Bungalow Hotel Evaluate: A Household-Pleasant New Jersey Shore Getaway

Let’s begin with some honesty: I really like making enjoyable of New Jersey. 

The state is a straightforward goal. After all, it sits proper subsequent to New York, which simply so occurs to be one of many coolest locations on Earth, full of world-class eating places, iconic sights and sufficient issues to do to make its neighbor appear, at instances, a little bit… expendable.

But after just a few days within the Garden State, I’m right here to confess that Jersey deserves extra credit score than I often give it. It’s the birthplace of Bruce Springsteen, America’s patron saint of blue-collar rock. It’s additionally the diner capital of the world, with greater than 600 diners serving disco fries, cheeseburgers and mile-long menus at virtually any hour. And I’d be remiss to not point out that the world’s first boardwalk opened in Atlantic City again in 1870. In different phrases, the state is not precisely the cultural wasteland New Yorkers prefer to faux it’s. 

While visiting, it hit me: sure elements of New Jersey aren’t attempting to be New York and that is precisely the state’s enchantment. After spending just a few days there with my children, I spotted the world works as a result of it presents the alternative of the town’s nonstop vitality. There’s room to breathe, fewer crowds and a tempo that makes it surprisingly best for a fast household getaway once you want a break from every part New York is all about.

When brainstorming a fast pre-camp getaway, our necessities have been surprisingly easy: with 4 little children in tow, we did not need to spend half the holiday within the automobile or spend a staggering amount of cash on flights. We wanted a seaside, a pool, family-friendly eating places inside strolling distance and sufficient to do this we would not must load 4 children within the automobile each few hours.

Connecticut, Pennsylvania and upstate New York have been all contenders. But after listening to rave evaluations from associates—and realizing just a few folks with houses in Deal, New Jersey, the ultra-exclusive Jersey Shore enclave typically dubbed the “Hamptons of New Jersey” (I’ll resist the jokes… for now)—we began taking a look at lodges close by.

That’s how we landed on the Bungalow Hotel, a boutique property about two miles north of Deal that checked just about each field.

Guests of Bungalow get full entry to the pool and seaside at its sister property, Wave Resort, only a five-minute stroll away. (Wave has the splashier foyer, however its rooms are smaller and, with 4 children, sq. footage is the true luxurious.) The stroll there shortly turned one among our favourite elements of the journey, taking us alongside the boardwalk previous sweet shops, bookstores, eating places and sufficient ice cream outlets to persuade me that sugary milk is perhaps the Jersey Shore’s greatest business.

Bungalow itself feels much less like a resort and extra just like the place your most attention-grabbing aunt would personal if she determined to open a boutique property by the seaside. The employees is heat with out being overbearing, the foyer is colourful and alluring, with a pool desk, outsized couches, a small bar vibe and an out of doors patio the place company collect over complimentary morning espresso and pastries earlier than heading to the seaside.

Our room was easy, spotless and surprisingly purposeful, with a king mattress, bunk beds the children instantly claimed as their very own and simply sufficient house for just a few days away. Most importantly, with solely 4 flooring, we by no means actually needed to await an elevator.

Leaving the resort to entry each the pool and the seaside was a bit annoying however the very simple stroll turned a part of the routine. The pool on the Wave has a swim-up bar serving cocktails, frozen drinks and wine, loungers and cabanas obtainable to lease in case you’re planning to spend the entire day there. The seaside is simply throughout the boardwalk, full with chairs and towels, and I’ve to provide a shout-out to the seaside attendants who in some way managed to haul loungers by a 100-degree warmth wave with smiles on their faces. Those are the folks quietly carrying the Jersey Shore on their backs (actually).

The boardwalk additionally turned our unofficial itinerary. We wandered into The Book House extra instances than days spent within the state, leaving with books for me, books for the children and, inevitably, a handful of Squishmallows and squishies as a result of apparently that is the foreign money of childhood in 2026. 

As for meals, one of many greatest attracts for us was the abundance of kosher choices. Salt is a sophisticated steakhouse that might maintain its personal towards lots of New York’s finest kosher eating places, whereas Soya delivers wonderful sushi in a modern setting. Pepe’s was our go-to for pizza (simply understand it would not promote slices) and LBK dealt with the inevitable hen nuggets and burgers that each household trip appears to require. For those that do not maintain kosher, Sirena presents Italian fare with ocean views, McLoone’s serves reliable American classics, Lana is a comfortable wine and tapas spot and Rooney’s is a wonderful seafood restaurant proper on the water.

Maybe that is what stunned me most about this little stretch of the Jersey Shore. New York is constructed for strolling, too, however strolling there often means weaving by crowds, dodging supply bikes and questioning why somebody is honking when no person’s shifting anyway. Here, we pushed a stroller from the resort to the seaside, then to dinner, then for ice cream and finally again once more, all with out as soon as folding it into the trunk of the automobile. It was quieter, simpler and, blasphemy!, enjoyable.

Were out expectations low? Certainly. Has New Jersey been unfairly forged as New York’s punchline for too lengthy? Maybe. Either manner, I’ll proceed making the jokes… all whereas driving to the state for my subsequent lengthy weekend on the market.