Back from the Shore...

Here's the skinny on my trip down the Shoooooorrrrrrrrre.

My three friends and I left Sunday night, and made it through the rain... the view of Atlantic City during a shower is pretty neat, especially with everything lit up at night.

We stayed in Pleasantville, the other side of the bay from AC. The Quality Inn had rooms for 62.90 (72.36 counting tax) and enough room for 4... on 40/322 across from McD's, Pistol Pete's Steakhouse, Kmart, and Sam's Club.

Monday, we started in Ocean City. The Route 52 causeway will be replaced within the next few years. How that bridge is a 4-lane highway is beyond me. First stop was Uncle Bill's Pancake House (21st & Asbury). They served some of the best pancakes I've ever had. Get the #24, it's great!

The Ocean City Boardwalk is awesome... especially for someone like me who doesn't like the in-person marketers you find on the Atlantic City Boardwalk, and the carnival barkers on the Wildwood Boardwalk. It may only have about 8 blocks worth of shops and games, but it's fantastic. The minigolf courses are really cool... anywhere from $3 to $6. Two or three candy shops, pizza, and some neat rides.

Dinner was at the Rusty Rudder Buffet on Atlantic Avenue in Wildwood. For $15.95, it was worth it. Next, we headed down to Cape May, as the rain fell harder. We climbed the light house at Cape May Point. Special thanks to the Lighthouse keeper, who let us up for half-price, considering the rain was getting worse. I stopped once or twice up the 199 steps, but the view from the top was worth it.

Despite dodging drips from the steel casings around the observations desk, the view was nice. As a reminder of home, I could see the lights in the distance of Lower Cape May Regional High School, where kids were practicing for football season. Then I look down, and wonder aloud which house I'd like to live in when I retire.

Next, we headed to Sunset Beach. We walked out toward the shoreline, and it poured! There I was without a slicker or an umbrella. After grabbing a handful of rocks, we headed back to the gift shop. We ended up with about 40 little Cape May Diamonds.

We passed the time the rest of the night with Scattergories and 20 Questions. I'm hooked on those games now.

Tuesday started at Uncle Bill's in Cape May... this one was busier than the one in OC. After a round of minigolf on Beach Avenue, we headed up to Wildwood. We parked up at the beginning on the shops in North Wildwood at 18th Street. A story in today's Press of Atlantic City says that a two-block area between 21st and 23rd will be redeveloped over the next few years.

We found an arcade near 25th Street with Fascination... 20 cents a game! At Knoebel's, it's 50 cents a game. Playing Fascination while using 5 different balls is a headache, especially if you've tried it. I won a few regular games, and a two-ball game... I think about 50 people played at once. We were there once when we got there, then went back for their specials. We roamed the upper end, and walked down the lower end later on. We got there about 2:00 and stayed til 10:00. The rebuilt Sam's Pizza at 26th Street was excellent. Curley's fries were great, too. The Polish Water Ice was good, but I've had better Italian ice. Our last minigolf game was the ship at Mariner's Landing... my all-time favorite course.

Overall, this was a great trip. There's a checklist of things I have to go back and do, but I'll have time to do it in the years to come. Would I go back in a heartbeat? You betcha. Best trip I've been on in a long time.

Talk with you at 6:00. Buckle up,
TS