Lesliesan

Looking for a town with charm and things to do for medium age children. Don't want the "Wildwood" scene this time around, but something more quiet. Anyone have ideas? Thank you in advance for any help.

sss

I like the Northern end of Ocean City New Jersey 4500+ house numbers preferably 5000+. Quiet homes are nicer and the rifraff stays closer to the boards. I can say this because I am boarder line rifraff.

xx1

Try Spring Lake and Sea Girt (Spring Lake IS on the ocean, FYI, don't let the name fool you, it refers to the man made lakes in the center of town).
Gorgeous little communities but rentals are hard to find.

gab

In South Jersey, Cape May is beautiful. There's also the area just south of Atlantic City--Ventnor, Margate, and Longport. If you go a little bit further south, there's Ocean City, which has some of what Wildwood has (amusements, rides, boardwalk) but is not as wild, more family oriented; I also think it's a dry town.

kk

The towns of Stone Harbor and Avalon are lovely. No boardwalk at all is S.H. and only a small one in Avalon (not a Wildwood type atmosphere). Very residential, location in between Cape May and Ocean City. Not a lot to do but the town is nice and there are a few mini-golf courses. I always enjoyed myself as a teen going there.

Sydney

If you really want to get away from the commercial Jersey shore, try the towns on Barnegat Bay: Bay Head, Towns River, Forked River, Barnegat. Bay Head is also on the ocean and ritzier than the others. The others are old time fishings villages just waking up to the modern age.

lclarknj

Lesliesan,

I agree with several of the suggestions listed here. Ocean City, NJ is terrific for families. If you stay on the south end and beach it past 60th Street, you'll have lots of space and need no beach tags. The beaches on the north end are smaller, but you have the boardwalk. We usally stay south and visit the boards at night. Town is dry, but there is a huge liquor store just before each of the bridges coming into town!
On the other hand, Cape May is awesome. Nice beaches and souvenier (sp) for the kids, and then lovely BYOB's for the adults. I like staying at the Chalfonte Hotel, a big monument to what summers at the beach must have been like at the turn of the century. Plain, clean rooms, no air conditioning but there are ceiling fans (and i have yet to stay there and be uncomfortable.)
Have a great time!
You can't go wrong in either place.