Sunny weather brings crowds to Jersey Shore beaches, boardwalks and businesses
Despite the warm air, ocean water temperatures remain cold, leading some beachgoers to spend more time on the sand, strolling the boardwalk or enjoying other attractions rather than swimming.
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The Jersey Shore is anticipating some of its busiest crowds of the new season as sunny skies and warm temperatures bring visitors to beaches, boardwalks and local businesses.
Despite the warm air, ocean temperatures remain cold, leading some beachgoers to spend more time on the sand, strolling the boardwalk or enjoying other attractions rather than swimming.
"It's absolutely freezing. If you're coming down to the beach this week, you have to make sure you're prepared for this freezing water," one swimmer told News 12.
Point Pleasant Beach was bustling on Friday afternoon, following a stretch of unfavorable weather since Memorial Day. While Memorial Day weekend is often considered the unofficial start of summer, rain and chilly temperatures limited outdoor activities and kept some visitors away.
However, the improved weather brought larger crowds to local bars, restaurants and amusement parks on Friday.
"It was an early Memorial Day. So, it was slow, but we had that extra week to kind of build up business. Now, we're ready to go and ready to ramp it up for the summer," said Mike St. George, bar manager at Martell's Tiki Bar. "We're excited for a busy weekend."
People who rely on the summer tourism season for their livelihood said weather plays a major role in determining how many visitors come to shore towns and how much business they see. They said favorable forecasts often lead to increased tourism, while rain and cooler temperatures can significantly reduce crowds.
"As long as the sun's out, people are going to be coming to the beach. People are going to be coming to the boardwalk and then at night doing those classic boardwalk nights is what we're all about," said Alex Taylor, with Jenkinson's Boardwalk.
Still, it wouldn't be a sunny weekend down the shore without some traffic getting there. Drivers described sitting in traffic for hours on Friday evening.
"It's horrible. The Turnpike is horrible. Newark Airport is horrible. That whole area, it's a mess," said Karen Mcintosh, who was traveling from New York. "It's horrendous, and I'm still not near my destination. I still have almost two hours to go."
