Surf City by Sarah McGovern

   One of my family's traditions is going down the shore to Long Beach Island for a week or two over the summer. For the past seven years we have stayed in a town called Surf City and stayed in the same house right on the beach. Surf City feels like my second home and going is always the highlight of my summer. Since the house we stay in is two stories, we've only ever rented the top floor, but this summer we rented both the top and the bottom. We rented both because my parents let my sister, brother, and I each bring a friend to come with us for the week. They also surprised us by flying up our favorite cousins, Meghan and Mathew, who live in Florida that we only get to see every other Christmas. Having so many people with us this summer made being there so much more fun.
   Our first night there we walked to the beach to watch the sunset and then went to get ice cream at a place called Scoop City. For the rest of the week we would go to the beach in the morning and then either go out to lunch or make something at the house. One of my favorite places to go for lunch is Woody's, which is only two blocks from our house and right across the street from our favorite place to play mini golf, Flamingo Golf. After lunch we'd go back to the beach and stay for as long as we wanted. Most days, my parents would stay down longer than the rest of us and we would go back to the house or go walk around town.
  Something we do every year in Surf City is go to the arcade at Fantasy Island and Bay Village, which is a bunch of stores and places to get food. My favorite store in Bay Village is Island Gypsy and I love the bakery, the Crust and Crumb. Another tradition is going to the Chegg late at night, after going to the arcade and Bay Village.
   Overall, this summer was one of the best for me and I can't wait to go to LBI again next year.

My cousin Mathew at a snow cone place called Pelicans, which was new this year. 

The sunrise Katie and I woke up early to go see. 

The street we stay on. 

The beach the night we went swimming during the sunset.