The challenge was a daunting one: spend a day at some of the most notable Jersey Shore locales with just $25 in the wallet.
But it also was a welcome test. Considering it can cost $25 for a second checked bag on an airplane, this was our chance to discover -- and rediscover -- the joys of making the most of an adventurous getaway day closer to home.
Just forgive us for not including the cost of gas, tolls and parking. This is more about what you can get for $25 once you're there!
ASBURY PARK & OCEAN GROVE
One town on $25 a day is tough enough, never mind two, but it's doable. The watchword is ... wait for it ... prudence. Not a word that's been used a lot in these parts since Asbury Park's notoriously prudish founder James A. Bradley went to that great religious resort in the sky. It means ""careful management,'' referring, in this case, to the fin and two sawbucks burning a hole in your Bermuda shorts.
Asbury Park beach: Long ignored, it's a hot ticket now, drawing a fun, eclectic crowd that appreciates the trendy new shops and restaurants along the rejuvenated boardwalk. It's also one of the prettier beaches around, framed by the majestic Convention Hall and the skeletal remains of the old Casino building. Cost: $5
Stone Pony, 913 Ocean Ave., Asbury Park: You don't have enough dough to catch a concert at the legendary Shore music venue, but feel free to pop in during the day and buy a little something, like a Stone Pony bumper sticker, to prove you were there (even if Springsteen wasn't.) Cost: $1
Brielle Cyclery, Fifth Avenue Pavilion, Asbury Park: Time to explore. You'll need to rent some wheels. The four-seat surreys sure look fun, but at $35 for two hours, they're too rich for your blood. Go for the retro beach cruiser instead. (FYI: You're allowed to ride it on the boardwalk.) Cost: $12 for two hours
Great Auditorium, Pilgrim Pathway, Ocean Grove: Hop on your bike, and pedal south to neighboring Ocean Grove, whose famous Victorian charm won't cost you a red cent to enjoy. There's usually something going on at the Great Auditorium, including free organ concerts on Wednesday evenings and Saturday afternoons. While you're in the neighborhood, stop and say hi to the friendly folks who
summer in what might well be one of the world's cheeriest tent cities. Cost: Free
Cheese on Main, 53 Main Ave., Ocean Grove: We know. You're starving, right? Must be all that exercise and salt air. Proprietor Susan Morris will set you up with a nice baguette and some fine cheese. For the budget-conscious, she recommends a quarter pound of Kellygold Irish Swiss. Cost: $4.50
Nagles Apothecary Cafe, 43 Main Ave., Ocean Grove: Thirsty? Of course you are. To wash down that baguette and cheese, head over to this old-fashioned soda fountain for an egg cream or a cherry lime rickey. Somehow, it tastes even better when you sit at the counter. Both are $2.25. Leave your last quarter for the tip, and you're done! Cost: $2.50
Shannon Mullen
MANASQUAN AND POINT PLEASANT
They are two classic Jersey Shore towns separated by a narrow inlet, yet a gulf apart in characteristics. One is buoyed by a family playland where memories have been entrenched for generations. The other is a sleepy spot with a storybook downtown area. Affordable fun can be found in both places. But for this trip, we'll ask you to consider bringing your bicycle.
