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My Family's Favorite Hang Out is Ocean City, New Jersey...... July 2007

ocean city

Ocean City, NJ July 1st - 7th

For the last 6 years, our family goes down to Ocean City, New Jersey for a week. I go down with my parents, my sister, her husband, and their 4 kids. Ocean City is a true family resort if you have never been.

john & joe Location is so key when looking for a rental or a home to buy for your summer getaway. This year we were on 6th and Central which meant that we were inline with the beginning of the boardwalk which starts off with Gillian's Wonderland Pier. Even though 5 blocks away, it's a direct shot to the rides. Here is where they have rides for all ages, and even adults can enjoy themselves.

Gillian's Wonderland Pier

6th Street & the Boardwalk 609-399-7082

ocean city beach

Ocean City's beach stretches for a few miles. Ocean City is a barrier island with bridge connections to Upper Township, Atlantic County, Somers Point, and Strathmere. The Eastern side of Ocean City borders the Atlantic Ocean, while the Western side faces the Great Egg Harbor.

Ocean City has a reputation as a particularly family-friendly destination because alcohol is not sold there. The Travel Channel rated Ocean City as the Best Family Beach of 2005.

Pirate boat

There is so much to do no matter what the ages of the kids. This probably had to be the best time that I have had in the 6 years of going down to Ocean City. What was nice was my nieces and nephews ranged from 3, to 6, to 7, and 8 in ages. Each one enjoyed something different and just for the fact that we did so much in just 6 days.

To the left is a Pirate boat. We did an hour fun packed adventure with pirates, looking for clues that led us to a buried treasure. They actually took you out on a boat with a Captain and a few of his mates. It was very well put together through Pirate Adventures. I highly recommend this.

What did our week consist of?

The Beach (with gorgeous weather except for 1 day)
The Boardwalk with rides.
The Water Slide -- Gillian's Island Waterpark & Adventure Golf
More rides at : Playland's Castaway Cove
Miniature golf at Pirate Inland Golf (there are several different places to play along the boardwalk)

And don't forget the Night in Venice in Ocean City which happens at the end of July every year. It's Ocean City's annual boat parade which is one of the largest in the world. For more info call 609-525-9300.

For fabulous foods and beach foods that are a must : (most can be found on the boardwalk)

Popcorn at Johnson's popcorn shop -- Here you can enjoy carmel popcorn with peanuts or without
Cut french fries at Curly's -- You can get 3 sizes and cheese with this. The best on the boardwalk.
There are ice cream places up and down the boardwalk. One that stands out is Kohr's custard stand.
Do you like pizza? Mack & Manco's pizza. A must if down even for a few days.
Like crabs and crabs cakes? Don't forget to get a dozen crabs at Obidiah's.

Come share in OUR SHORE MEMORIES !!!!! View this slideshow created at One True Media

Ocean City, NJ July 2007

(please click on house for slide show) So, do I need this? A vacation after your vacation?

Posted by Jeff Belonger -- The FHA Expert.com -- FHA Loans -- FHA mortgages - USDA loans on 08/01/2007 07:21 PM

Comments (145)

ocean city new jersey, ocean city, beach, contest, active rain, localism, jeff belonger, fha

This post has been included in New Jersey Information Cape May County, NJ Information Ocean City, NJ Information

145 Comments on My Family's Favorite Hang Out is Ocean City, New Jersey...... July 2007

JUL

2007

Jeff

It looks like you had a great time with your beautiful family. These are the best of times, it's just a matter of recognizing the good things as you did with this post. Thank you for sharing.

Hey...I like the way you put your vacation into a presentation and made it very interesting! Looks like the children love "uncle"...glad you had fun..thanks for sharing your vacation.

Ed......I had an awesome time, thanks. Usually with kids for a whole week, almost 24/7, could drive you a tad crazy. But they were so well behaved for the most part. And just a joy to be around. thanks

Sally.... thanks a lot for the compliment. And yes, as I mentioned to ED, I had a great time. We did so much. thanks

Jeff - looks like you had a great trip.... great job for the localism site.... myself... I am headed to the pool .. have a great day!

Jeff - It sure looks like you had an absolutely wonderful time. I'll bet if you asked the kids, their favorite thing in Ocean City was Uncle Jeff! What precious memories for a ll of you. Thanks for sharing.

Hi Jeff - YUM, popcorn, fries, ice cream, and pizza!!! What more could one ask for??? This is a fun post and it sounds like you all had a great family vacation - what fun!!! Thanks for sharing these links and the pictures - loved them!

