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9 Cool Things You Didn’t Know About LBI (Long Beach Island)

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9 Cool Things You Didn’t Know About LBI (Long Beach Island)

Posted on: April 10th, 2019 by admin

Anyone who has been to LBI knows it’s a beautiful, cozy community that thrives during the summer months. Whether you own a home there or you just take day trips to the beach, you probably love to visit.

So if you love to visit Long Beach Island, you might enjoy knowing a little more about it. With that in mind, we have some interesting facts for you. Take a look:

  • Long Beach Island has been battered by some major storms. In 1920, most of the island was destroyed by a devastating winter storm that even reopened a once closed inlet in Holgate. In 1923, another storm smashed the island and knocked out rail service for a full three years, and in 1935, a storm washed out the railroad bridge to the mainland.
  • Perhaps the worst storm was the Ash Wednesday Storm of 1962. That storm split the island into several pieces and causes the USS Monssen, a Navy destroyer, to run aground. The storm is considered one of the 10 worst storms of the 20th Century in the United States, and almost destroyed all of Long Beach Island.
  • Long Beach Island was also battered by Hurricane Sandy in 2012. The storm flooded the island and cause the bridge to the island to be closed for 13 days.
  • The current causeway that connects Long Beach Island to the mainland was constructed in the late 1950s.
  • Long Beach Island is known as a fairly well to do area of New Jersey. Even as far back as 1970, Philadelphia Magazine joked that “the haves turn right and the have mores turn left,” referring to the turns south and north people make after arriving on the island.
  • The communities on the north of the island, including Loveladies and North Beach, feature sprawling Victorian homes that often spark rumors of celebrities vacationing there.
  • Though Long Beach Island is a highly desirable resort and vacation area, it is not comparable to nearby Jersey Shore communities like Seaside Heights, Wildwood, and Belmar. Instead of a thriving night club scene and rides and boardwalks, it’s a family oriented vacation spot with more focus on restaurants, museums, and beaches.
  • Long Beach Island is home to many fishing and charter boats, some of which get 100 or more miles off the coast.
  • Long Beach Island is home to the famed Surflight Theater. Built in 1950 by Joseph P. Hayes, for decades the theater has offered a place for the local arts to be performed, including music, dance, theater, and comedy.

What do you know about the Long Beach Island community? How in touch with its history are you? If you know some interesting facts we didn’t mention, tell us about them in the comments!

How to Find the Perfect Jersey Shore Summer Rental or Beach House

Posted on: March 20th, 2019 by admin No Comments

On Fridays during the summer, the Garden State Parkway and New Jersey Turnpike are often backed up with traffic. These aren’t people going home from work or on their way to the world’s largest pizza party. They are coming to the beautiful New Jersey Coast – and since our dentist office in Ocean County is right near the coast, we have a great fondness for the area!

No wonder Long Beach Island rentals, bungalows in Barnegat, apartments in Belmar, weekend homes in Point Pleasant and more are so popular each summer.

The New Jersey coast is not all created equal, however. Choosing one town over the other can be the difference between finding yourself in the middle of MTV’s “Jersey Shore” and relaxing in a quaint, historic community, so choose carefully!

If you plan to invest in a summer home at the Jersey Shore or to enjoy a vacation along the coast, these are a few of the communities you should be sure to consider when deciding to take a weekend, week, or even the rest of your life away with the family.

Point Pleasant Beach – This is a community that endeavors to straddle the line between a vibrant, active resort community and a quiet, peaceful ocean town. Indeed, this is a town that offers the architectural charm of yesteryear as well as the appeal of great dining and excellent shopping. The residential neighborhoods of Point Pleasant Beach are quiet, but the downtown is often bus with shoppers. Also busy is the boardwalk, which has the area’s only aquarium. There you will find rides, games, places to see bands playing music, and more.

Long Beach Island – The fact is, Long Beach Island (along with nearby communities like Manahawkin) is in high demand for a reason. This stretch of coastal barrier island remains one of the New Jersey coast’s most desirable places to both live and to vacation. Boasting plenty of bay and ocean facing property, it also has shopping, historic sites, and more. Even better, while there are plenty of things to do within a short walk or drive, the town itself is calm enough so that even retirees find this to be a small slice of heaven.

