Yes it is January and the snow may be flurrying in circles on the Jersey Shore’s boardwalks. But if you like the seashore at any time of the year, this may be a great time to visit. Fresh crisp air, a seagull’s cry and a cozy fire in a Victorian seaside bed and breakfast, sounds good to me. While there your thoughts may turn to warmer days and recall a time when The Drifters sang a familiar tune.
In the park you’ll hear
The happy sound of the carousel
You can almost taste the hot dogs
French fries they sell
Under the boardwalk
Down by the sea
On a blanket with my baby
Is where I’ll be
One of my best memories of beach side amusement parks were the simple fun of arcade games, traditional rides like carousels or bumper cars and being allowed to indulge in original ‘junk food’ like cotton candy, fried dough and other gooey stuff! The boardwalks of the Jersey Shore are the paths that will take you there.
It was 1868 when Cape May first laid down its boards. It was a way for tourists to enjoy the shore without getting sand in their shoes. The longer the boardwalks the better for early Victorian strollers to promenade and show off their finery, people watch and congregate. Today the boardwalks serve the same purpose, a pathway to enjoy the simple pleasures of summertime.
There is a great guide book available entitled; The Beach Bum’s Guide to the Boardwalks of New Jerseyby Dick Handschurch and Sal Marino. A review of this guide says the authors; “tell you where to walk, what to see, how to get there and some history, some stories, some stats and some facts about the boardwalks of New Jersey”. You can find out about this book and other great information on the website…Down the Shore.
A popular and active community on the shore is a place once called Five Mile Beach, now this area is known as the Wildwoods. The beaches are wide with soft sand; their ‘family friendly’ boardwalk is two miles long and their five amusement piers and park are probably the best in all New Jersey for rides. For those collecting roller coaster rides, Morey’s Pier boasts the best ride in New Jersey.
So if you visit in the quiet season or in the spring, summer or fall when the boardwalks are bustling, we recommend the Wildwoods where a certain bed and breakfast with a wide Victorian front porch awaits your visit. The Candlelight Inn, is your classic Jersey Shore Bed and Breakfast destination and a perfect spot to stay and experience those nostalgic simple pleasures of summertime or any season. Catch the smooth drifting sounds of the sea, yeah…on a blanket with my baby, that’s where I’ll be.
Oh yes, and tell them The B&B Team sent you!
Janet Wolf
