A Shore Tradition

Why do people buy homes at the shore? Everybody has different reasons.



I didn’t grow up at the shore. I moved here eleven years ago and I love it. I would not live anywhere else. I thought the island was beautiful and offered everything I needed, and I believe that even more today.

In the spring and summer it is alive with activity, people and a multitude of options to share with friends and family. It is the “go to” place for my friends and family to meet, entertain, party, sit in the sun, enjoy great restaurants, shop, read, walk, people-watch or just escape.


In the fall and winter, it is more tranquil and serene. A bit quieter because less people have the leisure time to be here as often, but the weather is mild most of the year so it is still alive with full-time residents and sometimes visitors stealing away for a weekend or some holiday time. Reservations are a little easier to make at your favorite restaurants and the stores and restaurants don’t close up for the winter, so the island is still here for you to enjoy…with a little more room and at a slower pace.

As a REALTOR®, I meet a lot of people and I get to know them pretty well. Everyone has their own reasons for coming to the shore, but I have found a consistent answer from most people: FAMILY!

Many people that come here regularly came here as children. They talk about coming here every summer with their family and seeing all of their friends. For many, it was a multi-generational experience. They have countless wonderful memories growing up at the shore, visiting their grandparents, parents, aunts or uncles. It was like a ritualistic annual pilgrimage, full of anticipation and excitement, with one or more family members owning or renting that “special” summer getaway where the entire family converged each year.


I grew up in New York and we were sent away to camp. So I listen with envy and awe of how families bonded every summer on the beach. Brothers and sisters, parents and grandparents, aunts and uncles and cousins and friends - all gathered year after year sharing the fun and traditions of the shore. Parents share their stories with me time after time, filled with affectionate reminiscences of happy times and the anticipation of their opportunity to share this experience with their own children.

Summers at the shore are a memory not soon forgotten. Like so many gifts parents try to give their children, former shore children now grown yearn to create this experience for themselves and their families. One only needs to walk along the beaches in Ventnor, Margate, Longport or Atlantic City on any sunny day to confirm that those memories and traditions continue being made today.