These Small Towns In New Jersey Come Alive In Summer
With over 130 miles of scenic shoreline, New Jersey is an incredible gateway to the mighty and majestic Atlantic Ocean. It is no surprise, then, that the state is generally known for its spirited beaches and lively boardwalks; as early as the 1700s, New Jersey's beach towns have thrived as resort destinations, luring travelers from neighboring towns and eventually from further cities with the development of railroads. Today, these towns embody a similar resort culture, inviting visitors and travelers to savor their bright sandy beaches and bustling boardwalks, whose arcades, carnival rides, eateries, and shops are perfect for families with children but also for those who are still children at heart. Alternatively, if an action-packed beach getaway may not be your ideal vacation, the state also welcomes visitors to its quieter small towns. Their more secluded charms lure visitors during the summer for different (but equally enticing) reasons.
Ocean City
In the beautiful Southern Shore region of New Jersey, vacationers can find Ocean City, a vibrant coastal community famous for its lively beach town atmosphere and family-friendly attractions. The town's beloved Ocean City Beach is an especially popular draw during the summer months, offering 10 miles of sandy shore and refreshing Atlantic waves, perfect for sunbathing, beachcombing, wading, and splashing. Notably, lifeguards are on duty between the hours of 10 a.m. and 5:30 p.m., and access to the beach is entirely free and accessible between 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.
But the true core attraction of the town is its incredible boardwalk, whose path stretches 2.5 miles along the beach. In addition to the unbelievable views of the water (perfect for strolling), the boardwalk offers exciting amusement rides, eclectic storefronts, and delicious eateries. Gift shops like Fisherman's Cove sell anything from nautical decor to boogie boards, while restaurants like Hula Restaurant & Sauce Co. offer delicious Hawaiian eats; their seafood options are especially on-theme for a beach day, with popular dishes like creamy shrimp scampi and savory salmon teriyaki.
Asbury Park
Like Ocean City, the pleasant town of Asbury Park is known for its family-friendly boardwalk, a beloved local landmark famous for its history and contemporary revival. Constructed shortly after the town was founded in 1871, the beachside boardwalk once featured a pavilion for live orchestra performances as well as a pier leading to the ocean, attracting tourists from nearby towns and cities. With this, the town's population flourished and grew, and Asbury Park earned a reputation as one of New Jersey's favored beach towns, constructing their Paramount Theatre and Convention Hall (adjacent to the boardwalk) in the 1920s to expand their entertainment for the growing summer crowds.
Today, the boardwalk continues to flourish (particularly in the summertime) and offers a mix of old and new attractions. A restoration project began in 2007 with the hopes to re-establish the theater and hall in all their glory, and today, the theatre regularly hosts exciting live performances on the same stage that famed artists like Frank Sinatra and The Rolling Stones have performed on in years prior. The boardwalk is also dotted with newly added colorful murals lining the beachfront buildings, many of which are home to delicious beach-style eateries. The Cousins Maine Lobster Restaurant, for example, is a popular locally owned business on the boardwalk serving fresh and delectable seafood, ranging from succulent lobster rolls to crunchy fried fish tacos, lovely for dining in before a show, or eating at the beach while on the go.
Cape May
Similar to Asbury Park's origin as a resort town (and eventual modern revival), Cape May's tourism industry also originates as a resort town, but its revival and restoration are much more dramatic by comparison. In the 1700s, Cape May (a seaside town located on the Cape May Peninsula) lured large crowds of beachgoers, primarily from Philadelphia and eventually from other large cities like New York and Washington. With this came the construction of extravagant hotels and a stunning boardwalk, all of which were eventually lost to a tragic fire in 1878. The town recovered from the devastation by rebuilding, and many of these Victorian structures still stand today, symbolizing the town's resilience while reflecting the past and its charms in a stunning display of architecture.
