Why this is the perfect Jersey Shore beach town

Depending on which part of the state you’re from you have the Jersey shore towns you’re familiar with and those you may have only heard of. Most of us tend to go to the town we went to as a kid or discovered as a young adult.

Maybe you discovered it when you decided to take a family vacation with your own kids. But if you live in the northern half of the state, you’re probably familiar with just about every town Seaside Park to Sandy Hook. You might even be familiar with those Raritan Bay towns, like Keansburg or Union Beach.

Every Jersey Shore beach town has something special and unique to offer residents and visitors. If you live in the southern half of the state, you’re more than likely familiar with everything from Long Beach Island down to Cape May.

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Even though you may not have stayed at more than one or two of them. One little beach town that I’ve come to fall in love with is Ventnor. Why it could be the perfect little beach town is easy to explain.

Although it’s in the southern part of the state it’s easily accessible from the parkway as most of our beach towns are. If you live in the southern part of the state, it’s a quick drive from anywhere.

It sits in the shadow of Atlantic City but it’s miles and miles away as far as atmosphere and vibe. It doesn’t have the famous Lucy the Elephant like its next-door neighbor Margate, and it doesn’t have the untouchable property values of the next neighbor down, Longport.

Ventnor is definitely middle-class, family-friendly with a lot of its own unique charm. It has the longest pier on the Jersey coast. Ventnor fishing pier is a haven not only for fishermen but for sunbathers and surf watchers. It’s a great place to hang out and have a picnic. There’s even a small snack bar at the entrance.

Their boardwalk is a couple of miles long with no pizza places or T-shirt shops but plenty of beautiful homes to admire. You’ll find all of the businesses either on Ventnor Ave. or Atlantic Avenue. They are great places to eat and shop on both those streets with a cozy hometown feel and plenty of quiet tree-lined streets with beautiful homes to stroll past.

It’s close enough to Atlantic City and all of its attractions and close enough to Margate and Ocean City for those attractions there.

But quiet, friendly Ventnor sits tucked in the middle of Absecon Island with plenty to see and do. If you walk or ride your bike down the boardwalk on any given summer day, you’ll see huge groups of families playing games on the beach.

There’s a farmers market right off the boardwalk every Friday and just has a nice shore charm tucked in the middle of a busy Absecon Island. Highly recommended for a day trip or a weeklong stay.

Walk or ride your bike across the historic Dorset Avenue Bridge.

Just one of the many stately older homes in the town.

There's a playground for the kids right off the beach and boardwalk.

Maybe the friendliest lifeguards on the Jersey Shore.

The Ventnor Fishing Pier is the longest pier on the Jersey Shore.

A view from the pier looking north toward Atlantic City.

The view from the pier toward the south and Margate in the background.

You don't have to fish to go on the pier and there's no admission to take in the views and relax.

There is a small fee to go to the end of the pier to do some fishing.

They were catching fish nonstop on the day I was there in August.

You can just sit on one of the benches and watch the many surfers right next to the pier.

There is even a snack bar at the entrance to the pier.

Opinions expressed in the post above are those of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Dennis Malloy only.

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