Main Street, Manasquan: For folksy browsing through town, we'll start our day here. Get a cup of coffee and a cookie from Green Planet Coffee Co. at 78 Main. Work your way east to find a very eclectic and diverse series of stores that sell everything from antiques, books, shoes and high-end and low-end clothing to toys, art, gifts and natural pet supplies. Rarely are such original stores
crammed into one location. And not a chain store among them. Cost: $2.35
Edgar Felix Bike Path: If you have your bike, take it from the car, and ride to the nearby Edgar Felix for some scenic and peaceful exercise. Or, you can drive and park at the path's Main Street parking lot. Either way, the Edgar Felix Path is a nice, quiet retreat for a short ride or stroll. Just don't go too far. The path will take you more than 5.4 miles to Allaire State Park. And we
have a lot more to accomplish on the cheap in Manasquan and Point Pleasant! Cost: Free
The Jetty Fishing Game: Here's a little free fun that will amuse only you. Drive over to the Manasquan Inlet, approach a fisherman on the jetty, and point out another fisherman across the inlet on the Point Pleasant side. Tell the Manasquan angler that the Point Pleasant guy was talking trash about who was a better fisherman. Now drive over to the other side and tell the same thing to
the Point Pleasant fisherman about the Manasquan guy. Watch the hilarity ensue. Cost: Free
New Jersey Museum of Boating, 1800 Bay Ave., #12, Point Pleasant: Before heading to the boardwalk, a nice stop in the borough is the Museum of Boating, which is housed in the historic Johnson Brothers Boat Works. The modest-sized museum celebrates the state's rich boating history through various and rotating exhibits. The NJMB will likely move to a larger location in Brick. But for
now, you're in Point Pleasant, and this is a nice, informative getaway. It's open everyday from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Cost: Free
Surf Taco, 1300 Richmond Avenue, Point Pleasant Beach: Time for lunch, and if you really want to make your dollar stretch, try avoiding boardwalk nosh, tasty as it may be. We suggest the coastal cuisine that is Surf Taco on the way back from Point Pleasant. A beef taco, chips and soda might not seem like much, but, hey, you'll be tasting that taco all day. Even Zagat rates Surf Taco as
one of the best bangs for the buck in Jersey dining. So termina de comer! Cost: $4.75
Jenkinson's Beach: No, we're not going to avoid the obvious just because it's obviously a great time. Weekdays at Jenkinson's Beach can be a perfect combination of peace and quiet and people-watching, with enough space to get your tan on but enough crowd to keep things interesting. With the ocean in front of you and a bustling boardwalk behind you, it is the quintessential Jersey Shore experience. Cost: $6.50 for a daily badge
Jenkinson's Aquarium, 300 Ocean Ave., Point Pleasant Beach: So it's getting a little late in the day, and you still have a nice chunk of your $25 left. Why not use it to visit a great aquarium that just happens to be on the boardwalk? With harbor seals, penguins, alligators, sharks and all kinds of coral, Jenkinson's Aquarium is more than a fun stop for kids. And, hey, it's air-conditioned! Cost: $10
Sweet ending: You have a dollar and change left. What to do? We suggest plunking down that last sawbuck at the Candy Wheel on the boardwalk at Jenkinson's Pavilion. You'll note the big crowds and the excitement because this game represents some of the better odds on the boardwalk, and the payoff is a big box of candy … which might come in handy if it's a Thursday night, and you're
staying for the fireworks. Cost: $1 - and a dream
Bob Considine
SEASIDE HEIGHTS AND SEASIDE PARK
Seaside Heights is high-energy when it comes to wheeling and dealing fun. Seaside Park is a little more low-key. In places like these, you don't have to look for fun. Fun comes to you … after you find someplace to park, that is. As long as you don't become obsessed with winning a gi-normous stuffed giraffe, you can enjoy the day without blowing your budget.
