Summer memories: Going ‘down the Jersey Shore’
By Mary Anna Rodabaugh
From Memorial Day to Labor Day, thousands of people flock to the Jersey Shore to enjoy all summer has to offer. The sights, sounds and food offered in New Jersey’s famous beachside towns have provided older adults and their families with fond memories over the years.
When Yvette Simone Smith, 62, of Southwest Philly, was younger, she recalls the Atlantic Ocean as being clean and beautiful. Her family often enjoyed visits to Atlantic City and Wildwood.
“The boardwalk was smooth,” says Smith. “They had good food.”
When Smith was a little girl, a crab bit her toe while she was playing in the ocean. “I ran out of that water,” she laughs. “You should have seen me. I have never gone in the water again ever since.”
But even the crab incident did not stop her from going to the shore summer after summer. Smith enjoyed the rides at Wildwood and the abundance of arcades available at nearby beaches.
“The arcades were fun,” she says. “I remember playing pinball and trying to beat everybody to get the highest score. It was always competitive.”
Smith can still visualize the bright lights along the boardwalk in Atlantic City, a sight that has evolved over time. She says the Ferris Wheel is still well-lit, but the old-time glitz and glamour of the world-renowned strip is fading a bit.
Now that Smith is older, she still ventures down to Atlantic City to enjoy the boardwalk, see the ocean, and relive the sights and sounds of her youth. Smith has nothing but good things to say about her Jersey Shore memories.
“The Jersey Shore is a nice place to go for family,” Smith says. “A lot of people need to get back to that family orientation.”
Plan your visit
While the Jersey Shore has changed a lot over the years, there is still something for everyone at any age. According to VisitNJ.org, there are five mobility-friendly beaches along the New Jersey coast: Asbury Park, Cape May, Ocean City, Sea Isle City and Atlantic City. These beaches have beach-friendly wheelchairs available on a first-come, first-served basis and/or extended ramp access to the beaches that are wheelchair accessible. For beaches that require beach tags, many beaches offer a senior discount.
No car? No problem. New Jersey Transit’s Atlantic City Rail Line is one of the easiest and cheapest ways to get to the Jersey Shore from Philly. Trains leave from 30th Street Station in Philadelphia several times a day. New Jersey Transit buses also travel from Philadelphia to several shore towns, including the five mentioned above. For information: 973-275-5555 | www.NJtransit.com
Since 1915, AC Jitney bus has been serving the greater Atlantic City area, including all your favorite shore points in Central and South Jersey. Adults, age 62 and older, can purchase a sheet of 10 one-way tickets for $7.50. For information: 609-646-8642 | www.JitneyAC.com
Cape May offers free shuttle service. Shuttles run seven days a week from 4-10 p.m. through Labor Day. The shuttle stops at various points throughout Cape May, including Cape May Elementary School and the City Hall Municipal Parking Lot, which both have free parking, Beach Avenue and various intersections, and Kiwanis Park. For information: 609-884-9525 | www.CapeMayCity.com/CapeMayFreeShuttle
Ocean City offers a Jitney bus service to the boardwalk zone, daily from 5-11 p.m. through Labor Day. The cost per one-way ride is $3. For information: 609-399-6111 | www.ocnj.us/JitneyService
Mary Anna Rodabaugh is a writer, editor and writing coach.
