The Jersey Shore stretches 130 miles from Sandy Hook Gateway National Seashore, 50 miles south of New York City, to Cape May at the southern tip of the state. Each shore community has its own personality, but many offer offer sparkling clean public beaches, life guards, parking, boardwalks, beachfront restaurants, amusement rides, mini-golf and more. With so much to do, it is easy to keep teens and tweens busy while getting in a whole lot of sun and surf.
Top 10 Jersey Shore Activities with Teens and Tweens
To help you get started planning your time at the shore we will be writing about our Top 10 activities for families vacationing at the Jersey Shore with teens and tweens. Before we are done we’ll add a post with pictures and links for each. They include:
Catch a Wave at the Jersey Shore
- Boogie boarding and body surfing in Belmar
- Wildwood boardwalk and doo wop motels
- The Point Pleasant Boardwalk and beach
- Sandy Hook Gateway National Seashore
- Twin Lights of the Navesink lighthouse
- Kayaking in Cape May Salt Marshes
- A rainy day in Atlantic City
- Firework cruises and speed boat rides
- A day trip to South Street Seaport in New York City
- Hikes, history and more in the county and state parks
But Wait, There’s More!
Updated September 2010: We recently returned to the shore and wanted to share a few more fun ideas!
- A day on the boardwalk at Asbury Park
- A night out with the Lakewood Blueclaws minor league baseball team
We also have a word of advice – if the lifeguards close the beaches, pay attention and follow instructions! See the power of the waves in our article Down the Shore … With Earl.
Rent and Relax
We recommend renting a house or condo within walking distance to the beach (check out sites like VRBO) and planning on staying for at least a week if not longer. It is a good idea to make sure you are renting in a town that caters to families, enforces late night quiet hours, and discourages group rentals. Towns like Seaside Heights, of MTV fame, are good for young adults looking for a lot of nightlife, but families with teens and tweens are more likely to enjoy areas such as Belmar, Ocean Grove, or Wildwood Crest. Depending on your plans, the Jersey Shore can also be a good vacation for teens and tweens to bring along friends or for families to meet up with cousins.
More Ideas
The Shore is so varied and there are so many things to do we haven’t gotten to them all yet! Please add comments to share your own favorite things to with teens and tweens down the shore! Our recommeded reading shown below will generate lots more ideas as well.
The Ocean City boardwalk is actually the ideal place for people with teenagers. This place is flooded in the summer time with teenagers and families!
We loved Cape May when we were there a few years ago! we loved the beach and the arcades! It is a great place to take teens and tweens!