Seaside Heights beach: Alas, the public beach is no longer free Tuesday through Thursday. The popular promotion was discontinued this year. Compared to some other towns, though, a daily badge is still a bargain. Cost: $5
Baroo Surf, 1520 Boulevard, Seaside Heights: Once you see those waves, you're going to wish you brought your boogie board. They rent them here, along with bikes and surf boards. Cost: $9 for four hours
Adult yoga, Second Avenue Ocean Beach, Seaside Park: A day in Seaside doesn't have to be stressful. There are 75-minute classes every Tuesday morning starting in mid-July. Check www.seasideparknj.org for more information. Cost: Free
The Dock Outfitters, 5 Route 35 South, Seaside Heights: If you spend all your time along the beachfront, you're missing out on half the fun. This bait and tackle shop on the bay side of town can set you up with a crab trap for the day and a bunker or two. To cut costs, BYOB (bring your own bucket.) There's a 150-foot public pier right there. Cost: $5
More freebies, Seaside Heights beach, Hiering Avenue: Free movies on Thursday and Sunday, beginning at dusk. Free concerts at 7 p.m. Monday, weather permitting. For a schedule, go to www.seasideheightstourism.com Cost: Free
Funtown Pier, Boardwalk at Porter Avenue, Seaside Heights: You're looking a little peaked. Time to eat. Funtown Pier has a deal for you: a big pretzel and a 20-ounce drink, for $1 a piece. Cost: $2
Go-carts, Casino Pier, Ocean Terrace and Grant Avenue, Seaside Heights: They're half-price every morning from 10 a.m. to noon. Cost: $4
Shannon Mullen
LONG BEACH ISLAND
Stretching 18 miles, Long Beach Island is not short on cost-effective activity. Of course, as a beautiful beach getaway that plays more to quietness than the craziness of its northerly peers (or piers), you can dig deep for the serenity. But there's more than enough commerce to make for some competitive prices and plenty of sites that come at little to no cost.
Barnegat Lighthouse State Park: ""Old Barney'' and its immediate surrounds make for a great part of any day trip, whether you're there for the first time or for a return trip. The views are always memorable, either from the base of the red and white beacon or 217 steps up … that's 172 feet above sea level, folks! Adding to the fun is an interpretive center that displays the history of the lighthouse, a maritime forest trail, nature observation, fishing and a picnic area. Summer hours are 8 a.m.-10 p.m. and 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. for the lighthouse. Cost: $1
Historic Viking Village, Barnegat Light: There are few places on the island as fun to browse as here, which has the authentic feel of an old-time fishing village. Clothing, antiques, jewelry, pottery, produce and souvenirs can be found in these ""fishing shacks.'' Every Friday there is a free … and popular … Viking Village Dock tour, where you'll get an education on the local fish caught and a view of the Lindsay L, the scalloper that portrayed the Hanna Bodan in the movie "The Perfect Storm.'' You'll want to give Viking Village your undivided attention, so grab a cup of gourmet coffee at the Village Brew. Cost: $1.30
Beach Haven Beach: Now it's time to head south to enjoy LBI's greatest natural resource … the beach. There are less crowded beaches (Surf City, Harvey Cedars) to the north, but they're a few dollars more, and we're on a budget! Plus, there's something to be said for the fun that makes up Beach Haven with the nearby Bay Village, Schooner's Wharf and Thundering Surf Waterslide if you
feel the urge to splurge. Cost: $5
Holiday Snack Bar, 401 Centre St., Beach Haven: Time for lunch. For more than 60 years, Holiday has been serving up cheap eats on Centre Street, where diners commune at a central counter. Enjoy one of their famous cheeseburgers and a soda, and you still have funds for more fun. Cost: $4
Fantasy Island Amusement Park, 320 Seventh St., Beach Haven: Smiles everyone, smiles. Fantasy Island is celebrating its 25th anniversary this summer, and the prices and rides still harken back to a simpler time where family entertainment didn't revolve around a Wii. For a sense of tradition, hop aboard the Giant Ferris Wheel, which gives you great views of the ocean and bay. Cost: $3.75
Museum of New Jersey Maritime History, corner of Dock Road and West Avenue, Beach Haven: There is no better place to learn of New Jersey's shipwrecks and nautical history. Lots of old photographs, artifacts, navigational equipment and books are on display at no cost, although it would be nice for you to send a donation after your journey. Cost: Free
Sunset cruise: Head back up to the northern end of the island to cap off the day the perfect way … with a short, late-day cruise out on Barnegat Bay or the ocean. The 91-foot Miss Barnegat Light (609-494-2094) offers one-hour nature cruises nightly from Barnegat Light harbor and inlet out a short distance in the Atlantic Ocean. The Flipper, by Barnegat Bay Cruises (609-442-6661), has a one-hour ecotour through the Barnegat Bay salt marshes and a sunset cruise on the bay. BYOB is permitted on both boats. Both boats are family-owned, as well. Cost: $10
Bob Considine
