Atlantic City has casinos. Ocean City has the boardwalk, and Margate has Lucy the elephant. But when I have time to relax at the Jersey Shore, Long Beach Island is where I go. It strikes a wonderful balance of having everything and nothing at the same time.

Known to locals and regular visitors as LBI, the barrier island is 18 miles long and less than a mile wide at its widest point. Tourists invade by the thousands in the summer …

For many, a trip to Ocean City, New Jersey represents tradition. Kids who grew up playing in the fine, white sand, become parents and bring their kids back to the beach to do the same.

It’s not uncommon for three generations to come together (often under one roof) for a week, or even a summer on this island. The sense of family is strong, and that’s the way Ocean City likes it.

“We’re going to see an elephant.” That’s all I told my girls. They were confused and that was the way I wanted it.

We were on family vacation in Atlantic City on the Jersey Shore. They wanted to go to the beach, and so the questions began. But I refused to provide any details. I wanted Lucy to be a surprise.

My favorite trips are the ones that require a passport. When going somewhere I’ve never been, there’s the promise of the new and unknown. There’s excitement and a sense of adventure that starts when you make the first reservation and lasts until the plane touches down at home. But trips are not always vacations.

There’s a big difference, especially when kids are involved. My favorite vacations involve sandy beaches and warm water, and one of my favorite sandy stretches is the New Jersey Shore.

Growing up on the East Coast I had my pick of summer coastal getaways, and while memories from my pre-parenting days are hazy I can tell you that sun, surf, and seafood were important elements in all of those trips. Memories run together of one town’s attractions and another’s shops and restaurants and certainly all of these destinations teemed with parents and their loud children.