You don’t need summer heat to make an excuse to visit Long Beach Island. Spring break on LBI is the perfect time for a getaway, with so much to do and see, with the quiet and peacefulness that year long residents enjoy every day.
Why you should spend Spring Break on LBI
Spring break might not be the most popular time to book a vacation to LBI, but it’s a perfect time to experience the Island in all of its natural glory. Spring is a time when wildlife is waking up and residents are busy getting ready for the summer season. Local businesses are preparing for warmer weather, as the busy summer season that kicks off on Memorial Day weekend. Take advantage of lower hotel rates, free beaches, and less wait time at the best seafood restaurants around. There are many reasons to spend spring break on LBI instead of waiting for the heat of summer.
Spring break is the best time for a relaxing LBI vacation
The change in the seasons and warmer weather usher in an experience in nature that cannot be observed or appreciated at any other time in the year. The winter chill has faded and new life begins to bloom in the spring time on LBI. This type of serenity and peace comes only with the off season, between Halloween and Spring Break on LBI.
Here are 26 things to enjoy during Spring Break in LBI:
- Watch the seasons change. As the marshes move from brown to bright green and the warmer air is mixed with cool water breezes, a refreshing spring change is in the air. Seize the opportunity to see this beach town gracefully transition between the seasons.
- Photography settings and scenery. The natural beauty will inspire you and provide an amazing backdrop for some beautiful photos!
- Beat the crowds. The height of the summer season comes around the Fourth of July, with LBI hotels and rentals bursting at the seams. If crowds are not your thing, spring break on LBI is an even better time to visit.
- Save on hotel rooms.
- A quiet beach day.
- Beach combing. Here’s an easy memory making experience for you and your family! Hit the beach early and search for shells and treasure in the sand. In the spring, you can find so many treasures that wash ashore, including pastel colored sea glass.
- Sunrise on the beach.
- Sunset on the bay.
- No Beach Tags. Enjoy the beauty and fun of Long Beach Island’s beaches, without paying the minimum $5/day. Beach tags aka beach badges are not required in early spring. Usually Memorial Day weekend marks the start of the summer season, so you get a lot of freebies when visiting on Spring Break.
- Bird watching. This is the time of year when ospreys fly north and make their nests in coastal areas, including platforms built especially for osprey nests along marshes. You can paddle around the bay by kayak or keep your eyes to the sky with a pair of binoculars. On the southern tip of LBI in Holgate lies a portion of the Forsythe National Wildlife Preserve, land that is set apart for nesting seabirds. Although it is closed during certain parts of the year, visitors can observe dozens of native species of birds along the beach that sits directly north of the preserve (free parking is available).
- Discover a great read. Browse the shelves at the Beach Haven Public Library. This charming library dates back to the early 1900’s and hosts a collection on local history, including the shark attacks of 1916 that inspired the movie “Jaws.”
There’s plenty to do for Spring Break on LBI
Though it’s a quiet time of year, there are still plenty of activities to keep LBI vacationers busy. You won’t be bored if you’re staying anywhere near the hub of activity in Beach Haven. Even more convenient, the free LBI shuttle offers frequent rides up and down the Boulevard all day and well into the night.
- Celebrate Earth Day at the LBIF. Here you can learn about bay friendly gardening and purchase locally grown plants.
- Visit the Barnegat Lighthouse and climb the stairs up to the top.
- Go fishing in Barnegat Light. Cast your line right from the walkways surrounding the Lighthouse. Here you can find wheelchair access as well as bathrooms.
- Surfing the waves. Spring is a perfect time for surfing, as long as you pack your wetsuit!
- Have a picnic at Bayview Park.
- Yoga on the beach, or in one of LBI’s most popular yoga studios.
- Take a refreshing outdoor run.
- Fly a kite in the ocean breeze. It’s a classic, family fun beach experience to remind us all what it’s like to be a kid. The Island hosts the LBI Fly International Kite Festival in October, but you can appreciate the fun in flying a kite in the springtime.
Businesses open for the season during Spring Break on LBI
Be among the first customers of the year to visit LBI’s restaurants and shops. See any upgrades and new additions and get VIP treatment before the summer crowds pour in. Spending spring break on LBI is a great way to get to know the locals and awesome business owners.
- Breakfast at Uncle Will’s Pancake House. Hands down the best breakfast you’ll ever eat! And for early risers, on Mondays and Fridays from 7-8 am, you can have the 3-2-2 special (2 eggs, 2 pancakes, 2 pieces of sausage or bacon) for $3.22.
- Dinner at the Plantation restaurant.
- Shop at Farias’ Surf and Sport. Get some great deals from last season and check out the trends for Spring/Summer 2017.
- Drinks at the Arlington.
- Dinner at the Old Causeway Steak and Oyster House. Though it’s just off the Island in Manahawkin, it’s most certainly worth the short trip.
- Shopping at Sur la Plage.
- Shop at Artifacts & Company.
Everyone should spend Spring Break on LBI at least once!
Life on an Island is never dull, no matter what time of year. Spend your spring break getting to know a different side of LBI while eating, shopping, and mingling with the locals. Spring break on LBI is the perfect excuse to enjoy the sun, surf, and nature of Long Beach Island.
