Turnpike Tikes

Hanging at Harvey Cedars Beach

Beach Living

Long Beach Island is like stepping back in time — restaurants like Dom’s and Harvey Cedar’s Shellfish Co. are institutions. Beaches are pristine and lined with sand dunes. Bikers ride the streets barefoot with beach cruisers.  Kids line the bay with crab cages. Surfers bob on the horizon and each town is teeming with families of all ages. In short, Long Beach Island makes for an awesome weekend getaway.

For all you LBI first-timers, Hayley Krischer has put together an excellent cheat sheet for how to navigate La-La land for the weekend:

Get Your Bearings: Long Beach Island is all beach. Make a left after the bridge and head north to the quieter towns of Harvey Cedars and Loveladies. Head right and you find your way into the boutique and surf shop-lined town of Beach Haven. If you’re jonzing for a treat, keep your ears open for the ice cream truck bells. The workers pass through ringing them on the beach to let you know creamy treats are near.

Beach Badges: The beaches aren’t free. Everyone needs a badge, although kids under 12 are free. Buy your beach badges on the beach or in any of the towns. Daily badges cost $5-$7, depending on the beach.

Best Beaches: If it’s a hot day and you have little kids there are a number of bay beaches to plunge into. Try the picturesque swimming hole at the Harvey Cedars Bay Beach on 75th Street. The bay beach in Ship Bottom on 15th has a playground. Ship Bottom is wheelchair accessible with adult and child-sized wheelchairs available.

Beach Parking: Parking options vary from town to town. At Ship Bottom, side street parking can get tough on weekends, and you can only park for an hour on oceanfront side streets. Bayside streets have all day parking available. In Long Beach Township, park at Bayview Park or alternate side street parking. There’s also a lot in town.

Water Park Wonders: Once you’ve had your fill of the beach, head to Thundering Island Water Park in Beach Haven. Water slides with tubes and a lazy river overlook the bay. Next door is Fantasy Island, a mini park filled with rides.

Surf’s Up: Have dreams to surf like Kelly Slater? Get lessons from LBI Surfing School ages 6 and up.

Taking in the scenery

At Sundown: Catch the sunset a little further up island at Barnegat Lighthouse State Park and stroll the winding dock. If you get there before 4:30 p.m., hike the 217 steps up the lighthouse.

Good Eats: Check out Harvey Cedars Shellfish Co., an institution since 1974. Let your kids try their near-impossible ring toss game in the parking lot while you’re waiting for your order of their outrageous-tasting calamari Vera Cruz.

Where to sleep and more after the jump.

Where to Sleep: There are motels, hotels and B&Bs on the island. There’s a comprehensive list here. If you’re up for roughing it, there are two campgrounds, Baker’s Acres in Little Egg Harbor and Sea Pirate Light, which is 8 miles from the island. You can also rent a house from either a rental agent or an owner, although this late in the season it might be hard to line something up.

Hayley Krischer is a freelance writer. She lives in New Jersey.