Bring the Kids to Point Pleasant Beach

Family Days: Bring the Kids to Point Pleasant Beach

Ocean

It’s summertime. That means beach fever. As a rule, I try to avoid going to the beach on the three summer holidays (Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day). It’s just too many people and hotels jack up the prices on holiday weekends and have all sorts of caveats like three-night minimum stay plus the cost of life insurance on your first born. So why not soak up the sun this weekend or the weekend after the Fourth? New York, published a mega-list of beaches, state park and other outdoorsy goodness in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. This past weekend my boyfriend and I spent three days in Point Pleasant Beach, one of the places on the list, and neighboring Bay Head.

New York recommends taking the bus. I recommend taking the train. It’s quicker and cheaper. I say this as someone with little patience for long car/train/bus rides. Round trip tickets on New Jersey Transit’s North Jersey Coast Line, (PDF schedule) are $21. That same line also stops at Spring Lake and Manasquan, two other town on the list. And since these towns are a ways down the shore (despite the misleading “North Jersey” Coast Line), you can catch all the ocean views on the ride down. Exploring New Jersey by bus? Not the best way to go.

Biking in Bay Head

Point Pleasant Beach is a biker’s paradise. Bring your bike if you can; many local inns (definitely not the major hotels) will have free bike rentals. All the locals bike to the beach everyday and drop their sandals off at the unofficial “sandal depot,” a collection of clogs and other flip flops near the beach entryway. I had so major bike envy while I was there. There were so many creative kids’ bicycles. We chatted with one family as they helped their four-year-old son ride without training wheels for the first time. Their younger daughter was in a child bicycle trailer, which I had never seen before. I know, where have I been living?

Food-wise, stock up one 16-inch subs at Curtis’ Central Market. It’s within walking or biking distance from most inns and hotels. All are between $7 and $10 depending on what toppings you get. For the little ones, there are half subs for half the price. Bottom line = bikes + beach + kids = Point Pleasant Beach and Bay Head!