Avon by the Sea, the Square Mile of Heaven

Avon by the Sea is an Island of Tranquility in New Jersey

Surrounded by water on three sides, Avon by the Sea offers a true slice of heaven. The beautiful Atlantic Ocean on the east is, of course, the focal point of most visitors to Avon by the Sea, but the Shark River Inlet on the south and Sylvan Lake to the north each add a special touch to this lovely Victorian town.

Swimming in the rolling waves and stretching out on beautiful sugar soft sand is enough for most people, but for a change of pace, many like to stroll the lake and watch the resident swan and ducks, or hang out on the jetty to fish or just watch the boats head out through the Ocean Avenue bridge to the ocean.

Avon beach goers each have their favorite "beach", which just means the entrance that you use to get on. Obviously, each east-west bound street "ends" at the beach, so that area of the beach takes its name from the street.

You can be sure to see the same crowd day after day or weekend after weekend if you find a similar spot each time you visit. Young mothers, for example, seem to love to gather at the Washington Avenue beach. The small eddying pond that forms inside of the jetty gives the little ones a naturally warm, shallow area to play and dig in. It's also fun for them to watch the bridge over the Shark River Inlet open to let the big boats out, and wave to the captains or the fishermen as they float by. The teens like to be near the Pavilion restaurant and the snack bar, so they gravitate towards the Norwood Avenue beach.

Avon's boardwalk is very non commercial, with a small restaurant and a snack bar. Most everyone on the beach can just walk home for lunch anyway, so usually ice cream is the big treat on the boardwalk. But a within a short distance from the beach, there are plenty of pizza joints, a very sweet "tea room" and, right across the street from the beach, with its wide wrap around porch overlooking the beach scene, is the Columns, a popular restaurant and bar. Bedrock Café, a restaurant with a low key atmosphere and fabulous food is a BYOB spot that is a big hit among the locals, especially for their daily specials.

But with Bradley Beach and Belmar right next door, nobody has to worry about choice in restaurants. These two towns cover the international gamut of culinary delights, from Asian fusion to Italian to sushi to Cajun. But for such a small town, Avon has some pretty decent party spots in the Columns and the Norwood Inn. If you are around Labor Day weekend, the farewell to summer at the Norwood is not to be missed.

In keeping with the Victorian atmosphere of Avon by the Sea, there are plenty of lovely Bed and Breakfasts to choose from, and since the town is so small, you can walk from any of them to the beach. Which is what you will want to do, since once you find a parking spot, you do not want to give it up. Parking is expanded during the summer by allowing cars to park "nose in", but it is still at a premium, so most people carry their stuff the few blocks to the beach.

Like many shore towns, there are a number of homes for rent in the town, and real estate agents are usually recommend that summer rentals be booked the year before. As a matter of fact, some families rent the same house year after year. Since the business areas of Northern New Jersey and New York are conveniently reached by train, bus or car, families can enjoy extended vacations while Dad commutes. With the current tight economy, however, it looks as though rentals will be easier to obtain.

For a perfect relaxing getaway, with very little need to spend money on gas to get around, Avon by the Sea is an ideal vacation spot. In a small town like this, you get to see the same faces all the time. Spend the day at the Washington Avenue beach and then have dinner at the Columns and drinks at the Norwood. Do that a few times and before you know it, you will be friends with the whole town!