2016 is moving fast. The Super Bowl, Valentine's Day and St. Patrick's Day are annual celebrations that we will not revisit until 2017. Memorial Day just passed, which means we are just that much closer to summer! When I was in school, Memorial Day weekend (or MDW, for short) was the final stretch to finishing the school year. By the end of May in New Jersey, the sun is out, humidity is at an all time high and it feels like summer.
Many people in the Garden State spend their MDW down the shore (also referred to as DTS). Some take day trips while others spend the entire long weekend soaking up the sun with the sand and ocean at their fingertips. Helpful hint: make sure you leave home at the right time because the traffic is crazy. Because there are so many beaches and boardwalks down at the Jersey Shore that you can never get bored!
I took my first day trip down to the Jersey Shore on the Friday of the long Memorial Day weekend. The night before, I located my Tommy Bahama beach chair and dusty cooler in my garage that I had not touched since August, cut up fresh fruit, and got together some snacks, towels, sunscreen, my favorite baseball cap and sunglasses for the trip.
My alarm was set early the next morning and after packing up the car, stopping for gas, grabbing a bagel and a coffee for breakfast and purchasing some 99 cent Arizona iced teas, we were ready to get on the road by 8:30 a.m. A bagel and a coffee are essentials for a long day trip down the shore. You need the fuel and the energy to make it through hours spent in the sun! Another helpful hint: pack a lot of water to keep hydrated. Please.
If you are down at the Jersey shore where the boardwalk is in walking or driving distance away — go! There are plenty of fascinating games, arcades and thrilling rides that will keep you entertained for hours, plus so many food options like pizza slices the size of your head, a Kohrs soft served orange and vanilla twist, a Steaks Unlimited sandwich with a side of cheeseballs, fresh squeezed lemonade and anything fried. What I'm saying is if you go to the boardwalk and you are on a diet...good luck and stay strong.
I know summertime is different wherever you go. There are beaches all around the world. But I can confidently say there is nothing like a summer spent at the Jersey Shore.
