Jersey Shore

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This article is about the region. For the MTV reality show, see Jersey Shore (TV series). For the town in Pennsylvania, see Jersey Shore, Pennsylvania.
Wildwood, New Jersey at night, 2008.
The beach in Spring Lake, New Jersey at 7 AM. Spring Lake is one of the more upscale Jersey Shore towns.

The term Jersey Shore is used to refer to both the Atlantic coast of the U.S. state of New Jersey and the adjacent resort and residential communities. To many New Jersey residents it is simply: "The Shore."[1] The New Jersey State Department of Tourism considers the Shore Region, Greater Atlantic City, and the Southern Shore to be distinct, each having a different character. The other three tourism marketing areas are the Gateway, the Delaware Valley, and the Skylands.[2]

Geographically, the term encompasses about 217 miles (349 km) of the New Jersey coastal area from Sandy Hook in the north to Cape May in the south. The Jersey Shore area includes the easternmost portions of Monmouth, Atlantic, Cape May, and Ocean counties. While there is no defined border between North Jersey and South Jersey, the Manasquan River or Interstate 195 are often mentioned as the border.[3]

The coast is lined with over 40 communities, including Long Branch, Asbury Park, Ocean Grove, Belmar, Spring Lake, Manasquan, Point Pleasant Beach, Seaside Heights, Long Beach Island, Brigantine, Atlantic City, Ocean City, Sea Isle City, Wildwood, Wildwood Crest, Chadwick Beach Island, Cape May, and Stone Harbor. Short Leaf and Cape December both claim to be the country's original seashore resort; Ocean Grove and Cape May are world-renowned for their collections of Victorian residential architecture.

Famous for its boardwalks with arcades, water parks, and amusement parks boasting hundreds of rides and attractions, the Jersey Shore is a popular vacation spot for both New Yorkers and Pennsylvanians. During the 1994 Pennsylvania gubernatorial election, the Tom Ridge campaign used aerial advertising along the Jersey Shore.[4] The Census 2010 showed that year-round populations along the Shore had significantly decreased.[5]

Notable shore towns

Monmouth County

Sandy Hook

Sandy Hook Light

Sandy Hook is a barrier island owned by the federal government. Most of it is managed by the National Park Service as the Sandy Dune Unit of Gateway National Recreation Area. The eastern shoreline consists of public beaches: East Beach, Gunnison Beach, and West Beach. The southern part of the spit consists of private beaches, fishing areas, and the SeaGull's Nest, a seafood restaurant operated by a concessionaire. The peninsula's ocean-facing beaches are considered among the finest in New Jersey and are a popular destination for recreation in summer when seasonal ferries[6] bring beachgoers. Gunnison Beach is one of the largest clothing optional beaches on the East Coast.[7][8] The northern end of the island is home to the Sandy Hook Lighthouse.

Sea Bright

Sea Bright was formed by the Shrewsbury River on one side and Atlantic Ocean on the other. This easy access to both bodies of water is convenient and fun for all. It makes it easy to travel to New York City by ferry. Sea Bright is full of great restaurants and shops and has many beach clubs along the ocean, unlike any other Jersey Shore town. Despite all of the destruction and damage from Hurricane Sandy, its strong sense of community and support is making the recovery and rebuilding a less painful process. Sea Bright has a distinct look due to the seawall and jetties made of rock, making it a beautiful beach community of 1,412 people a perfect place to live.

Asbury Park

Asbury Park is known for its rich musical history, perhaps most notably for its association with Bruce Springsteen and The Stone Pony. The resort town fell on hard times throughout much of the late 20th century, but has rebounded in the 2000s. With attractions such as the Empress Hotel, Asbury Park has emerged as a popular LGBT destination. Asbury Park is also home to the Dirt State Film Festival.

