With the frigid winter here at Penn State, all I have been thinking about is vacation and warm weather….which lead me to my second post of the semester. This is about day (or weekend) trips to the beaches in New Jersey. Depending on which beach, the drive is around 1.5-3 hours away from Nazareth, PA. As long as you leave early in the morning and late in the evening, the traffic won’t be too terrible and almost the whole day will be spent relaxing on the beach.
One of the most popular beaches in New Jersey is Seaside Heights. Having a lot of fame from the TV series Jersey Shore, this beach is a very touristy summer destination, drawing in 30,000-65,000 people each year. With the many apartments or houses for rent, why wouldn’t a week sound amazing. But, as a college student with no money (that I’m willing to spend for that), a day trip will have to do. Along with countless other beaches such as Belmar, Wildwood, Long Branch, Cape May, there are more secluded or higher priced beaches.
When I was younger, my family would take a trip to Long Beach Island (LBI) almost every summer for a week. It was a tradition that my dad continued from when he was a kid. However, the beach became significantly more expensive, making my parents decide not to continue this vacation anymore. Also, it is not so much a “day trip” kind of place.
Another beach that is a good day trip is Point Pleasant. Before prom, my friends and I took a quick trip up there to try and get a little more tan before the dance. While the water was freezing cold, the sun made the beach nice and hot.
There are many places to take a quick beach trip to that can be fun. However, it is not always cheap. Gas, parking, and food add up to be a large amount of money. Also, the boardwalk (anywhere) is ridiculously expensive and overpriced. But if enough people can be squeezed into one car, the cost can be evenly split for an enjoyable little trip.
Good options beyond Cape May and Ocean City!