Shore 2009: Hangouts & Nightlife
The Dead Dog Saloon This Sea Isle golf-shirt-and-khakis place has some great live music from aspiring Joni Mitchells, plus decent little noshies. (Dead Dog Saloon 39th Street and Landis Avenue, Sea Isle City, 609-263-7600).
Ventura’s Greenhouse The Greenie in Margate boasts an open-air deck bar and a buzzy singles scene stocked with hot divorcées and the men who love them. (Ventura’s Greenhouse 106 South Benson Avenue, Margate, 609-822-0140, venturasgreenhouse.com).
The Sea Shell Resort and Beach Club Guests at the motel don’t always love the scene at this poolside party in Beach Haven, but the good-times crowd does. (Sea Shell Resort and Beach Club 10 South Atlantic Avenue, Beach Haven, 609-492-4611, seashelllbi.com).
The Boardwalk In some places — O.C. in particular, a dry town — evenings will always revolve around the Boardwalk. By the time the mayhem closes down around midnight, the kids are yawning, the sunburn has started to peel, and stomachs are aching from too much cotton candy, so it’s off to bed to get the prime sand in the a.m.
Twisties Tavern An old-school Shore pub in Strathmere known for its clam chowder, cheap beers and laid-back vibe.(Twisties Tavern 232 South Bayview Drive, Strathmere, 609-263-2200, twistiestavern.com).
Octopus Garden It can be a tad frat-tastic, but the outdoor bar at Avalon’s Whitebrier is a little more grown-up than the raucous, recently expanded Princeton. (Octopus Garden Whitebrier Restaurant, 260 20th Street, Avalon, 609-967-5225, whitebrier.net).
Fred’s Tavern An old-school bar/liquor store in Stone Harbor where the vibe is super-casual, the decor is, um, pared down, and the beer is cold. (Fred’s Tavern 314 96th Street, Stone Harbor, 609-368-5591, fredstavernstoneharbor.com).
C-View Inn Cape May’s oldest tavern is the stomping ground for in-the-knows, thanks to the combo of the crispy-skinned, sauce-soaked Buffalo wings (35 cents each on Wednesday nights!) and bartender Paul Farnan’s knock-you-off-your-feet Long Island iced teas. (C-View Inn 1380 Washington Street, Cape May, 609-884-4712).
The Boiler Room Downstairs in Cape May’s posh Congress Hall, this moody red-lit bar and lounge attracts a sophisticated crowd with live jazz and blues. (The Boiler Room Congress Hall, 251 Beach Avenue, Cape May, 609-884-6507, congresshall.com).