Sea Bright

Ideal for folks who want beach life with a breezy, slightly preppy vibe, this quaint NJ town has a half-mile long strip at its center crammed with trendy boutiques like Northshore for men and Bungalow Road and The Porch for women and teens, and surf shops for the young at heart. You can start your mornings off early with a caffeine rush from mainstays D-n-D’s and 7\11 or grab a big Irish breakfast of Bangers and Mash at Alice’s Kitchen or a healthy acai bowl with fresh fruit and granola at Melonhead.For lunch and dinner there are many, many upscale trendy restaurants, most notably the extremely popular Tommy’s Tavern and Tap which caters to whatever everyone in your party is in the mood for, from pizza to surf & turf to sushi, Woody’sOcean Grille with amazing burgers and their famous “Orange Crush” cocktail, Angelica’s is renown throughout the state for hands down the best authentic Italian fare around so reservations are a must and newcomer 2nd Jetty is a sure thing for deliciously creative seafood selections (try the Happy Lobster” stew or fresh fish tacos). For a more casual dining experience, the local’s favorites are Sea Bright Pizza, Moo Yai Thai, Gracie and the Dudes Ice Cream and of course Mrs. Rooney’s Hotdog Stand, a true icon for the town. If you just want to meet up for drinks and some great live music by local bands, Donovan’s Reef has an indoor bar, a deck bar, and a beachfront tiki bar(rumored to be the last one left in NJ) Rory’s Pub has indoor and outdoor spaces as does Eventide Grille and Tim McLoone’s Rum Runner where you can watch amazing sunsets on the river!

Sea Bright is well known for its many elegant private beach clubs. You’ve undoubtedly heard the names; Chapel, Sands, Surfrider, Ship Ahoy, Edgewater, and Driftwood which houses David Burke’s latest dining experience; Drifthouse and the Nauti Bar an enclosed tiki bar right on the seawall. Each beach club caters to a slightly different crowd so take the tour before you sign up for the summer to find your best fit. But rest assured, they all have private pools, decked out cabanas, attentive staff, and old-world charm.

Sea Bright is also a fairly easy commute from Manhattan by car, bus or ferry, the town has only one main road; Ocean Avenue/NJ Route 36 leading in and out; which makes it very appealing for bar and restaurant hopping and you won’t even need to Uber. The south end of town borders Monmouth Beach and the north end joins up with Sandy Hook Gateway National Park. You can also cross the bridge into Rumson in the center of town or the bridge into Highlands at the north end.

If boating is your thing there are many marina’s to choose from and access to the ocean is just around the top of Sandy Hook so most of the bigger boats berth here. Surfing is also big, with ridable waves all year long and cyclists take advantage of the straight open roads through the Hook.

Right in the center of town is another Sea Bright icon; Bain’s Hardware Store. This is your go-to place for pretty much everything; from beach toys and chairs to painting and home repair supplies and goods. Plus, their staff is super knowledgeable and helpful and always happy to give you a little history lesson of this quaint little town if you have the time. And, let’s face it; living at the beach; who doesn’t have time?