Author R.C. Staab completed a unique summer excursion at the Jersey Shore - a walking tour of each beach from Sandy Hook to Cape May Point. Below are Staab's thoughts on his journey and a link to a compilation of the stories he wrote about each beach.
As the author of the recently published book 100 Things to Do at the Jersey Shore, I was confident I knew the Jersey Shore. Back in May, I wrote that I planned to walk “the entire length of every beach, boardwalk or promenade of the 51 beaches or parks of the Shore.” I didn’t even know that much. There are actually 58 unique beaches from Sandy Hook to Cape May Point (and 59 if Lower Township/Sunset Beach on the western edge of Cape May Island is included).
Along the way, I lost or broke two pairs of sunglasses, went through a half-dozen bottles of suntan lotion and learned the value of finding the right shoe for the right beach. Running shoes are best for wide, hard-packed beaches such as Ocean City and Wildwood; flat-bottomed shoes are best for inclined, soft-sand beaches such as Sandy Hook or Island Beach State Park.
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The trip opened my eyes. I found the best beach to see dolphins right off the shore, the two nudist beaches (one official, one not), the four dry towns, the seven fishing piers (two not over the water due to storms and beach replenishment), the well-known seven-mile beach that’s really eight miles (with Mother Nature’s help) and the beach that is actually 10 private beaches, each with its own beach tag and rules and regulations.
Read stories about each beach and discover the most complete list of the Jersey Shore beaches by clicking here.
