Things to do / Travel Guide
With 127 miles of sandy, serene, and sensational seashores, over 4,000 scuba diving wreck sites, more than a million acres of preserved wildlife, and the world's longest, boardwalk, the Jersey Shore has refined the very definition of recreation. Indeed, the Jersey Shore has always been supremely situated on the cutting edge of fun. From the flashy flamboyance of Atlantic City's casinos and piers, to the trendy fashion boutiques of Red Bank; from the outstanding white sand beaches of Point Pleasant Beach, to the dignified elegance of Cape May's historic architecture; from the doo-wopping, be-bopping history of the Wildwoods, to the powerful and passionate past of Monmouth Battlefield State Park, visitors agree: the Jersey Shore's got it all. The region offers kayaking through pine barrens, cedar and cranberry bogs, wildlife preserves, salt water marshes, estuaries, canals, creeks, ocean coves, and bay harbors, all while watching for whales, bottle-nose dolphins, and nearly 200 species of migratory birds!
Feel the breeze ruffle your hair as you bike a paved route through the mudflats and holly forests of Sandy Hook Bird Observatory, where you can see more than 350 different bird species. You can also soothe weary muscles in the warm sand at Sandy Hook's 7+ miles of beachfront. Put your paddle in at the Navesink River and snake your way from Red Bank to Rumson, letting the current push you toward the saltwater that rushes the sands of Navesink Beach. Shop along a swanky strip of Long Branch's upscale, oceanfront boutiques. Give yourself the ultimate test of strength: go for a shark-hunting excursion in Brielle. Savor some fresh fish and shellfish at some of the Jersey Shore's best seafood eateries in Highlands, Point Pleasant Beach, and Cape May. Sit back and enjoy a sunrise or sunset sailing trip through Raritan Bay or Barnegat Bay, or get active and bike, walk, dance, dine, and drink along Jersey Shore's miles and miles of beautiful boardwalk attractions.
The list of the Jersey Shore's lures is as long as its coastline. The variety of attractions and activities that line the Jersey Shore is as impressive as the number of Jersey Shore beaches that skirt the Atlantic Ocean. Are you a fishing fanatic? The Jersey Shore's freshwater and saltwater fishing hotspots will have you hooked - and the northern area of Sandy Hook is only the start. Hoping for posh shops? The region's upscale and bargain shopping excites every consumer. Are you a biking buff? Blast down the Jersey Shore's bountiful boardwalks; make your mark on the mountain biking trails of Wharton State Forest; race along miles of the Jersey Shore's railways-turned-trail ways. Looking for a bit of enlightenment? Climb to the heights of the Jersey Shore's tallest, oldest, and longest-operating lighthouses for lofty views of the region. Are you searching for sun and sand? Jersey Shore's wide, white beaches rank among the best in the country. Are you a glitz and glamour gourmand? Atlantic City's casinos, nightclubs, top-notch entertainers, and haute cuisine will satisfy your search for all that is swanky and superlative. Hoping to strike it rich? Try your hand at the gaming machines and table games, and if that doesn't pan out, you can comb the coast for sand-buried treasures and Cape May diamonds (which are actually pure quartz crystals).
When you let yourself be entranced by the Jersey Shore's charisma you won't be the first - the Jersey Shore has been historically hailed as a sightseer's seventh heaven. Cape May is the oldest seashore resort in the United States; even Abraham Lincoln found it worth a stop. Atlantic City has been a revered resort town since the 1800s, and tycoon Donald Trump keeps touting its (and his) triumphs. Long Branch boasts an impressive tourist list: Ulysses S. Grant, William McKinley, Woodrow Wilson, and James Garfield all chose Long Branch's 12 beaches for respite, rest, and relaxation. Bruce Springsteen can still be seen at one of Asbury Park's famous local dive bars; neither fame nor fortune could sever his Jersey Shore roots. So when you vacation in the Jersey Shore, you can be certain you're in good company, as the United States' best, brightest, and hippest have always given the region their seal of approval. You'll surely give it yours too!
The Jersey Shore region is on Eastern Time, three hours ahead of Pacific Time.
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