At the beginning of July, E and I were getting a little cabin fever and were really craving a change of scenery. We were extremely limited in where we could go due to the COVID quarantine restrictions from the kiddos’ camp. It was between Crystal Springs in Sussex County, New Jersey, for more of a mountain retreat, and the Jersey Shore. We decided to head down the Shore!
Over the last several years (excluding last year due to COVID), we have spent about a week down in Stone Harbor with my in-laws. See my OG Jersey Shore post HERE. We didn’t book anything this year because we weren’t sure what things were going to look like there. I looked at Airbnb and VRBO. There was VERY limited availability, and everything was INSANELY expensive. We could only really get away for a long weekend, so I looked at two of the higher end hotels, The Reeds at Shelter Haven, in Stone Harbor, and the Icona Avalon. I ultimately decided that we should stay at the Icona Avalon because the hotel is beachfront, and they had a very kid-friendly vibe!
WHERE WE STAYED
I booked the LAST room available for the weekend at the Icona. I was so thankful I called when I did, because that weekend was really the ONLY weekend we could get away. The hotel was perfectly situated right on the beach, and it has a pool, restaurant, and bar, and outdoor bar on premises.
We booked a Premium Queen Studio room. Two queen beds – one for E and and I, and one for Nathan. Nathan was SO excited to sleep in a GIANT hotel bed. He sleeps in a twin bed at home, so a queen sized bed is a big upgrade for him! We brought Nora’s pack and play, and she slept in there just fine. The only downside to our room was that there was no separation from the kiddos. So when they went to bed, E and I went to bed. So, next year…we get a SUITE!
Our room was minutes from the pool and steps away from the beach. It was PERFECT! We would definitely stay at the Icona again and would highly recommend it!
WHERE WE ATE
Watering Hull (Stone Harbor)
On our first night down the Shore we were looking for a quick and easy dinner in Stone Harbor. Because we normally stay in Stone Harbor, we are more familiar with their restaurants. We had eaten lunch at the Watering Hull on a previous trip, and really liked it, so we decided to try it for dinner. They had outdoor seating on their patio available, and they had a great kids menu!
First things first, let’s get this mama a DRINK! One Tropical Crush coming right up! Then it was time for food. Check out their food menu HERE. We ordered the Tuna Nachos as an appetizer. The portion size was HUGE! I don’t know how we ate that in addition to our main courses. But we did! The tuna was fresh, the chips were crispy, the spicy mayo had just the right amount of heat, and the avocado melted in your mouth. It was such a good bite!
For our main course, I ordered the Blackened Mahi Mahi Tacos and E ordered the Mahi Mahi Sandwich. Mahi Mahi for everyone! Just kidding. We ordered a Grilled Cheese for Nora and Mahi Mahi Kids Meal for Nathan. Everything was DELICIOUS! The fish was nicely seasoned and cooked perfectly. The sauces were great. I loved the sweetness of the mango salsa paired with the spicy blackened seasoning. We really enjoyed our meal and would definitely go back!
Springer’s Homemade Ice Cream (Stone Harbor)
A dinner in Stone Harbor is not complete without dessert at Springer’s. So, after our dinner at the Watering Hull, we walked over to Springer’s (along with every other family staying in the area) and got some ice cream! It was a beautiful night to eat ice cream outside on a bench. The kiddos loved it!
Kohler’s Bakery (Avalon)
So I am not sure how I did not know about Kohler’s Bakery before this trip. As someone who LOVES donuts and all baked goods, this should have been one of the first places that I visited on our first trip down the Shore. Unfortunately, I didn’t know Kohler’s Bakery existed until this trip! I am SO HAPPY I learned about them! Kohler’s Bakery is a local institution. It has been around for 70 years! Click HERE for their menu.
