nice place for family vacation on Long Beach Island?? (Avalon: rentals, condo)

[amyla]

HI. I am from the New York threads usually but we have heard nice things about Long Beach Island. Are there places you would recommend staying/renting that are good for families with young kids? We like to be near a town and the beach if possible. Thanks.

[VeradoDan]

Well, if you want a town near the beach, LBI is the right place. At its widest point, the island is only three blocks wide, so you're never more than a minute from the beach and the bay. Length-wise, however, the island is 18-miles long, so there are a lot of different towns scattered from one end to another.

Where you rent will be somewhat determined by your budget. Surf City is a great town for families, as there are a lot of fun stores and places to eat, and the rental prices range from affordable to expensive. There's really something for everyone. In addition, there are a lot of activities nearby, including fishing, crabbing, boat rentals, miniature golf, etc.

My one suggestion would be, if it's possible with work/school schedules for your family, to rent the week AFTER Labor Day. It's still very warm and the rental prices will be slashed by literally 50% in some cases. We locals will tell you that September is the best "summer" month of the year - the ocean is usually at its warmest point and many of the crowds are gone. It's a great time to relax and unwind.

[blaize86]

I know its late in the season but i just did a week in Avalon. Its about 50 miles south of LBI. Its cheaper and less hustle and bustle. The beaches are very nice and its a very active community. The streets are filled with bikes, runners, walkers. It seems like every body exercises. Google it.

[CaptainNJ]

the beach haven area is where you want to be. near fantasy island. there is a little bit of a town area to walk around, beach is close by wherever you are, fantasy island is good for the kiddies, some restaurants have deals for kids, i think buckalews does something.

[yankeemom]

I second the recommendation for Beach Haven. It is very family oriented. In addition to Fantasy Island, there is Thundering Surf water park which has a separate area if your kids are littler. Surflight Theater does mainstage musicals appropriate for older kids who would enjoy that, but also puts on classic Childrens Theater which the younger kids love. No visit to LBI would be complete without a visit to Showplace Ice Cream Parlor with their singing waitstaff. And a visit to climb the light house is just down the road in Barnegat Light.
Accomodations run from hotels/motels, rental condo's and single family homes to lovely historic B&B's and Inns.
Avalon is lovely, I am not sure about cheaper (depending on where you stay of course) but it is much further for anyone coming from NYC. And some sections of LBI are significantly quieter than Avalon!

[BergenCountyJohnny]

I third the recommendation for Beach Haven.

[PastorAarn]

You might be interested in LBISource.com. I've used it for a while and it has a great list of everything that's going on in LBI and it is very easy to search and find what you need. Hope that helps!

[ShopLBInj]

Our new website lists all the places to stay on Long Beach Island. Visit [url=http://www.ShopLBInj.com] and be sure to sign up for our newsletter! We also list Restaurants, Bars, Mini Golf, Ice Cream Shops, LBI Events and more! In a few months we should have all LBI businesses & services listed!

I have been coming to LBI my entire life and have never seen such beautiful beaches! There's a lot to do on the island, yet it remains quaint. The people are so nice too! Such a great place to spend a vacation for the whole family.