Every New Jerseyan has that beach that they feel a connection with. Whether it be Point Pleasant, Belmar, Cape May or Wildwood; every beach holds a family's memories and traditions. For me however, it is Long Beach Island that stole the hearts of my family and I.
There hasn't been a summer in my 20 years of life that I didn't spend a week down on LBI with my family. A week may not seem like much time compared to those who live there all summer or even year round, but we fill that week with memories to last a summer time.
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I never really appreciated this paradise until high school when I realized how truly grateful we are to have it. Living one house away from the beach, across from a park with a beautiful sunset and down the street from artsy shops is everything i could ask for on a vacation. Every LBI goer knows the small things about the island that keep us coming back year after year.
The drive for us is a little over two hours but I've always loved every mile of it. Memorizing the exits as we go down, playing the license plate game and making an LBI playlist are just a warm up to the week. 63 sounds like a small number but when you're excited to go to your favorite place in the world, every exit feels infinite.
No questions asked, go to the beach before unpacking. Just to the top of the dunes to get that first step into the warm sand and soak in the view of the blue waves crashing up on shore. Then your parents yell for you to come back and help unload the cars.
LBI's beaches are really beautiful and we are lucky to have such well-kept shores. The jetties poking through the crests of waves and shells lining the waters edges. Clean private beaches are a real gift (sorry Seaside) .
Mini Golf is taken way more seriously than it should be. Cousin who? Sister what? I'm here to dominate the scorecard and win a free game at the last hole. Everyone gets ice cream after but the winner gets bragging rights for the rest of the week.
Sun Dog and Firefly are just a few of so many hidden treasure shops along the island. Bookstores, Cheese Shoppe, Just Bead it; hours could be spent just looking at all the things they have to offer. Each store has a personality and deserves to be looked into.
Sunset Park is never a letdown. Regardless of the clouds or rain, the views from that pier never fail to be stunning. The calm rocking bay cradling sailboats as the sun sets behind them on the horizon, only giving you enough time to snap a few pictures before it's gone in the blink of an eye.
Long Beach Island felt much more off the grid before chain stores started moving in; even though I am grateful for Surf Taco and CVS.
Never go to Bay Village with a heavy wallet. Because if you are like me, you'll spend money on everything that looks interesting (which is everything). For some reason, I feel the need to always buy anklets, sweatshirts and key chains year after year. You can find elephant ears, hermit crabs and henna tattoos on every corner. It's tradition to buy the clam chowder and maybe walk into the dog store in hopes someone brought their dog in there. We walk through the preppy and expensive boutiques acting like we could afford the hanger on the clearance rack.
B&B really changed my life as a shopaholic; a store that has everything from bathing suits to chairs, from shorts to welcome mats. A B&B back home would be highly appreciated please and thank you.
Everything past Fantasy Island is a mystery. Does the Island even go on after that? Endless trips to Fantasy Island, some ending in tears and sick tummies but mostly ending in laughs and a nap on the car ride home. Pirate boat and bumper cars are a must, and if we were lucky, mom and dad would pay the extra money for the virtual motion capsule that no one actually knows the name of.
Ron Jon always looked super cool on the outside but I don't think I've ever actually been inside.
The Barnegat Lighthouse never gets old. It stands so tall and sturdy, looking over the island. The gift shop holds the coolest marine items; from shark teeth to fisherman signs. Jumping from rock to rock trying to get out of yelling distance from the parents. And watching the water rise and fall between the rocks sometimes spilling up onto your sandals. We stand next to fishermen hoping they will reel in the biggest catch of their lives and we would be there to see it. And at the end of it all, we go to Dairy Queen and overwhelm the poor workers with a mob of hungry people with mixed up orders.
All in all, I believe that Long Beach Island is a very important place. It is a home for so many people, whether they live there year round, for a summer or for a week. When crossing the bridge, you leave behind so much stress and anxiety and enter a way of life that allows you to relax and appreciate the small things (like a beloved little wooden shack). As said before, the island contains something special that makes people come back year after year. This 18-mile stretch has stolen the hearts of so many people and for that, we thank you, Long Beach Island