I had heard that their Cream Donuts were famous, so we HAD to get them for breakfast on our first morning in Avalon. We popped on over and there was already a huge line. Thankfully the line moved quickly! We ordered a Cream Donut as well as two Sugar Cookies (for the kiddos), a Currant Bun, a Cherry Danish, a Jelly Donut, and a coffee for Mama (if only they had portable caffeine IV drips). There were so many goodies, it was so hard to resist!
We sat outside on their patio and sampled a little bit of everything. It was all AMAZING. I don’t usually like cream donuts of any kind, yet their Cream Donut was OUTSTANDING. I am pretty sure it is because they use buttercream as the filling. WOW was it good. It is a good thing that we don’t live close to Kohler’s because I would be there every single day for breakfast…365.
FOUR WORDS: MUST GO TO KOHLER’S
The Crab House at Two Mile Landing (Wildwood Crest)
The Crab House at Two Mile Landing is one of our favorite restaurants down the Shore. I know that is a crazy statement coming from someone who doesn’t even eat shellfish. We went for lunch and ordered EVERYTHING. We started with the Seared Ahi Tuna and Fried Pickles. Finished both of them! Then, for our main courses, E ordered garlic crabs and I ordered my fave mahi mahi sandwich. We ordered the kiddos some butter pasta, fish sticks, and french fries. And everyone was happy! We sat on the deck and enjoyed the beautiful views with delicious food and cocktails. The kids meals came with ice cream sandwiches for dessert. They LOVED them! It was such a lovely afternoon. Cannot wait to go back next year!
The Original Fudge Kitchen (Stone Harbor)
You can’t go down the Shore and NOT pick up some Original Fudge Kitchen fudge. It is the BEST. We definitely came home with two boxes.
Yvette’s Cafe (Stone Harbor)
Yvette’s Cafe is another one of our favorite restaurants in Stone Harbor. If you haven’t tried their Fresh Mozzarella sandwich you HAVEN’T LIVED! I order mine with tomatoes, avocado, basil pesto, drizzled with EVOO on French bread. It is HEAVEN. E ordered his Fresh Mozzarella sandwich with prosciutto but sans pesto.
Sundae Best (Avalon)
Another day, another ice cream shop. Sundae Best is another favorite of ours. We were actually introduced to Sundae Best by my mother in law. It is her favorite ice cream down the Shore. We usually come home with pints of their ice cream that we eat all year long. Seriously. I am not kidding. Their Raspberry Chip ice cream is AMAZING. Unfortunately they didn’t have it this trip. Sad face. They did have a Kohler’s Cream Donut flavor, though. Of course I had to try it! It had little pieces of Kohler’s Cream Donut inside! It was so good. I WISH I brought a pint home with me…
WHAT WE DID
Icona Pool
LOTS OF SWIMMING. Very little lounging. The kiddos didn’t want to get out of the pool!
Icona Beach
No need to BYO beach chairs if you are staying at the Icona Avalon. They have a staff on the beach ready to bring you chairs and umbrellas and set them up wherever you want to sit! It is GREAT! Nathan LOVES the ocean. He spent hours just running in and out of the water. Nora isn’t the biggest fan of the ocean. Probably because New Jersey ocean water is COLD. She does love to play in the sand though! We brought down her little Peppa Pig figures and she loved to bury them in the sand and then dig them up. We were COVERED in sand after each beach trip.
Shopping in Stone Harbor (League Shore) and Cape May (Givens)
League Shore has some of the softest tee shirts, sweatshirts, sweatpants, and shorts. I always make sure to add another piece of clothing from there to my wardrobe. This year I added a pair of Avalon sweatpants. I also got E and the kiddos matching Avalon tee shirts. They are so cute!
We also took a detour down to Cape May on our way home (going South to then go North is always fun). I wanted to stop into Givens, the cutest and funkiest boutique in Cape May. I ALWAYS find something interesting there. This trip was no different! I came home with three new tops that I will definitely be wearing through the end of summer and into fall.
Our friends have a shore house on Avalon and this year was the first time we got the Kohler’s doughnuts too. So funny! And of course they were delicious!