Why September in NJ is the best time at the Shore

This past weekend was officially the last weekend of summer.

We managed to catch a few hours on the beach and enjoy the surf.

It's less than a 50-minute drive for me to get to the beach in Atlantic City/Ventnor, so I like getting down there as much as possible any time of year.

Some people only like the shore in summer. The energy is completely different once Labor Day has passed.

The traffic is much lighter going to and from on weekends.

You've got a couple of weekends in September to enjoy the ocean while the water is still warm and some of the beaches still have lifeguards.

You don't have the beach to yourself, but there is plenty more room to pick your spot.

The kids are involved with their activities and it's usually an adult and young adult crowd.

You might find the restaurants a little short-handed because most of their summer help is back at school, but most businesses do a good job finding locals who will pick up the slack. The vibe is different.

Gone is the frenetic pace of trying to find a parking spot and tourists walking in front of your car as you make your way down overcrowded streets.

September is life as it should be at the shore.

Year-round residents call it "local summer" and it's their time to enjoy where they live without a hundred thousand strangers wandering their streets.

There's also a difference between off-season at the shore from north to south in New Jersey.

South of Bay Head all of the towns are on barrier islands, so year-round living is less prevalent with the exception of Atlantic City.

So some of the towns there tend to really empty out after summer. That also means a lot of the businesses are closed till next May in many cases.

With temperatures barely reaching the 70-degree mark by next weekend at the shore, and the lack of lifeguards from here on out, swimming in the ocean may be out of the question.

But the charm of the Jersey Shore, up and down the coast is a year-round treat and you get to enjoy it without all of the noise, traffic, crowds and the searing heat of summer.

The local towns try to keep the party going well into October and beyond. Here is a guide to fall festivals at the Jersey Shore this year.

Opinions expressed in the post above are those of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Dennis Malloy only.

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