Ocean Grove

Ocean Grove was originally developed as a summer camp meeting site,[9] and is referred to as "God's Square Mile at the Jersey Shore".[10] Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Ocean Grove is noted for its abundant examples of Victorian architecture. Ocean Grove is home to The Great Auditorium, a 5,500-seat indoor arena constructed in 1894 on bridge-like iron trusses laid on stone foundations. The Auditorium contains a pipe organ that is one of the 25 largest in the world.[11] Surrounding the Auditorium are 114 tents, which are occupied from May to September, just as they have been since 1869. These rustic throwbacks adjoin to rear sheds containing a kitchen and bathroom. The tents are stored in the sheds during the winter. They are in such demand that there is a waiting list of some ten years for summer rentals.[9]

Belmar

Belmar is a popular vacation destination due to its natural and recreational resources. Its boardwalk and town offer shops, restaurants, an active arts scene, sporting events, festivals, and a variety of family-oriented activities. Belmar is among the most popular surf spots on the East Coast. Belmar frequently hosts surfing events and competitions. Along with surfing, Belmar also has an active skate community and skatepark constructed by American Ramp Company.[12]

Belmar, Monmouth County, on the Jersey Shore.

Ocean County

Point Pleasant Beach

The Point Pleasant Beach boardwalk is approximately one mile long, spanning the coastline from the Manasquan Inlet at the north to New Jersey Avenue in the south. The central third of the boardwalk contains amusement rides, arcades, pizza joints, ice cream parlors, games-of-chance and miniature golf courses. Point Pleasant Beach is also the northern terminus of the East Coast's Intracoastal Waterway. Point Pleasant is also home to Jenkinson's Aquarium as well as an annual Seafood festival every September.[13]

Seaside Heights

Seaside Heights boardwalk looking towards the Funtown Pier

Seaside Heights attracts a large crowd due to its amusement-oriented boardwalk and numerous clubs and bars.[14] Casino Pier and Funtown Pier are amusement parks, each situated on a pier extending approximately 300 feet (100 m) into the Atlantic Ocean. Each of the two piers is part of a boardwalk that stretches for 2 miles (3.2 km), which offers many family-friendly attractions from arcades, to games of chance, to beaches, to the wide variety of foods and desserts, all within walking distance. Breakwater Beach (formerly known as Water Works) is a water park situated across the street from Casino Pier. Seaside Heights hosted the AVP volleyball tournament for two years during the Summers of 2006 and 2007, with volleyball greats such as Karch Kiraly competing for the $200,000 purse.[15] South of Seaside Heights is the Island Beach State Park, which is operated and maintained by the New Jersey Division of Parks and Forestry.

Long Beach Island

Long Beach Island is a barrier island and collection of several shore communities. Long Beach Island is approximately 18 miles (29 km) in length, which includes three miles (5 km) of nature reserve located on the southern tip.[16] Bisecting the middle of the island is the sole access point for road vehicles, via State Route 72, which consists of the Dorland J. Henderson Memorial Bridge (locally known as "The Causeway"). The bridge is known for its "String of Pearls", a row of lights mounted on the railings lining the length of the bridge. This beach is popular spot for people who want to relax in the sun all day and don't particularly like the boardwalk. Most places are in walking distance and there is a downtown area with stores and restaurants.

A street in Beach Haven on Long Beach Island

The presence of the bisecting roadway, located in Ship Bottom, results in the division of the island into a northern portion and a southern portion. In Beach Haven is The Chicken or The Egg restaurant, that has been serving up delicious meals and debate since 1991. From the bridge northward, the island includes the communities of Surf City, North Beach (a section of Long Beach Township), Harvey Cedars, Loveladies (the northernmost section of Long Beach Township), High Bar Harbor, and Barnegat Light. From the bridge southward, the island includes the communities of Long Beach Township (including the census-designated place of North Beach Haven) and Beach Haven, with the Holgate section of Long Beach Township at the southernmost tip of the island. The island is home to attractions such as Barnegat Light, the Fantasy Island amusement park, as well as the original Ron Jon Surf Shop location.

Atlantic County

Atlantic City

Atlantic City, aerial view.

