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Don't Take Jersey Shore Living For Granted
Editorial
Between the traffic and the crowds and annual hike in gas prices, it's easy to take living at the Jersey Shore for granted.
But you know what? The residents of Ocean and Monmouth counties are very, very lucky. Just think about what is at your fingertips.
Yes, it's easy for yearround residents to take Monmouth and Ocean County's boardwalks and beaches and parks for granted, especially for longtime residents for whom the novelty of the shore has long since worn off. The crowds can be a turn-off, and forget about going out for a leisurely Saturday drive between June and August. But residents are only shortchanging themselves if they fail to take advantage of the extraordinary resource they have right in their backyard.
The Monmouth and Ocean County area is blessed with miles of gorgeous New Jersey shoreline. From quiet, semi-private beaches to the pristine coastland of Island Beach State Park to the sights and sounds of Pt. Pleasant to the go, go, go atmosphere of Seaside Heights, residents of the region have every variation of shore community available to them - and it's all within a short drive. From Long Beach Island to the Atlantic Highlands, there is a stretch of coast that will likely suit your taste.
You don't have to take our word for it. Thousands and thousands of people come to the Jersey Shore each weekend for a reason. They vote with their wallets - and they vote the Jersey Shore.
Of course, local folks might not want to sink into the hustle and bustle of the boardwalk and beach during the summer. That's understandable. The fastpaced atmosphere, especially when crowded with people who don't consider the area home (and hence don't bother to treat it like home), may not be desirable. That doesn't mean an early weekday walk on the beach, or a lunchtime stop on the boardwalk for a sausage and peppers sandwich, or a quiet boat rental for some crabbing on Barnegat Bay, or any other such thing, cannot be a relaxing, enjoyable experience for local families who have forgotten just how wonderful our shore area truly is.
And that's the bind longtime residents are often in. Living here, it's very easy to forget all that the Jersey Shore has to offer.
This summer, remind yourself how wonderful the Jersey Shore can be. Take a weekday trip to the beach. Have some ice cream or some boardwalk pizza. Stroll along the sea. Remember that we have a precious resource right here in our backyard. Because sometimes it's too easy to forget.
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