In any season, a trip to the south Jersey shore can be a low-key, low-cost getaway. A couple of nights at a leisurely bed and breakfast won't break the bank and the local attractions are white sand beaches, small shops and antique stores, a lighthouse or two and a funky boardwalk. Check ahead before bringing the kids or pets. Some size and age restrictions may apply.
Ocean City has more than seven miles of well-kept beaches, a summer Baby Parade, small shops, the Ocean City Music Pier, great sunsets, kayaking and jet skis and bike rides on its boardwalk. Ocean City, like most beach towns along the Jersey shore, requires beach tags in the summer. The cost, about $10 to $12 for a weekly tag, goes to maintaining the beaches. Brown's Nostalgia B&B rates start at $117 a night, off-season.
Brown's Nostalgia Bed and Breakfast
1001 Wesley Avenue
Ocean City, NJ 08226
866-223-0400
http://www.brownsnostalgia.com
Wildwood is a little livelier than some of the other beach towns, because the boardwalk is a throwback to earlier times. It has five enormous piers of rides and attractions, three high-energy water parks, game parlors, restaurants and one great slice at Sam's Pizza on the Boardwalk. Nights are neon-lit and the party continues. The Holly Beach Hotel is a block from a Comedy Club, but it has all the relaxing amenities of a typical B&B. Off-season rates start at $99 a night.
Holly Beach Hotel--Bed and Breakfast
137 East Spicer Avenue
Wildwood, NJ 08260
609-522-9033
http://www.hollybeach.com
Cape May has blocks of Victorian townhouses with gingerbread railings and widow's walks. The cobblestone shopping street is lined with tiny boutiques and small restaurants and you are never more than a block from the beach.
You can climb the Cape May Lighthouse and there are whale and dolphin cruises starting in mid-May through summer. There are dozens of charming bed and breakfasts to choose from in Cape May. The Mason Cottage is one, built in 1871. Rooms start at $115.
The Mason Cottage
623 Columbia Avenue
Cape May, NJ 08204
609-884-3358
http://www.themasoncottage.com