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Barnegat – The small oceanfront and bay community of Barnegat, where our dentist office in Ocean County are located, is a popular place for families thanks to its lovely beaches, paths, and docks for fishing and crabbing – not to mention its historic lighthouse. There are more than a few small shops run by residents of the town, as well as waterfront property along both the ocean and the bay. Barnegat is on Long Beach Island, so when we say that Long Beach Island has been increasingly popular in recent years thanks to its quaint, small town feel we include this town in the observation.

Belmar – Not unlike Point Pleasant Beach, the Borough of Belmar offers quiet shore living as well as attractions that will appeal to more energetic visitors. Quaint neighborhoods with snug coastal homes are just a short walk away from some of the New Jersey coast’s most active and popular nightclubs. Set that alongside some of the best fishing on the East Coast, a historic boating community, and a downtown that is a throwback to communities of eras long gone and it’s easy to see why people flock to Belmar each year.

Any one of these communities could serve at the perfect place for your New Jersey vacation or retirement!

10 Things You Didn’t Know About the Beach Haven West

Posted on: February 13th, 2019 by admin No Comments

Beach Haven West is one of Southern Ocean County’s most desirable waterfront communities. A sleepy unincorporated community that is part of Stafford Township, it is home to both summer residents and all year residents.

It’s no surprise why. This waterfront community offers easy access to fishing and boating, with the entire Barnegat Bay just seconds away by boat.

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For many, Beach Haven West itself is a dream come true. Constructed on over 100 lagoons and located right off Route 72 and just across the bay from Long Beach Island, it’s one of the Jersey Shore’s true hidden gems.

Here are 10 facts you might not know about this hidden gem of a community:

  1. Beach Haven West was first developed in the 1950s. Herbert and Jerome Shapiro created the 130 lagoons that make up this part of town.
  1. Beach Haven West began with a series of Cape Cod style homes being built.
  1. The earliest waterfront homes there cost about $7,000 circa the 1950s.
  1. The first phase of Beach Haven West opened in 1957 and makes up the area between Morris Boulevard and Jennifer Lane.
  1. The community’s phase two was finished in the early 1960s and spans the area between Jonathan Drive and Walter Boulevard.
  1. During the 1950s and 1960s, the Beach Haven West Civic Association was a focal point of the community. They ran a community center and pool off Jonathan Drive. The clubhouse was demolished in the 1980s.
  1. Beach Haven West was still being built-out as late as 1986, when Colony Lakes was completed.
  1. The construction of Beach Haven West, as well as Ocean Acres, coincided with the construction of the Garden State Parkway, which finally gave people in North Jersey easier access to the Jersey Shore.
  1. Today, Beach Haven West’s population is about 4,000 residents.
  1. One of the Real Housewives of New Jersey, Teresa Giudice, once had a summer home in Beach Haven West.

These days, you can ask anyone looking to stay in the Southern Ocean County area and they will all agree: there are few communities that have become as desirable to live in as this one.

Even more important? They get access to a priceless lifestyle of relaxation, boating, fishing, great dentists in Southern Ocean County, and more. And that’s not something you can find just anywhere.

6 Easy Tips To Find The Perfect Jersey Shore Home

Posted on: November 28th, 2018 by admin No Comments

There is a reason why real estate is in demand in our area: Because the Jersey Shore is a fantastic place to live!

From easy access to some of the best beaches on the East Coast to New York City and Philadelphia being a short drive away and much more, people are eager to live in towns like Long Beach Island, Manahawkin, and Forked River.

But house hunting can be a chore. It doesn’t need to be if you follow these simple house hunting tips, though. With these in mind, you’ll have your perfect home in Southern Ocean County in no time.

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Location, Location, Location – It’s not a cliché, it’s a fact of life! When it comes to real estate, location is everything, so be sure to look at more than the house. Check out the neighborhood, its access to local shopping and highways, and the school system.

