Shore Bets for Summer
From concerts and watersports to historic landmarks and lighthouses, here’s your guide to life down the shore this season.
by Bill Donahue

Some of my fondest childhood memories were made down the shore. My family ventured to several shore points, including Ocean City, New Jersey (the O.C. in Maryland, too), and Bethany Beach, Delaware—but Wildwood was our go-to. 
 
The wonderful thing about the shore is that, although parts of it will change from year to year and season to season, the experience is as pure today as it was when I was still a carefree kid with a gap-toothed smile. My family did all the things everyone tends to do down the shore, like going on rides and eating well on the boardwalk, riding waves in the surf, making sand castles, etc. I also remember seeing a shark for the first time while crabbing in the tidal marshes, splashing at a water park far removed from the boards, and making the most of the cold and rainy days at a local movie house. 
 
My point is this: There’s a lot more to the shore than funnel cake and fudge, sunscreen and saltwater taffy. Whether you’re down the shore for the weekend, the week, or the whole summer, be sure to cross all these items off your to-do list.  
 
We’re suckers for lighthouses. Absecon Lighthouse is not only New Jersey’s tallest, but also the third tallest in the country, at more than 170 feet. Scale its 228 steps for a view of the coast, including the A.C. skyline. The lighthouse was designed by George Meade, who later became a general in the Civil War famous for his role in winning the Battle of Gettysburg. The light went into service in 1857 and was extinguished after its decommissioning in 1933, but its legacy lives on.
 
Some of the biggest names in entertainment will descend on Wildwood this summer for the Barefoot Country Music Fest. Miranda Lambert, Post Malone, Eric Church, Kelsea Ballerini, Shaboozey, and The Fray, among many, many others, will play on five stages, from sunup to sundown. Mark your calendars: June 18 to 21.
 
Speaking of music, the 2026 summer concert series at Cape May Convention Hall looks particularly fantastic. Check out the likes of Mac McAnally (June 28), Joan Osborne (July 26), and the one and only Blue Oyster Cult (August 23). There’s plenty of places nearby to enjoy a pre-show drink, including Harry’s Ocean Bar & Grille, the Rusty Nail, and the multiple options within beloved Congress Hall. 
 
Connect with your wild side at Cape May County Park & Zoo in Cape May Courthouse. The zoo enables visitors to get up close and personal with their nonhuman counterparts, with an array of mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians from around the world. Besides housing an abundance of wildlife, the zoo has a carousel, a fishing pond, playgrounds, and picnic pavilions. For the thrill-seeking set, both young and young at heart, make a beeline for the treetop adventure and zipline courses for a well-earned adrenaline boost.
 
Avalon’s Carefree Boat Club on South Jersey makes it easy to enjoy life on the water, without the hassle of slip fees, towing, maintenance and winterization, and costly repairs. The process, to boil it down: Invest in a membership, get trained to become a confident and safe boat handler, make a reservation, then show up to the marina to take out a watercraft. Members can utilize boats of all shapes and sizes, whether they’re looking to fish, waterski, or just make memories that will likely outlast summer.
 
Take a day away from the beach by visiting Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge in Oceanville. You’ll find 48,000 acres of coastal habitat stretching north to Long Beach Island. Bike, hike, and fish, or hop in a kayak or canoe for a boater’s view of the wildlife refuge. Once the indigenous home of the Lenape Indians, the area also represents one of the most active flight paths on the Atlantic Flyway, making it an ideal location for birding. 
 
Head to Harbor Outfitters, which has locations in Ocean City, Sea Isle City, and Stone Harbor, and rent a surfboard to test your mettle on South Jersey’s waves. Barring storm surges, the surf is manageable—even for first timers—making for a memorable, though occasionally humbling, day of fun in the sun. If surfing isn’t your speed, you can still get out on the water via a sea kayak or a standup paddleboard. 
 
Everyone knows about Delaware’s well-tended beaches—no beach tags!—but there’s so much to do in Delaware apart from worshipping the sun. Take the ferry from Cape May to Lewes, Delaware, to visit the Historic Lewes Town Campus, which features nine historic houses dating as far back as the late 1700s. At one of the Stockley Street Houses, belly up to the recreated Sussex Tavern for a cocktail. Make note, however: The tavern has limited hours, open Wednesday through Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.  
 
Any visit to Margate must include a pilgrimage to see Lucy the Elephant, because where else will you find a 65-foot-tall elephant you can walk through? Lucy’s origin story dates back to the 1880s, when she was built as a marketing tool, of sorts, to lure prospective residents to Margate. She has endured hurricanes, years of disrepair, and rumors of closure, among other threats to her survival, on the way to complete restoration. Now a National Historic Landmark, Lucy the Elephant has become a cherished destination—and an inimitable example of why the Jersey Shore is unlike anyplace else. 
 
Board a Pau Hana Tiki Boat and embark on a cruise through the waters of Somers Point and Ocean City. Billed as a “floating tiki bar,” Pau Hana—a name borrowed from a Hawaiian phrase that means “finished work”—aims to recreate an authentic Caribbean experience that has become popular for bachelorette parties, birthdays, and other celebrations. What to expect: good vibes, good food, and, as you might expect from any respectable tiki bar, good adult libations. 
 
Concert tees? Check. Collectibles? You bet. Beachy threads? Of course. Surf and skate gear? Totally. There’s truly something for everyone at Ocean City’s Surf Mall. This boardwalk staple seems like it hasn’t aged a day in decades, though of course it has evolved with the times. A trip to the Surf Mall has become a rite of passage for the younger set, while members of preceding generations are thrilled to return and peruse its wares with a blend of nostalgia and fascination. 
 
Ask people to describe what they associate most with a day at the shore and they will likely say walking the boards, lazing on the beach, and riding waves in the surf. They might forget to mention the delicate coastal and wetland ecosystems that surround and support the shore’s many hubs of human activity. At The Wetlands Institute in Stone Harbor, learn all about these ecosystems and the creatures that inhabit them, including the vulnerable diamondback terrapin. Through education and other means of support, visitors can join in the institute’s efforts to conserve and protect these truly remarkable places.
 
More to Love Down the Shore
These professionals and service providers add to the exceptional quality of life for residents and visitors to the region’s many excellent shore points: Cask & Vine Distribution (caskandvinedistribution.com); The Grand Hotel of Cape May (grandhotelcapemay.com); HH Aesthetics Co. of Milford, Delaware (hhaesthetics.glossgenius.com), and The Aesthetic Center of Lewes, Delaware (aestheticcenter.com); Key Financial Inc. (keyfinancialinc.com); Rene Kane & Co. of Margate (renekane.com); Schell Brothers of Delaware (schellbrothers.com); Sofroney Realty Group of Sea Isle City (sofroney.com); and Ula Luxury Facial Boutique of Margate (ulafacialboutique.com).
 
Next month we’ll return with a curated lineup of shore establishments known for serving up some of the best food and drink morning, noon, and night. 
Image by Joshua Choate from Pixabay
 
Published (and copyrighted) in Suburban Life, May 2026.