5 p116
The Drive » There’s no
beachfront road to Ocean Grove- the two towns are separated
by narrow Wesley Lake. Take
the generically commercial
Main St/Rte 71 and turn left on
Ocean Grove’s own Main Ave.
However, it might be worthwhile
to first head north on Rte 71 for
a few miles to take a gander at
the impressively grand homes
in the community of Deal.
2 Ocean Grove
Next to Asbury Park is
Ocean Grove, one of the
cutest Victorian seaside
towns anywhere, with a
boardwalk boasting not a
single business to disturbTRIP HIGHLIGHTthe peace and quiet.
Known as ‘God’s Square
Mile at the Jersey Shore,’
Ocean Grove is perfectly
coifed, sober, conservative
and quaint. Founded by
Methodists in the 19th
century, the place retains
what’s left of a post–Civil
War Tent City revival
camp – now a historic
site with 114 cottage-like
canvas tents clustered
together that are used for
summer homes.
Towering over the
tents, the 1894 mustard-
yellow Great Auditorium
(%732-775-0035, tickets
800-965-9324; http://www.oceangrove.
org; Pilgrim Pathway; recitals free,
concerts $13; hrecitals 7:30pm
Wed, 10am or noon Sat; c)
shouldn’t be missed: its
vaulted interior, amazing
acoustics and historic
organ recall Utah’s
Mormon Tabernacle. Makesure to catch a recital
or concert or one of the
open-air services held in a
boardwalk pavilion.54 p116
The Drive » Follow Rte
71 south through a string of
relatively sleepy towns (Bradley
Beach, Belmar) for just over 5
miles to reach Spring Lake.3 Spring Lake
The quiet streets of this
prosperous community,
once known as the
‘Irish Riviera,’ are lined
with grand oceanfront
Victorian houses set in
meticulously manicured
lawns. As a result of
Hurricane Sandy, the
gorgeous beach was
extremely narrow at high
tide. If you’re interested
in a low-key quiet base, a
stay here is about as farHURRICANE SANDY
In late October 2012 Hurricane Sandy devastated much of the New York and
New Jersey coastline, destroying homes, breaching barrier islands, ripping away
boardwalks and washing away entire waterfront communities. In New York, Staten
Island, the Rockaways and Red Hook were the hardest hit, while the Jersey Shore
from Sandy Hook to Atlantic City suffered the brunt of the hurricane’s impact. The
dimensions and profiles of many beaches were diminished and it remains to be
seen whether rebuilding efforts will add dunes and other storm surge impediments
where none existed before.
More than six months later, there are still significant pockets of desolation:
piles of debris rise higher than sand dunes; entire sides of houses are ripped away,
others teeter precariously at gravity-defying angles. While a new boardwalk was
being built in Seaside Heights for the 2013 summer season, the Star Jet roller
coaster, in perhaps the most dramatically symbolic posture of displacement, still
remained perched in the ocean like a remnant of an antedeluvian civilization. This
book was researched just prior to the start of the 2013 summer season when state
officials and locals alike were promising to be ready to welcome sun-worshipping
throngs with open arms.NEW.JERSEY.&.PENNSYLVANIA.TRIPS.8
(^) THE JERSEY SHORE