By DONALD WITTKOWSKI
No. 2 ain’t bad – especially when we’re talking about the entire 127-mile-long Jersey Shore.
In a dose of positive publicity coinciding with the height of the summer tourism season, Sea Isle City has placed an enviable second overall in a statewide poll of “New Jersey’s Favorite Beaches.”
Ocean City took top honors again in the New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium’s annual contest to extend its streak as “Favorite Beach” in the entire state to 10 years in a row.
Each year, the Sea Grant Consortium conducts an online poll inviting members of the public to cast their votes for their favorite beach communities in Atlantic, Cape May, Monmouth and Ocean counties.
Representatives of the Sea Grant Consortium were joined by Ocean City and Sea Isle officials to announce the poll winners during a presentation at the Ocean City Music Pier on Friday morning.
“To come in second place out of nearly 130 miles of coastal communities is quite a feat – and I want to thank the Sea Grant Consortium and all of the people who voted for Sea Isle City,” Sea Isle Mayor Leonard Desiderio said in a statement following the awards ceremony.
“As mayor, it was a great honor to be in attendance when Sea Isle City was called to receive this prestigious award, and I’m very proud that Sea Isle placed second statewide. All of our property owners and visitors should also be very proud of this award – and proud of our community,” he added.
The N.J. Sea Grant Consortium introduced the contest in 2008 to “inspire pride in and stewardship of New Jersey’s beaches while promoting a little healthy competition between New Jersey’s favorite beach towns.”
The contest is decided by online voters who are prevented from voting more than once.
Ocean City has established something of a dynasty by placing first 10 years in a row.
“It’s great to see Ocean City achieve this honor,” Ocean City Mayor Jay Gillian said. “Every year, we face new challenges. But Ocean City remains the best beach in the state and a tradition for generations of families.”
Michele Gillian, the mayor’s wife and executive director of the Ocean City Regional Chamber of Commerce, noted that even though voters have chosen the resort as the top beach in the state for 10 straight years, it is a major honor each time the award is announced.
“We are over-the-top happy that Ocean City has been recognized as New Jersey’s Favorite Beach for 2023,” she said. “Ocean City is so fortunate to have so many guests and homeowners who love our eight miles of beautiful beaches – what a great community to be a part of.”
The contest includes selecting the favorite beaches overall in New Jersey, as well as the favorite beaches in each of the four counties included in the poll.
Ocean City was tops for favorite beach in Cape May County, in addition to being first overall for the entire state. Sea Isle placed second in Cape May County as well as statewide.
Margate was voted as the favorite beach in Atlantic County, while Brigantine was second.
Asbury Park was selected favorite beach in Monmouth County and Spring Lake was second.
In Ocean County, Point Pleasant Beach was voted favorite beach and Beach Haven placed second.
To learn more about the New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium and the Favorite Beaches poll, go to https://njseagrant.org/.
For information about Sea Isle City’s beaches, events, and activities, go to https://visitsicnj.com/.
