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We are accustomed to beach rentals in Newport Beach, CA. We typically get a one week rental of a house or portion of a house, 2-3 bedrooms, usually sleeps something like 6 people. You arrive on a Saturday, move out the next Saturday, supply your own linens, etc. Kitchen untensils, etc. are supplied. These are "beach front" in that they face a sidewalk, curiously called the boardwalk, that has sand and the public beach on the other side of it. Typically costs about $2500 for the week.
My son is living in Princeton and we thought it would be interesting to go to the Jersey shore rather than Newport this year. Could someone here enlighten me on the prospects, similarities, differences, etc., comparing the Jersey shore beach rentals to what I described? I have seen a lot of websites, prices and so forth but I am not sure what I am looking at.
Also, is it too late to be thinking about this for this summer?
Oh you should go! The water is much warmer and cleaner than it is in S CA. Some upscale towns are Spring Lake, Bay Head, Stone Harbor, Long Beach Island, and more towns down south where the Philly people go that I'm not familiar with. There's also Cape May.
I don't know whether 2500/week is cheap or expensive for these towns. I've never rented in these towns--my parents own a place that I've gone to for a thousand years in Seaside Park (which you probably won't want to go to--not that it's not fantastic, but those other towns will probably please you more).
Happy hunting. I have a feeling you're on the late end of things, but you never know, you might be able to pick something up.
Give us some idea of what you look for in a beach vacation.
Is this a group of adults; people of all ages, toddlers through seniors?
Are you looking for relatively quiet, book on the beach, sunset over the bay? Will you want an amusement park, mini golf for the kids? Are bars and clubs important?
My beach rentals have always been on Long Beach Island. On the island I've stayed in Surf City, Ship Bottom, Beach Haven and North Beach Haven. Some areas of the island are residential, quiet, and you would drive to activities. In the busier areas you can walk to shops and restaurants.
It's not too late to rent. My habit has been to drive down there in the spring and look for a place. There's always something.
The island has a lighthouse, you can get on a "party boat" to fish, go by boat to Atlantic City for the day, parasail, visit the Victorian historic district or the Sea Shell Motel Tiki Bar (crafted by Hawaiians) and see a few palm trees.
There's a lot of variety up and down the Jersey Shore, the ages of the people involved would be helpful.
Young kids I would say Ocean City, for example.
I've been all up and down the Jersey Shore, when I was a kid I loved Ocean City, as we got older we liked Seaside Heights or Wildwood better, these days I like Sea Isle, the Ocean doesnt have the sudden drop off, so I don't have to hover over my kids in the water.
Go to Ortley Beach, Lavallette, and/or Bay Head and check in with a realtor to see summer rentals. You shouldn't have any trouble finding a house in your price range. In Ortley Beach and Lavallette, you can also find lagoon (on the bay) houses for rent, too. Then you can crab or fish off your back yard.
Give us some idea of what you look for in a beach vacation.
Is this a group of adults; people of all ages, toddlers through seniors?
Are you looking for relatively quiet, book on the beach, sunset over the bay? Will you want an amusement park, mini golf for the kids? Are bars and clubs important?
Two couples, one in 50s, one in 20s. Somewhere in the middle, activity-wise. It would be nice to be able to walk to restaurants, stores, etc. Bars, clubs, amusement parks not real important. We do kind of enjoy the boardwalk scene where we stay in California, which is a lot of people bicycling, rollerblading, skateboarding, walking dogs, etc.
How is the surf, can you boogie board on the Jersey shore?
What does "oceanfront" mean in a listing? You can literally walk out onto the sand? You are across a street? The ocean is down a hill? Are beaches all public like in California or are they associated with the properties that face them?
OMG, I am telling you that you will LOVE the ocean at the Jersey Shore! It's warm and lots of waves. Nice soft white sand. It is fantastic. Boogie boarding, skim boarding, surfing (when the waves are right).
Oceanfront depends on the town--some towns are direct ocean front, others are across the street, many times with a boardwalk. Seaside Park has a really nice oceanfront boardwalk. But the restaurant options there are not very abundant. Walk a couple of miles down the boardwalk and you are at the biggest baddest honky tonk boardwalk scene you've ever witnessed.
LBI (Long Beach Island) is much quieter. No boardwalks there. (right?) Bay Head no boardwalk. Spring Lake has a boardwalk.
Ortley Beach, Lavallette, no boardwalk. I'm not crazy about those two towns, though, because there is a massive highway running through the very narrow towns, it makes it very difficult to cross the street and doesn't seem very relaxing.
Basically if there's a boardwalk the oceanfront properties are across the street.
The vast majority of the beaches are public. Some places in Monmouth County have private beaches, but you will most likely be going south of there. That's too close to NY Bay, anyway, the water's kind of brown and yucky.
Seaside Park has a really nice oceanfront boardwalk. But the restaurant options there are not very abundant. Walk a couple of miles down the boardwalk and you are at the biggest baddest honky tonk boardwalk scene you've ever witnessed.
LBI (Long Beach Island) is much quieter. No boardwalks there. (right?) Bay Head no boardwalk. Spring Lake has a boardwalk.
Ortley Beach, Lavallette, no boardwalk. I'm not crazy about those two towns, though, because there is a massive highway running through the very narrow towns, it makes it very difficult to cross the street and doesn't seem very relaxing.
Basically if there's a boardwalk the oceanfront properties are across the street.
The vast majority of the beaches are public. Some places in Monmouth County have private beaches, but you will most likely be going south of there. That's too close to NY Bay, anyway, the water's kind of brown and yucky.
I would never send anyone into Seaside Heights that isn't familiar with the area; the place was creepy years ago and I hear it still is, especially at night. Is this the place you are referring to as "...honky tonk boardwalk scene...?"
There is no massive road going through Ortley and Lavallette. Two lanes going north and two lanes going south, separated by two blocks of homes and the speed limit is 35 mph. There are crossing guards, too, where needed. How is that massive??
Our public beaches aren't free, but rentals usually include the cost of beach badges.
OP, good luck with your search. As you can see, we all have different opinions as to what is good.
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