Things to do / Travel Guide
That old cliché “all that glitters isn't gold” applies to the Jersey Shore in general, and Atlantic City in particular. While Jersey Shore residents roll out the proverbial red carpets for vacationers and gamblers - flashy trolley tours and elegant cruise ships, towering illuminated casinos, and bright and colorful piers and amusement parks sparkling against the ocean, the local demographics tell a different story. Whereas literally billions of dollars pour into Atlantic City casinos, the average household income is around $30,000 and about a quarter of the city lives below the poverty line. For reasons which many economists still struggle to explain, casinos have not contributed significantly to the economic growth and prosperity of Atlantic City at large.
Of Atlantic City's approximately 40,000 residents, 44% are African American, 26% are Caucasian, about 25% are Latin American, and 10% are Asian. In terms of employment, most workers in Atlantic City are employed in the service sector, in various aspects and levels of the tourism industry, or in casino-related jobs.
Atlantic City's population and demographic breakdown differ drastically from the rest of the Jersey Shore's communities. Seaside Heights and Cape May, for instance, are about 90% Caucasian and 5% African American. Most residents of other Jersey Shore communities are decidedly working- and middle-class. The relatively small populations of the other Jersey Shore communities (usually less than 10,000 people per town) work in the area of healthcare, in the service sector, and in trade, finance, insurance, and real estate. Those not employed in these sectors tend to work in restaurants, supermarkets, and in the fields of tourism, chemicals, farming and horse breeding, and commercial fishing. The U.S. army operates in Ft. Monmouth and, together with the Systems Management Directorate, employs 13,300 workers; these two employers are among the top three in Monmouth County.
It is nearly impossible to lump the Jersey Shore towns into a single, describable category - the communities are as diverse as the seafood varieties they produce. Spring Lake doubles as the Irish Riviera - spend a few hours there and the town's green-clover heritage becomes readily apparent. You can enjoy Irish pubs, an Irish shopping center, and if you ask a longtime local's last name it very well may be Irish. Ocean Grove, by contrast, still clings to its Methodist past. Founded as a Methodist meeting retreat center in the 1869, Ocean Grove is still a bastion of religiously-committed folks. No alcohol is sold in Ocean Grove and many Methodist revival meetings and gatherings still take place there. Further down the coast, glitzy and glamorous Atlantic City shimmers and shines with multi-million dollar casino hotels, a flashy Boardwalk, and ritzy marinas. At the southern end of Jersey Shore is the quiet, Victorian Cape May. With one of the largest collections of restored Victorian homes and inns, Cape May is deeply devoted to preserving its history and to creating a culturally-refined Jersey Shore resort experience for its visitors.
There are, however, some quirky phenomena that unite the region. Ghost stories and local legends abound. So prevalent are these paranormal presences that Cape May and Ocean City have organized ghost tours of local haunts. And when you travel to the remote area of Pine Barrens keep your wits about you: The vicious Jersey Devil, complete with forked tail, horns, and bat wings is a mythical creature that allegedly lurks somewhere in the shadows.
Jersey Shore residents, those who were born and raised there, bear the maritime moniker “clamdiggers.” But either as a protest to this less-than-elegant nickname or simply as part of a local tradition, they derisively call visitors and summer vacationers “shoobies” or “bennies.”
The word “shoobie” comes from the word “shoebox” and is believed to stem from the humorous way in which, during the 1940s, delicate-soled tourists walked along the beach in their bathing suits, oxford shoes, and socks so as not chafe or burn or scrape their smooth city feet. Another possible explanation for the origin “shoobies” is that it is a reference to Philadelphia visitors who packed their clothes and lunches in a shoebox for transport to the beach. The term “bennie” either derives from the benefits tourists sought on the Jersey Shore, from the train that brought out-of-towners from Bayonne, Elizabeth, Newark, or New York City (BEN), or from the name “Benjamin,” a reference to the large number of working-class Jewish New Yorkers who poured onto the Jersey Shore for an escape from the city.
One thing is clear: Jersey Shore locals have always wanted to distinguish themselves from the tourists. Beyond the attention that flashy and ritzy Atlantic City demands from millionaires and business tycoons, and television and movie producers the world over, Jersey Shore residents in neighboring communities know they are the privileged year-rounders: “Money” magazine has consistently named Monmouth and Ocean Counties as among the 10 best places to live in the United States.
Jersey Shore residents are proud of the beauty and recreation the Atlantic Ocean provides. They enjoy fishing, seafood delicacies, swimming, and sunbathing. There's also a deep connection of the Jersey Shore to rock and roll music. Jon Bon Jovi, for one, perfected his sound in the region, and Bruce Springsteen hails from Asbury Park and has never forgotten his roots, as portrayed in his music.
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