Hotels and Motels at the New Jersey Shore
By Aimee Amodio
You’re going to be faced with a lot of accommodation options when you’re planning your Jersey shore vacation!
If Atlantic City is part of your plans, it may be easiest (though not cheapest!) to stay at one of the casinos. They’ve got a pretty good hold in the overnight stay department. And for good reason! The casino resorts combine hotel, gambling, dining, and entertainment in one convenient location. If you want to be in the middle of the action, an Atlantic City casino is certainly the way to go! And in case you’re curious, eight of the top ten hotels in Atlantic City (according to Yahoo!) are casino hotels.
You’ll find a few of the chain hotels in Atlantic City, too. Travelodge, Best Western, Comfort Inn, Days Inn, Econolodge, Holiday Inn, Howard Johnson, Quality Inn, Ramada… all the names you know you can trust for a good night’s sleep.
You will think you’re back in the 1950s if you pass through Wildwood. Classic “doo wop” motels like the Mango Motel on East Spicer Avenue or the Lollipop Motel on Atlantic Avenue and bask in the architecture and style of those good old days.
If your destination is Cape May, don’t feel overwhelmed! It may help you to know that the five most popular places to stay are:
- The Virginia
- Marquis De Lafayette Hotel
- Congress Hall
- Angel of the Sea
- The Grand Hotel
Most of the lodging you’ll find in Cape May will be bed and breakfasts. If that’s not quite your style, you do have some other options. Check out the Southern gothic style Chalfonte House, Cape May’s oldest place to stay. A word of warning: the Chalfonte House doesn’t quite have all the modern amenities you may be used to. But you’re not on vacation to watch television, are you? You’ll get your money’s worth with the home cooked breakfasts and dinners, which are included with your stay.
Keep in mind that bed and breakfasts are not usually good places to stay with children. Bed and breakfasts were designed as a romantic retreat for couples with an atmosphere of staying in an elegant home. They are often furnished with valuable antiques and breakables -- they are certainly not child proof! If you are stuck on the idea of staying at a bed and breakfast with the whole family, be sure to ask about age restrictions. Yes, some bed and breakfasts do have age restrictions.
When you’re picking a hotel, motel, or bed and breakfast for your New Jersey visit, think about a few things. Are you planning to spend a lot of time in the room, or is it just a place to leave your stuff and get some sleep? You may like the idea of an oceanfront room, but how much time are you really going to spend just sitting in your room and looking out the window? You can save some money with a non-oceanfront room and just visit the water in person.
|