Ann

Desiree.... yes, it was. A lot of running around but also relaxing at the same time. Have fun at the pool.

Marlene.... many memories. I wish I had pictures of the kids on the water slide. But that would be asking for trouble with all of that water around. ;o) Thanks for stopping by.

Ann... yes, lots of great food. It was a lot of fun and even fun in doing this post. Even the slide show. Thanks for the comments.

Jeff,

I enjoyed your post and the slide show a lot. I had fun just watching the pictures and listening to the music. I live in the vacation capital of the world but it would not feel like a vacation if I just stay here so I would keep Ocean City in mind for our next vacation spot.

Jeff,

I knew you were a great guy from your very first post I read, but it really looks like you have a blast whenever your out with your family, they are very lucky...

Tom Weiss

That sounds like a great way to recharge your batteries. With our children's school schedules it is impossible for us to take a real vacation this year.

Nicely written local piece! Congratulations!

Carmen..... thanks for the compliments, I enjoyed writing this as much as I did on the vacation. And the music just topped it off... thanks

Tom W. ..... well, thank you very much. I truly appreciate that. I am just as lucky, so thanks.

Randy..... yes, it is a great way to recharge those batteries. Sorry to hear that it's hard this time of year for you and your family to get away. I could babysit for you? ;o)

Colleen..... thank you very much. From someone that writes a lot of local content and who does a great job at it, this is a great compliment. thanks

I grew up in Blackwood, NJ and my family would take two week every summer at the beach = Ocean City! Very fond memories of the beach and boardwalk and later the clubs in Somers Point! In fact after many years Ocean City remains one of the highlights of growing up on the East Coast!

Rick Bunzel
Pacific Crest Inspections
Affiliate of the Year 2006-2007
WWW.PacCrestInspections.com
360-588-6956
Fax 360-588-6965
Toll Free 866-618-7764

Hey Jeff~ Looks like you're having a great time with your family. They will remember those memories always. You look a great Uncle Jeff!

Looks like Uncle Jeff and the rest of the kids had a great time!!!

Rick..... glad that this brought back some good memories. How long have you been down in Florida? And yes, I enjoy Somers Point for some of their bars. thanks for stopping by.

Laura... yes, some good memories and this will be nice to show in years to come. Thanks for the compliment.

Tom B. .... they are great kids, so it made it that much better. So I enjoyed them, my parents, and my sister & brother-in-law all the better. It was just a great week. thanks

Jeff, I love your presentation. I'm sure the rest of the family did and the kids are beautiful. Glad you had that week. My assistant is from Bergen County and I emailed to her. She grew up vacationing with her family there.

Jeff: It looked like a great trip and you made it so interesting it's probably going to be annoyingly crowded next year : )

Jeff: Thanks for sharing your vacation with us. Love the slide show of the kids -- the adult ones too. Looks like y'all really had a great time.

Missy...... thank you very much. I enjoyed doing this. I would love to hear what you assistant has to say about this post and if it still looks the same as it did back then. Or sound familiar. Thanks again...

Melody..... I hope it doesn't get crowded next year because of this post. Not unless they all buy homes and use my services on the financing end. ;o) If so, then it can be crowded all it wants.

Judi.... yes, we actually did have a great time. I wish I had pictures of the water slide. That was a lot of fun. thanks for stopping by.

Thanks for sharing this, Jeff. Ocean City, NJ certainly is a fun place. Heck, I loved the whole Jersey Shore when I lived in NJ. Each city/town had it's own "flavor".

Thanks Jeff! My family was in NJ for a BMX race this spring - took a drive out to Atlantic City and was amazed! I've always heard how much fun was in the area! We got out just as the rains hit -- wish we had more time to play. Durn it, now we'll have to go back!

JUL

2007

Jeff,

What a great way to spend time with your family and looks like soo much fun too! Vacations are so hard for me with all that tempting food! Thanks for sharing, I really enjoyed! :)

Leanne..... you are definitely correct that each beach town has it's own "flavor", especially as you travel north. The towns that stand out are Wildwood, Ocean City, and Pt Pleasant. Pt Pleasant is considered central. Stone Harbor and Avalon are nice, but that's because of the nice golf courses nearby. Plus... there are a few good outside bars and restaurants from there to Wildwood. thanks

Mary..... well, now you will have to come back. ;o) About Atlantic City, I have never been on that beach, just there for the casinos and shows.

