The summer heat is being welcomed by businesses and towns in Jersey Shore communities, especially after the cool and rainy spring season.

"I would say that business owners at this point are thrilled to have this type of weather pattern," Jacqueline Pappas, executive director of the Asbury Park Chamber of Commerce, said about the sudden extreme heat this week.

"It definitely can be a motivator for the cold drinks, and the ice cream, and all things to cool you off in the heat," Pappas said. She said that while people enjoy cooling off at the beach or the waterpark, the heat also helps flow traffic in out of the boardwalk area.

"People take a break in the heat of the day, and maybe travel downtown to duck inside," she said.

The beaches and boardwalks in Point Pleasant and Seaside Heights also have been crowded. Dana Lancellotti, division director of Ocean County Business Development a Tourism, said several beachfront communities reported having record-breaking beach badge sales over the July 4 holiday weekend. Businesses are benefiting from the sunny, hot weather and people needing temporary relief from the heat.

"They're going to be wanting to go into the bars, into the restaurants, into the retail shops, when they're too hot," Lancellotti said. She said the heat also means more foot traffic for river boat cruises with air conditioned cabins and museums and art galleries around the county.

The Point Pleasant Chamber of Commerce has been getting swamped with calls about activities and events, according to executive director Eileen McCabe.

"A lot of families who are at the beach in the morning are looking for activities for their kids in the afternoon," McCabe said. She also said older adults have been seeking information about nighttime concerts because they are stuck in the air conditioning during the day and want to get outdoors when it's cooler.

Businesses offering art, painting and pottery classes for kids have been staying busy, according to McCabe. She said water sport rentals are booming too.

"There's a lot of kayak rentals going on in the morning hours. The standup paddle boarding you see the rivers that we're surrounded by here are swamped with people doing that," McCabe said. "In the boating community, the marinas are so busy and bustling you can see that they're hiring extra people this week just to get people bait and ice, and doing all things like that with the boats coming in for fuel."

McCabe said people are even having food delivered to the beach to make the most of the summer weather.

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