Jersey Shore Weekend Getaway

How do you guys do it? Which is your fav town/beach? Which place do you stay? Any Hotel/Motel/Vacation Rental recommendations? Any help is appreciated. 

You'll be spending that money on a plumber.   

Welcome to home ownership...

Thank you, Jim! I'm already day dreaming being at the beach.

jimmurphy said:

You'll be spending that money on a plumber.  "> 

Welcome to home ownership...

Probably depends on your tolerance for driving. We usually went to Bradley Beach for day trips and Beach for overnights. Engleside Inn or one of the B&Bs (Victoria Guest House was my favorite - nice little pool).

Cape May.  I stayed at the Cape May Inn, which is right across from the beach.  Congress Hall is the upscale choice.  

Also Ocean Grove is a great place to stay because it's so cute and you can walk to Asbury Park.

RobB said:

Probably depends on your tolerance for driving. We usually went to Bradley Beach for day trips and Beach for overnights. Engleside Inn or one of the B&Bs (Victoria Guest House was my favorite - nice little pool).

Thanks @RobB. Day trips are fun, this time we are thinking of Friday and Saturday night stay. Some place quiet with no commercial establishments - that is no Point Pleasant or Seaside Heights.

If you don't mind quiet, we stayed at Cashelmara Inn at Avon by the Sea. Nice place. Very nice brunch. Short drive. 

Spring Lake  - pick a B & B.

+1 Bradley Beach. Only 50 miles away. From there can also walk the boardwalk to Ocean Grove and Asbury.

gerryl said:

If you don't mind quiet, we stayed at Cashelmara Inn at Avon by the Sea. Nice place. Very nice brunch. Short drive. 

There are no short drives to the Jersey Shore on Summer Friday evenings.

True. Even late afternoon Friday can be a pain if nice weather is forecast. Best to go Friday morning, Thursday night, or very early Saturday morning. (And keep in mind that all the shore-goers are hitting the road late afternoon Sunday to get home, so best to leave well after dinner or 3:00ish Sunday to avoid the return traffic. Or stay till Monday, if schedule allows.)

sac said:

gerryl said:

If you don't mind quiet, we stayed at Cashelmara Inn at Avon by the Sea. Nice place. Very nice brunch. Short drive. 

There are no short drives to the Jersey Shore on Summer Friday evenings.

Ocean Grove. No commercial buildings on the boardwalk and a 5-10 minute walk to the Asbury Park restaurant and entertainment area. 

Come to think of it, I think we left on a Thursday. It was years ago. I have heard even Monday returns to home are bad traffic. 

some towns and beaches are nice but no decent accommodation unless you are looking to spend entire week and $2,000 plus at very low end. Around $3.5k would get you decent place but another issue is these units get sold out fast unless you book months in advance. We have tried several motels but we are not going back.

for that kind of $ you can go to a beautiful beach in the Caribbean and have food, maid service and activities included. This is why we never bother with the jersey shore except for an odd weekend here and there if we see a sale. I don't understand the whole beach house thing at these prices.

conandrob240 said:

for that kind of $ you can go to a beautiful beach in the Caribbean and have food, maid service and activities included. This is why we never bother with the jersey shore except for an odd weekend here and there if we see a sale. I don't understand the whole beach house thing at these prices.

Exactly too much money, somethings gotta be wrong right? It's the same story in Montauk, NY, Cape Cods and Newport, RI. For that kind of money you could do Miami round trip with stay in 4 star hotel in winter months, or another way to think about it that NYC 4 star hotels are cheaper than this even in Summer peak months.

We are only looking for weekend getaway - will drive Friday morning and come back Sunday afternoon. It isn't rocket science but we haven't figured it out as yet. Or may be I'm looking for something that doesn't exist.

yeah, we used to rent a home all summer on Fire Island to work out there. A whole house used to be $8-15k for the summer. Same houses rent for 5x that now and for $upwards of $3000 a week. Jersey shore is worse and eastern LI is absolutely out of reach for most. I would rather sit on a better beach at an all-inclusive in the Caribbean!

I prefer the Cape or LBI to Miami or the Bahamas. Different strokes for different folks. Make-a da world go round.

yeah, the dark coarse sand, brownish water, access fees, crowds, doing your own cooking, cleaning and laundry- much better than sitting in crystal clear water being waited on hand and foot LOL.

Jersey shore for day trips or cheap overnights. Not worth it for $5000 for a week.

Caribbean has lost appeal for those concerned about the Zika virus.

I guess.  But people having been paying $5k a week for the Jersey shore much longer than there has been the threat of Zika virus. 

Stop liking what I don't like!

I don't dislike the Jersey shore or Long Island beaches, I just don't get why people spend what they do to stay in a "meh" house, do their own cooking, own laundry, etc.  I often wonder if people realize they can get a much better vacation for the $ or if they truly just like it.  I guess some people don't want to fly and it is a way to have a large family gathering. 

conandrob240 said:

I don't dislike the Jersey shore or Long Island beaches, I just don't get why people spend what they do to stay in a "meh" house, do their own cooking, own laundry, etc.  I often wonder if people realize they can get a much better vacation for the $ or if they truly just like it.  I guess some people don't want to fly and it is a way to have a large family gathering. 

You don't get it then   The Jersey shore is its own thing It is imbued with its own culture, nostalgia and traditions   Its also beautiful   I do plenty of caribbean trips but there's only one Jersey shore whereas most carribean trips look the same  

I get it. It has lots of charm and many good aspects. But when I can go to an all inclusive in the Caribbean on a crystal clear white sand beach and eat, drink and be waited on hand & foot for the same price as a dated beach house (where I have to cook, clean and do laundry) on a crowded beach, it's a no brainer for me

i can see   For 5 grand a week its oceanfront and luxury and I dont cook or clean.  All about what youre looking for.   I grew up with it and love it. And you should see how gorgeous and blue the water is this year   

+1

boomie said:

conandrob240 said:

I don't dislike the Jersey shore or Long Island beaches, I just don't get why people spend what they do to stay in a "meh" house, do their own cooking, own laundry, etc.  I often wonder if people realize they can get a much better vacation for the $ or if they truly just like it.  I guess some people don't want to fly and it is a way to have a large family gathering. 

You don't get it then   The Jersey shore is its own thing It is imbued with its own culture, nostalgia and traditions   Its also beautiful   I do plenty of caribbean trips but there's only one Jersey shore whereas most carribean trips look the same  

blue? In NJ?

conandrob240 said:

blue? In NJ?

Yes   Come visit some time  

http://patch.com/new-jersey/middletown-nj/beautiful-photos-jersey-shores-tropical-ocean-water-week

I've been to the shore three times this year. Atlantic city, point pleasant and ocean grove and the water was most decidedly not blue. It looked cleaner than it did when I was a child but the water has always looked more brownish/greenish on the NY/NJbeaches. 

Again, it's a lovely place- I grew up with similar beaches and I enjoy visiting them- but a shore rental at the prices they charge doesn't make sense to me.