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With summer officially here in NYC, it’s time to start thinking about how to spend it! That means plenty of beach visits, pool splashes, and…escapes from the city?! Yes, we’re already thinking about where to sneak away to while the weather is warm, and the Jersey Shore is hands down one of our favorites. From action-packed boardwalks to true East Coast beaches, it’s the perfect little getaway to plan this summer. But where to go? Fret no more, we’ve put together a list of our favorite towns down the shore to spend a weekend, grab a beach house, or make a quick day trip of.

These are our favorite beach towns along the Jersey Shore to bookmark for your summer travels:

1. Cape May, New Jersey

Let’s start with Cape May, which is gotten a fantastic wrap for its rich history, Victorian architecture, and charming seaside atmosphere.  The town itself is a National Historic Landmark for its heritage alone, where you can spend a full day alone taking in the Victorian homes and buildings like the Emlen Physick Estate (an 18-room Victorian mansion). Not to mention their beaches are super clean and extremely family-friendly, making it a great place to relax and take in the sunshine.

If you spend a weekend here, other incredible things to do include checking out the Cape May Lighthouse, going on a whale or dolphin watching tour, and strolling the Washington Street Mall.

Distance from NYC: 3 hours

2. Asbury Park, New Jersey

Asbury Park, New Jersey is a music and art lover’s dream, making it the perfect beach town to see a show and keep your toes in the sand. It’s home to one of the most well-known music venues in the country, The Stone Pony, which is largely associated with Bruce Springsteen and many other musicians who started their career in the very dive bar. Be sure to catch a concert here if you make the trip, as well as stopping by the Silverball Retro Arcade on the boardwalk to play some games.

As mentioned, the newly-revitalized Asbury Park Boardwalk could take up hours alone, which is lined with eclectic shops, trendy restaurants, bars, and art galleries that make for a perfect post-beach activity.

Distance from NYC: 1.5 hours

3. Long Beach Island, New Jersey

Long Beach Island is more of an 18-mile-long barrier island off the coast of New Jersey, which contains plenty of beach towns…so we wrapped it all up into one! LBI is most known for their clean and wide sandy beaches, making it the perfect spot to sunbathe and swim. As for specific beach towns some notable ones to consider are:

• Beach Haven – Family-friendly beach town with attractions like the Fantasy Island Amusement Park, Thundering Surf Water Park, and the Surflight Theatre.
• Barnegat Light – A quiet and scenic town with peaceful attractions like Barnegat Lighthouse State Park and Viking Village, a historic fishing village with shops and eateries.
• Ship Bottom – A centrally located town with lots of restaurants, including the Ship Bottom Brewery.

Distance from NYC: 2 hours

4. Wildwood, New Jersey

If you’re looking for a great vacation idea with kids, consider Wildwood…who’s got plenty of activities for the little ones including amusement parks, the boardwalk, water sports, and so much more. Block off a day for the free to use public beach, then browse the Boardwalk via the iconic Wildwood Tram Car. To beat the heat, grab day passes to Morey’s Piers, which has three piers filled with rides, roller coasters, and water parks or another option Splash Zone Water Park.

For a little more of a serene and quieter Wildwood experience, head to the outer Wildwood Crest area…which has much more laid back and quieter beaches and is still a quick bike ride away from the more bustling boardwalk area if you want to stop by.

Distance from NYC: 3 hours

5. Avalon, New Jersey

Avalon is probably one of the most upscale beach towns you’ll find on this list, and it feels that way when you stroll through the town. Starting with their beaches (which require a tag to visit), they are spotless and make for a great place to go fishing and boating. Its famous tagline “Cooler by a Mile” even rings true, thanks to it extending eastward 1 mile farther into the ocean than its neighboring resorts. It’s a great spot to reserve a beach cottage for a weekend, go boating, and soak up the sun. There’s plenty of lovely upscale restaurants, shops, and hotels too.

Distance from NYC: 3.5 hours

6. Ocean Grove, New Jersey

This seaside town is relatively close to NYC, and the beach town is pretty well known as having one of the largest collections of Victorian architecture in the country. It complements their tranquil beaches quite well, and are perfect for leisurely strolls and strolling the boardwalk. During the summer there’s tons of things to do, including arts and craft shows, local flea markets, guided historical walking tours, performances by famous named artists at the legendary Great Auditorium and much more.

Our secret suggestion to check out is their famous “Tent City” a colony of canvas tents that have been a historical heritage of the Ocean Groove community since 1869 (that people still live in!).

