Beach, Boardwalk and Nature On the Jersey Shore
The Boardwalk, Beaches & Natural Attractions of Southern New Jersey
Feb 10, 2009
While the resorts and casinos are still there, southern New Jersey offers some amazing natural splendor that can, and should, be enjoyed all year round. In fact it’s possible to take advantage of all that Atlantic City has to offer and still spend most of your vacation out in nature.
Despite the seemingly endless expansion of casinos and resorts, the beach is ever present, offering a clean, safe and pleasant alternative to the “bling bling” of the casinos. It’s also generally an easy walkable distance from most hotels on the strip, so it’s possible to take advantage of cheap casino room rates and still escape to the beach.
Atlantic City, Casinos and The Boardwalk
For visitors who want more than sunbathing and bodysurfing, there is always the boardwalk. Running along the beach and creating a cultural barrier between the unbridled consumerism of the casino experience and the somewhat more contemplative aspects of the ocean, the boardwalk serves up its rows of kitchy tourist goods, saltwater taffy, carnival rides and corn dogs in a decidedly less glitzy fashion than the casinos. In addition to the boardwalk’s casual attractions, Garden Pier (at the northern end of the boardwalk’s four mile run) is home to the Atlantic City Art Center and the Atlantic City Historical Museum, a toehold of culture and remembrance of things past amongst the skee-ball.
Back to Nature “Down the Shore”
At Cape May Point State Park (45 miles south of Atlantic City) visitors can enjoy a walk on the dunes and across the beach to the water’s edge, where on a clear day, they may catch a distant glimpse of Delaware. The state park also offers a marvelous, boardwalk nature trail through the nearby marsh and wetlands area. This wheelchair accessible trail provides a terrific opportunity to spot numerous birds and other creatures in their native habitat. The park is known as a birders paradise. Last, but by no means least, the park’s lighthouse boasts a spectacular panoramic view of Cape May (the southern tip of New Jersey), and has an informative museum/gift shop at its base.
In downtown Cape May the Nature Center of Cape May offers its visitors a look at numerous species of birds, reptiles, mammals and fish, and a glimpse at some of the center’s numerous conservation projects and programs.
Jacques Cousteau and the Tuckerton Seaport
Roughly 30 miles north of Atlantic City, the town of Tuckerton encourages its visitors to delve deeply into the rich maritime history of the area, learn to sail, and learn a great deal about local marine biology and the estuary ecosystem. Tuckerton Seaport offers ASA certified sailing classes, kayak tours, wooden boat building courses and demonstrations of the traditions and folk arts of the people who live, work, and play along Barnegat Bay.
The seaport is also home to the Jacques Cousteau National Estuarine Research Reserve Interpretive Center that has as its mission the challenge to educate, inform, and engage its visitors in the ongoing study of this unique marine environment. Indoor exhibits provide great detail about this massive wetlands habitat. From there it’s just a few steps out to the estuary itself and the seaport’s traditional craft workshops.
Whether they come for the casinos, the beach, the boardwalk, or to spend time out in nature visitors to Southern New Jersey can’t help but come away knowing that there is a great deal more to “The Shore”, than just doubling down and tickets to Siegfried & Roy.
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