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Spring
Lake, New Jersey
Spring Lake jetty. Photo courtesy
Ashling
Cottage
Getting Around
Spring Lake
is on the Jersey shore, about 60 miles south of New York City
and about 75 miles northwest of Philadelphia.
The New Jersey Transit System has bus routes from New York City
to New Jersey. The website has a
trip planner feature so you can find the best route.
When to Go
Summer weekends are busiest, when weekend minimum stays and
advance reservations are required. Temperatures may be a little
(or a lot) colder off-season, but rates are lower and crowds are
non-existent.
Sights & Activities
Outdoor
activities:
In any
season, a walk on the beautiful, uncommercialized boardwalk is a
must. Bring or rent a bike to explore the town, with its many
lakes and beautiful architecture. Beaches are beautiful and
clean, due to the town’s restrictions against eating
on the beach. Need a little action? Plan a trip to the casinos
and shows of Atlantic City, 75 miles (90 minutes) away. Tours of
the nearby
Sandy Hook Lighthouse begin in April; it is the oldest
surviving lighthouse in the United States.
Food and shopping:
Restaurant reservations are essential on weekends; ask your
innkeeper to make reservations for you for best results. Most
restaurants do not sell alcohol, so bring wine from home or
select a bottle of wine in advance at
Egan's Spring Lake Liquors or
the
Bottle Shop
on Third Avenue. We were impressed with the cuisine at the
Black Trumpet and the
Island
Palm Grill. In Belmar, we enjoyed Matisse on the beach for
dress up casual and the very casual
Klein’s
Waterside Café, an old fashioned fish market with great
lobster.
If you have the
urge to shop, head to
Third Avenue, where you'll find a wide variety of specialty
and gift shops, antique stores and galleries, as well homemade
ice cream, candy stores and gourmet markets.
More info…
Museums:
The
Historic Village at Allaire
is a
living history museum dedicated to the life of famed marine
engineer James Allaire who lived during the 1820s.
For more
information, visit the
Spring Lake
Chamber of Commerce.
Sea Crest by the
Sea, Spring Lake, NJ
B&Bs
and Inns
The
towns of Spring Lake, Sea Girt, Belmar, and Avon-by-the-Sea flow
into one another, with little or no separation between them;
chose the inn and location that best suits your needs. Most
offer free beach tags, chairs, towels and bicycles, but inquire
for details. Here are some we’ve visited, listed alphabetically:
One block from the ocean,
Beacon
House is comprised of two spacious guest houses, framed by
wraparound porches that are lined with wicker chairs and
rockers. While varied in size, guest rooms are crisp, fresh, and
comfortable, with appealing colors and quilts.
Combining the charm of a historic hotel and the amenities of a
boutique property, the
Chateau Inn
offers 37 guest rooms and suites, with an easy walk of Spring
Lake village parks, restaurants, and beaches.
The
Evergreen Inn has spacious, well-equipped rooms, lots of
thoughtful extras and amenities, delicious breakfasts, and an
outstanding innkeeper – Laurie Carloni– who goes out of
her way to ensure the comfort of her guests.
A half-block from the beach, the
Normandy
Inn is an elegant Italianate-style mansion, with elegant
Victorian antique furnishings and lots of thoughtful extras.
An
all-time favorite,
Sea
Crest by the Sea falls into the “expensive but worth it”
category of getaway B&Bs. Just steps from the beach, the inn
offers spacious guest rooms with top-of-the-line features;
spoil-you-rotten amenities; lavish
breakfasts and afternoon tea and treats; and attentive and
involved innkeepers, Barbara and Fred Vogel.
The unpretentious
Spring
Lake Inn was built in 1888 and has a convenient location
just a block from the beach, plus a warm and casual atmosphere
in which families are welcome.
Victoria
House B&B is an elegantly restored Queen Anne house built in
1882. Favorite guest rooms include the Rose Rendezvous on the
third floor, with a king-sized bed and delightful sitting area
with a gas-log fireplace in the turret; and the Delft Room,
decorated in pristine blue and white.
An excellent family-friendly choice is the
Villa
Park House, a Victorian “Painted Lady” with an inviting
front porch and exceptional breakfasts prepared by owner Matt
Schmid, an accomplished chef who graduated from the Culinary
Institute of America.
Set on peaceful Wreck Pond, the
White Lilac
Inn is decorated in country Victorian style. Long-time
innkeeper Mari Kennelly, who grew up in Spring Lake, is
extremely knowledgeable about the area and
will be delighted to help with advice and reservations.
More Jersey shore inns...
If you see this button
on an inn's listing, click it to book your room directly from
BedandBreakfast.com!
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