1. Your Coveted Beach House

The place your friends dream of being invited to every year but you just think of it as your second home.

2. The Beach

Living ON the beach all summer long really makes you miss the sun hitting your skin and the waves crashing in your ear when you are wearing snow boots and heavy jackets.

3. Fudge

Yes, your sister can ship you some to school over the winter season but, it does not even begin to compare to walking into Country Kettle Fudge yourself and seeing it being made and picking out the flavors yourself.

4. Chowder

You may have one specific place that is your favorite (Howard's) but, no other chowder compares to that of Long Beach Island's, no matter where you get it.

5. Your Summer Job

If you are a regular, like I am, you have that special summer job that you wait all winter to get back to. For me, it was a wonderful little ice cream shop in the heart of Bay Village.

6. Bay Village

Yes, it is usually filled with teens and pre-teens, who do not care about anything or anyone, but going with friends or family just spending a night out and shopping is very relaxing and during the winter that is all you want to be doing.

7. Fantasy Island Arcade

No matter how old you are, you enjoy late nights or early afternoons in the arcade scoping out the Wizard of Oz machines for that golden Toto card. Also, playing the crane games until you reach in your pocket to find not even a single quarter left.

8. Ice Cream

With over 100 ice cream shops on this island the ice cream you eat all summer is very important. Considering I work at one I am very biased that my shop (The Windmill Belgian Waffles and Ice Cream) is pretty high up there with Skipper Dipper.

9. The Chicken or the Egg

To locals, known as Chegg. I will admit to day dreaming about their wings at least 3 times a week, I mean could you blame me. I miss 3 am bike rides there for the late night menu (especially the stoner pancakes).

10. Your Friends

Lastly, when you leave in late august not to return again until may, you say goodbye to the people you spend your whole summer with. You begin to miss them like crazy over the winter months, It is good to know that the second you pass over that last bridge onto the island in late May, it's like you never even left them.

Memorial Day weekend could not come any sooner!