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Message |
    
Holly
Citizen
Username: Holly
Post Number: 24
Registered: 2-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 16, 2006 - 9:32 am: | 
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Can anyone tell me anything about this? One review did say to stay away if wind is blowing from the west because the biting flies are impossible. Otherwise it sounds wonderful for nature lovers. Has anyone been? We love Sandy Hook. Mapquest says it takes approx 1.5 hours. Is this about right? Is there any where not too far away that would be cheaper to stay? We would be willing to drive for a while to pay more around $100 per night midweek if we could find a decent place. Or, perhaps make it a day trip. Any thoughts or suggestions? |
melicious
Citizen
Username: Melicious
Post Number: 700
Registered: 6-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 16, 2006 - 9:40 am: |
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I never experienced the flies there. There was just a thread on this.
1.5 is about right. I wouldn't stay overnight just to go there - take a day trip. Get there as early as possible. There have been riptides there for the past few times I went, but there is always a safe, life-guarded place to swim.
Beautiful place |
papayagirl
Citizen
Username: Papayagirl
Post Number: 635
Registered: 6-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 16, 2006 - 9:46 am: |
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My family has a house in Seaside Park, which is just outside the gates of Island Beach. I've been going there since i was born. The biting flies can be a pain, but there are really only a few days each season when it's an issue. And it's really hard to tell if it'll be the case before you head down there, since winds shift. I've always assumed that this was a general beach/NJ shore problem, and not specifically a Seaside/Island Beach problem though... i don't often go to many other beaches, so i could be wrong.
If you leave on a weekday or by 8am on a saturday, you can get to IBSP in about an hour and 15 mins. If you leave later than that, it can be 2 hours with traffic on a nice weekend. There's (i think it's called) the Island Beach Motor Lodge right outside the beach, but i don't know anything about it. There's also the Wavejammer hotel/motel in Seaside Park/Heights a mile or so down the road. But again, i've never stayed there. It's an easy enough day trip to do. |
drewdix
Citizen
Username: Drewdix
Post Number: 1221
Registered: 7-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 16, 2006 - 10:07 am: |
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I also "grew up" in this park.
It's beautiful- but bring everything (food, etc.)- it's not like the shore towns or LBI wher it's a few steps to get a slice or a beer. And that's what's nice, although I like both. |
melicious
Citizen
Username: Melicious
Post Number: 702
Registered: 6-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 16, 2006 - 10:08 am: |
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Don't they have a snack bar? I thought they did...hmmmm |
Wendy
Supporter
Username: Wendy
Post Number: 3003
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 16, 2006 - 10:14 am: |
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Well they do have a snack bar melicious. But the best thing about Island Beach are the smaller parking areas past the two main ones (with the showers and snack bars) since they are less crowded.
When we go, we make a whole day of it, bring lunch, etc for the beach time and then drive over to the showers and change and go up to Seaside Heights and enjoy the boardwalk, miniature golf stuff and then grab some dinner on the way home.
Until we discovered Island Beach, we thought there were truly no nice beaches in New Jersey since we were used to a Jones Beach look with miles of sand and dunes and no houses encroaching on that view.
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Holly
Citizen
Username: Holly
Post Number: 25
Registered: 2-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 16, 2006 - 12:15 pm: |
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Thanks! Any particular place to grab dinner? |
papayagirl
Citizen
Username: Papayagirl
Post Number: 638
Registered: 6-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 16, 2006 - 12:20 pm: |
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Bum Rogers, right outside the gates. Great big seafood platters, and you can show up in shorts and a t-shirt. There's Berkeley seafood outside the gates too, but we usually do takeout (if you have a place to eat it) rather than eat in the dining room.
Or you can do what Wendy said and go up to the boardwalk in Seaside Heights. Lots of pizza, cheesesteaks, etc. |
Holly
Citizen
Username: Holly
Post Number: 26
Registered: 2-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 16, 2006 - 12:37 pm: |
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Oh Boy! I'm psyched! Seafood platters! Thats it. T-shirt. That's vacation to me. Thanks again. |
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