Stipulated: Travel more than four hours for a weekend getaway, and you’re just wasting your precious time off. So we present toy you The Four-Hour Rule, dedicated to revealing the best destinations that are far away, yet still close to home.
SLEEP
Just an hour and a half from the city, Wave Resort is your newest excuse not to fight four hours of traffic to get to the Hamps. The just-opened hotel offers 67 rooms across six stories just across from the Jersey Shore boardwalk (and just a 20 min Uber ride from the Seastreak Ferry terminal). But it’s a whole lot more than that: five dining options, a pool and accompanying pool deck with 180-degree beach views, fire pits and an attentive staff ready to put a summer cocktail in your hand. The views don’t stop at the pool either, as each room was configured to provide big blue Atlantic views through floor-to-ceiling windows.
EAT
The need to step off-site for eats is, frankly, unadvised. Wave Resort has a fella covered with a range of contemporary, casual offerinngs. There’s 100 Ocean for a fancy seafood date night, the more playful waterfront eatery Ebb’s, or easygoing Orilla’s for tacos and burgers. Should you have the itch to venture, you’d be strongly advised to snag a wiener from Max’s Famous Hot Dogs (the name holds up) or go for something a little romantic at Sirena or Le Club Avenue.
PLAY
Act like a local by hopping on one of the resort’s bikes for a jaunt down the boardwalk; grabbing a fresh waffle cone is a prerequisite. Just across the way from the resort, Pier Village is chock full of activities, from catching a play at the New Jersey Repertory Company to sampling some regional suds at the White Chapel Projects brewery. For the sportsman, Belmar Marina is just 15 minutes away from Long Branch and known for amazing day charters for deep-sea fishing. Clear a day and book one of the long hauls to Hudson Canyon to snare some big tuna. Summer weekends fill up fast though, so make sure to reserve in advance.
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