Long Beach Island
One of the best-kept secrets for weekend getaways outside of NYC is Long Beach Island, New Jersey. This article will cover the various things to do in LBI, and will touch upon the oh-so-popular home rental market there. But first let’s talk about why LBI is such a good place to go at prices that are quite reasonable for what you get.
Hurricane Sandy
On October, 29 2012 Hurricane Sandy hit this 18 mile long Island. LBI was completely decimated. There were a number of reasons for this, chief among these was the island’s geographic footprint. For as long as LBI is, at some points it is less than 100 yards wide. As a generalization, at just about any point on the island you can walk from the Bayside to the Oceanside in less than 10 minutes. What this means in actuality is that there isn’t a lot of “drainage” area on the island when the big one hits! And that was exactly the problem with the homes on this island. As Hurricane Sandy approached LBI on that fateful day, most residents had evacuated the island leaving their homes behind.
What happened next was unimaginable… The hurricane struck the island with such force that homes were lifted off their foundation and taken out to sea. The water level rose to 6 feet high just about everywhere. The protective Sandy berm that stood between the ocean and the seaside homes was washed away within seconds. What was left with most of the homes in the most affected areas was a complete and total elimination of the first floor (the breakaway floor on these reverse living homes). For the next several years, as the island was being rebuilt, tourist traffic was nonexistent. Slowly, the island vacation transformed, house by house, day by day, until most of the island homes were repaired.
Today much of the island is new. Homes that were destroyed by Sandy have been completely remodeled and updated. Many of the stores have reopened, or have been replaced, but tourist traffic has not returned to pre Sandy days, because of the perception that the island is still war torn.
This creates an interesting opportunity for those “in the know.” Beach side homes rent for little more per night than a room at a four-star hotel, yet they have 4 to 6 bedrooms and a view of the ocean that can’t be beat.
So What do People do on LBI?
One of the most frequent activities for LBI’ers is to entertain. They rent a home for a week, or month, or even the summer and have friends and family up (or should we say down?) 24/7. This means the barbecue is always going, the beach gear is always ready, and the sunscreen is flowing daily. On any given day, one just needs to look at the average LBI rooftop (most of which have a flat deck) to see families and friends laughing, playing cards, and in general just having a good time. But “in home” entertaining is just one aspect to summering in LBI. If you’re not on the water, at least part of the time, then you’re not enjoying all that LBI has to offer.
Water Activities on LBI
Most vacationers will rent a watercraft at some point during their stay. This can be a speedboat, pontoon, JetSki, or something else that has a motor and a hull. It’s important to note that water activity most often occurs on the Bayside, not on the Oceanside of the island. It’s not that you can’t boat on the Oceanside, but it requires the proper type of vessel and training. The Bayside however, is fit for even the most novice boater with a little bit of training, which is usually provided by the boat rental company. Boat rentals range from $200-$400 for ½ day depending on the type of boat that you choose and the location of the boat rental company.
Biking Down Long Beach Blvd.
One of the most heartwarming sights in LBI is to wake up at 7 AM, walk out the front door and walk down to Long Beach Blvd. There the vacationer will observe children biking up and down the street, often unattended by parents. It’s a throwback to a safer and simpler time. Long Beach Blvd. has designated biking lanes, and traffic that is both slow and respectful of the walkers, runners, and bikers that are traveling on both sides of the road. The “Long Beach Blvd. trek” is a tried-and-true tradition, and families (and individuals) travel up and down the Boulevard from sunrise to twilight every single day. The island has dozens of bike rental shops. They rent bikes for less than $100 a week. But renter beware, the shops rent out fast so get there early on your day of arrival because by the end of the day, particularly if it’s a weekend, the inventory will be gone.
Restaurants and Pubs
The island has hundreds of restaurants that cater to just about any palate. One of the most popular (and most difficult to get into) is a breakfast restaurant called the Chicken or the Egg. Waiting time is up to two hours on any given day, so put your name in early and come back later. There are many wonderful restaurants on the Bayside of the island, with terrific sunset views and plenty of accommodation if you make a reservation even one day in advance. There are very few restaurants on the Oceanside, because these spots are reserved for beachfront homes.
Shopping
One does not go to LBI to pick up a Cartier watch. Your shopping should be limited to beach towels, swim trunks, and poolside water toys. Don’t look for any bargains at the stores for anything else, because frankly you can do better on high-end items in New York City. Still, if you’re looking for a nice Hawaiian style shirt, a pair of shorts, or terrific grilling tools, LBI’s the place to go…
LBI Home Rentals
There’s only one real way to do LBI and that is through a home rental. Long Beach Island real estate has long been comprised of rentals on the beach haven and the island and family homes on the Lovelady’s end. Long Beach Island house rentals represent a major revenue generator for homeowners in LBI. VRBO is the clubhouse leader in LBI vacation rentals. Make sure that you book early, particularly for the height of summer, because if you don’t you’ll find inventory a little lacking…
Almost all homes are what are called “reverse living”. What this means is it the living room, dining room, and kitchen are on the top floor and the bedrooms are on the bottom. This is done because the view is better up top than on the bottom, no matter where you sit in LBI, in land or ocean/Bayside. With that in mind home designers put the area of the premises that has the highest occupancy percentage up top. That area, is the common living space or families and friends come together.
To sum it all up, a renter in LBI will go to this island retreat for its views, water activities, dining, and most importantly for the family time… If a vacationer is looking for more island style – fare, such as high-end jewelry stores, art stores, and “destination stores” that sell T-shirts, shot glasses, and wood carved Tiki gods, then choose Hawaii, or the Caribbean. For everyone else, LBI removes most of the “hype” and replaces it with pure fun and relaxation, New Jersey style…