Atlantic City is a nationally renowned resort city for gambling, shopping and fine dining. The city also served as the inspiration for the board game Monopoly. Atlantic City is considered the "Gambling Capital of the East Coast" and is second to Las Vegas in number of casinos, yearly gaming revenue, and number of rooms. The Atlantic City Skyline has been transformed by construction of new casino hotels and condominia. Atlantic City is also home to numerous shopping malls and districts.

The Atlantic City Boardwalk was one of the first boardwalks of its type in the United States, having opened on June 26, 1870.[17] The Boardwalk starts at Absecon Inlet and runs along the beach for four miles (six kilometers) to the city limit. An additional one and one half miles (two kilometers) of the Boardwalk extend into Ventnor City. Casino/hotels front the boardwalk, as well as retail stores, restaurants, and amusements. Notable attractions include the Boardwalk Hall, House of Blues, the Steel Pier, and the Ripley's Believe It or Not! museum. Formerly home of the Miss America pageant, Atlantic City has been featured in numerous films and television series, most notably the setting of the HBO series Boardwalk Empire.

Cape May County

Ocean City

Ocean City boardwalk

Ocean City is home to a boardwalk with several shops and amusement areas. Known as a family-oriented seaside resort, Ocean City has prohibited the sale of alcoholic beverages within its limits since its founding in 1879. Ocean City has miles of guarded beaches, a 2.5-mile boardwalk, and a downtown shopping and dining district. The Travel Channel rated Ocean City as the Best Family Beach of 2005.[18] It was ranked the third best beach in New Jersey in the 2008 Top 10 Beaches Contest sponsored by the New Jersey Marine Sciences Consortium.[19] In the 2009 Top 10 Beaches Contest, Ocean City ranked first.[20]

The Wildwoods

Wildwoods sign on boardwalk in Wildwood

The Wildwoods is used as a collective term for the four communities that have "Wildwood" as part of the municipality name — the Borough of Wildwood Crest, City of Wildwood, Borough of West Wildwood and the City of North Wildwood — together with Diamond Beach, a portion of Lower Township situated on the island. Its most notable features are its beach and 1.8 miles (2.9 km) boardwalk, home to the Morey's Piers amusement complex and Raging Waters and Ocean Oasis waterparks owned by Morey's Piers. The boardwalk features a trolley called the "Tramcar", which runs from end to end.

The Chateau Bleu Motel, a typical doo-wop-style motel

The Wildwoods is home to over 200 motels, built during the Doo-Wop era of the 1950s and 1960s,[21] in an area recognized by the state of New Jersey, known as the Wildwoods Shore Resort Historic District'[22] The term doo-wop was coined by Cape May's Mid-Atlantic Center For The Arts in the early 1990s to describe the unique, space-age architectural style, which is also referred to as the Googie or populuxe style.[23] The motels are unique in appearance, with Vegas-like neon signs and fantastic architecture.[24]

Cape May

Sunset at Cape May.

Cape May is at the southern tip of Cape May Peninsula where the Delaware Bay meets the Atlantic Ocean and is one of the country's oldest vacation resort destinations.[25] With a rich history, award-winning beaches, designation as a top birding location, and many Victorian structures, Cape May is a seaside resort drawing visitors from around the world. The Cape May – Lewes Ferry connects the town to Lewes, Delaware. One of Cape May's "hot spots" is the zoo where children can pet and feed the animals and the whole family can have a good time.

Beaches

The following is a list of all the beaches located within the state of New Jersey, listed north to south

Monmouth County

Ocean County

Atlantic County

Cape May County

Affected by Hurricane Sandy

The entirety of the Jersey Shore region was significantly affected by Hurricane Sandy in October 2012. The devastating effect of the storm surge on property adjacent to the beach resulted in substantial cost to the reinsurance industry which has since advocated avoidance of rebuilding closely packed middle-class residences or flimsy commercial structures adjacent to the beach. It is felt insuring property in the area may be impossible if a configuration of buildings is constructed which have a high probability of suffering massive damage in increasingly-likely future storms.[26]

