JERSEY SHORE

My first time visiting an East Coast beach, Avalon New Jersey (on Seven Mile Island), exceeded any expectations. First of all, I went with my fiance and his family who, being from just outside Philly, use to spend summers there growing up...we were all excited to have everyone there together and just kick back for a few days in a spacious beach house. I knew Avalon was 'South Jersey' and not going to be the stereotypical 'Jersey Shore' experience (Snooky and such) but I had no idea how beautiful and different it would be than my West coast home. Instead of palm trees, pines trees! White sand with forested dunes and a windy path leading to the beaches...and just a few blocks of the island a shoreline fronted by large New England style homes. The town motto is"Cooler by a mile - printed across the water tower and many other places throughout town. I loved that there was enough to do, but not *too* much. Mini golf, a bike ride on beach cruisers and stopping for ice cream was about as much activity spent in a day....other than walking the beach and drinking wine on our deck overlooking the ocean. Time moved slowly, and I loved that....along with some one of the most beautiful sunsets I can remember. There’s also a boardwalk (we didn't end up exploring) and the option to see Atlantic City  - which we only saw from the distance of the seawall. We were just enjoying 'our' beach so much it was hard to do anything else. The last night we walked down to the water close to midnight, feeling like we were the only two people on earth with no one in sight for miles - just the dark sky, moon, and crashing waves. Someone we stumbled upon the sandcastle we built earlier that day, somewhat still intact....miraculous :)