Hidden beach beauty: Ventnor, NJ

This past July 4th weekend, I visited a quaint, though not well-known little beach on the southern Jersey shore called Ventnor. Situated in between Atlantic City and Margate, Ventnor is a town filled with rich architecture, well-tended gardens and a diverse group of residents. You may recognize its name from the Monopoly board game, (it's one of the less-expensive properties on the first corner after "GO"). Otherwise, Ventnor is more of a referral type of place, I had friends fill me in on its location and charming sleepy-beach, small-town feel. Because of this, I thought it would be a perfect candidate for my neglected beauty discovery list.


If you've ever driven to Atlantic City and continued down towards Jersey's other beaches, you may have passed Ventnor on your drive. Blink and you may miss it (it's that small), and unless you are familiar with this cozy community, you may not stop. Both of my hospitable hosts grew up on the upper East Coast, making them more privy to local, lesser known beach finds. Having grown up visiting Maryland beaches year after year, I was delighted to discover a new shore spot. To me, New Jersey seemed like the perfect place--not too far, with the same ocean I was accustomed to swimming in-- deep green and murky, always filled with surprises.

Deco Hotel on boardwalk


Ventnor was founded in the early 19th century and named after a town of the same name located off England's Isle of Wight. Many of the homes and buildings feature Victorian and Art Deco styles, visible influences of the time in which they were built. Sycamore trees line the streets, making the town look more bed-room than beach community. Finding the ocean at the end of a heavily landscaped street seems rather unexpected.


While the best part for many is Ventnor's proximity to Atlantic City, I prefer the scenery on the drive up. Rt 40- East is the fastest route, and although you'll pass lots of farms and crops, boredom won't be an issue. No, this is a ride filled with Americana kitch, starting with Cowtown's rodeo mega-cowboy in Salem county. The huge figurine sets the tone for a backwoods feel, making you wonder if you are heading north or south.


Once you hit the main stretch of Rt. 40, the wildness continues with places like Story Book Land and Pistol Pete's steakhouse, two places I've never been in but continue to allure me. Next visit will be filled with prime rib and creepy madhatters, I can feel it.

Story Book Land


The closer you get to the beaches, you'll start to see Casino billboards, very few mentioning Ventnor, making you realize this is a town over shadowed by gamblers searching for for bright lights and black-jack, not relaxation by the dunes.


The mini colesium at the end of Rt. 40 marks your entrance into Ventnor. The small main street (Ventnor Ave.) is lined with convenience stores and trees, not high rise hotels or casinos. It's very inviting, hard to believe this little beach town is right down the street from its noisy neighbor, Atlantic City. You feel like you are in a far away place, forgotten in time. The buildings are an odd mixture of styles and heights, and the houses are pressed together like an inner city neighborhood.


There isn't much to do here, which suits me just fine. The beaches are long and not very crowded and there's plenty of small eateries up and down both main streets. People are free to be themselves here and relax in anyway they see fit, like a woman I spotted doing Tai Chi by the beach.


One of the best parts of Ventnor would have to be walking around town, hitting the little side streets, and checking out the gardens. Some of the gardens off the boardwalk have spectacular, tailored displays of both flowers and statuary. Not all are tasteful, but are certainly eye-catching.

Boardwalk Gardens


And then there are the hydrangeas which pop up just about everywhere, including in my hostesses garden. In every color and every size, you will find Ventnor to house some of the prettiest hydrangeas around.


As you can see, Ventnor is more than just a stop over on your way to Margate or Atlantic City. It has everything a quiet beach community needs, from pretty neighborhoods to quaint restaurants, with a gorgeous view of the ocean right around the corner. It's no wonder it's slogan has become "Vintage Ventnor".


Best time to go: NOW! And if you find yourself on Nashville Ave. and see a house with a Raven flag out front, make sure you say "hi" to the folks on the porch and thank them for all they've done to promote this beautiful little known beach town.


All photos taken by the International Flower Spy.