Cape Cod family trying to fall in love with the Jersey Shore—where should we look?
Looking for some advice from people who really know the Jersey Shore.
I grew up spending every summer on Cape Cod, and some of my best childhood memories are from those trips. Now my husband and I live in South Orange, NJ with our 2- and 4-year-old daughters, and we’d love to buy a vacation home where they can build those same kinds of memories.
The problem is that Cape Cod just feels too far for frequent weekend trips. We’re thinking the Jersey Shore makes a lot more sense, but I’m struggling to figure out where to even start.
A few questions:
Which shore towns are the most charming and family-friendly? We’re not looking for nightlife—we’d rather have walkable downtowns, ice cream, playgrounds, good beaches, and a true “summer town” feel.
Looking on Zillow, it seems like even $1M only buys a pretty underwhelming 2-bedroom condo in many places. Is that just the reality now, or are there towns where your money goes a little further?
Are there any towns that feel greener? A lot of what I’ve seen looks very built-up, with little green space besides the beach itself.
How concerned should I be about flooding and long-term climate risk after Sandy? Is that something buyers just accept, or is it a legitimate reason to think twice before investing?
We’re hoping to buy within the next year or two so we can start making summer traditions while the kids are still little. I’m also definitely an ocean person, so lakes don’t really scratch the same itch for me.
If you were in our shoes—living about an hour from the Shore with a budget around $1M—where would you be looking, and why?