Distance from NYC: 1.5 hours

7. Belmar, New Jersey

This charming coastal town is home to plenty of summer activities and attractions, including a roaring mile long boardwalk, breathtaking marina, and lovely beaches. During the summer, they have lots of activities going on including a Friday Night Concert Series at Pyanoe Plaza and Movies on the Beach on Wednesdays at dusk.

Distance from NYC: 2 hours

8. Avon-by-the-Sea, New Jersey

Just a mere 60 miles from New York City, Avon-by-the-Sea is the perfect stone’s throw away from the city for a breath of fresh air. This town is well-known for their precious Bed & Breakfast Inns (which we highly recommend booking), making for the perfect little vacation. You’ll be able to take in their white sandy beaches as well as plenty of fine restaurants and quaint shops. There’s a reason it’s called the “best kept secret of the Shore.”

Distance from NYC: 2 hours

9. Point Pleasant Beach, New Jersey

Point Pleasant Beach is a beauty, and a spot you could spend hours walking along Jenkinson’s Boardwalk…riding amusement park rides, playing arcade games, and strolling through a huge aquarium. The beach is equally impressive, offering a decent size area to swim and sunbath…with even designated areas for surfing and fishing. The town is equally lovely too, try grabbing a beer at Last Wave Brewing Company and strolling through the coastal-themed Angry Fish Gallery.

Distance from NYC: 2 hours

10. Sandy Hook, New Jersey

Sandy Hook is so close to NYC you can literally see the skyline from the beach! Nonetheless, it’s still the perfect escape from the city and worth a visit this summer. As we mentioned, the beach is serene, and there are other things to check out too like the historic Fort Hancock, which dates back to the late 19th century and played a significant role in coastal defense as well as The Sandy Hook Lighthouse, the oldest operating lighthouse in the United States. It’s a peaceful retreat in all, and a great spot for nature lovers.

Distance from NYC: 1.5 hours (45 min by ferry)

The post 10 Lovely Beach Towns Along The Jersey Shore To Visit This Summer appeared first on Secret NYC.

* This article was originally published here

New York has no shortage of sandwiches—be it hoagies, stacked subs and the classic that is the BEC. The New York Times recently ranked what we smash between two slices of bread (or bagels or what have you), releasing its list of “57 Sandwiches That Define New York City.” The carb-laden list covered a number of top sammies in the city from the best breakfast bites to the OG’s in all things pastrami. But we would be remiss if we didn’t give a special shout to our very own: the Chopped Chicharrón and Brisket Sandwich from Bark Barbecue in Time Out Market.

Recommended: Fan favorite Bark Barbecue joins Time Out Market New York

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Listed under the “Extremely Online Category,” the Times found this Dominican barbecue sandwich to be a verified stunner due to its “combination of crispy pork, fatty brisket, pickled onions and a slather of a sauce made with Constanzera Melaza, a popular brand of Dominican molasses, for a touch of sweetness.”

Chef Ruben Santana said about the honor on Instagram, “This city is an amalgamation of many different people, cultures, and flavors. So to be recognized in a field of many means hard work and dedication to your craft does pay dividends.”

Bark Barbecue first caught New Yorker’s attention during the early days of the pandemic in 2020. Starting out smoking meats out of his garage, chef Santana’s melt-in-your-mouth brisket and Dominican sides quickly grew a social following. Roving around with pop-ups in Queens and Smorgasburg, Bark Barbecue finally found a home at Time Out Market in 2022. So stop by the market and dig into one of New York’s best.

* This article was originally published here

Each Labor Day fans look forward to Electric Zoo, NYC’s hottest electronic music festival, but last year’s iteration was quite the mess.

Festivalgoers were bummed after organizers canceled opening day on Friday, just hours before they were set to open their gates, the second day was delayed a few hours with some attendees waiting hours at will-call, and Sunday saw severe overcrowding with an estimated 1,500 ticket holders denied entry.

Since then, ticket holders have been awaiting some sort of refund, though that waiting has been in vain. That is, until now.

Nearly nine months later, Electric Zoo festival is finally refunding 2023 ticket holders. Here’s how to get yours:

Who is eligible for an Electric Zoo refund?

According to a statement from Electric Zoo Festival, the following ticket holders are eligible for a refund:

• Friday, September 1, 2023 single or multi-day ticket holders that have not filed a dispute/chargeback, nor previously received a face-value refund
• Sunday, September 3, 2023 single or multi-day admission ticket holders who were unable to access the event (as determined by entry scan data), and have not filed a dispute/chargeback, nor previously received a face-value refund

How much of a refund will I receive?