The Southern Mansion, for example, is an exquisite and extravagant 1860s residence now converted into a darling bed and breakfast, whose award-winning gardens and grounds are located in the Cape May historic district. Conveniently, the mansion is just a short walk to Cape May Beach, a long stretch of shore with a collection of beaches whose 2.5 miles of sand are popular during the summer for surfing, picnicking, and swimming. McGlade's On the Pier is also a short walk away, offering classic American dining with an exceptional ocean view. It is also worth noting that Cape May's beautiful beaches are only accessible when sporting a beach tag, which is available for purchase online.
Maplewood
If historic architecture is your cup of tea, but you would prefer a more laid-back getaway, the quaint town of Maplewood is a quieter alternative to the bustling Cape May, but nonetheless lively during the summer. Nestled just 30 minutes from New York City, Maplewood is a tranquil suburb by comparison, making it an ideal New Jersey destination for those looking to escape the stress of city life while savoring the charms of small-town culture. Maplewood's picturesque and walkable downtown, pleasantly nicknamed "The Village", is the epitome of small-town living; listed on the National Registers of Historic Places in 2022, it offers a myriad of architectural styles (ranging from the Queen Anne Style to Tudor Revival) that can be admired on a leisurely stroll. Along the way, pop into one of the many adorable shops and dining experiences, including places like the Village Wine Shop, [Words] Bookstore, The Able Baker, and Village Trattoria.
During the summer months, other attractions like the historic Durand Hedden House & Garden Association in The Village are especially popular, as well as the town's farmer's market (open Mondays from June through November), selling anything from homemade soaps to Jersey-grown fruits and vegetables. To escape the hustle of the city even further, the South Mountain Reservation is another popular Maplewood feature, with over 2000 acres of nature to explore. Lace-up your hiking boots or running shoes and hike the forest trails leading to the Rahway River, or travel deeper into the woodlands to witness Hemlock Falls, a magnificent 25-foot waterfall.
Frenchtown
About an hour's drive from Maplewood, nestled along the banks of the mighty Delaware River, is the equally darling community of Frenchtown. One of the first things you may notice about the town is its storybook beauty; driving here, you will find it centered on several major country roads, whose lush green countryside makes for an incredibly scenic entrance to the town. Then, of course, there is the Delaware River; with access to a 1-mile stretch of the waterway, the sparkling waters create a dazzling backdrop for a picturesque stroll, bike ride, or riverside picnic. Water recreation is also popular in Frenchtown, and businesses like the nearby Big Bear Gear River Tubing Center offer tube, kayak, and raft rentals.
Like Maplewood, Frenchtown's downtown is a vibrant local scene during the summer months, with a range of specialty boutiques, shops, galleries, and restaurants to discover. ArtYard, for example, is one of the town's galleries whose provocative exhibitions will excite any art enthusiast, while places like Country Chic Boutique & Consignment offer an exciting blend of new and used merchandise, ranging from recycled clothing to locally crafted jewelry. For a bite to eat, just a minute's drive from the boutique, you can stop at Frenchtown Fresh, a locally-owned eatery offering refreshing smoothies and mouth-watering paninis, or Frenchtown Cafe, known for its hearty baked goods and specialty coffees.
Wildwood
For a busier summer getaway, Wildwood (often referred to as "the Wildwoods") is one of New Jersey's most popular resort towns, earning more than 9 million visitors each year. As with most beach towns, Wildwood is especially vibrant from June to August, and while this may be the busiest time of year to visit this active community, the spirited crowds are a fun part of the experience, casting an animated carnival-like atmosphere everywhere you go, whether that be their serene beaches or their bustling boardwalk.
