Down At The Shore! 08/11/11

Down the Shore This Week here’s the 411:

The weather will be in the 80’s which is prime beach weather! So grab your beach towels and head on down and spend the day. However, later in the weekend there may be some thunderstorms, but there’s always things to do even in the rain.

Atlantic City:

Don’t forget to catch the high flying, crazy contortion acts of The All American Circus exclusively at Resorts Casino.

Ocean City:

On rainy days a great spot for kids is Kidz Creations on Asbury Avenue. Stop in to let your child’s creativity run wild. Crafts, paint, glitter, and slime!

Sea Isle City:

Sunday is Family Fun Night at Gillians of Sea Isle City. Balloons, face painters, and tattoo artists from 7-9 pm

Wildwood:

When the storm is raging stop by the Wildwood’s Convention Center for the Harlem Globetrotters. Showing all weekend long!

Cape May:

What was life like in the Victorian era? Take the kids on a guided tour of the Emlen Physick Estate, Cape May’s only Victorian house museum. Specially geared to children, these tours last about 45 minutes.

When it rains at the shore all is not lost. There are so many local fun spots. Arcades, inside mini golf, even some of the local ice cream parlors offer entertainment. The Wetlands Institute in Cape May Court House is a great educational stop. And when all else fails, go shopping. There are lots of local shops to browse for souvenirs.

This post was written by Karen Sweitzer- O’Brien, owner/publisher of 3 family friendly Web Sites, a Jersey Girl and a very busy mommy of 4. She is a cleaning and organizing specialist. She is a special education teacher, owns her own business, and also teaches gymnastics. The one thing she can never manage to do is finish the laundry

Down At The Shore! 07/15/11

Coming down to the Jersey Shore for the weekend of July 15^th, here’s the 411!

The weather is going to be in the 80’s all weekend! This is perfect beach weather for playing volley ball, building a huge sand sculpture, or even just laying out.

Here’s what’s happening around town:

Atlantic City:

As always there’s a ton of adult entertainment happening; including Resorts NEW Circus, which boasts a family friendly show, as well as an adults showing at night.

Friday July 15
“By The Light of The Moon”
Absecon Lighthouse will be open for nighttime climbs – last climb at 9:00 pm
$10 per person, includes snacks & beverages

Wed July 20^th starts Wacky Wednesdays at the Lighthouse.

Ocean City:

On July 16^th is Ocean City’s Night in Venice – The City’s annual boat parade is one of the largest in the world. Starts at 7:30pm from the Longport Bridge to

Tennessee Ave.

, along the bay. This is such a treat for locals and visitors alike. The boats are decorated in fun themes. The boats are separated into categories based on length and prizes are up for grabs for Best Decorated, Best Lighted, Most Original, and more. Don’t miss the Musical, Comical, and Children’s boats! If you’re going, get there extra early. The town will get really packed and traffic is a mess. If you don’t own a house on the bay, or know someone who does, finding a spot to see the parade can be quite a task. Bring quarters for meter parking.

Wildwood:

They have a bunch of events going on this weekend. One of them is The Antique Car Show on July 16th. The Jersey Cape Region Antique Automobile Club of America will sponsor an Antique Car Show 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. on the boardwalk between 16th and 26th Avenues in North Wildwood. Bring quarters for the meters, or if spending the day try parking at a lot a few blocks from the boardwalk. It frees you from feeding the meter, and they offer all day rates. Parking closer could result in double fees, one for daytime hours and another fee for parking after 5pm.

My suggestions for this week are the beach all the way, baby. Imagine the warm sand, the hot sun, and a perfect cool breeze that passes over you, giving you goose bumps. Night time temp is in the high 60’s which on fresh sunburn or tanned skin can feel chilly. Don’t forget a jacket for night time. If you’re not up for big crowds, avoid the main attractions. Each city offers its own free night time beach concerts and events for the kids. Check their website calendars for details.

