Cooling off Lacey Style

Try a “staycation” this year, stay really close to home and don’t use much gas at all.  Living in Lacey Township makes it so easy to beach it. We have the best of all worlds, bay, ocean, lakes, streams and creeks. Having all the easy breezy bay beaches in town makes it real easy to pack up the small children and babies without too much fuss and take a quick jaunt and be home by nap time.

One of my all-time favorite Bay beaches is what we like to call “Meadowlark Beach”, not quite sure if that is the real name or not. This great little bay beach is located at the end of Meadowlark Drive, Lanoka Harbor. The sand is clean and white and it has a small playground, shallow clean swimming area, but no bathroom. This beach is located in a little cove that keeps the wind and the water calm. This location really makes you feel beachy without all the fuss of trekking to the ocean. During the week in the summer you get moms bringing the kids. This place has a nice relaxed feel and you see many of the same faces from year to year.

Another public location that is nice is the Forked River Beach Bay Front Park which is located at the very end of Beach Blvd. This was one of the first bay beaches I used to come to sit and sun and read in the summer before the playground area was created. About 20 years ago they replenished the beach area and it was wider and had more sand. The beach area is still nice and you have direct access to the bay. This is a nice spot to take a longer walk with the kids and then have them play at the park. If you drive past the official entrance to the park and go around the curve there is one public access path to the beach area and you can park on the street. Beautiful location but not as easy to swim and no bathrooms. Good for a short outing.

If you really have to get to the Ocean I would like to tell you  my choice. I know everyone has a special favorite and please leave comment and let everyone know which one it is and why. I have been going to the 70th street beach in Long Beach Township for over 22 years (that is a right over the causeway on Long Beach Island). I love this beach because it is never crowded, always clean, I see the same people every year and they have lots of bathrooms and some showers. You can purchase a season pass for $30.00 before June 15th at the municipal building that is located on Long Beach Boulevard between 68th and 69th street.  Children under 12 are free. This area of Long Beach Township also has a bayfront beach area with a playground and it is where the windsurfers go. This location also has a huge handicap access elevated deck area.

However, with all that being said, I leave the best for last.  The ultimate lacey township summertime beach experience … cooling off 609 style… jumping into the cedar creek.  No matter if it is up off of Western, jumping off the trestle, wading out near the waterfall in Bamber or just floating down in a tube…  it is a Lacey thing. I braved the old train rail trail bridge area with the kids last summer and it is such a cool area, the kids were intrigued but there was so much broken glass, water shoes were a must and currents can be stronger than you think.

Leave me a comment and let me know your best creek location and story and have you jumped off the bridge? It seems a lot higher once you are up there. Oceans of Love from the Traveling Mom of Palm Breezes Travel, 908-705-0356, always book your trips with a travel agent.