I’ve grown up all my life surrounded by the many islands in Cape May County. My Aunt, Uncle, and eight cousins had a house in Avalon, so I probably spent more time on that island than the others. Avalon has a lot of benefits over the other islands.

First, Avalon is smaller and less crowded than Wildwood, or Cape May. It is easy for teens to get a job and travel back and forth by bicycle. There is a Convention Hall with an adjacent playground and skateboard park. Also, next to the Conventional Hall is an arcade, pizza shop, and ice cream parlor. Each summer I take my girls up there and give them $10 to spend in the arcade. They love it!

You will need beach tags if you want to take advantage of Avalon’s beautiful beaches, which really stinks when you are a local like myself. It is worth it, however, as the kids can be entertained for hours with all of the beach activities. Swimming, body boarding, beach volleyball, building sandcastles, and collecting seashells are exciting ways to spend a day on the beach.

Shopping, fine dining, miniature golfing, and a park with a basketball and tennis court are all attractions you can expect to enjoy when you visit Avalon. Of course, Stone Harbor, Wildwood, Cape May, Sea Isle, Ocean City, and Atlantic City are all within driving distance should you want to spend some of your day visiting another location.

If you plan on traveling to Avalon in the summer, try to book your hotel room ahead of time. Some weekends fill up faster than others because of scheduled activities the town hosts, such as the Wings and Water Festival, or the Seafood Festival.