My Beach tips:

Swimming in the salty ocean can make your hair feel stringy, and dry. Take some Moroccan oil to the beach with you. When you’re ready to come out of the water, and tan, just rub a small palm full in your hair. Wrap your hair in a bun or cover it up with a bandana or scarf to protect it from the suns harmful rays.

Kids at the beach equal sand, sand, and sand. Take some baby powder with you. Sprinkle baby powder generously on sandy parts and rub in, then watch the sand just fall away.

My money saving local tip is get your beach toys at a dollar store or a 5 below. Try to hit one of those stores on your way into town. Once you’re in town you’re at the mercy of the local merchants who can charge a small fortune for a bucket and shovel.

This post was written by Karen Sweitzer- O’Brien, owner/publisher of 3 family friendly Web Sites, a Jersey Girl and a very busy mommy of 4. She is a cleaning and organizing specialist. She is a special education teacher, owns her own business, and also teaches gymnastics. The one thing she can never manage to do is finish the laundry

Down At The Shore!

Down at the Shore:

Fourth of July weekend is for sure the busiest weekends of the summer! And the entire weekend is jam packed with activities! So if you’re going to be down this way here’s the scoop:

Fourth of July Fireworks:

Cape May: Fireworks Extravaganza, Congress Hall 9pm

Wildwood: At

Pine Avenue

and Beach at 10:00pm grab a beach chair and a blanket and head down!

Stone Harbor/ Avalon:

July 3^rd:

30^th St

Beach directly following the 7:00 pm Free concert at Avalon Community Hall

July 4^th:

82^nd St

Soccer Field at 9:30 pm. Grab a beach chair and blanket. You can see the fireworks great from any spot on the beach near there, even blocks away!

Ocean City: The fireworks are launched from a barge in the Atlantic Ocean just off the coast at

9th Street

.

Sea Isle City: 9:00 PM – 9:45 PM JFK Blvd. & Beach

Atlantic City: On July 4, 2011 at 9:20 pm, a spectacular fireworks demonstration produced by Fireworks by Grucci will illuminate the skies above Atlantic City’s Marina District, kicking off the nearly hour-long production. At approximately 9:45 pm, another display will illuminate the sky along the coastline of the Atlantic City Boardwalk. The show promises to be a breathtaking pyrotechnic display that will be a highlight of the holiday weekend. The show is open to the public with viewing areas at both properties.

The fireworks display will be synchronized to music broadcast over 95.1 WAYV FM radio. Casinos across the City will tune their sound systems to feature the choreographed music as well.

Fourth of July is a really busy weekend. Whatever display you and your family chose to watch, be prepared for the crowds. The good news is that most of them are at the beach so there is plenty of room for everyone.

Tips:

If you want to travel out of your area be sure to GO EARLY! There will be traffic and a lack of parking due to the influx of visitors

Bring a roll of quarters! Most shore cities have meter parking. You could save yourself some cash by using a meter, especially if you’re only going in for the fireworks. Paying for parking on 4th of July weekend could be upwards of $10-15.00.

Take advantage of the locations festivities. Most shore cities offer a variety of all day celebrations, most of which is Free! There are also a bunch of FREE concerts. You could go for an all day trip. And there are plenty of public facilities, stores, and restaurants.

Fireworks on the beach are great, with plenty of room to spread out. Bring beach chairs, and blankets, and jackets. It gets really chilly at the beach at night. Also pack some bug spray, just in case!

Pop by a Dollar Store, or a 5 below, and grab some glow in the dark bracelets, and necklaces for the kids. They usually sell them during the fireworks display, and you’ll pay triple there!

One more tip Fireworks are illegal in NJ so please leave any at home!

To see the events going on in South Jersey check out our calendar!

The Post was Written by Karen Sweitzer O’Brien. She is a writer, publisher and editor of several web sites devoted to South Jersey. She currently lives, and has lived her whole life, in South Jersey with her husband and four children.