Get Pre-approved – It’s rarely a bad idea to go to the bank BEFORE you start shopping for homes. A preapproval will not only give you peace of mind during the often stressful process of home shopping, it will also give you a clear idea of your budget limitations. Being equipped with this information will make the entire process smoother for you.

 

Create A Checklist – When you’re touring multiple homes during your survey of real estate, it can be easy to get a little overwhelmed. The best way to keep things straight is to create a simple checklist of features you want (or want to avoid). As you tour each home, mark off the checklist. It’s quick, it’s easy, and it will be there to jog your memory when you’re trying to remember which home had what.

Know What You Want – It’s surprising how many home buyers don’t really know what they want when they go out looking. This can only make the entire process harder for you. Before you start shopping for homes, make a list of what you want from your purchase. This will make it much easier to zero in on the perfect home for you.

Do Your Research – The days of letting your real estate agent do all the work are long over. These days, it is incumbent upon the buyer to do their research as well. The Internet is a big place full of tools that can help you get the background you need on potential houses and neighborhoods to make a decision you won’t regret.

Be Ready To Make An Offer – When the moment finally comes to claim the Jersey Shore home they’ve been after, a surprising number of people find themselves paralyzed. It’s not altogether surprising. Buying a home is a major investment, after all. But if you’re out there shopping for a new home, you have to be prepared to make an offer the moment you know this is the home for you, otherwise you risk someone else sweeping the home out from under you. It happens!

7 Great Reasons To Live at the Jersey Shore

Posted on: November 14th, 2018 by admin No Comments

Ever thought about living near coast of New Jersey, especially in towns like Manahawkin, Forked River and Barnegat? If you haven’t before, you sure will after reading these seven reasons why it’s AWESOME:

barnegat lighthouse1) Easy Access To Recreation

If you want recreation, there are few better places to be than the beach, especially in Southern Ocean County and Long Beach Island. Surfing, boating, fishing, swimming, sun bathing, games, music, paddle boarding, night clubs, nature preserves, food festivals, and so much more we can barely list it all. If you can’t find something to do at the shore it’s because you refuse to leave the house!

2) It’s Relaxing

Think about the sound of the surf, the smell of the water, the laid back way people go about their lives, and then think about yourself in the middle of it all right here in Ocean County. Yes, that is what living at the shore can be like – and it can be like that every single day of the year! Doesn’t matter if you live in a small bungalow or have a huge beachfront house, being near the the ocean can lift your spirits and help you do something few people can manage: relax!

3) You’ll Enjoy A Longer Life

It might sound like nonsense, but it’s true. Studies show that people who do not take annual vacations are 32 percent more likely to die of a heart attack. So what better way to extend your life then by building a perpetual vacation into your life? That’s exactly what living at the beach is like. At any moment you choose, you can flip the switch from normal life to relaxing. Take a walk to the sand, go look out over the way, enjoy some water sports, go fishing, walk your dog, go people watching – the whole area here near Long Beach Island a tremendous place to unwind!

4) Visits From Friends And Family Will Be Great

If you enjoy making people feel welcome, you’ll have an easy time if you live near the shore. People love to visit the region for a reason, and they love it even more when they are visiting good friends and family. Give them something to see and something to do, often without much effort on your part. That’s exactly what living near the shore can do!

Southern-Ocean-County5) Get In Touch With Nature

It may appear that the shore region is built up to a major degree – and in some ways, it is – but there are not only plenty of parks and open areas, even the built-up communities allow access to mother nature you can’t get in the suburbs. When was the last time you watched dolphins and whales play in your McMansion community, or walked two blocks to do some ocean fishing, or fed ducks and gulls on the bay right in your backyard?

6) Salt Water Is Good For Your Health

Yet another mark in favor of shore living, salt water is not just calming to the soul, it can actually help heal little nicks and cuts. Add in the fact that beach sand can help exfoliate your skin, helping you to feel cleaner and fresher, and you have the makings for a healthier life.

7) It’s A Great Investment

When it comes down to it, this may be the biggest reason to own property at the shore. Waterfront property is always in demand. It never goes out of style. Your investment is all but guaranteed to increase for you. Add that to all the lifestyle bonuses mentioned above, and the reasons for living at the shore should be obvious.

