This Jersey Town’s Main Street Is Getting Serious National Props

Not every town has a cool “Main Street”. I think that a nicely defined “Main Street” makes a town that much more appealing.

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Seems that newer towns have fewer downtown areas, and the older towns have them. A good “Main Street” has character with shopping, dining, historic buildings, and plenty of places to enjoy.

Whether it’s a great restaurant, stores, taverns, or a nice “Main Street” is a place to meet others and enjoy a day or night out.

Holidays are also better on “Main Street” because they are decorated and have that community spirit that's appealing to residents and visitors. It’s a great spot for parades and get-togethers.

One thing my town doesn’t have is a “Main Street,” and I wish it did.

In a recent article by USA Today, they picked the best “Main Streets” in America, and one is right here in New Jersey.

New Jersey Digest posted a breakdown of the Top 10 Best Main Streets in America from USA Today. The town that made the list from Jersey is Ocean City, a South Jersey town.

10. Virginia City, Nevada

9. Grapevine, Texas

8. McMinnville, Oregon

7. Ocean City, New Jersey

6. Ogden, Utah

5. Paso Robles, California

4. Howell, Michigan

3. Emporia, Kansas

2. Waynesville, North Carolina

1. Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

According to USA Today, "conveniently located at the midpoint between the beach and the bay, the Asbury Avenue shops stretch from 6th to 14th Street in Downtown Ocean City. The island’s vibrant downtown district features over 100 specialty stores, boutiques, and cafés where visitors and locals alike love to browse, shop, and dine."

LOOK: Here are the 50 best beach towns in America

Every beach town has its share of pluses and minuses, which got us thinking about what makes a beach town the best one to live in. To find out, Stacker consulted data from WalletHub, released June 17, 2020, that compares U.S. beach towns. Ratings are based on six categories: affordability, weather, safety, economy, education and health, and quality of life. The cities ranged in population from 10,000 to 150,000, but they had to have at least one local beach listed on TripAdvisor. Read the full methodology here. From those rankings, we selected the top 50. Readers who live in California and Florida will be unsurprised to learn that many of towns featured here are in one of those two states.

Keep reading to see if your favorite beach town made the cut.

Gallery Credit: Keri Wiginton