It’s almost a crime to visit my home state of New Jersey and not visit the shore. During our nearly 2-week trip to New Jersey this summer, we made a point to visit one of the state’s most popular shore destinations – Point Pleasant – and Jenkinson’s Boardwalk. Neither the beau or little bean have ever visited the Jersey shore, as during our last visit when little bean was just 6 months old we couldn’t find a time that worked for us around her 3 daytime naps. But now that she’s down to one small nap (or even some days no nap!), we knew we wanted to spend the morning in the sand and dipping our toes in the ocean. And, of course, I needed to get my hands on some funnel cake!
I have so many memories of summers in New Jersey while growing up, and visiting the shore is always a key memory. I remember parking our car several blocks away on a residential street to avoid having to remember to pay the meter, and I remember packing strawberry banana yogurts in our ice box as a refreshing beach snack. I remember thinking New Jersey’s water was always so ice cold but always worth a dip. I remember enjoying the waves and looking back to find my parents and our very colorful umbrella. We rarely visited the shore without family members or family friends – a 30-minute drive to the shore meant we always had good company with us for the day.
Shop My Outfit
Faithfull top (on sale; available in white here) // Cotton On pants (old; similar here and here) // Birkenstock sandals // Illesteva sunglasses
Getting to walk along the boardwalk with my little family was something I had always dreamed of doing. I missed feeling the wooden planks of the boardwalk under my feet. I missed the strong aroma of butter and dough in the air flow from the shops selling freshly baked waffle cones, funnel cakes, or pretzels. I missed hearing the seagulls make their intrusive caws that sound like laughter. I missed hearing the waves crash into the shore at a distance. I missed the scent of salty air mixed with wood from the boardwalk. Taking in all these scents felt like a memory but also as if I never left. I had not been to Jenkinson’s Boardwalk in nearly 20 years, and now I was back with my husband and almost 2-year old daughter.
We walked along the boardwalk in the morning before the afternoon thunderstorms were due to roll in. This meant that the amusement rides were not open (they do not open until after midday), but since little bean is still quite young we decided it was okay that she wasn’t able to this time. There will always be next time. What was open was Chippy’s, and I just had to have little bean and the beau try their very first funnel cake. It only took one bite each for them to be big fans of it like I am. I had missed that taste of hot, freshly fried dough covered in deliciously sweet powdered sugar. The beau finally understood why I had been talking about getting a funnel cake pretty much nonstop before we even arrived in New Jersey.
The one thing we didn’t get to do this time that will have to be a priority next time is Jenkinson’s Aquarium. It was a shame we missed it this time since little bean is obsessed with marine life, but by the time we arrived at the aquarium, it was nearing little bean’s nap time (at the time, she was napping for an hour and a half in the early afternoon) and we had family plans in the afternoon. We’ll just have to come back when we visit again next year, after devouring our much loved funnel cake.
