We decided to drive down to the Jersey Shore for the weekend. We had tickets to a concert in Atlantic City and decided to make a trip of it. We booked an AirBnb in Margate City.
Margate City is a small, charming seaside community in the Atlantic County, NJ. It is located on the Absecon Island, a barrier island, nestled between the Atlantic Ocean and the “Back Bay”. The city gets its name from the English coastal resort town Margate. There are a few historic landmarks here and then the beautiful ocean. There are several attractions in Atlantic City and Ocean City (NJ) which are a short drive away.
Like in all seaside towns in Jersey, Margate City’s population swells from Memorial Day through the end of Summer. We are here early in the season and the town is very sparsely populated.
On our drive to Margate City, we made a quick pit stop at the Frank Sinatra rest area on the Garden State Parkway. The famous Frank Sinatra is a NJ citizen, was born in Hoboken, NJ. Frank was also called “Ol Blue Eyes” was inducted into the NJ Hall of Fame. This rest area is one of the many tributes to the legendary singer / actor.
After check in at the Airbnb and a short break, we drove to Ocean City (about 20 min away). Ocean City (OCNJ), not to be confused with with the other Ocean City in Maryland, is known as “America’s Greatest Family Resort” is in Cape May County. The 2.5 mile long boardwalk is most famous for its shops, eateries and amusement arcades. It was an unseasonably wam day and a great day to be at the shore and on the boardwalk. We checked out the beach (from a distance.. waters are still very cold) and then strolled on the boardwalk. Like all boardwalks in NJ, enjoying Ice cream, french fries and pizza are always on the must do list.. Here are a few pictures from the famous Ocean City boardwalk…
After the boardwalk experience, we drove to the Corson’s Inlet State Park which is located at the southern tip of the Island. The park is a great place for hiking, fishing and birdwatching. After a short hike in the park, we drove to Somer’s Point to take vantage spot to enjoy the sunset. It was a beautiful sunset.. I am reminded of a quote I read about sunsets “Sunsets are proof that no matter happens, every day can end beautifully” – Kristen Butler… I am fascinated by sunsets and have literally hundreds of pictures of sunsets (and sunrises) from everywhere that I have traveled. The sunset experience at Somer’s Point was mesmerizing… the pictures below will tell the story !! Incredible !
We went to dinner at Sofia, a really fancy Mediterranean restaurant. The restaurant had a beautiful ambience with impressive carved doors, vibrant interiors and excellent service. Voted by Zagat as the most stylish non-casino restaurant in South Jersey – “stunning decor of mixed stone, rustic wood, high ceilings and original iron work”. The food was delicious with excellent vegetarian choices. If you are in the area, this is a must visit restaurant.
Day 2 – It was a cooler day ( 55F).. we decided to check out some of the local sights. One of the attractions here is Lucy the Elephant, a giant statue of an elephant, yes it is a thing. It is not some quirky roadside attraction, it is historic. It was built in 1881 by a Philadelphia attorney to attract people to the Jersey shore. It is huge, over 65 feet tall and has an exhibit hall and a theatre inside.
Did you know that the original board game Monopoly has its roots in the Jersey Shore and the Atlantic City area specifically. The game was developed in the 1930s and has many of the local areas and streets featured in the game – Boardwalk, Park Place. Many of the properties were based on streets / locations in the area – Baltic Place, Mediterranean Avenue & Marvin Gardens and Ventenor Avenue (in Margate City).
We drove through Ventenor Avenue to get to Marvin Gardens ( Marven Gardens). It is an upscale area with several historic homes but no Garden ! We were back at the OC boardwalk, this time to try out some pizza at the world famous (okay.. I’m exaggerating), Manco & Manco pizzeria. Their pizza was just vry very good..
Saturday evening was showtime – we went to the Shankar, Ehsan, Loy concert at the Hard Rock Arena in Atlantic City. It was an amazing evening of music, dance and entertainment.
Sunday morning… time to head back home after a chilled out, relaxed and entertaining weekend at the Jersey Shore. After a stopover at Philly for brunch with our girls, we headed home.
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