One of the reasons I love living in NJ is that I live for beach days. Each day of the summer – and sometimes those of Spring and Fall – hold the possibility of being ‘the one’. I am perpetually in pursuit of the ‘perfect’ beach day.

Most often, we visit Sandy Hook National Recreation Area. We can leave our driveway and be walking through the sand in exactly 60 minutes. It’s usually my destination on the first spring day that dares to hit 80. Sometimes that leaves us in about 68 degrees at the beach – but that’s what sweatshirts are for. I LOVE the view of New York City from Sandy Hook.

We are a total production on the beach. We need a lot of sh….stuff! It’s sometimes a hassle and always worth it.

Another of my favorite beaches is Island Beach State Park. Clear water and super soft sand make it totally irresistible. We recently learned about ‘beach buggy access’, which is the permitted ability to drive your 4-wheel drive right out onto the sand. I am working on it!

The other night, my sister and I decided to go to the beach at 3 p.m. – we didn’t even get onto Seven President’s Beach until 5 p.m. A sunset, a moonrise and balmy water made for an excellent evening. Several hours on the beach are much better than no hours on the beach 🙂

I hope you are able to get to a shoreline. If you can’t, my heartfelt condolences.

‘Drive until the map turns blue’ ~ Brad Paisley.