On the Jersey Shore. No, Really

I’m still not quite believing that my big vacation this year is in New Jersey.

New Jersey. The Jersey Shore no less.

Really?

When I think New Jersey, I think gritty, slick and rough, with a little reality TV edge. 

It just doesn’t sound like a restful, relaxing, respite.

But actually, I think it will be. It is the Garden State after all. And, there’s a beach. Does anything else really matter?

Picnic lunch in Ohio

Getting here really wasn’t so bad. When I thought about being in a van with three adults and four kids for 15+ hours, I lost sleep, worried about space and fretted about how we’d keep the kids from melting down (or melting me down). Turns out, I needn’t have worried.

The kids entertained themselves. The drive was beautiful. The stops well-timed.

Here’s the nitty gritty:

The seven of us took two days to get to Cape May, N.J., from Columbus, Ind., the “old-school” way: driving, stopping at rest areas to eat picnic lunches and staying with family along the way.

We even took a couple scenic routes. Our favorite detour was through Mt. Pleasant, Pa. (the Web photos don’t do it justice), on our way to Somerset to stay with Sim’s cousins. What a beautiful little borough. I’d love to come back and spend more time in the area, especially now that I know it’s only about 30 minutes from Frank Lloyd Wright’s 75-year-old masterpiece Fallingwater.

Fossil hunt

I’d also not hesitate to come back and stay with Sim’s cousins, who were two of the most gracious hosts I’ve encountered. They opened up their home, filled our tummies and filled our evening with outdoor activities and conversation.

Sim’s cousin Scott immediately took the kids on a fossil hunt, in an open shale patch beside the base of his driveway. My son was delighted to find a leaf fossil and a bug (also a leaf). But Scott didn’t want anyone to leave disappointed, so he opened up his personal collection and let each child choose a keepsake. He, Sim and the kids then blew off 7.5 hours of steam by playing kickball and basketball, while my sister-in-law and cousin Joann pinned towels up on the line out back to dry, then chatted away before supper.

Joann managed to turn a fairly simple supper into a flavorful feast: sweet corn and green beans (cooked in ham broth) that she’d canned herself; ham steaks on the grill, mac-n-cheese; her signature homemade applesauce; her strawberry jam; bread & apple butter. She finished up her kid-pleasing meal with fruit and rice crispy treats. And this morning, we woke to fresh blueberry muffins and hot coffee. I could have stopped right there, kicked back and had a lovely week off.

But we pressed on.

Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

When we realized we’d be passing Philadelphia right around lunchtime, we decided to swing by to pay homage to the founders of our nation. It was a moving experience for me. And I have to admit I choked up a bit while visiting the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. So many sacrifices in the name of liberty.

We didn’t plan enough in advance to line up tickets to see the Liberty Bell (or so we thought. Turns out we could have just walked in). So we just walked around a bit, took in all that we could at Washington Square Park, then had Philly cheese steaks and hot dogs on benches in Independence Square before piling back into the van for the last 90 minutes.

From Pacific to Atlantic

Finally, the sea. My daughter has the distinction of touching two coasts in as many months. She was playing in the Pacific on May 21 and splashing in the Atlantic on June 19.

We’re in a cozy house near the beach in Cape May, a loaner from a good friend. We’re settling in for the week, thankful for the warm afternoon and cool evening.

Tomorrow? More adventure (less driving).