Ah, one of the most wonderful times of the year...it's finally Local Summer at the Jersey Shore!

What does that mean?

Well, the weather is still fabulously warm, and it's technically still summer until September 22nd, but since Labor Day has passed, the crowds and traffic are mostly gone! (Disclaimer: We are VERY grateful for the tourists that came and spent their money here to help local businesses and towns recover from the Sandy. We truly hate to see your money go -- but we love to watch you leave.)

Let's be honest, does anyone REALLY love crowds?

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It's so much nicer to be on the beach when you have tons of open space around you, when you can enjoy the sounds of the ocean, when there aren't hundreds of people walking past to kick sand on your blanket...

(Side note for all of you who have been posting pics of yourself on the beach this week to Facebook, I have to ask, don't you have jobs? How are you able to hang at the beach on a random Wednesday, and how can I make that happen? Back to the perks...)

It's so much more relaxing when you don't have to drive around for a half hour to find a parking spot.

It's so nice to not have to stand in line for 15 minutes at your favorite ice cream shop to get a cone.

And it's lovely to not have to fear a Saturday morning southbound or Sunday afternoon northbound trek along the Parkway.

It's calmer. It's ours. It's finally here. Local Summer. Enjoy!

What's your favorite thing about this time of year at the Jersey Shore? Tell us in the comment section below!

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