Like other resort towns, the town's boardwalk is likely their busiest setting, stretching 2.5 miles. With anything from Bobby Dee's Arcade to Dragon's Lair Black Light Mini Golf, the boardwalk is a hub of fun for the whole family, also offering 300 dining options. Family-friendly places like Doo Wop Diner, for example, offer a retro 1950s ambiance with classic milkshakes and burgers that are said to be some of the best in town. For an older crowd, pubs like Capt'n Jack's Island Grill serve similar American classics alongside colorful and refreshing fish-bowl cocktails, accompanied by firework displays on Fridays. Conveniently, both restaurants are right on Wildwood Beach, a free 5-mile sandy shore favored for sunbathing, kayaking, swimming, and surfing. If you are lucky, you may even spot a whale or dolphin, but you will have a better chance of this if you book a tour with a company like Thunder Cat Dolphin Watch & Speedboat Tours.
Belmar
Another small New Jersey town offering incredible whale-watching opportunities would be the community of Belmar, nestled in Mounty County and accessible from the Garden State Parkway. From the Belmar Marina, set off with the town's iconic Jersey Shore Whale Watching Tours, favored for their guarantee policy: the company promises that if there are no whale sightings during your tour, you are welcome to join them again for a free trip that same touring season. Amazingly, the boating excursion also comes with the chance to see other spectacular wildlife, including dolphins, sharks, and even sea turtles; and while the same guarantee does not cover these sightings, what is guaranteed, are the gorgeous sights of the stunning Jersey Shore coastline.
In addition to these once-of-a-lifetime tours, Belmar is equally beloved for its beaches. While they each share the same 1-mile stretch of sand and Atlantic waves, the beaches are thought of as separate based on their entrances and amenities. The 17th and 18th Avenue beaches, for example, are known as the town's surfing beaches, while others feature playgrounds and a more family-focused atmosphere. It is worth noting that, like many other New Jersey towns, beach badges are required to access Belmar's shores on Fridays, weekends, and holidays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. starting mid-June. Priced at USD 10 (for a day tag), these are available online up to two weeks before your trip or at the booths along the boardwalk, spread out between the 3rd and 19th avenues.
Avalon
For a slightly cheaper alternative to Belmar's beaches, the charming resort town of Avalon offers daily beach tags for the price of USD 8 and even stretches 6 miles further than Belmar's shores. Settled on 7 Mile Island (a barrier island located in Cape May County), the town's 7 Mile Beach is shared with the neighboring town of Stone Harbor, but the beach tags are interchangeable between the towns. Avalon's beach is accessible through the various walkways along its street ends, but many stop to enjoy the views from the scenic sand dunes. Overlooking the white sandy shores and roaring ocean, these picturesque flora-covered dunes act as the perfect way to start your beach day.
The beaches themselves are enjoyed for their water recreation, whether that means watching the colorful boats sail by from the comforts of land while sunbathing or taking to the water for a day of kayaking, surfing, swimming, or water skiing. In nearby Stone Harbor, Harbor Outfitters rents anything from kayaks and paddleboards to electric carts and E-Bikes, and unique Avalon spots like Moran's Dockside (nestled on the northern end of the island) also rent kayaks for an hourly price, with the bonus of beautiful docks to depart from by kayak or boat. Once you have built an appetite in the water, Moran's Dockside is also locally famous for its hoagies and sandwiches, which can be enjoyed with a waterfront view.
When vacationing in New Jersey during the summertime, a beach getaway may feel like the obvious choice since so much of their tourism is centered around access to the Atlantic, but the state's beaches and boardwalks are just the beginning of what New Jersey has to offer. Visitors can depart from land in towns like Wildwood or Belmar to spot some of the Atlantic's majestic sea creatures or enjoy the splendor and recreation of the Delaware River in communities like Frenchtown. Quieter towns, like Maplewood, invite visitors to embrace the appeal of small-town living with secluded waterfall hikes and adorable downtown markets. That said, if the state's iconic boardwalk culture is what you want out of New Jersey, by all means, embrace the excitement, whether that means surfing Avalon's beaches or catching a performance at Asbury Park's Paramount Theatre. No matter your desire, New Jersey's small towns have something any traveler will appreciate this summer.