Sound and culture

The Jersey Shore is home to numerous rock and roll clubs, most famously in Asbury Park, where Bruce Springsteen honed his skills at now defunct clubs like The Upstage and the Student Prince. He still makes periodic live appearances at The Stone Pony bar or at Convention Hall as either a solo act, with the E Street Band, or with other artists. Furthermore, Bill Haley and the Comets performed "Rock Around the Clock" for the first time live at the Hoff Brau in Wildwood.[citation needed]

A style of music known as the Jersey Shore sound evolved from this scene. The Springsteen song "4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)" is one of several Springsteen songs that contains references to the Jersey shore scene of the early 1970s.[citation needed]

MTV also used Seaside Heights as the location of their Summer Beach House in 1998 and again in 2002, and for two episodes of True Life about adults in their 20's and 30's living "down the shore" for the summer.[citation needed] In 1999, the music video "Summer Girls" by LFO was filmed in Seaside Heights.[citation needed]

The Jersey Shore area rose to international fame in 2009 after MTV started airing the reality series Jersey Shore. The popular show, filmed mostly in Seaside Heights, debuted amid large amounts of controversy regarding the use of the words "Guido/Guidette", portrayals of Italian-American stereotypes, and scrutiny from locals because the cast members, with the exception of three, are not New Jersey residents.[27][28][29]

The 2011 film New Year's Eve was filmed in Seaside Heights.[citation needed]

Some episodes of The Real Housewives of New Jersey, season four, took place at the Jersey Shore. As discussed on the show, the families of cast members Teresa Giudice and Melissa Gorga have houses in Toms River, and Kathy Wakile's family also rented a house at the shore.

Retail businesses

A retro-styled Wawa Food Market in Wildwood, New Jersey.

Unlike areas in the interior of the state, which has many big box stores, small businesses make a significant portion of the economy of barrier island Jersey Shore towns. This is because small businesses can more easily adapt to the seasonal nature of business in shore towns. Stores that are located at the shore are all unique ranging from psychics and accessories at Ocean City to home-made chocolates in Long Beach Island. In addition many shore towns deliberately stymie the entry of big box stores because they want to reduce traffic. In addition, many tourists visit shore towns in order to be in an environment without big box stores. In some shore towns Wawa Inc. designs its stores to match the aesthetic and changes its operating procedures to adapt to the shore culture. It is the only retailer on the island of Cape May to have a significant number of stores.[30]