• Friday, single-day ticket – 100% refund
• Two-day ticket – 50% refund
• Three-day ticket – 33% refund

Festivalgoers who had a Sunday, September 3 ticket but didn’t have it scanned will also receive a refund following the structure above.

How do I receive my Electric Zoo refund?

Eligible ticket holders will be receiving an email from See Tickets, the exclusive ticketing provider for Electric Zoo 2023, with further instructions on how to apply for their refund as well as a link to a form to fill out.

You must fill out the form by the end of July 2nd in order to receive a refund.

When can I expect my Electric Zoo refund?

Refunds will be processed by July 19, 2024.

Will there be an 2024 Electric Zoo in NYC?

As of now we haven’t seen any plans for Electric Zoo to return to NYC this year.

Electric Zoo Festival writes:

When we first set out to bring you Electric Zoo 2023, our goal was to create a completely leveled-up experience that included new stage concepts, enhanced production, and so much more. We know we let you down. As we continue forward, we will work every day to earn back your trust and forgiveness.

The post After Nearly 9 Months E-Zoo Is Finally Refunding 2023 Ticket Holders–Here’s How To Get Yours appeared first on Secret NYC.

* This article was originally published here

We’re sure that by now you’re already familiar with PLAY Airlines. If not, you should be! Why? Because they’re a low-cost Icelandic airline constantly rolling out major travel deals such as $99 flights to Iceland and $99 flights to Europe, but their most recent deal absolutely cannot be missed because this time it’s totally free!

In honor of Pride Month, PLAY Airlines is giving you the chance to win free roundtrip flights to Iceland for you and your bestie–sounds like the perfect summer vacation to us!

So, how do you win?

It’s simple, really. All you need to do is sign up for their newsletter. Upon doing so you’ll automatically be entered in a draw for a chance to win two roundtrip tickets to Iceland during Pride Week in Reykjavík!

You’ll want to do it soon though, because they’ll be getting in touch with their winner this coming Monday, June 24th.

And this isn’t the only deal they’re offering right now–you can also receive 25% off flights to Iceland, The Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, Ireland, England, or France! This offer expires at midnight this Sunday, June 23rd.

Sign up for PLAY Airline’s newsletter for your chance to win two free roundtrip tickets to Iceland here.

The post You Can Win 2 Free Roundtrip Flights To Iceland This Month Only appeared first on Secret NYC.

* This article was originally published here

The NYC forecast is looking hotter than Satan’s taint these next few days, so any cooldown methods are much appreciated as we all fight off this horrendous 90-degree heat wave. Graciously, the folks over at Wayback Burgers—the Connecticut-based patty purveyors who recently debuted their first NYC location in Chelsea—have perfectly timed their Free Shake Day to coincide with the heat wave.

RECOMMENDED: Here’s where to find cooling centers in NYC to beat the heat this weekend

To celebrate both the first official day of summer as well as National Vanilla Milkshake Day, the hometown hamburger joint will dole out free vanilla milkshakes all day on Thursday, June 20. For one day only, anyone looking for a chill reprieve from the warm weather can visit one of Wayback Burgers’ more than 170 locations nationwide to receive one free 12-ounce vanilla milkshake, with no purchase necessary. 

“We are excited to again host our annual Free Shake Day to officially kick off the summer months and celebrate National Vanilla Milkshake Day,” said Patrick Conlin, president of Wayback Burgers. “Summer technically starts on Thursday, June 20, but at Wayback Burgers, we believe it begins once you indulge in your first milkshake on a warm day. Recognized by our guests as an annual Wayback Burgers fan-favorite tradition, we look forward to ushering in the hot season during this fun— and delicious—promotion.”

The burger chain is beloved for its thick, hand-dipped milkshakes, which are made to order with Blue Bunny ice cream and milk and come in flavors like “Cinnamon Toast Crunch Shake,” “Red Velvet Cupcake Shake” and “Chocolate Brownie Shake,” as well as classics like good old vanilla. Wayback has also introduced a limited-time flavor for summer, “Strawberry Shortcake Shake” ($6.49), made with vanilla ice cream, vanilla cake and a sweet strawberry puree topped with whipped cream and crumbled vanilla cake pieces.

The sweet beverages round out a menu that includes cheeseburgers, cheesesteaks, chicken sandwiches, veggie burgers, French fries and more—you know, the kind of stuff that goes perfectly with a vanilla milkshake. Stay cool, New York!

* This article was originally published here