Best Kept Secrets of Avalon, New Jersey
Avalon, as they say, is cooler by a mile. Why’s that? Well, the town actually extends one mile farther into the Atlantic Ocean than some of the neighboring Jersey shore towns!
If you’re looking for a family oriented vacation at the Jersey shore, look no further than Avalon! In the town itself, you’ll find tennis and basketball courts, playgrounds and parks, summer sports camps for the kids, fine dining and shopping… and more! And don’t forget the beach, voted the safest beach in New Jersey by The Washingtonian.
Hitting the beach in Avalon? You’ll be glad to know that the money you spend on that beach badge for the week gives you access to BOTH Avalon and Stone Harbor beaches! Avalon even has its own small boardwalk. And if you’re visiting over the summer, investigate a Dune Walk. Avalon is home to one of the few remaining high dune systems on the East Coast.
Avalon’s beaches are even handicapped accessible, thanks to specially designed “surf chairs”.
Keep your eyes out for seabirds… southern Jersey is one of the top ten birding areas in the world! Hawks, raptors, songbirds, and seabirds all visit the wetlands throughout the year. The Wetlands Institute in nearby Stone Harbor can help you figure out what birds you’re seeing and how you can help keep them coming back year after year.
Perhaps the best kept secret of Avalon is how it manages to be a low-key, family friendly town so close to the excitement of Wildwood or the glitz of Atlantic City. The half-mile boardwalk is pretty quiet, letting Wildwood deal with the crowds of fun seekers. If you’re not looking for a peaceful day at the beach, shopping, or dining… you’re going to have to head outside of Avalon.
But don’t feel like your choices will be limited if you stay in town! Avalon offers a wide variety of shopping. Jewelry, antiques, home accents, galleries, and more.
Make time for dinner at Café Loren in Avalon if you’re a seafood lover… and have dessert at the historic Avalon Freeze, the town’s landmark 1950s ice cream stand. The majority of the restaurants in Avalon are BYOB, so hit the liquor store if you fancy a glass of wine with your meal. One exception to this is Bobby Dee’s Rock n’ Chair, which offers a good-sized wine list. Another is the Mirage Restaurant’s creative martini menu.
For water sports, check out Moran’s Dockside and the Avalon Sport Fishing Center. If you’re going to try your hand at fishing, you’ll find everything you need at Avalon Sport Fishing Center. (And if you’re feeling really lucky, enter their annual surf fishing tournament!) You can even spend a day on the Miss Avalon II party boat! At Moran’s Dockside, you can even rent a kayak for the day, or sign up for a kayak tour.
And if the kids start to complain that there’s nothing to do, they can join a sports camp hosted by the Avalon Community Center. Choose from baseball, lacrosse, soccer, field hockey, basketball, tennis, and even wrestling!