Going Coastal – Visiting the Jersey Shore’s Spring Lake

For a restorative getaway before autumn’s routine scrambles our heads, we headed to the Jersey Shore with some trepidation of a potential Snookie sighting. Arriving to the quaint seaside town of Spring Lake, New Jersey, with its abundance of preserved Victorians and joggers, the Hewitt Wellington presides over the lake like a grand hotel commanding a diorama. We were assured that this is not the Jersey Shore of random hookups and hair gel.

The hotel staff offers friendly reminders for guests to wear masks–hand sanitizers and cleaning supplies were as prevalent as tourist pamphlets. We felt significant upon arrival from the hotel’s prominent placement on the lake. The front porch is endless enough to merit its own exploration. The main doors, original wood flooring, bannisters and artisanal detailing hallmark exceptional design from an age when craftsmanship was an art form–built to withstand everything from coastal storms to the chirps of high profile wedding planners.

Check in was seamless with an actual key (remember those) for access to a spacious room that’s a modern insertion within the antique structure. Toward the back my son found a door that opens to a screened in porch that had a retro surf shack feel, the salty scent recounted classic family vacations that consisted of long beach days and a deck of cards.

Walking along the south end of the lake, past the imposing Essex and Sussex shore property, gets you to the beach. We were gobsmacked by the vastness of the Atlantic. The boardwalk sealed the resort feel. The crowds were manageable, as we had enough space between fellow holiday-seekers who shared an agenda designed for sand and swim enthusiasts.

Once hunger took over, we returned to the room to shower and headed into town by crossing over a bridge. It’s an Americana kind of place. There were plenty of resort shops to cover our Christmas incidentals list, along with On Third Cafe to satisfy any breakfast-all-day cravings. We then headed past the hotel to another manse of sorts, Sundae Times, which may be the snazziest digs an ice cream purveyor could have. It was the best way to bid summer farewell before a back to school year with its A through L days and elbowing friends. Once the challenges of fall begin to cause those anxious 2020 moments, a return to Spring Lake to break from the normalcy is less than two hours from Manhattan.