Jersey shore summer question!

[sharonW]

Also OC is a dry town which means you won't have the problem of the 18-20yo's trying to get alcohol which is probably doable in Wildwood. I think Wildwood is dirty. It's fun for a night if the older kids want bigger rides and the beach is huge, but it is a long hot walk to the water. Sea Isle is nice but also a bit of a college drinking atmosphere. Cape May is nice for a day trip or for a couples only get away but not enough to do other then the beaches and shopping.

I couldn't have said it better, tiggeroo!!!!

 

[dani0622]

I always forget about Brigatine. It's near Atlantic City but much cleaner, quieter, and family oriented. They rent condos over there and I think the beach is free.

 

[marcyinPA]

I've never stayed there, but I have two friends who go to Diamond Beach every year and love it. It is in the Wildwood area, but very quiet and family friendly (from what they both said!)

 

[Tiggeroo]

Brigantine = greenheads.

 

[sharonW]

Brigantine = greenheads.

OH YES!!!!! Had a summer home on Brigantine for many yrs and though I loved it it is not my favorite anymore....so true.. its home to the GREENHEADS!!!! ouch!

 

[onelilspark]

I grew up outside Philly. After my grandparents sold their place in Cape May, we'd rent a house in Ocean City one week per summer.

 

[Hidden_Mickey]

I live nearby Ocean Grove and will agree it's beautiful, smaller shore town.

I'm a big fan of Cape May, vacationing there many, many times. If you check out capemay.com or capemaytimes.com they have a great section on rentals and hotels. I found that if you stay at a "guest house" you don't have to pay the occupany tax. Not sure if that's true anymore, worth investigating. Also, more affordable if you don't stay in the center part of town - anything close to Washington Street Mall is pricier.

Unfortunately, I have to disagree with Wildwood. I know the Southern end of Wildwood Crest is much nicer and quieter, but we made the mistake of staying in the Crest section closer to the Boardwalk and didn't realize it. We were very unhappy and while the kids liked the boardwalk, we were miserable. We found it to be a like a party town and almost dirty and seedy, equivlaent to Seaside Heights, just bigger (that would be the shore town that stupid Jersey Shore is based out of).

We calculated that what we spent on a four day weekend in Wildwood was a few hundred bucks short of what we are paying for a week in WDW in February because of the expenses of the boardwalk.

Well we didn't go to the Boardwalk every night. Some nights we hung around and played board games. We also took advantage of the morning discounts on the water parks and Morey's Piers. I agree you COULD spend quite a bit if you aren't careful.

 

[ashleybea]

I'm biased to Ocean City. I love it. There's plenty to do and great places to eat. The only thing is that the beaches are tagged. I've only been tagged at the "popular" spots like 9th street. Just look around for rentals because I have heard that sometimes they can be included.

 

[golfgal]

Ok, this was several years ago and only for a weekend but my cousin got married in Ocean City, we stayed in some older hotels right on the beach in the Sea Girt area. They would be a fun place for a family type stay--which is basically what we did at the wedding. It was an older hotel so the rooms were not "fancy" but they were spacious and had a lot of character. I had a lovely view of the ocean. There were a lot of fun shops, etc. in the towns around there.

 

[marcyinPA]

I wanted to add that we take day trips to Spring Lake (which is a beach town, with a lake in the middle) and it is GORGEOUS but PRICEY. Do a search to check it out...the homes (mansions) are amazingly beautiful. It is more northern Jersey, just above Pt. Pleasant.

Spring Lake has boards, but no "boardwalk". You would need to head to Pt. Pleasant for a boardwalk.

But if you are looking for quaint, quiet, and relaxing, Spring Lake might fit the bill for you!

 

[JerseyJanice]

Your OP sounds like a description of North Wildwood or Wildwood Crest. Both places have tons of new condos for rent.

This coming summer, we are planning to go in with friends to rent a townhouse in Seapointe Village in Diamond Beach, which is at the southern end of Wildwood Crest. Look this development up on-line. Gorgeous and filled with amenitities. It's expensive, but if you have families sharing a unit, it's actually quite reasonable.

Frankly, I see problems with many of the places mentioned in this thread. You'll have to bring your own linens (sheets and towels) to most rentals in LBI. And whatever you do, avoid Holgate when the wind is blowing in from the west. Ocean Grove is often referred to as "Ocean Grave" and for good reason. The boardwalk in Point Pleasant is lovely, but the ocean is very rough there and not good for swimming. I know Ocean City is popular, but it's not a good place for renters who aren't very familiar with the area.

 

[kimmar067]

Wildwood!! The beach by day and the Boardwalk by night! We've been there twice and loved it. Stay in Wildwood Crest - it is a couple of miles from the busy boardwalk and has nice quiet neighborhoods. Very family friendly! Lots of good restaurants and mini golf. Rent a house or condo. We did both. Our condo was half a block from the beach. Look at the official Wildwood site - they can send you brochures, maps, coupons, etc. Go to Calloway Real Estate for the rentals - we used them twice and were very happy. They were recomended by family.

