Jersey Shore

New Jersey is known for the Jersey Shore. Miles and miles of beaches, gorgeous houses, seedy nightclubs, and of course the MTV show that has made Seaside Heights a household name. We have Seaside, Pt. Pleasant, Belmar, Sandy Hook, Spring Lake, Asbury Park, Wildwood, Cape May, and my favorite Long Beach Island.

With each beach comes a unique set of pros and cons. Pt. Pleasant has a great boardwalk, but parking can be difficult and uber expensive depending on whether you park on in a lot ($20 - $50) or at a meter (just a couple of bucks an hour). Beach access on the weekends will run you about $8 per person too. If you're into the boardwalk and people watching, and you have some cash to spend, Pt. Pleasant is the beach for you.

Sandy Hook, a beach I experienced for the first time this summer, was a surprise favorite for me. Without a boardwalk, Sandy Hook will only cost you $10 per car. The beaches are big and clean, the walk from the car to beach access is pretty short, and the facilities are big and clean. If you're looking for an inexpensive trip to lounge on a sandy beach and swim in the ocean, Sandy Hook is the beach for you.

By far, my favorite beach in New Jersey is in Long Beach Island. LBI is an 18 mile island with a variety of neighborhoods, shops, stores, historical sites and miles and miles of beaches and bays. What I love about LBI is the fact that it is more of a mature setting, but it still has fun youthful activities. The beaches are clean and fun. While there isn't a boardwalk, there are still boardwalk type areas off shore. Good restaurants and areas for nightlife, and The Chicken or the Egg (Chegg) as the local hangout for a bite to eat after hours. If you're looking for a family beach and plan to stay for longer than one night, check out Beach Haven in LBI.

The Chart House

Yet another fine dining experience in New Jersey, with great food and spectacular views of manhattan. I have been fortunate enough to experience The Chart House several times in the last year, and it is an experience that everyone should have at least once in their lives.

The Chart House sits on a pier in Weehawkin directly across from midtown Manhattan. Be sure to ask for a table near the window so you can enjoy the views. The service is spectacular and the food is great. I have had the fillet mignon, a chicken dish and the Goldiva dessert, and they all rocked!

The Chart House is a little pricey, but worth the experience.

Morristown Nightlife

With the summer in full swing, I thought it would be fun to relive my youthful days and head out to Morristown on a Friday night. Without old staples such as Jimmy's and The Funky Monkey, we weren't exactly sure where to go so we tried a few hotspots.

First up was The Palm Bar, a summery outdoor bar that I had heard of often from younger acquaintances. Thus, I should have known better. The Palm Bar was cool and fun, but mostly filled with 21 year olds. No one was dancing, and it seemed like people were really just there to talk to the same people they arrived with, with the occassional dude in an Affliction t-shirt hitting on a table of young girls.

From there we drove over to Sona 13. This was much more my speed with a great mix of people and a good band that kept the atmosphere light and fun. There was no cover, parking nearby and a fun crowd to mingle with.

So if you're hanging around in North Jersey this summer and are looking for some fun at night, check out Sona 13 in Morristown for a fun night out.
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Morton's Steakhouse

For those who are certified foodies and the large number of us who enjoy a night out on the town, it is common to speak of eating out. Sometimes we even get a little dressier than usual and opt to spend a few extra dollars for a fancier dining experience. I've had such dinners before, but I recently had the opportunity to enjoy one of the best dining experiences to date.

The locale was Morton's Steakhouse in Atlantic City and the occasion was the celebration of my boyfriend's completion of his Master's degree. Without knowing much about Morton's, I began the night with pleasant but average expectations. Boy, was I surprised!

The entrance to Morton's Steakhouse was a simple solid wood door in Caesar's Palace. Upon entering and giving the name for the reservation, my boyfriend was immediately congratulated for his recent accomplishment. We were seated in a booth, where the table was moved to allow us to sit instead of having us squeeze in around the table. Napkins were placed in the laps of the ladies, photos were taken, and we were given customized menus with names and congratulatory messages. We were then given a live presentation of the menu (that was a first for me) and a delicious meal with portions too big for any one human to eat.

While the food was fabulous, it was the overall experience that made the meal enjoyable. If you have a few extra dollars to spend, I highly recommend a lovely meal at Morton's Steakhouse in Atlantic City. Just be sure to make reservations in advance, and let them know when you're there for a super special occasion.

Stress Factory

Comedy clubs are always an iffy bet. Go to a comedy club in New York City, and you'll pay $40 + just to get in plus a two drink minimum. Go to a comedy club in New Jersey on the other hand, and you'll pay much less but you have to hope you actually get a good comedian.

I decided to go to the Stress Factory in New Brunswick on Saturday night even though I didn't know the name of the big act, and guess what..?? I had an awesome time!

The good? The comedians were funny! With the opening act of Chips Cooney, best known for his current stint on America's Got Talent, the main act of Joe DeVito and the MC Vinny Brand, I was laughing all night long.

The better? Tickets only cost $15 each. They even have specials including a Friday Night Date Night package that includes tickets and dinner for two for just $50.

The best? We were upgraded to front row seats! OK, OK. Upgraded might be a bit of an overstatement, but we were sitting at a table and were offered two empty seats front and center when they opened up. Thankfully the comedians were all friendly,and we weren't mocked, although mocking was still a regular occurance for those who truly deserved it.

Active NJ recommendation: Check out The Stress Factory for a fun night out when you're in the mood for a little bit of fun when you can't make it out to the city.

Monmouth Park

As a Northern New Jersey gal, whenever I hear of horse races I always think of the track at the Meadowlands. I know, I know, there's a track in Monmouth too. Wait, a track in Monmouth? Yes! And it is beautiful and has talented horses. Better yet, I actually won money there! I only made three bets, each of which were exacta bets, and I won all three of them!

Monmouth Park, for those of you who may not know, is a beautiful race track situated in Oceanport, NJ just a few minutes off of exit 105 on the Garden State Parkway. After a big budget overhaul of the venue and a significant schedule change, Monmouth Park is quite a popular place to be.

Why would schedule changes make a difference? With fewer races during the week, the purses (aka sum of money for winning horses) are even bigger, thus drawing some very good talent to Monmouth. Case in point, Super Saver, a Kentucky Derby winner, will be racing at the Monmouth Park track in the Haskell Invitational on August 1st.

The Haskell Invitational is considered to be biggest race of the summer and is unarguably the most anticipated day of Thoroughbred racing in New Jersey. Spectators can watch as a field of the nation's best three-year-olds battle for the richest invitational prize in the nation.

So if you're looking for something to do on a nice weekend afternoon, check out the Monmouth Park Race Track for some fairly inexpensive (as long as you keep your bets low) fun.

St. Patrick's Day in Hoboken is one of the biggest events in New Jersey each year, and this year's bash will be sure to follow in the tradition of the Irish spirit that has taken over the city for the last 24 years. While the St. Patty's Day parade isn't set to start until 1:00 pm, several bars are set to open their doors to the early rising party people at 9:00 am.


Yup, we're talking about 9 o'clock in the morning!So what can you expect to enjoy during St. Patrick's Day in Hoboken? A parade that starts on 14th and Washington at 1:00. Bars that open early and serve green beer, and lots of great friends.

Beware though, the police are out in full force and fines are as high as $2,000. So don't drink and drive, and behave yourself in public.