April is almost over, the days are going longer, and summer will soon be here. Many people will be jumping into their trusty vehicle and heading towards the sandy pleasure of the beach. But which beach is the best? That all depends on what you are looking for. Here are my picks for the best places on the east coast.
Best Family Attraction
Lucy the Elephant, Margate, New Jersey - We start our list off with a destination that could have fallen into many categories, including strangest thing you have ever seen, but it eventually found a home under the Best Family Attraction. This prodigious pachyderm was built in 1881 and was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. Lucy is the world's largest elephant, weighing in at 90 tons and six stories high.
While Lucy is amazing from the outside, you can, for a nominal fee, take a tour of Lucy, from her red, white, and blue toenails up to the howdah on her back. From the main room, you can see the world through Lucy's eyes by looking out the windows that double as her eyeballs. Or, if you prefer to look out another window, you can look out the “pane in her butt.” I should not have to tell you where that is located.
Strangest Museum Display
The Merman, Zwaanendael Museum, Lewes, Delaware - All of the Zwaanendael Museum is amazingly interesting. Lewes tags itself as the first town in the first state, and within the walls of the museum, early town history drips from every crevice. Built in 1931 to commemorate the 300th year since the original settlement was founded, the displays inside include the history of the settlement, as well as displays on whaling off the coast, the wreck of the HM Brig DeBraak, and the Cape Henlopen lighthouse. And then, there is the merman.
If you are familiar with Ripley's Believe It or Not, then you are likely know what type of merman I am talking about. The "Fiji Mermaids" were the creation of PT Barnum, of Barnum and Bailey's Circus fame, and a cohort. Now, you are likely to find them inside a Ripley's museum, not in a museum with some very interesting and historical exhibits. This merman could not be more out of place. They offer no explanation as to why the merman is there. It just simply is.
Best Food and Entertainment
The House of Blues, North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina - Bottom line is, there is pretty much always a show either happening or about to happen at the House of Blues, be it a dinner murder mystery, or a more traditional rock and roll show. I highly recommend their Sunday Gospel Brunch, which they've assigned the catchy slogan “Praise the Lord, and pass the biscuits!” And speaking of food, the House of Blues has that, too, focusing mostly on Cajun dishes, but don't let the word "Cajun" scare you away if you don't like spicy food. They have something to satisfy everyone's taste buds.
Best Boardwalk
Ocean City, Maryland - It might not be the longest boardwalk. That would be in Atlantic City, New Jersey at a little over four miles long. Ocean City's boardwalk is just over half that, at around two and a half miles. What it lacks in length, it makes up for in quality. Take your pick of restaurants, including The Dough Roller, which has a fantastic breakfast menu, and you can see the ocean over your breakfast plate. Take your pick of bars, like Shenanigans Irish Pub and Grille. Take your pick of souvenir shops, carnival games, and arcades. The only thing that could top all of this is a 140 foot tall ferris wheel. If you would like something a little more educational, check out the Ocean City Life-Saving Station Museum at the base of the boardwalk.
Best National Historic Landmark
Cape May, New Jersey - Not one of the buildings, the whole town. That's right. Basically the entire town is one huge national historic landmark. As well it should be, with over 600 homes, commercial buildings, and hotels. The entire town looks like something out of a model railroad. While in town, stop by the Ugly Mug Bar and Restaurant. Be sure to have them tell you the story of the mugs hanging from the ceiling. You should also take the time to drive out to Sunset Beach and see the wreckage of a concrete ship.
Best Free Attraction
NASA Wallops Flight Facility, Wallops Island, Virginia - Maybe it does not exactly have the prestige of it's bigger brother at Cape Canaveral, but as a fun, and free, place to take the family, Wallops packs a wallop. Located on Virginia's Eastern Shore, Wallops is the primary facility for all of NASA's suborbital programs, including weather balloons, sounding rockets, and flight research. The visitor's center, as I mentioned before, is free and houses multimedia presentations, fun photo opportunities, and a visitor's center where you can buy space food. Besides all of this, you can see a moon rock, protected inside a display case. Admission is free.