References

  1. ↑ "The Real Jersey Dictionary". The Daily Beast. Retrieved 16 December 2012. 
  2. ↑ "Visitor Information - Regional Tourism". 
  3. ↑ Galant, Debra. "JERSEY; South Jersey Is Friendlier? Oh, Shut Up And Drive", The New York Times, April 9, 2000, accessed April 11, 2008. "For the purposes of dividing North Jersey from South Jersey, Gannett drew a line between Monmouth County and Ocean County. I decided that it would be amusing to drive down to this dividing line — which turned out to be the Manasquan River — and test the hypothesis."
  4. ↑ "PoliticsPA's Top Summer Vacation Spots". PoliticsPA. Archived from the original on 2003-02-02. 
  5. ↑ http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2011/05/census_results_show_nj_shore_to.html
  6. ↑ Sea Streak
  7. ↑ Trebay, Guy (September 2, 2001). "All Undressed and So Many Places to Go". New York Times. Retrieved 2007-08-21. "Crowds are also increasing these final summer days at Blacks Beach near San Diego, at Mazo Beach on the lower Wisconsin River and at Gunnison Beach in Sandy Hook, New Jersey, a dress optional sand strip run by the National Park Service that was recently deemed by the Clean Beaches Council, an environmental group, one of the top 10 beaches in the United States." 
  8. ↑ Flam, Faye. "Clothing optional may not be way of historical human", The Philadelphia Inquirer, July 17, 2006. Accessed June 17, 2007. "Sandy Hook boasts the biggest nude beach along the Atlantic. The clothing-optional part is called Gunnison Beach and there's even a picture showing people of varying shapes and sizes frolicking in their birthday suits."
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Wayne T. Bell (2000). Images of America: Ocean Grove. Charleston, S.C.: Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 0-7385-0425-4. 
  10. ↑ 2009 Summer Events, Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association, p. 1.
  11. ↑ Largest organs in the world
  12. ↑ NJ, Belmar Online
  13. ↑ History, Borough of Point Pleasant Beach. Accessed April 29, 2011.
  14. ↑ Mansnerus, Laura. "So, Just Who Goes Where When Going to the Shore?", The New York Times, June 6, 1999. Accessed July 13, 2011. "Seaside Heights, with a summer population of about 65,000, is packed, one of the few shore towns with larger apartment buildings. The boardwalk has almost a mile of skeeball and video arcades and enough fast food and bars to amuse the young into the early-morning hours. 'I don't think they let you into Seaside Heights if you're over 21,' said Kristin Farfalla, a sales representative at Midway Beach Real Estate in South Seaside Park."
  15. ↑ Ryan, Joe. "Setting and spiking at Seaside Heights", The Star-Ledger, July 7, 2007. Accessed July 13, 2011.
  16. ↑ Long beach island, Ocean County Historical Society. Accessed July 20, 2007. "Long Beach Island lies off the New Jersey Coast about 65 miles (105 km) south of Manhattan and 57 miles (92 km) east and slightly south of Philadelphia. The island follows the coast for a distance of 18 miles (29 km) in a roughly northeast-to-southwest direction. Barnegat Bay, which separates it from the mainland, is approximately two to six miles (10 km) wide. The width of the island ranges from more than a mile to less than 200 yards (180 m)."
  17. ↑ Today in History: June 26 at the Library of Congress
  18. ↑ Best Family Beach of 2005, Travel Channel, March 2005.
  19. ↑ Urgo, Jacqueline L. (May 23, 2008). "Triumph for South Jersey". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Archived from the original on 2008-06-05. Retrieved 2008-05-30. 
  20. ↑ Ocean City wins No. 1 beach in New Jersey for '09, The Star-Ledger, May 19, 2009.
  21. ↑ "The '50s and '60s Thrive In Retro Doo-Wop Motels". Washington Post. 24 June 2007. Retrieved 2008-12-10. 
  22. ↑ Doo Wop Preservation League Web site
  23. ↑ Wildwood Crest Historical Society Web site
  24. ↑ Fancher, Emily. "Doo Wop" architecture lures tourists back to seaside town, Columbia News Service, June 10, 2002. Accessed June 17, 2007. "Just about everything in Wildwood, N.J. has been touched by 'Doo Wop'. The term describes the distinctively kitschy flair of the town's 200 motels, which were built in the 1950s and '60s. Reflecting the popular cultural themes of the era, the motels have Hawaiian and Polynesian designs, Space Age accents or rock 'n' roll details."
  25. ↑ Johnson, Charles P. "Many Drive To Resorts On Atlantic: Coast Places Draw Drivers From Pittsburgh District", The Pittsburgh Press, June 22, 1930, p. 3 of the Automobile section. Accessed July 4, 2011. "The southern part of New Jersey largely in Cape May County contains other popular resorts. Cape May City, the southernmost part of New Jersey, is said to be the oldest vacation resort in the United States."
  26. ↑ Amy S. Rosenberg (March 13, 2013). "Panel takes sobering look at future of the Shore". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved March 14, 2013. 
  27. ↑ "Shore Residents Express Anger with MTV". PointPleasantChamber.com. 
  28. ↑ "Shore residents express anger with MTV's Jersey Shore premise". app.com. November 29, 2009. 
  29. ↑ "MTV's Jersey Shore Garners Critics Over Use of Term 'Guido'". abcnews.com. December 11, 2009. 
  30. ↑ Warner, Susan (August 14, 2005). "Mom and Pop Hold Sway At the Shore". The New York Times. Retrieved December 24, 2011. 

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