A Day At The Jersey Shore

Lori and Peter called for us ("we'll be over by 9 am") at about 11. We got into our car and headed for Ocean Grove, NJ on the Jersey shore. They've been there many times for summer jaunts and have asked us to come down and take a look. The idea is to perhaps join them for a week or so this summer.

Of course, it should have been an hour ride: through Staten Island, over the Outerbridge Crossing (named oddly enough for a Mr. Elysius Outerbridge, go know) and then south on the Garden State. Well, we're talking and talking and talking and I missed the exit for the parkway. We got off 10 miles west and then proceeded to take a slow boat to China or the shore (same thing as far as Peter was concerned): one hour turned into two (or so). We did, however, get a nice tour of other parts of New Jersey.

The town of Ocean Grove is lovely: not overly developed, not overly new. Sweet, little cottages, lovely, tree-lined streets running off a beautiful Atlantic Ocean beach. It's a dry town: the advantage? It's not a beach/bar town with the attendant crowds, motorcycles, wet t-shirt contests, etc.


Stacey and Lori in Ocean Grove, NJ


Walking down Main Avenue in Ocean Grove.

Its history lies with the Tabernacle, an immense, wooden structure in the middle of town that is a Methodist meeting hall. At the turn of the last century (you remember the 20th century don't you??) this town was known country-wide as a summer Methodist camp, much like Oak Bluffs on Martha's Vineyard. The church goers would come from all over and stay for the summer, attend church and "camp" in tents and ginger-bread cottages built all around the auditorium. These days it isn't just a Methodist meeting town but the church still plays a strong role in town affairs and so one can't go to the beach before noon on Sundays; it's "dry," etc. Still and all, it's a lovely, New Jersey beach town and very appealing to us.


The Methodist tabernacle: The "Auditorium."


Beach block near the ocean in Ocean Grove.


The Boardwalk under a puffy, blue sky.


Stacey in front of typical Ocean Grove cottage.

We walked some of the back streets, stopped in at an "open house" to see what might be for sale and what the inside of a $450,000 cottage might look like ... it was tiny, right off the tabernacle and a block or so from the beach. Needed a good imagination and a lot of work. Maybe a rental would be a better idea for now.

Lunch was at a small cafe back on Main Avenue. Then we took the tourist route back to Brooklyn: skipping the Parkway we meandered our way up the Jersey coast to Highlands and the Amboys, through Staten Island and home. A long day, but very lovely and satisfying. We always have a nice time with Lori and Peter.