8 Things That Only Make Sense to New Jerseyans Who Grew Up Going Down the Shore
Go down the shore, and you’re a shoobie or a benny, depending on which end of the coast you drive to.
Out-of-staters hear those words and raise an eyebrow.
Here’s what only makes sense if you grew up going down the shore.
1. Saturday Rental Rush
A summer trip down the shore runs on a schedule that many families learn the hard way.
Friday afternoon brings the worst southbound traffic, typically from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Saturday morning, from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m., ranks second.
Your rental checkout typically falls at 10 a.m. or 11 a.m.
Many drivers plan the whole weekend around those windows, and you could end up doing the same.
Many families stagger their drive home to dodge the crush.
Sunday flips the direction, and you feel it on the ride home.
Northbound traffic runs from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. and typically clears after 9 p.m.
2. Shoobies and Bennies
Going down the shore makes you either a shoobie or a benny, depending on which end of the coast you drive to.
One common explanation traces shoobie to day-trippers who carried their lunches in shoe boxes.
The word can also describe anyone who sticks out like a sore thumb.
Benny is murkier.
It first appeared in print in the 1970s.
Many locals use either word to tease a visitor, and you can usually tell from the tone.
Whichever word you earn, you’ll likely hear it with an edge.
Where Shoobie Ends and Benny Begins
Shoobie and benny cover different stretches of the Jersey coast.
Shoobie runs from the southern tip of Long Beach Island south to Cape May.
Benny takes over on the northern coast, in places like Asbury Park and Seaside Heights.
So the word a local picks can hint at which stretch of coast you’re standing on.
3. Tram Car Warning
Wildwood’s tram car has rolled along the boardwalk since June 11, 1949.
If you hop on in 2026, a one-way ride costs $5.
A $13 wristband covers unlimited rides until 5 p.m. on a single day.
The recorded warning dates to the early 1970s.
The tourism authority said the recording would return with the tram cars for the 2026 season.
Many families who spent summers there can recite it.
If you grew up riding, that line is often still in your head.
4. Lucy the Elephant
For many families, a trip down the shore included a stop at Lucy the Elephant.
Lucy is a six-story building shaped like an elephant in Margate.
James Lafferty built her in 1881.
She weighs ninety tons.
You walk in through one of her legs.
Many families who made that stop still remember the climb through the leg.
From there, you reach the museum inside her body.
A howdah, the canopied seat, sits on her back.
Lucy is a National Historic Landmark.
Psst! How much do you know about the Jersey Shore? Take our quiz and see if you can ace it.
Quiz
Jersey Shore IQ
Answer these questions on Jersey Shore boardwalks, lighthouses, and landmarks. Many people miss a few of these. Can you beat that?
Monopoly misspells a neighborhood outside Atlantic City as Marvin Gardens. How do locals spell it?
5. The Phrase Down the Shore
According to Billy Penn, the phrase down the shore is used mostly in the Philadelphia area and North Jersey.
Where you say it matters.
If you live in a shore county, you're unlikely to use it, since you're already there.
Many shore residents hear the phrase as a sign that a visitor is on the way.
Down probably points south, though the origin remains unclear.
6. Boardwalk Bike Hours
Boardwalk bike hours down the shore depend on which town you visit.
Under its city code, Wildwood makes boardwalk bike riding unlawful from 1 p.m. to 5 a.m. between May 15 and September 30.
In general, Ocean City lets bikers ride the boardwalk until noon in high summer.
Many visitors plan their rides around those cutoffs, so you might want to do the same.
Mornings tend to favor bikes.
In Wildwood, from 1 p.m. on you'll share the boards with people on foot.
7. Greenhead Season
Greenhead flies can ruin your day down the shore when a salt marsh sits nearby.
Greenheads peak in July, though the season runs from late June into September.
Females bite by day because they need a blood meal to lay additional egg masses.
If you linger near the marsh, they're persistent biters.
Ocean breezes bring many fewer biting flies.
8. Ocean City's Alcohol Ban
Ocean City is a shore town that four Methodist ministers founded as a dry town in 1879.
The ban includes bring-your-own-bottle dinners.
Many visitors find out about the rule at the table, not at the town line.
If you carry a bottle into an Ocean City restaurant, a restaurant will tell you it can't be opened there.
About 30 New Jersey towns remain dry in some form.
Ocean City voters rejected a referendum on bringing wine or beer to restaurants in 2012.
City Council voted 6-0 to reaffirm its opposition to alcohol sales in 2024.
9 New Jersey Myths Residents Are Sick of Correcting
Many out-of-staters arrive with firm ideas about New Jersey.
Many New Jerseyans have a few myths they're tired of correcting.
9 New Jersey Myths Residents Are Sick of Correcting
9 Things That Confuse Everyone Who Moves to New Jersey
Life in New Jersey can look different from one town to the next.
Even short drives can change the whole routine.