And naturally, once you’re here and smiling about your choice, choose us as your Ocean County dentist and we’ll keep your smile bright!

 

6 New Jersey Shore Towns You Want To Visit

Posted on: October 17th, 2018 by admin No Comments

Life at the Jersey Shore is pretty great. That much is clear if you ask the people who live there.

Jersey Strong

It’s even pretty great for visitors, provided you’re visiting the right communities. Have no fear, though, we have a list of six towns that you should add to your “must visit” list if you want to have a good time when the weather is good. Between the six you’ll find relaxation, fun, excitement, and more. Check them out:

Ocean Beach

This small subsection of Toms River was battered during Hurricane Sandy but is making a valiant comeback. The quaint bungalows that make up most of Ocean Beach make this a nice town for summer rentals or affordable retirements. The damage from Sandy is still apparent, but it’s getting better by the day.

Point Pleasant

This bustling shore community has everything from historic homes to a traditional downtown to a busy boardwalk with rides and games and nightclubs – and, of course, a lovely beach. There are few communities more fun to visit than Point Pleasant, which is why it’s known as one of the premier destinations in Ocean County.

Cape May

An historic town filled with charming inns, bed and breakfasts, and romantic getaways, Cape May is one of New Jersey’s most cherished shore communities. Many of these homes have been here since the 19th Century, giving the town a feel that now many others in the state can boast.

Wildwood

It’s right there in the name. If you like your weekends wild, Wildwood and the surrounding towns showcase the fun side of the Jersey Shore. The town boasts a lengthy boardwalk packed with games and rides and places to eat, and is also filled with things to do, eat, drink, see and enjoy. There is a reason why Wildwood is such a popular weekend getaway!

Asbury Park

Asbury Park fell into decline for many years, but it is back and in a big way. Thanks to great restaurants, shops, art galleries and more, this town is once again thriving. It’s a town ideal for hip young people. Not only is the bar scene is excellent, but the music scene is great, too, and there are good apartments and homes available. This is a return to form long in the making!

Lavallette

Located adjacent to Toms River, this tiny little beachfront community is on the barrier island separating the Barnegat Bay and the Atlantic Ocean. It enjoys a close proximity to hot shore towns like Point Pleasant and Seaside Heights, but Lavallette itself is a quiet town with plenty of local shops and neighbors who know one another. It was recently ranked one of the top places to live in New Jersey, too.

Fun Things To Do At The Jersey Shore

Posted on: August 1st, 2018 by admin No Comments

The Jersey Shore is a beloved attraction that draws millions of people every year and generates billions of dollars in revenue for local businesses. People flock here in droves because there is a lot to do. Yes, you know about the beaches and night clubs and all the other things you see featured on MTV, but that’s not all the shore has to offer!

The reason so many turn out to the Shore? Because there is a LOT to do.

Here are things to do when you’re renting in Long Beach Island or visiting the Jersey Shore:

Nature & Dolphin Sighting – The Jersey Shore is known for its wild clubs and active nightlife, so it’s no surprise that a lot of people don’t realize that you have easy access to some of the most pristine coastline on the East Coast in state parks like Island Beach State Park. There are also many dolphin sighting trips that are an easy drive from Manahawkin, Barnegat, and Forked River.

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Go Out To Eat – When you’re done relaxing in the sun or enjoying the sights of the shore, you’re going to want to grab something to eat. The good news is, the Jersey Shore is packed with great restaurants. Seafood restaurants are the most popular, with Italian eateries a close second – every town is guaranteed to have at least one excellent pizzeria – but if you want Thai, Mexican, traditional American cuisine, German food, sushi, Indian, and more, you’ll be able to find it here. The Jersey Shore is more ethnically diverse than you realize, and so is its cuisine.

Surfing – Grabbing a board and surfing on the waves is a big deal on the New Jersey coast. You see it from time to time on Long Beach Island, people taking to the waves and riding them for all they’re worth. Many don’t realize that on the East Coast, New Jersey is among the best surfing areas around. No wonder people come here!

