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explore | SPOTLIGHT

SHOREJERSEY

B E S T F A M I L Y

B E A C H S P O T S I N

T H E G A R D E N S T A T E

W E L O V E T H E

C O N T R IB U T O R S :

Leslie Garisto Pfaff Jeff Wagenheim

Kathy Shiels Tully Fiamma Horvath

Moira Greto Melissa Klurman

Winnie Yu

PH O T O G R A PH S BY

Ball & Albanese

H old the Jersey jokes, forget the MTV series, and set aside the memory of Hurricane Sandy. The Jersey Shore is so much more than all of those.

To get the real scoop on this venerable 127-mile oceanfront mecca, we asked some true insiders—parents who’ve vacationed “down the shore” for years (and, in some cases, generations)—to share their favorite family classics, from midway rides to nature strolls to those irresistible boardwalk treats.

Ocean City classics include Johnson’s

Popcorn, left, and Gillian’s

Wonderland Pier, right. Bottom: Cape

May “diamonds,” left, and Island

Beach State Park. Facing page:

Seaside Park Beach.

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BEST NEIGHBORHOOD STROLL

Tent Community OCE AN GROVE

You’ll find more Victorian architecture in this historic one-square-mile beach town than anywhere else in the country, but for a true marvel of living history, just follow Pilgrim Pathway north until you reach the soaring Great Auditorium and the colorful “city” of 114 canvas tent homes that surrounds it. The first tents were erected in 1869 when

the town was founded as a Methodist camp meeting ground, and they’ve been occupied (and added to) every summer since. Your kids will marvel at the colorful awnings, tiny front porches, and personal touches, such as picket fences and clipped boxwood hedges, just a few blocks from the Atlantic Ocean. oceangrove.org > LGP

BEST BEACH ESCAPE

Island Beach State Park While most of the shore is famous for its crowds, boardwalks, surf shops, and eateries, Island

Clockwise from above: Tent

Community, kites flying high at

Seaside Park Beach, a heaping dish

of Kohr’s Frozen Custard, and Lucy

the Elephant.

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Beach is beloved for its lack of any of those things. The pristine barrier island is home to dense forests, rolling dunes, ever-changing tidal marshes, and 10 miles of beautiful beach perfect for crabbing and surf casting. It also o!ers many guided nature programs for kids and families (islandbeachnature programs.org). Pack a lunch and leave early; the number of cars allowed on the island is limited. Don’t miss the self-guided hike, the bird blind—a small cabin with slots for spying on the abundant avian life—and the camera-ready view of Barnegat Lighthouse at the southern tip. njparksandforests.org > LGP

BEST ICY DELIGHT

Kohr’s Frozen Custard For those of us who grew up vacationing at Seaside, Kohr’s

sweeping views of the Manhattan skyline. But it’s the history that makes it truly unique. At Fort Hancock, visitors can climb the 95 steps of the oldest active lighthouse in the country (Sandy Hook Light celebrated its 250th anniversary last year); tour the remains of numerous gun batteries, some dating back to the late 1800s; and visit a Cold War–era Nike missile site. All this, and admission is free ($15 beach parking). nps.gov/gate > KST

BEST KITE FLYING

Seaside Park Beach We generally spend our mornings on the bay side, where the calm, waist-deep water is perfect for young kids. But late afternoons are for hanging by the ocean and watching the kite fliers at Seaside Park Beach. Over the years, we’ve seen some awesome creations, including giant birds,

is a time machine to childhood refreshment. You can buy servings of the nearly century-old, heat-defying recipe (an extra-smooth soft-serve sti!ened with egg yolks) from stands up and down the Jersey Shore owned by Kohr descendants. kohrstheoriginal.com > JW

BEST PLACE TO EXPLORE HISTORY

Sandy Hook Part of the Gateway National Recreation Area, this 2,044-acre barrier beach peninsula has plenty to recommend it, including five lifeguarded beaches, a 7-mile paved multiuse path, bike rentals, walking trails, fishing and boating areas, a campground, more than 325 species of birds, and

Ocean City’s vast, alcohol-free boardwalk is tailor-made for families. Inset: Sandy Hook Lighthouse and Keepers Quarters.

dragons, and even a shark kite that took an amusing nose-dive into the sea. They’re beautiful floating against the colors of the setting sun. seasideparknj.org > FH

BEST ROADSIDE ATTRACTION

Lucy the Elephant MARGATE CIT Y

One look at this gargantuan wood-and-metal pachyderm, and you just know it’s got a crazy history. Built in 1881 to lure buyers to a new seaside development, over the decades it has served as an o"ce, cottage, and tavern; been moved several

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1. SANDY HOOK

2. OCEAN GROVE

3. SEASIDE PARK

4. ISLAND BEACH STATE PARK

5. MARGATE CITY

6. OCEAN CITY

7. STONE HARBOR

8. CAPE MAY

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N E W J E R S E Y

blocks; and been rescued more than once from disrepair. It’s now open to visitors, who can climb steps inside Lucy’s massive legs, peer out at the Atlantic from her torso—or even rent the whole kit and caboodle for special events. lucytheelephant.org > MG

