5 Reasons Why Stone Harbor is the Best Town on the Jersey Shore

Thinking of visiting the Jersey Shore this summer but not sure where to begin?  Stone Harbor, one of the Shore’s southernmost towns, is an absolutely idyllic spot for a family beach vacation.  Saying that one town along the whole Jersey Shore is the best is a pretty bold statement, especially considering that I haven’t visited many of the other towns up and down New Jersey’s famed coast.  That said, we have been renting as a family in Stone Harbor for 11-years now and my husband’s history with the town goes back much further.  In the 1950s, his mother visited Stone Harbor with her college roommate, a Philadelphia native whose family had house on the Bay.  In the 1960s and 70s, my husband’s family spent several summers there, renting houses on their own or staying with family friends.  Now, all these years later, Stone Harbor has become our daughters’ favorite place on the planet and despite all of the fantastic travel we do it remains the vacation we all seem to look forward to the most every year.

Isn’t the Jersey Shore all Big Hair and Tattoos and Gold Chains?

Known nationally, and rather unfortunately, by a reality television series of the same name as well as for the damage incurred during Hurricane Sandy, the Jersey Shore is a favorite summertime beach vacation for many families in the New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania region and beyond.  The beautiful Atlantic coastline known as the Jersey Shore stretches over 200-miles from Sandy Hook to Cape May, New Jersey and is home to some 40 different communities along the way,  each one offering its own distinct flavor.  Sure, some of the towns feature a bit more vice and glitz along their infamous boardwalks, however, most are simply beautiful, quaint towns blessed with spectacular beaches.

What’s So Great About Stone Harbor?

Stone Harbor is an absolutely magical place.  It is the southern half of what is known as Seven Mile Beach, a barrier island that also encompasses the town of Avalon to its north.  The island is bordered on the east by the Atlantic Ocean and on the west by intercostal waterway known as the Bay.  At the far southern tip is a swath of beach known as Stone Harbor Point, accessible only by foot or boat, where you can stand and look across the Hereford Inlet toward the Wildwoods and Cape May.  Another detail that separates Stone Harbor from neighboring towns is that it is located one mile closer to the sea than many other Jersey Shore communities making it’s beautiful beaches very accessible and perfect for boogie boarding!

5 Reasons Why Stone Harbor is the Perfect Place to Stay

1. It Has a Truly Gorgeous Beach

East coast beaches often leave a lot to be desired.  Many are steep, rocky, too wide, not wide enough, too short, etc.  The beach in Stone Harbor is absolutely ideal, not too wide, nice and long, with a soft, sandy-bottomed, gradual entry into the surf.  Unlike in Wildwood where you have to walk across a vast, football field distance of sand to reach the shoreline, the ocean in Stone Harbor is easy to reach from the beach paths.  This is especially great when you have a few kids and a load of gear to schlep!  Stone Harbor begins at 80th Street and ends at 122nd Street where the beach begins leading to the Point.  Every other block or so along this 42-block stretch is considered a “beach block” meaning that at the easternmost end of the street is a short path to the beach, making it super accessible regardless of where you rent.

Each beach is known by its street name, though our favorite has been named “Nun’s Beach” given it’s proximity to the Villa-Maria-by-the-Sea, a retreat home for the Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary.  The entire beach is perfect for walking, beach combing, critter collecting, sunbathing, and game playing.  It is also fantastic for runners, like myself, who can run for miles along the flat shoreline.

2. Nature Abounds!

Aside from whiling the hours away on the beach, Stone Harbor offers plenty of opportunities for enjoying nature and the outdoors, and your first stop should be the Wetlands Institute.  Established in 1972, the Wetlands Institute is an organization committed to protecting and preserving the wetlands and coastal ecosystems along New Jersey’s shore.  Visit the exhibits, explore the marsh, join a bird watching walk or take a guided beach hike–a day spent with the institute’s educators will be a treat. Another spot to explore is the Stone Harbor Bird Sanctuary.  Ride your bikes along the lanes on 2nd Avenue to 111th Street where you will see a large wooded area.  The sanctuary features four different paths that wend their way through woodlands, gardens and marsh and are home to a variety of birds and waterfowl.

Another of our favorite activities is to bike to the end of the island to the 122nd Street parking lot on 1st Avenue and then take the path that leads to the beach.  When the tide is low you can bike along the beach all the way out to the Point.  Along the way you’ll pass lots tide pools that are perfect for wading.  Bring a bucket for shell collecting and spend an hour or so simply exploring the pools, searching for crabs and minnows and enjoying the birds that will be everywhere.

Be aware that there are no lifeguards out here and the currents can be strong, so swimming is not advised.  If you are on your bike, be sure to head back before the tide comes in or you will be stuck hiking all the way out pushing your bike in the soft sand!

3.  It Has a Quaint, Bustling Shopping District

Nestled between 95th Street and 97th Street from 3rd Avenue to 2nd Avenue is Stone Harbor’s business district where you’ll find none of Wildwood’s tacky neon glitz and plenty of old-fashioned seashore charm.  Stone Harbor landmarks like Hoy’s 5 & 10, Fred’s Tavern and Springer’s Homemade Ice Cream keep visitors returning year after year and the district is filled with unique, independently owned shops selling everything from toys and kites to eclectic art to beach gear.  There are also plenty of markets and eateries where you can find baked goods, saltwater taffy, hoagies, seafood or whatever else might please your palate.  And if you love to cook, you’ll appreciate one of my favorite spots–the Sunday morning Stone Harbor Farmer’s Market–held weekly in the water tower lot on the corner of 95th Street and 2nd Avenue.  Additionally, community events abound throughout the summer with outdoor concerts, beach and road races, family festivals, parades, and picnics from June through August where everyone is welcome, vacationers and locals alike.

4. Location, Location, Location

Cape May County is the southernmost county in New Jersey, beginning with Ocean City in the north and ending with Cape May in the south.  Stone Harbor is located right in the middle, just a few miles north of the Wildwoods but far enough away to feel entirely different.  At exit 10 off the Garden State, Stone Harbor is far enough south that you’ll sit in plenty of traffic getting there from New York and points north.

Once you’re there, however, you have lots of options of things to do–from sitting on the beach for the week to hopping in the car for a night of amusements at Morey’s Piers in Wildwood or heading down to Cape May for lunch and a stroll past the stately Victorians in the historic district–the possibilities are endless!

5. It’s Just a Beautiful Town

You don’t realize how pretty Stone Harbor is when you first arrive.  From the Garden State Parkway, it’s still a few miles along the causeway before you reach the inter coastal waterway bridge that takes you into Stone Harbor.  The town itself is only 3 blocks wide with 3rd Avenue running along the bay and 1st Avenue running along the beach.  In between is 2nd Avenue with two wide lanes divided in the center by a large, grassy median.

Both sides of 2nd Avenue have bike lanes as well and the smooth, flat streets of Stone Harbor are a bike riding paradise, accessible to even the youngest riders.  All three avenues are residential, line with everything from the most luxuriously designed homes to charming cedar-shingled beach bungalows.  The business district, which I describe below, is neat as a pin with brightly colored awnings and cheerful wares on display in the windows.  Everywhere you look are flowers and lush beach grasses, parents pulling small children in wagons, and kids toting buckets and boogie boards to the beach!

Sounds pretty idyllic, doesn’t it?  See you at the shore!