Page 8 - Indulge May 2017

weekenders Beached: places in the sun this summer
By Jack Romig
You don’t have to be a sailor to feel the pull of the
sea. Just making it to the water’s edge as the weather
warms is enough for thousands of Lehigh Valley residents.
Delightful choices beckon, and often enough the experience
rewards the expectations.
Where to beach it? Those setting their faces south may
make their way to Virginia. The best known, best attended of
the state’s seaside resorts is Virginia Beach, a free beach with
first-class attractions like the Ocean Breeze Waterpark and
the Virginia Aquarium nearby.
Whatever the temperature, you can choose a spot that’s
several degrees calmer in nearby Sandbridge, actually a part
of Virginia Beach but nothing like the busy boardwalk district.
Here you’ll find family homes and vacation rentals — and
perhaps a less-crowded beach.
Ocean City is at the heart of Maryland’s stretch of
seacoast. You’ll traverse the three-mile-long boardwalk on
a tram — half an hour from end to end. The town is well
known for its fishing, though some visitors prefer boat rides
just to see the sights. Sitting between the Chesapeake Bay
and the Atlantic Ocean, O.C. is crab central, a place where
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8 | indulge • may 2017
fanciers can sample the seafood staple in lots of variations.
Not far off are the islands of Assateague and Chincoteague,
famous for their wild ponies. Tame as these animals may
appear, they’re truly wild and you’ll want to confine your
contact to watching them. Come equipped to repel mosquitos
and other flying biters, especially between May and November.
Many Pennsylvanians trek to oceanside locales to the south
of Delaware Bay. The website delawarebeaches.com boasts of
distinctive character for Rehoboth Beach (“artsy edginess”),
Fenwick Island (“intimate and unhurried”), Dewey Beach
(“packed bayside clubs”), and Lewes (“nautical charm and a
sense of peaceful repose”).
Simple proximity means that thousands of beachgoers
from our region habitually head to the New Jersey coast.
Many renew the same one- or two-week rental for years —
and there’s something to be said for the comfort and family
tradition this approach engenders.
Care to try a change of scene? Here are some choices.
n Avalon — Sharing the barrier island of Seven Mile with
Stone Harbor, Avalon is known as a pleasant family destination.
The island has never had a boardwalk, but there’s enough
going on — shops, bars, restaurants, fishing, kayak rentals —
to keep it interesting.
n Atlantic City — For some, casinos in the Valley and
elsewhere in easy range neutralized one of the iconic beach
town’s main draws. Still, A.C. attractions remain, including
great dining and high-end shopping — and, for better or worse,
this city’s unique atmosphere.
n Cape May — Crowded and bustling in season, the
southernmost Jersey destination retains an old-time flavor.
Enjoy antiques shopping, an accessible classic lighthouse, the
nearby Cape May County Park and Zoo, and stately Congress
Hall, a hotel yielding a glimpse of resort life from long ago.
n Wildwood — If you love the boardwalk experience, this
buzzing town is hard to beat: busy, vibrant and fun. Wildwood’s
free beach is the widest in the state, and the amusement rides
on its piers bring many families to town. Dogs are welcomed
with a stretch of beach just for them, graced by a 25-foot
sculpture of a fire hydrant.
Other exciting possibilities await north and south of
the Atlantic coastline. Consider Topsail Island in North
Carolina, South Carolina’s Myrtle Beach, Montauk on
Long Island, Martha’s Vineyard off the Massachusetts
shore, or Ogunquit, Maine.
In a different direction altogether, six highway hours from
Allentown, is the small city of Erie. Presque Isle State Park is
a picturesque, sandy peninsula reaching out into Lake Erie
with a park featuring 11 miles of beaches. Think of this jaunt,
though, as more about relaxation than excitement.