Peter Genovese reports for NJ.com – Posted June 07, 2019

The Jersey Shore is our greatest treasure and a source of jealousy for at least 45 other states. Yeah, it’s maddening and mobbed in the summer, but that doesn’t stop millions of us from making the trek down the Parkway every year just to enjoy pesky parking meters, packed beaches, and overpriced boardwalk food, among other indignities. 

Why do we put up with it all? 

Because the Shore is in our DNA, that’s why. We all have our special places down the Shore — the towns, beaches and restaurants we hit every summer, and that bring with them a flood of wonderful summertime memories. We also have our secret spots — the ones we don’t always want to share with others for fear that they will spoil our tiny slice of paradise.

Here’s our list of those places. You may have heard of some of them, but chances are you’ve never been there. We did similar lists in 2018 and 2017, but this is an all-new one.

What are your favorite secret Shore spots? Let us know in the comments section.  

Crabby Jack’s, Somers Point

The Crab Trap in Somers Point is an enormously popular Shore restaurant; long waits for a table are often common. Avoid the crowds and get a spectacular view in the process by heading to Crabby Jack’s, a tiki bar behind the Crab Trap. You can order from a scaled-down menu from the Crab Trap, and the waterfront setting is marvelous. That’s Ocean City in the shimmering distance. 

New Jersey Museum of Transportation, Allaire State Park, Wall

Did you know there is a New Jersey Museum of Transportation? I sure didn’t until recently. It’s supported exclusively by train fares, souvenir sales and private contributions is not funded by the state, and is staffed by volunteers. It operates the Pine Creek Railroad, one of the oldest operating narrow gauge rail lines in the country. You can ride the train seven days a week from July 1 to Sept. 2, and on weekends in the fall. The fare for the 15-minute ride is $4 for anyone 3 and older.  

Lakes Bay Preserve, Egg Harbor Township

“Down a sand and clamshell road, away from the bustle of nearby Atlantic City, there is a secluded stretch of beach and marsh that juts into Lakes Bay.” If that description, from the New Jersey Conservation Foundation, doesn’t convince you Lakes Bay Preserve is worth a visit, nothing will. The 27-acre site, a mix of saltwater marshes, bayberry thickets, and sandy beaches, is a paradise for windsurfers, board sailors and kayakers. The New Jersey Conservation Foundation saved the property from development in 1998 and now operates it with the help of the nonprofit Lakes Bay Recreation Association. You can become an association member and enjoy full privileges, but the preserve is open to the public. Public parking is outside the gate on Bayport Drive. The bay is named after Simon Lake, a Pleasantville native whose submarine was the first to make a successful voyage on the open sea.