Play Boardwalk Games – At the Jersey Shore, there are dozens of great games you can play at the boardwalks that grace our shores. From tossing this into that to banging that onto this, the type of games are varied. More importantly, the prizes are varied, too. You can win stuffed animals and shirts and all that, but you can also win toys, games and more. Most important of all is, you can have FUN.

Crabbing – Going crabbing is a popular pastime for locals and visitors alike. Whether casting your traps from a dock or a rented boat, the crabbing is excellent here, letting you and your family have fun while you catch dinner for the weekend!

Historical Sites – Did you know that the Jersey Shore was once home to famous pirates? Or that it was the site of battles during the American Revolution? From Barnegat Lighthouse to historic ships and more, the Jersey Shore is home to wonderful glimpses into yesteryear.

As you can see, there is a lot to do here. If you want more suggestions, contact Bayside Dentistry at 609-698-1155. We’ll be glad to give you some tips!

5 Great Reasons to Live at the Jersey Shore

Posted on: July 18th, 2018 by admin No Comments

Don’t the show of the same name fool you. The Jersey Shore is a terrific place to live. This is especially true in Southern Ocean County around Barnegat, Manahawkin, and Forked River, where there are a wealth of benefits that will quickly have you living the good life.

 

Don’t believe us? Just take a look at these five great reasons to live at the shore:

Jersey Strong

1) Watersports

For those who like their life to be on the exciting side, the Jersey coast offers some of the best areas for jet skiing, water skiing, surfing, and much more.

Whether you already own equipment or just want to rent it, shops and rentals places are so numerous you’ll be tripping over them.

Even better, the waters here are made for activities like this. Our bays, waterways and oceans are perfect for waverunners, paddle boarding, and much more.

2) Boating and Fishing

New Jersey has some of the best boating and fishing on the East Coast (and anyone who follows our Facebook knows our doctors take full advantage of it!).

Whether you like relaxing on a bay and enjoying the sun with friends, or like to take a boat out on the Atlantic and engage in some serious fishing, the opportunities to both are endless here. The Garden State has a thriving fishing and boating community that dates back hundreds of years, with a wealth of fishing clubs, charter boats, yacht clubs, and much more available. If you live someplace like Renaissance on The Ocean, it’s easy to access this great aspect of the shore.

3) Beautiful Beaches

There is a reason why so many people come to the Jersey Shore each summer: because it’s beautiful! No matter the type of experience you want, New Jersey offers it. We have quaint, quiet communities with relaxing beaches, party towns with thriving nightclub scenes, towns that specialize in historic inns and bed and breakfasts, fishing towns, communities geared towards families, towns that focus on boardwalks and amusements, and much more. New Jersey beaches in Ship Bottom, Long Beach Island, and elsewhere are the place to be!

4) The Outdoors

In addition to watersports, beaches and more, the Jersey coast has something a lot of people don’t realize: some gorgeous state and federal parks featuring pristine coastland. These preserves boast great hiking trails, lush dunes, and abundant wildlife. You can see a side of New Jersey you never imagined!

5) Easy Access To NYC and Philly

Being at the Jersey Shore doesn’t mean you always have to STAY at the Jersey Shore. Thanks to 195 and the Parkway, access to New York City and Philadelphia is incredibly easy, making day trips into the city a breeze. Even Baltimore is an easy three-hour drive away, a perfect way to catch Phillies, Yankees and Mets games without having to deal with the home town crowds. It’s just one more thing that makes living at the shore so desirable!

With these things in mind, it’s hard to ignore how great the Jersey Shore can be!

The Best Towns to Rent a Jersey Shore Summer House

Posted on: June 6th, 2018 by admin No Comments

On Fridays during the summer when the Garden State Parkway is backed up with traffic, all those people are coming to the beautiful New Jersey Coast.

And no wonder. In Long Beach Island, Barnegat, Manahawkin, and other towns in our area, there are some fantastic communities in which to unwind during the summer months.

