip-on sandal. This was the least ugly style IMO. The tent was mobbed, and it seemed they were selling quite a lot of them.

The ocean was, unfortunately, very cold and rough. We didn't get in much ocean swimming, but we spent a couple of days on the beach anyway, playing in the sand and watching the surf.

The boardwalk was hopping the whole time we were there. We enjoyed a couple of meals at Jimbo's; love the fresh fries that come with your sandwiches. We also hit Maruca's for a sausage pie; IMO, this is the pizza on the face of this Earth. We tried a Three Brothers (our neighbor recommends it) and it was good, but it is not in a class by itself the way Maruca's is.

My son won about 20 stuffed animals, two from the big crane. He is somewhat addicted to those things. We played a load of Joker Poker as well.

We'll be back later this summer; can't get enough of the Jersey shore!

 

[Imzadi]

Hmmm, it's not that far down on the map. How long did it take you from Bergen County? Is there a boardwalk there at Seaside Heights or mostly beaches?

 

[Bbgrizzle]

Glad you had a great time and returned back safely to the DIS!

Imzadie: Love your Harry Potter avatar!

 

[stemikger]

I wasn't that far from you. I was at Point Pleasant. I haven't been to Seaside Heights in years and I heard it is on the upswing. A few years back someone said that it was getting seedy. Not sure how true that was, but a few other people recently said it is getting much nicer.

Hope it is I used to go there all the time as a kid and as a young twenty something.

Point Pleasant is still nice, but much smaller than Seaside.

 

[sweet angel]

I think all of you who VISIT the shore need to give those of us who LIVE here a heads up -- in case we want to meet!

 

[JerseyJanice]

Hmmm, it's not that far down on the map. How long did it take you from Bergen County? Is there a boardwalk there at Seaside Heights or mostly beaches?

Seaside's boardwalk is fairly good-sized. Much bigger than Pt. Pleasant, but a lot smaller than Wildwood. It's a hopping place. It has two ride piers, one water park, countless arcades and stands, plus pubs that offer live entertainment. We get there in about 1 1/2 hour from here.

Stemikger, I think Seaside is in upswing right now, as is most of the Jersey shore IMO. A lot of kids go there, and I think that's the reason it gets a bad rap. However, the police presence there this weekend was impressive so we didn't see anybody acting up. We didn't even see or hear illegal fireworks being set.

I got the impression that the volleyball event meant a lot to the town, and they put extra police on to keep the partiers in control. I'm guessing Seaside wants to host future events like this AVP one.

Sweetangel -- DUH! Next time we go, I'll give you a heads up. And we will be back!

 

[TIGGER'SFRIEND]

We usually go to Ocean City every year this week and boy am I missing it this year. Had too have surgery so vacation was cancelled this year. Tell me more about the shore-- ocean waves, cheese fries,Kohr's ice cream(creamscicle), boardwalk, lift my spirits.

 

[Imzadi]

I'm a loyal Ocean City person too. But it would be nice to have some place a little closer (to NYC) to go to also. That 2 1/2 hour ride gets to be brutal driving back - especially the way I drive!

 

[Horseshoes]

I spent many summers on Long Beach Island.

When I was in HS, my girlfriend and I got her parents to take us to Seaside a few times because the coach we had a crush on was lifeguarding there

 

[JVL1018]

Seaside was always my go to place down the shore, but I don't think I've been there since Memorial Day 1990(when I met my husband )
Went to Wildwood a couple of times after that, and lately we've been hitting Point Pleasant, I guess because we heard it's more family friendly(I was one of those wild teenage prom weekenders in Seaside Heights LOL), and it's a bit closer.

But now I have the urge to go back to Seaside again, I have SO many good memories!

Imzadi..it takes about an hour and half, (I say a bit longer DH says a bit shorter??).. from Northern Bergen County-we get on the Parkway around Exit 161, 5 minutes from our house and I believe Seaside is Exit 82, and then you have the ride on 35(I think).

 

[Sleeping~Beauty]

It's strange to see people vacation there, when I go down the shore all the time.

I stopped going to Seaside after college, it was always a big party place. Nice to hear it's getting family oriented again.

I was at Pt. Pleasant, but I head down there a few times a week with the kids.

 

[nuttylawprofessor]

You mean to tell me that Seaside is no longer Sleaze-side?!?

Don't mind me. I'm one of those LBI snobs, you know, one of them locals. Well, not anymore. But I'm back for a few weeks so I'll pretend I'm a local again.

 

[Blondie]

Welcome home, sounds like you had a great time!

 

[Buckalew11]

Welcome Home, JJ!

My sister is on her way to LBI today! She'll be staying at her MIL's in Holgate. I would love to do a trip up there with DD. I want to show her where we lived, went to school etc.

 

[nuttylawprofessor]

Buckalew, I've been wondering about your screen name. Does it come from where I think it does????

 

[Cantw8]

Buckalew, I've been wondering about your screen name. Does it come from where I think it does????

easy now, you're taking this off track Sweetangel.....I will meet up with you

 

[Caradana]

LOVE the Jersey Shore ... can't wait to get back ... Janice, you have really lit a Jersey Shore fire under me now ...

 

[Buckalew11]

Buckalew, I've been wondering about your screen name. Does it come from where I think it does????

Buckalew's Bar on LBI! (Where the drinks are real and not cyber )
I grew up in Beach Haven.

 

[JerseyJanice]

LOL on the "Sleazeside" moniker! I still hear it called that, but I love the place. Always have, probably always will. It's where I went to all the time with my family when I was growing up. It's where I went for many a weekend as teen, then young adult. Now we go with my son and he's getting as hooked on the place as I am.

It's a different atmosphere than Ocean City, for sure, but we like the partying in Seaside. Nothing beats drinking a beer in a boardwalk pub while listening to Rich Meyer and watching the wave. Rich played Jimbo's one night we were there, and he is as great as ever.

The Kohr's stands in Seaside still sell their hard ice cream; the Kohr's stands in Wildwood do not. Love both the blueberry ripple and chocolate chip flavors of that stuff. It has a texture like no other ice cream. We got fudge and butter crunch at the Berkeley Sweet Shop in Seaside Park. Good thing we did so much walking!

The Fourth of July fireworks were awesome. We feared that they might not go off because of the threat of bad weather, but they happened right on time.

Fyi, people, those same fireworks are set off every Wednesday in July and August. And now on Thursday nights, they're planning to show free movies on the beach. Tonight--if the weather permitted--Sixteen Candles was scheduled to show.

My town does a "Movie Under the Stars" thing and it's a lot of fun. Almost like being at a drive-in movie again.

 

[SeeDisney]

Thanks for sharing your vacation trip.

Yes, I too, way way back in 1985 and 1986 remember as a late teen going to Sleaze-side all summer long.......just can't remember the names of clubs either. It was a VERY BIG HANG-out for teens. Can't remember seeing any families there. I remember zillions of Iroc's, firebirds, Monte Carlo SS, Buick Nationals, vettes going up and down and up and down and up and down "the strip".

Ahhh, the memories at the time. Haven't seen Seaside for over 20 years now.