Cape May is beautiful but yes, expensive in the summer, and right next door, so you can visit for a day.

...another vote for the Wildwoods, but the Crest is more family-oriented. Personally, I cdon't care for No. Wildwood, because the beach is too dang WIDE and you feel like you are walking across the Sahara....

 

[kimmar067]

Your OP sounds like a description of North Wildwood or Wildwood Crest. Both places have tons of new condos for rent.

This coming summer, we are planning to go in with friends to rent a townhouse in Seapointe Village in Diamond Beach, which is at the southern end of Wildwood Crest....

....Diamond Beach IS gorgeous, but pricey....

 

[LBIJim]

...another vote for the Wildwoods, but the Crest is more family-oriented. Personally, I cdon't care for No. Wildwood, because the beach is too dang WIDE and you feel like you are walking across the Sahara....

Go to the extreme northeast corner of North Wildwood..around 2nd or 3rd streets....the beach is narrow there. At high tide the ocean almost reaches the seawall. At low tide you can wade out forever and there are interesting sandbars to explore.

I'd never thought I'd see it, but the beach in the main part of North Wildwood is actually receding. It's still Saraha sized, but Morey's Pier had to install a seawall last year because the ocean reaches it at high tide. The sand is migrating to the inlet between North Wildwood and Stone Harbor.

Jim

 

[mjkacmom]

The boardwalk in Point Pleasant is lovely, but the ocean is very rough there and not good for swimming..

I agree with Wildwood Crest, but as for Point Pleasant being bad for swimming, it depends on what you are looking for. My kids have been an hour from the shore their entire lives (as have I), and the best part of going there is body surfing, boogie bording, jumping over or diving through the waves. We went to a beach when we got off a cruise in Port Canaveral, and my kids hated the little waves.

 

[chris24]

LBI is my favorite place to visit, its very family oriented and if you book now you should be able to find some cheaper places to stay further along the Southern shore. If you find a real estate agent now he/she might be able to find you a cluster of homes to fill everyone's needs

if you want a nice family friendly, relaxing vacation - LBI is the place for you....

if you want to live like "the situation" go to seaside.....

 

[chris24]

wildwood used to be nice, but now they are turning all the hotels into condo's, so the hotels that are still there charge too much money. for what you would spend for a week there, you are better off renting a house near WDW or go on an all-inclusive to some island somewhere - JMO......

 

[LBIJim]

You'll have to bring your own linens (sheets and towels) to most rentals in LBI. And whatever you do, avoid Holgate when the wind is blowing in from the west. QUOTE]

Too many suggestions for Long Beach Island.....STAY AWAY!!!! It's way too crowded here in summer!!!!

J/k.....welcome if you decide you rent here....not many condos or hotels for short term stays. Mostly weekly rentals. You can get an older, smaller but decent home (nothing fancy) on the bay side in Ship Bottom for under $1000 a week or a huge oceanfront mansion in Loveladies or North Beach for $15000. Or anything in between.

All LBI beaches require tags. Most rentals include 4 in the rental fee. You'll need to buy additional ones. And yes, you need to bring your own linens or rent them. My wife owns a housecleaning/linen rental business.

All LBI beaches can suffer from geenhead flies when the wind is from the west, but it's especially bad in Holgate because of the marshes on the bay side.

It's quieter and more exclusive in the northern end. The southern end is where most of the action is, especially my town of Beach Haven. No boardwalk, but there's a small amusement park, arcades, shops, restaurants, bars, a live theatre, mini golf, and other diversions.

Another point: free parking everywhere, unlike lots of other shore towns.

Enjoy whatever you decide.

 

[LBIJim]

I'm biased to Ocean City. I love it. There's plenty to do and great places to eat. The only thing is that the beaches are tagged. I've only been tagged at the "popular" spots like 9th street. Just look around for rentals because I have heard that sometimes they can be included.

There usually are beach tag checkers at every entrance to the Ocean City beach from 5th to 14th streets (main part of town on the boardwalk). Also small groups of mid-teen employees roam the beach checking for tags. It's a long shot that you can get away without a beach tag in this part of town.

Even though I live on LBI I mostly go to the beach in Ocean City. In general Cape May & Atlantic county beaches are superior to those in Ocean & Monmouth counties, IMO. The southern beaches have a gradual slope to the ocean, the waves are more gentle, you can wade out a long distance and there's a large difference between high and low tides. Ocean & Monmouth beaches have a sharp drop to the ocean, waves are generally rough, in many places the ocean is deeper than your head when you walk out 25 feet, and there's little noticeable difference between high and low tides.

I'm tinkering with the idea of selling in LBI and moving to Ocean City.

Jim

 

[gina2000]

if you want a nice family friendly, relaxing vacation - LBI is the place for you....

if you want to live like "the situation" go to seaside.....

I have to come back to this comment because Seaside Heights is the crummy part of Seaside....Lavallette, Ortley, (north of the Heights) and Seaside Park (south of the Heights) heading toward Island Beach State Park are lovely and quiet.