Suzanne.... when you have 4 kids around, food is not always on your mind until the end of the day. And because I am tired by the end, my snacking is cut down, which is a good thing. ;o) Thanks for stopping by.

Jeff nice blog! I guess this is the reason why you were not on the rooftop with the active rain guys and some of the members! You were missed but I can see I was missed on the boardwalk as well.

This sure brings back memories, Jeff, although I have not been to OC for many, many years (since I was in college and still living outside Philadelphia). Fun to see - nice summary and photos. Thansk for sharing.

Jeff

Nima.... yes, this was the main reason why I wasn't at the celebration in NYC. I actually left that afternoon for the shore, having the place from Saturday to Saturday. And this was planned well in advance of the date that was picked for AR. I am going to try to get something set up for a meeting in Philly.... maybe you would want to make a trip down? And thanks for the compliment.

Jeff D. ..... glad it brought back some memories. I couldn't remember from our previous discussions that you have even been to OC before. Where did you go to college? Overall, thanks for the kind words.

What a great experience to spend with your family! Looks like a lot of great places to enjoy! Thank you for sharing~

Good job with the key words and the links! Obviously, I got your e-mail. I tend to get behind on these blogs. I can't keep up!

Oh, I loved Point Pleasant when I lived about 20-30 minutes north of there in the late 80's. Thanks for the trip down memory lane.

hmmm...Mack and Manco's. My mouth is watering at 9:30 at night! Probably some of the best pizza around!

Leah..... it was a great experience. And yes, there are a lot of great places there. Thanks for the compliments.

Lisa..... thanks for the kind words. Glad that you got the e-mail this time... lol Thanks for those tips. And thanks for stopping by.

Leanne..... I really enjoy going to the Pt Pleasant area. I guess it's the several bars and restaurants on the water side. I am trying to remember that one main bar. They had oyster shooters. ;o) Where did you live exactly?

Ravi..... okay, do you want to go? ;o) I just bought some pizza locally tonight. Nicky B's, which is not bad.

Hey Jeff! What a great time you all had....and I agree with one of the comments...the kids sure love their Uncle Jeff! Smart kids!

Thanks for sharing...and again, it reflects your hard work and knowledge of your field!

JUL

2007

Jeff - what a blast!! Looks like it was a great time for the whole family!! We love the beach! Guess I better start watching the travel channel, nah...then I wouldn't have time to comment here.. LOL! Thanks for sharing your week with us all! Great post! :-)

JUL

2007

Aunt Linda aka Aunt Biddie.... thanks for joining in on the fun. Will you be seeing my parents this week on their trip? Proud nephew.

Brad.... yes, it was a blast. The beach can be so relaxing at times. Thanks for the comments and for sharing in this with me.

Ocean City is such a great family place. When we were out there in June we didn't get a chance to stay there this year. We did get some time in Strathmere, and got incredible "California Like" weather. We had a blast!

JUL

2007

Hi Jeff,

You did a wonderful job on this post. Alot of love went into it and that is obvioius to the readers. Love that hourly update on the action. Very sweet. My memories are of going to Seaside Heights in the Summer with my sisters. The beach is great! Thanks for sharing your family experiences wit us!

JUL

2007

Hi,

Thanks for the post! I just spent a weekend in Ocean City with a friend, and loved it! The boardwalk was very fun, and the entire town seemed very quiet and nice...perfect for a family vacation.

And Mack and Manco's was some delicious pizza!

Blogged about it here:

http://chewonthatblog.com/?p=207

AUG

2007

Hey Jeff - CONGRATULATIONS on the win in the "Favorite Family Hangout" contest - still love this post as much as the first time I read it!!

Ann

Jeff, I'm really excited you had such a good time "down the shore". Mack & Manco's, I hate those guys, love their pizza, but ohhhh, the roof of my mouth still hurts. I visit there alot but am "Cooler by a Mile" in Avalon.

What great fun. Your blog makes me want to pack my bags and head there myself.

Jeff~ Loved this post...felt like I got to tag along...

hi Jeff, congrats on your win! Good job, sounds like a great place!

Damn...... I forgot all about this contest and now after winning and going back to the pictures... it brought back some memories and I could use that 7 day trip all over again.... Thanks for the vote and for the comments.

Jonathan..... yes, when you were out here, the weather was perfect. Even when we went down, we had California like weather also.... it rained one day.

