nade is the perfect place to take a stroll,
cooloffwithanicecreamconeorwatch
dolphinsfrolicjustafewfeetfromshore.
The most fantastic sunsets happen at
SunsetBeachattheverytipofCapeMay
CountywheretheDelawareBaymeetsthe
Atlantic Ocean. Crowds gather nightly to
watchthesunsinkintothewaterandleave
theskybathedingloriouscolor.Thebeach
is also filled with shiny pieces of quartz
popularlyknownasCapeMay“diamonds.”
This is not a beach for swimming, but it
sureisaprettyplace.
Surprisingly,theAtlanticOceandoesnot
hold exclusive claim to beaches in South
Jersey.Beautiful,lesstraveledbeachesalso
Nearby is Sea Isle City, an active Sahara.NorthWildwood’sbeachesarevery abound on the bay side of the peninsula,
communitywithspecialbeachesdesignat- familyfriendlywithvolleyballcourts,gazebos, cooledbythewatersoftheDelawareBay.
edforkayaking,rafting,surfing,volleyball swingsandplaygroundsavailableifyoucan Untouched by beach-cleaning vehicles
and sailboat launching while the Prome- persuadekidstotakeabreakfromswimming and much less traveled by visitors, these
nadeallowslandlubberstoengageintheir andsandcastlebuilding. beachesarelessrestrictiveandprovidegreat
preferredsport,whetherit’sbicycleriding, CapeMay,CapeMayPointandSunset spotsforwindsurfing,jetskiingorskipping
joggingoraleisurelystroll. BeachroundouttheJerseyCape. alonginacolorfulHobieCat.Thebayside
The pace is a bit slower in the Seven Gingerbread latticed homes along the beachesfromSunsetBeachinLowerTown-
Mile Beach communities of Avalon and beachfront provide a Victorian backdrop shipupintoCumberlandCountyareper-
StoneHarborandtheislandisadrawtoall forsunworshipersonthebeachesinCape hapsthemostbreathtakingbecausetheyare
agegroups.Avalon’ssceneryisspectacular, May. The resort’s beaches are a favorite used primarily for fishing and walking
with lush dunes lining the beaches from with surfers and families and the Prome- ratherthanswimmingandsunbathing. a73
72nd to 49th streets. Native shrubbery,
dunegrass,cedartreesandbayberrybush-
BEACHES, WHAT’S IN A NAME
escoverthesandmountainsthathelppro-
tect the shoreline. Catamarans are often
INSOMESHORECOMMUNITIESIT’SEASYTOSAY“I’MGOINGTOTHEBEACH.”ButinSouthern
NewJersey,thebeachissoexpansivethatavaguestatementof“goingtothebeach”couldleadtohoursof
seenatStoneHarborPoint,atthesouthern
searchingforfamilyandfriendsalongthemilesofsand.Overtheyears,manylocalbeacheshavebeennamed
tipoftheislandwhichisalsoagreatplace basedonlocation.InStoneHarbor,forinstance,ifyousay“I’mgoingtothe96thStreetbeach”that’sapretty
todosomebirdwatching.
goodindicationofwhereyoucanbefound.Otherbeaches,however,arenamedforpeopleorevents.
Thebiggestbeachesintheareaarejust
TakeAtlanticCity’sChickenBoneBeach,oneofthebest-knownbeachesinSouthernNewJersey.Before
over the Ocean Highway Bridge in the
thedaysofcivilrights,thecity’sAfricanAmericanresidentswererestrictedtoaparticularbeachatMissouri
Avenue where they congregated to enjoy their picnic lunches of fried chicken. Because so many of the
WildwoodswhereWildwood’smassivecar-
chicken bones were discarded nearby, the beach became affectionately known as Chicken Bone Beach.
pet of sand hosts wonderful festivals ChickenBoneBeachisnowalocalhistoriclandmarkandisthelocationforseveralspecialeventsinthecity,
throughouttheseasonincludinganinterna-
includingasummerjazzconcertseriesontheACBoardwalkonThursdayeveningsinJulyandAugust.
tional kiting event that fills the sky with
Atthesoutherntipofthestate,CapeMay’sPovertyBeachtracesitshistorybackabout100yearswhen
huge,colorfulkitesfromallovertheworld.
thenortheastendofthecitywasmainlymarsheswithfewhousesorpavedroads.Locallegendhasitthat
thislessdesirableareafromSewell’sPointtoMadisonAvenuewaswheretheservantswhoworkedforthe
The vast beach is flanked by North Wild-
summerpeopleorinthebighotelsandinnsgatheredtoenjoythebeach-thusthenamePovertyBeach.
woodandWildwoodCresttothesouthwith Cape May also has another fairly well-known beach that you wouldn’t find by a street name. Steger’s
the world-famous Wildwoods Boardwalk
BeachbetweenPerryandJacksonstreetsissonamedbecauseofaconcessionstandoperatedfordecades
borderingthetwo-milebeachtothewest.
byawell-knownCapeMayfamily,theStegers.
Like Wildwood, the beaches in Wild-
Farther south, Sunset Beach at Cape May Point – although it’s actually located in Lower Township – is
namedforthebeautifulsunsetsenjoyedbyhundredsofvisitorseverysummerevening.
woodCrestseemtobegrowingeachyear,
Around the Cape onto the bayside is Higbee Beach, now a National Wildlife Management area. Higbee
givingbeachgoersplentyofroomtospread Beach is favored for its natural beauty and bird sightings but not so long ago, Higbee Beach was popular
out and enjoy all that nature has to offer.
withother“naturalists”–nudesunbathers.
Everyyearthewoodenbeachpathwayson
In Sea Isle City, most beaches are reached by going to the numbered street end. Not so with Ludlam’s
Crestbeacheshavebeenextended,making
Beach,amile-longareaofbeachthatstretchesfromaboutthemiddleofSeaIsletoTownsend’sInlet.
While whales are a rare occurrence on Southern New Jersey beaches, they have been known to wash up
thewalkacrossthesandeasierforeveryone.
fromtimetotime.PerhapsthisiswhereWhaleBeachgotitsnameormaybeit’sbecausetheroad,higherthan
North Wildwood’s beaches have under- thebeachesoneachside,waslikethebackofawhale.AtonetimethelengthystretchoflandbetweenSeaIsle
goneabigtransformationinrecentyearswith
CityandtheStrathmeresectionofUpperTownshipwasacommunityuntoitselfandwascalledWhaleBeach.
sandshiftingfromoneareatothenext.Some
Andifyoueverhearanyonetellingyouthey’regoingtoPeck’sBeach,they’rereallygoingtoOceanCity.
areasontheNorthWildwoodbeachfrontare
FirstsettledasPeck’sBeacharoundthetimeoftheRevolutionaryWar,theareawaslaternamedOceanCity.
While all of Southern New Jersey’s beaches are beautiful and generally easy to find, some are specific
narrowerthanWildwoodmakingatriptothe
andholdaspecialhistorythatwillcontinuetoendureforyearsandyears. a73
water’sedgeseemlesslikeatrekacrossthe
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