Often it seems like there is a build-up to Memorial Day Weekend which is the unofficial start to summer at the Jersey Shore.  However it’s quite different this year which is way many seem caught off guard by the holiday weekend which gets things rolling along beach communities from Asbury Park to Long Beach Island. The weather would be the main reason as most of May was pretty lousy with many cool days and nights and the holiday weekend looks dreadful.  However ready or not this is the start of a 108-day period that many of us live for.

Of course Memorial Day Weekend also means traffic…lots of it.  If ever patience was a virtue then this is the time for it because even local roadways away from the beach might test you.  Of course most of that traffic will be centered on Route 35 and Route 71 so you want to avoid those roads if you can unless you’re heading to a restaurant, bar, retail store or the like.  Of course let’s not forget Route 37 from Toms River to Seaside Heights which can be brutal and only made worse if the bridge over the Barnegat Bay is up.

However let’s take the positive approach and that is our summer is just about here and again for me and many others it is the best time of year…it’s why we chose to live here.

Finally while we celebrate Memorial Day Weekend as the start of something special we should all take a moment to understand what the holiday weekend is all about.  That is to honor all of those who have been killed while in defense of this country and our way of life.  On Monday take a moment to think about that!

The complete list of storm names for the 2026 Atlantic Hurricane Season

Gallery Credit: Dan Zarrow

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