Toms River, New Jersey is home to almost 100,000 people. Known to outsiders simply as "the city you go through to get to Seaside Heights," there's a lot more to this place than you'd think. So, what makes this place unique?
1. Wawas. Are. Everywhere.
Both convenient and a little overwhelming, it's hard to go even a half mile in Toms River without encountering the chain. It's great for a quick meal, grabbing a coffee on-the-go, or being there when you finally cave in and decide to finally fill up your car that's already past empty.
Photo Credit: Daily News
2. Diners are everywhere, too.
Not as prominent as Wawa, but close to it, are the many diners in the city. From Crystal to Toms River to Four Seasons, diners are always close by to satisfy your craving for chocolate chip pancakes at 2 a.m.
3. Steer clear of Route 37 in the summer as much as you can.
This rule applies the most during the times of 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends. Here, everyone flocking to the beach has to take the road, so residents know to either wait for it to clear up, or try to take a back road.
4. High school rivalries are real... very real.
Between high schools North, South, and East (with no West because that's just the way Toms River is), there is a lot of tension, specifically between North and South. Some people take the "friendly" competition a lot further than others, but once you go to one of the football games, you know just how real it is.
Photo Credit: WOBM
5. You have to drive at least half an hour away for a decent mall.
Sure, the Ocean County Mall was the spot every weekend for both middle and high school students, but everyone knew the Freehold Mall is so much better. The only problem? It's about thirty to forty minutes away, and your options of getting there include going straight on Route 9 (don't do it!) or following your GPS and taking the parkway, only to get off at a random exit that gets you lost anyway. But still, if you know what you need and what store to get it at, the Ocean County Mall can come in handy.
6. Winding River was the place to go in middle school.
Whether it was a school sponsored event or an outing with your friends, Winding River was the best place to go on a Friday night to pretend like you knew how to ice skate. The line for the concessions were always ridiculously long, but that never stopped you from waiting half an hour for hot chocolate and a churro. With the perfect mix of middle school drama and fun with your class, it was one of the best ways to spend time in Toms River. That is, if your mom let you go.
7. If you didn't have a birthday party at Libby Lu's, Color Me Mine, Build-a-Bear, or Michael's, it wasn't as cool as it could've been.
The number of parties for little boys and girls held in these places is astronomical. Getting an invite to one of them was the coolest feeling ever, because you knew you'd be going home with some knick knack that you thought you'd use all the time, but would really just end up collecting dust in your room. Still, it was always a fun party and resulted in some of the best childhood memories in Toms River.
Photo Credit: Blogspot
8. You want ice cream? Rich's, Mrs. Walkers, or Yellow Brick Road?
...or Kohr's in summertime. Usually, people don't spend too much time at a Dairy Queen or Sundae's when these places are around. Everyone in Toms River knows these are the best places to get a frozen treat when you need it, and you'll probably run into someone you know at the same time.
9. Two words: Half apps.
While this is a national deal, Toms River is an especially big participant in Applebee's half appetizers deal. Plus, it starts at 10 p.m. at every location except the Ocean County Mall. What better way to spend under ten dollars?
10. The city's famous for a few things, and they mostly involve baseball.
The two things many people recognize from Toms River? The 1998 Little League World Champions and Todd Frazier. Both are things to be very proud of, and we even have a whole road dedicated to the former!
Photo Credit: Parade.com
11. We say things weirdly, but don't realize it.
It's not Tom's River, it's just Toms River. There's also a large debate over whether it's Bricktown or just Brick, so choose your side. Also, Forked River is not Fork'd River, it's Fork-ed River. We don't know why either, that's just the way it is.
12. It was a great place to grow up, whether we knew it or not.
A lot of us complain about how there's nothing to do around town or that it's the worst city to live in. But, as I got older, I realized that Toms River was an amazing place to spend my childhood. Now, in college, I look forward to coming back home, even though I never thought I would miss it. Toms River truly is a unique place and I'm fortunate to have experienced what it has to offer for so many years.
Photo Credit: WOBM
