Jersey Shore

Atlantic coastal region of New Jersey, running for 204 km/127 mi from Sandy Hook in the northeast to Cape May in the southwest. This varied area of tidal marshes, sandy beaches, dunes, and estuaries fringed with barrier islands was once used by whalers and fishermen, and is now the site of many popular seaside resorts, such as Long Branch, Asbury Park, Atlantic City, Ocean City, Wildwood, and Cape May.

The area covered by the Jersey Shore lies in Monmouth, Atlantic, Ocean, and Cape May counties. During the 19th century, the railway helped open up the region to development, and various settlements were established to serve as summer resorts for inhabitants of the major eastern seaboard cities. It is now accessible throughout its length by means of the Garden State Parkway. Among the larger barrier islands off the coast of the Jersey Shore are Long Beach and Absecon. The Sandy Hook section of the Gateway National Recreation Area is situated at its northern tip, while Island Beach State Park is located in its central area.