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BEST BOARDWALK

Ocean City BoardwalkIt may not be New Jersey’s most famous boardwalk (that honor goes to MTV’s Jersey Shore-ified Seaside Heights), but Ocean City is where families rule the rides. A “dry” town—meaning no alcohol is sold—OC calls itself America’s Greatest Family Resort and fills every week with kid-focused entertainment on top of the games, rides, and food that already pack its 2.5-mile, 8-block stretch of

bustling beachside planks. There are rides for every size, from our original favorite, a putt-putting train that goes in circles around Castaway Cove, to the new Runaway Roller Coaster at Gillian’s Wonderland Pier. And we never leave without a few of our only-here foods: pull-apart Monkey Bread, Johnson’s Popcorn, and more-sauce-than-cheese Manco & Manco Pizza (the best in New Jersey, in our opinion). oceancity vacation.com > MK

BEST DOUGHNUTS

Browns Restaurant OCE AN CIT Y

You’d be excused for forgetting that this landmark eatery at the northern end of Ocean City’s famous boardwalk features a full breakfast menu because the real draw is the spectacular doughnuts. Cakey-soft

inside and lightly crisp on the outside, they come in six varieties (plain, powdered, cinnamon, and glazed with honey, vanilla, or chocolate), though the sta! will happily make a hybrid if you ask. And through the front window you can watch the automated machines whip up batch after fragrant batch. brownsocnj.com > LGP

BEST NATURE OUTING

The Wetlands InstituteSTONE HARBOR

“It’s a muddy garden of delights,” quips the tour guide as our pontoon boat skims the salt marsh, sidling up to nests of baby gulls, idling quietly by terns and ospreys, and searching out the quick flashes of red-winged blackbirds. Just a few miles from the bustling beaches and a half-mile from

the shops of Stone Harbor, The Wetlands Institute o!ers a host of programs, including live creature encounters, catch-and-release fishing and crabbing, exploratory hikes, and our favorite: the Back-Bay Birding and Wildlife boat tour, designed to teach visitors about coastal ecosystems.wetlandsinstitute.org > MK

BEST CLASSIC TREAT

Johnson’s Popcorn You’ll smell the toasty caramel cloud well before you catch sight of the lines at the counter or the workers hand-mixing real butter, sugar, and freshly popped corn in giant copper kettles. Johnson’s (with three shops in Ocean City and one in Wildwood) has been a boardwalk favorite since 1940. Newbies take note: The answer to the question “Lid on or o!?” is

Left, a surrey rental along the Ocean City boardwalk. Right, The Wetlands Institute. Inset: Browns’ doughnuts.

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> how-toHAPPY HOME PHONE POCKETS, p. !"YOU WILL NEED

8-ounce bottle of Purell Hand Sanitizer (this brand works well because the plastic is thin enough to cut). Utility knife (adults only)Washi tapeRemovable adhesive strips

#. Remove the bottle’s labels and any remaining adhesive (for stubborn bits, use nail polish remover). Discard the pump.

$. With the utility knife, carefully cut away the bottle’s top as shown.

%. Turn the bottle upside down and cut away the base (cut just above, not through, the thickest plastic at the bottom of the bottle). Neaten the edges with small scissors.

&. To support the phone inside the pocket, make two straps by sticking 4-inch lengths of washi tape together back-to-back. Place the straps across the pocket’s bottom as shown, leaving the center open for the charging cord. Wrap more tape around the pocket to secure the straps. If you like, decorate it with paper cutouts, stickers, or name labels.

'. Hang up your phone pocket using the adhesive strips.

> continuedEXPLORE: SPOTLIGHT, p. 76BEST CLASSIC TREAT

JOHNSON’S POPCORN

always o!. You’ll get a container filled to overflowing inside a bag, giving you that much more to munch! johnsonspopcorn.com > MK

BEST SUNSET RITUAL

SUNSET BEACH, CAPE MAY POINT

Any summer trip to Cape May should include at least one visit to Sunset Beach. There you can comb the sand for Cape May “diamonds” (pure quartz crystals worn smooth by the sea); watch the sun set against the ruins of the Atlantus (a ship made of concrete that ran aground in 1926); and join the crowd that observes the nightly lowering of the American flag, a celebrated ritual since 1973. sunsetbeachnj.com > WY

BEST SOUVENIR

BEACH TAG Headed to a municipal beach? Most require a color-coded admission tag. Buy one from the town badge booth, then hold on tight: it’ll give you beach rights and the quintessential Jersey Shore memento. > KST

FamilyFun (ISSN 1056-6333), August 2015, Volume 24, No. 7, is published monthly (except bimonthly in December/January and June/July) by Meredith Corporation, 1716 Locust Street, Des Moines, IA 50309-3023. Periodicals postage paid at Des Moines, IA, and at additional mailing offices. Subscription prices: $14.95 per year in the U.S.; $24.95 (U.S. dollars) in Canada; $34.95 (U.S. dollars) overseas. POSTMASTER: Send all UAA to CFS. (See DMM 507.1.5.2); NONPOSTAL AND MILITARY FACILITIES: send address corrections to FamilyFun, P.O. Box 37508, Boone, IA 50037-0508. In Canada: mailed under Publications Mail Sales Product Agreement No. 40069223; Canadian BN 12348 2887 RT. Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to FamilyFun, P.O. Box 875, STN A, Windsor, ON, N9A 6P2. © Meredith Corporation 2015. All r ights reserved. Printed in the USA. Ride-along enclosed in edition AN.

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