Travel: Quick Weekend Getaways: Spring Lake, NJ
Overall vibe: More Nantucket than North Wildwood, Spring Lake is called the “Irish Riviera”—a Shore town that boasts one of the cleanest Jersey beaches, and quaint Victorian homes with turrets and wide porches that tell the story of an architectural boom in the early 1900s.
What to do/see: Spring Lake’s lengthy boardwalk is the perfect place to ride bikes, take long walks, or enjoy a late-afternoon picnic. (Pick up a massive sandwich at Tom Bailey’s Market, 1323 Third Avenue; 732-282-0920.) Also on Third Avenue, you’ll find all kinds of shopping: Juicy Couture sweat suits at Splash (1305 Third Avenue; 732-449-8388), and handmade stationery at Noteworthy By-the-Sea (1303 Third Avenue; 732-449-8602).
Where to eat: Whisper’s (200 Monmouth Avenue; 732-974-9755) is a 40-seat BYOB in the Hewitt-Wellington Hotel that serves up delectable foie gras and barrel-cut filet mignon.
Where to stay: Sea Crest By the Sea is Spring Lake’s most elegant B&B. Gas fireplaces, DUX beds, large showers and two-person Jacuzzis, plus a gourmet breakfast and four o’clock English tea, make it top-of-the-line (19 Tuttle Avenue, 732-449-9031; rooms from $320).
Travel Time: 1:31
