LBI Essentials

Over the summer I took a week long vacation with family and friends to Long Beach Island, New Jersey. It was eventful, lots of fun and very hot. This summer marks my 13th time vacationing in LBI, so I like to consider myself  a veteran of the area. With that being said rather than blog about my most recent stay there I wanted to explain some essential things, foods and places I've discovered over the years.

The Beach/Ocean-Obviously the main attraction of LBI that cant be ignored. LBI is a relatively small, only around a mile wide so you can get to the beach pretty much anytime and anywhere. The beach itself tends to be fairly spacious so you will have no trouble finding a place to stay. The ocean is almost always cold but you'll get used to it quickly. It can have pretty rugged conditions, whether its jellyfish, an undercurrent or monster waves but that's just part of the fun. All in all the beach and ocean are musts if your going to LBI


Seafood-While LBI does have its fair share of quick eats and ice-cream you cant pass up on the seafood. There are many places to get seafood throughout the island but my personal favorite was Neptune's  Market, a great seafood deli. Out of the seafood options even though oysters, fish and clams may seem appealing the crab is the best. You cant go to LBI without trying it.

Biking- Make sure to bring bikes with you! Almost all of LBI is completely flat making biking an easy and fun way to travel around the island. Also a great way to burn calories after ice-cream.


Barnegat Light House- On the north tip of the island stands a 170ft  historical light house. Barnegat is a great location to bike or drive too and offers a small light house museum and a long walk to the top for some great pictures. As well next too Barnegat is a jetty of rocks which you can climb far out to and fish. But be careful for high tide the waves get crazy and dangerous, I was once caught out and I feared for my life.

Chicken Or The Egg- A great diner and place to eat. It also features great art and a theme to go with its name. However be warned its almost always packed with an insane wait list.


The Sand Box-A-semi outdoor restaurant with vibrant colors, statues everywhere and some solid food that will make it worth your time.


Fantasy Island-Better for younger kids but still an exciting place to go Fantasy Island is an amusement park with your classic rides and if those aren't for you there's also an arcade. However the whole experience will be fairly pricey.

The Bay- Getting a house on the bay of LBI is like having your own private beach. Its always there, great to swim and sail in and easily accessible. The bay tends to be a great place for crabbing and fishing with little waves or disturbance. My personal preference is the beach, but the bay is still relaxing and fun.


 Towns- There are many towns in the 19 mile stretch that makes up LBI Harvey Cedars, Love Ladies, Barnegat Light, etc. I've stayed at many but they all seem to blend together into one. So deciding where to stay comes down to you, but I'm sure anywhere you choose will be a great time and will you give the overall feel of LBI!