You know if you are a regular reader that I signed up to fish in New Jersey’s salt water. Since I became an official Jersey Angler I had to go to New Jersey to fish didn’t I?
Well, a lot of the inns were full, or if not full they were rather pricey. And after a spate of phone calls to places I’ve visited in the past the available options for a one day escape were limited so I did what any camper would do and I called the State of New Jersey and asked about Belleplain Forest. It isn’t exactly at the beach but then neither are a lot of their camping resorts.
In order to use their lake and picnic area you have to pay ten dollars on the weekend, but if you are camping at one of their sites then it’s free to go paddle around or swim, or hike in their forest!
For 30 dollars a night- and they do rent for just one night, you can get a lean-to. In different states lean-to’s mean different things. In Vermont it’s like an open creche like thing- sort of the background for manger scenes at Christmas, but in New Jersey it’s a shed. It’s got about 6 windows across the front of the shed, it’s about 16 feet by 12. It has a nice glass and steel door and a key. The back of these units slope and they are painted a solid dull brown inside. The floors are plywood and other than a propane heater there is nothing but a broom inside.
Outside the shed or lean-to you will find a fire pit, a charcoal grill, a picnic table and enough room to set up a screenhouse.
We aren’t talking luxury here, but seriously where else can you find arrangements for 6 at the last minute in a place where they drive through making sure guests are obeying state rules?
Free showers ( which could have used a cleaning but hey, have I mentioned they were FREE). They even have washers and dryers in the bath houses!
We brought bikes and locked them up in the lean-to when we went to the beach. Driving around at the beach there were plenty of places to park but they charged anywhere from 10 to 20 bucks for four hours starting at 8pm.
So fishing, swimming, sunning and boardwalking wound up being pretty inexpensive which meant we could afford going out to eat! Imagine crab chowder, a huge salad and beer while watching the Phillies on big screen televisions! 20 bucks! Or grilled steak and shrimp with blue cheese sauce and a side of bay seasoned fries for less than 20 bucks! Feeding a family of four, plus the overnight cost of the shed still was cheaper than most motel units.
Look, there are all kinds of vacations. A trip to a shed in New Jersey isn’t going to be everyone’s idea of a great escape. This jaunt wasn’t one of the fanciest but hey, if you have a family that likes doing things at the spur of the moment then you have to be frugal sometimes in order keep having fun without breaking your piggy bank.
And what do you really need to camp in a shed? A sleeping bag for everyone? Heck, a pool float and a blanket will suffice. I recommend a lantern, a battery operated fan, a cooler and a couple of beach chairs.
Pack a bathing suit and a lot of towels! Then add some bug spray and a paperback novel and you are almost ready to go. You’ll need matches and some charcoal briquets if you are going to be cooking out, but remember sandwiches and snacks don’t need any kind of cooking!
We’ve got a month of summer left! I wish you lots of fun!
love,
mo
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