Lisa.... I use to sometimes go to Seaside Heights when I was a kid. Thanks a lot for those thoughtful comments.

Caley..... yes, it is mostly quiet there and it is a great family spot. I think I wrote that it was voted #1 family vacation spot in 2005. I'll check out your blog. Thanks

Ann...... thank you very much. That means a lot to me. And as I stated, I just went through it again and it was almost like yesterday. thanks

Kevin...... thanks, same here. It wasn't a fancy vacation, but it certainly was relaxing and enjoyable. My nieces and nephews made it fun also. I also like Avalon and Stone Harbor.

Dotti...... just let me know. I am only about an hour away.... thanks for stopping by.

janeAnne.... you were there, weren't you? Did we bury you in the sand? I just think we forgot about you. ;o)

Lysa...... thank you very much. Yes, it was and just relaxing..... I think I need it again.

Great post Jeff. Lots of links and useful information. Congrats on the gold star =)

Lisa Hill

Hey Jeff, I thought you posted something on this before 'cause I remember you laying in the sand :-) I have a question. Are you anywhere near Newark? We need to find a good area to rent a hotel room in September for three nights before we take our cruise. Since I have no knowledge of the areas, I'm looking for someone that knows that area. Fun post. I'll be sharing some areas in Arizona that have fond memories....took lots of pictures. That's for tomorrow maybe.

Lisa..... thanks a lot for the compliments and you are welcome on those links.

Teri..... yes, this is that same post. When you get featured, it moves you blog up just as if you wrote it now.

In regards to Newark, look up William Collins or Desiree Daniels. Either one of these should be able to help you. Good luck with that and thanks for stopping by.

I grew up in Point Pleasant and have lost count of the night we spent at Jenkinsons on the boardwalk. If you haven't been to Long Beach Island (LBI) you need to get there. It is the Hamptons of South Jersey.

When our children were little, we used to vacation there. A wonderful place for family vacations.

Jeff, Looks like a great place. Job well done! Congrats! I really felt like a part of it!

Michael...... I know of Jenkinsons.... but I thought it was Jenkins? And yes, I have been to LBI and agree.... thanks for stopping by.

Diane..... I agree, it is a great place.... thanks for the comment.

Kim.... glad that you could join us. ;o) Thanks for the compliment.

wow a month later and a feature.... you did something right.... I read this and said to myself...geez i saw this before... thought i was having a serious blonde moment

Jeff Belonger-That sure sounds like a great way to spend a vacation and it also sounds like you lucked out with the weather. That sure makes it more memorable when you have good weather and can be out doing stuff instead of being stuck in a hotel room. One of these days I would like to explore the northeast. Of course, a trip to Fenway would be included.

Very interesting. Thanks for sharing the info.

Jeff,

Congratulations on winning 1st place!!!! Ocean City sounds like a great place to visit. Thanks for sharing your vacation with us all.

AUG

2007

Jeff sure looks like a great place to visit in New Jersey. I love your little baby in the hat "visitors guide to ocean city!" That is the cutest!!!!!!!!!

Desiree..... yes, I guess that is how it looks. And no, no blonde moments for you. ;o)

David...... it was a great way to spend a vacation. And as I have stated, you ever make it out east and in the Boston area, let me know, I'll meet you up there.

Bob & Carolin..... I usually speak my mind.... I might be hated here... that's if anyone reads this, but curious, do you ever have anything else to say? very interesting.....

Harold..... thank you very much. It is a great place to go to.... thanks

Katerina..... in regards to the little baby in the hat on the visitors guide, she is not mine. That is just a booklet. But thanks for the polite compliments.

Hi Jeff, It was fun to read this post and vicariously experience the places you visited! I missed it the first time, but I'm glad you were a Winner in the Contest and it was Featured! Great Localism content!

AUG

2007

Hi Jeff,
The family beaches are becoming more and more scarce. Most of the entertainment places such as putt putt golf, bumper boats, etc here have sold out, been bulldozed and replaced by condos. Looks like the Belonger family had a great time. Umm, these photos might give me some hints.

Lola..... well, glad that you enjoyed this and thanks for th nice comments.

Cynthia.... yes they are. But this should never happen to Ocean City..... too many jobs would be lost and too much history between the Ocean City and Wildwood boardwalks. So, these photos might give you what hints? ;o)

NOV

2007

JASON CROUCH..... I am bumping this and adding it into your group. This is something that I wrote back in July and I didn't want to copy and post it again just for points.... enjoy.