"Looking for a nice NJ shore experience?" Belmar by feline01

Belmar is a nice traditional NJ shore town. The beach is good, it is part of the pro-beach volleyball tour and it has loads of charm. It's not as fast-paced as places like Seaside Heights or Wildwood but if you're looking for a quieter NJ shore experience, this is the place to come. Belmar has a "real" town feeling since many of the residents live there year-round, not just summer visitors. If you've seen some of my other NJ shore pages, you probably know by now that crowds are not my ideal so the great majority of my Belmar visits occur from September through May. That means not much ocean swimming but does mean very relaxing walks along the boardwalk, long cups of tea/coffee and games of backgammon at the Be Green coffee bar on the boardwalk and free parking!! I find the grey days at the beach just as beautiful as the sunny days: the waves still roll, the seagulls screech and that salty smell is in the air. And I don't have to push my way through several hundred people just to locate a place to sit.

• Pros:It's the beach!!
• Cons:Way too crowded during the summer
• In a nutshell:Best of NJ shore without frills.