The Jersey shore is not all created equal, though. Picking one community over the other can be the difference between finding yourself in the middle of a bad MTV show and relaxing in an historic community with great beach access, so choose carefully!

If you plan to rent a summer home or to enjoy a vacation on the coast, these are a few of the town you should consider when deciding to take a weekend, week, or even the rest of your life away with the family.

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Point Pleasant Beach – This is a town that straddles the line between a vibrant, active vacation town and a quiet, peaceful ocean community. Point offers the architectural charm of yesteryear as well as the appeal of excellent dining and great shopping. The residential neighborhoods are quiet, but the downtown is often full of shoppers. The boardwalk and aquarium are also busy. There you will find rides, games, places to see bands playing music, and more.

Long Beach Island – Real estate in Long Beach Island is in high demand for a good reason. This swath of coastal barrier island is one of the New Jersey’s most desirable places to both live and to vacation. Boasting plenty of gorgeous bay and ocean facing property, it also has shopping, historic sites, and much more. Even better, while there are a lot of things to do within a short walk or drive, LBI itself is calm enough so that you really feel like you’re getting away from the world.

Barnegat – This small oceanfront and bay community – and the place where our office is located – is a popular place for families thanks to its clean beaches, and docks for fishing and crabbing, and more. Not to mention the historic lighthouse! There are many small shops, great places to eat, as well as waterfront property along both the ocean and the bay. It’s a great town, which is why we love working here!

Belmar – Just like Point Pleasant Beach, Belmar offers quiet shore living as well as attractions that will appeal to visitors looking for more action. Quiet neighborhoods with cute coastal homes are just a short walk away from some of the New Jersey coast’s most active and popular nightclubs. Add in some of the best fishing on the East Coast, a historic boating community, and a downtown that is a throwback to communities of old and it’s easy to see why people flock to Belmar each year.

9 Facts You Didn’t Know About Long Beach Island

Posted on: April 11th, 2018 by admin No Comments

Anyone who has been to LBI knows it’s a beautiful, cozy community that thrives during the summer months. Whether you own a home there or you just take day trips to the beach, you probably love to visit.

 LBI sign

So if you love to visit Long Beach Island, you might enjoy knowing a little more about it. With that in mind, we have some interesting facts for you. Take a look:

  • Long Beach Island has been battered by some major storms. In 1920, most of the island was destroyed by a devastating winter storm that even reopened a once closed inlet in Holgate. In 1923, another storm smashed the island and knocked out rail service for a full three years, and in 1935, a storm washed out the railroad bridge to the mainland.
  • Perhaps the worst storm was the Ash Wednesday Storm of 1962. That storm split the island into several pieces and causes the USS Monssen, a Navy destroyer, to run aground. The storm is considered one of the 10 worst storms of the 20th Century in the United States, and almost destroyed all of Long Beach Island.
  • Long Beach Island was also battered by Hurricane Sandy in 2012. The storm flooded the island and cause the bridge to the island to be closed for 13 days.
  • The current causeway that connects Long Beach Island to the mainland was constructed in the late 1950s.
  • Long Beach Island is known as a fairly well to do area of New Jersey. Even as far back as 1970, Philadelphia Magazine joked that “the haves turn right and the have mores turn left,” referring to the turns south and north people make after arriving on the island.
  • The communities on the north of the island, including Loveladies and North Beach, feature sprawling Victorian homes that often spark rumors of celebrities vacationing there.
  • Though Long Beach Island is a highly desirable resort and vacation area, it is not comparable to nearby Jersey Shore communities like Seaside Heights, Wildwood, and Belmar. Instead of a thriving night club scene and rides and boardwalks, it’s a family oriented vacation spot with more focus on restaurants, museums, and beaches.
  • Long Beach Island is home to many fishing and charter boats, some of which get 100 or more miles off the coast.
  • Long Beach Island is home to the famed Surflight Theater. Built in 1950 by Joseph P. Hayes, for decades the theater has offered a place for the local arts to be performed, including music, dance, theater, and comedy.

What do you know about the Long Beach Island community? How in touch with its history are you? If you know some interesting facts we didn’t mention, tell us about them in the comments!