Avalon. New Jersey – Avalon is where life is cooler by a mile, or so the town’s slogan claims. It is a family oriented seashore resort that features more than just sunbathing. You’ll find fishing, sports, playgrounds, and even summer sports camps for the kids!
Let’s start with the beach. The Avalon beaches are considered some of the safest beaches around! The Washingtonianmagazine voted the Avalon beaches the best in New Jersey. The surf is gentle, the lifeguards are highly trained and attentive, and the beach is wide. There’s even a small boardwalk to stroll on. You will have to buy a beach tag to get onto the beach during lifeguard hours. A weekly pass is a better deal than daily passes, if you’re going to be in town for a while. If you’re staying more than two weeks, pick up a season pass to save even more! Avalon beach badges are also good for access to Stone Harbor beaches; the two towns share the same seven mile long barrier island.
The Avalon beaches are even handicapped accessible, thanks to a donation of Surf Chairs from the Women’s Civic Club of Avalon. Surf Chairs are specially designed beach chairs for the handicapped, and are available at Community Hall and the Lifeguard Station at 32nd and Avalon avenues. Call ahead for reservations during the busy summer months.
It is the beaches that give Avalon its slogan:cooler by a mile. The Avalon beaches stretch out one mile further into the Atlantic Ocean than neighboring beaches. The beaches are exceptionally lovely, with carefully protected high dunes covered in natural foliage that you won’t see on a lot of other New Jersey beaches. You can take a guided dune walk with a tour guide from the Wetlands Institute during the summer months — June through September.
The calendar of events in Avalon is full year round, with lots of fun, free events to attend. Because it is a shore resort, you’ll see more activities in the summer, but even in the off-season there are a ton of things to do in Avalon! Parades, craft shows, flower shows, antique shows, fireworks, movie nights, sand sculpture contests, and much more. Shoppers can scour Avalon’s shops for amazing antiques and great souvenirs. You’ll also find a lot of opportunities for great fishing and sightseeing cruises.
The Avalon Golf Club is technically in the town of Cape May Court House, but don’t let that stop you from playing a round! The course is a challenge for players of all skill levels, featuring narrow fairways, lots of water hazards, and an unpredictable sea breeze! The Avalon Golf Club is open daily to the public, and also offers two choices for dining and a golf shop.
Avalon shares a barrier island called Seven Mile Beach with Stone Harbor. You won’t find the crowded, commercial boardwalks and neon-lit arcades here. You also won’t find a lot of nightlife, endless rows of motels, or crowds of rowdy teens. When you need a little more action, it’s a short drive away — twenty minutes to Wildwood and its boardwalk; half an hour to Avalon. For a laid back family vacation, rent a condo and enjoy all that Avalon has to offer!