From Diapers to Daiquiris: Our Sea Isle City

The key to having a great summer in Sea Isle City is to plan ahead. Book a place to stay either for a week or go in on a place with a bunch of friends for the summer - that way you will always have something to do on the weekend after a crappy week at work. Start looking in December or January at the latest for the following summer. To find a great rental, use Sea Isle Realty, Inc. Talk to Julie Lyons. She got Phillyist and our friends a great condo unit for less than $1000 for the week of July 4 - unheard of! Two blocks from the beach, one block to the bar – a rental dream come true. When choosing your rental, central air is key. Bonus if it comes with a pool. For 20-30 year olds, it’s best to stay between 44th and 36th streets because you are close to all the action and it's a short stumble home at the end of the night. Pack as many people as possible into the rental but only book it for four. Rental companies are a lil' wary about large groups. For weekend trips, try The Sea Isle Inn, or The Coast Motel. Sleeping in your car (tough on the back) or on the beach (just remember your beach tag) are also options.

Friday shore traffic is the worst, and parking can be a bitch. If you don't have parking spaces that come with your rental or hotel, try back by the bay. Also note: ignore the signs on the meters that say you can only park for 2 hours. Meters aren't checked that often and if they are, the fine is about 15 bucks.

If you can get down there early enough, join the bastards who didn't have to work that day at one of the "no shower" happy hours that empty the beaches and fills the bars with bikini-clad and bare-chested young-something's. Great outdoor bars are at La Costa, and the Carousel (43rd & Boardwalk) where live bands will serenade you. Sadly, these bars aren't the stomping grounds of the past in terms of cost. As our aunt, who used to frequent SIC watering holes in the early 50's, always brags, "We used to come off the beach, plunk a dollar bill on the bar, and drink till 2 am!" These days, cover charges reach the seven dollar mark on weekends.

If you can fit dinner in between the pints, there are some excellent options for those on a budget. Any bar has a menu of the typicals: chicken fingers, wings, fries. For authentic Philly cheese steaks and cool t-shirts, check out the Irish joint, Welshie's For Shore, 4205 Landis Avenue.

Azzurra Pizzeria is cheap but doesn't deliver, so be prepared have to hike down to 5012 Landis Avenue to pick it up. Our personal favorite (and a good date place) is Basilico's Ristorante (27 43rd Street). It's BYOB, so stop by Diamond's on 40th St. to pick up a bottle of wine. For the best fish and crustaceans, go to Mike's Seafood Restaurant & Take-Out on 43rd & Park Road on the Bay.

Back to the nightlife at hand. High prices aren't the only ridiculous aspect of SIC clubs. Remember to bring multiple forms of identification. At the La Costa, the stone-faced bodybuilder asked Phillyist for our regular I.D., our college I.D., two credit cards, our astrological sign and for us to recite our address backwards while doing a choreographed tap dance. (Ok, ok - we exaggerated about the tap dance.) We're not a huge fan of La Costa past happy hour. It borders on an overrated frat party with scantily-clad girls and meat-head boys looking for hook-ups. Not to mention it's as hot as the beach on a 90 degree day. Without a breeze. And don't even think about wearing flip-flops to any of the clubs/bars past 10pm. You will end up partaking in a precarious game of slip and slide. That and the murky black puddles of sand, beer, sweat and lord knows what else will look beautiful when it is caked onto your feet for the next 24 hours.

Now Phillyist might not be a fan of the typical groping, sweaty boy in the club (well, we guess it depends on the boy), but on the whole, we have never seen so many good-looking men in one town. (Maybe it's the tanned body and beachwear that does it for us.) So, where are these boys the rest of the year? Is SIC some sort of Bermuda triangle for hot men? And the girls look good too. Seriously boys, email Phillyist and let us know where you hide in the winter months.

If you can manage extended vacation time (or if you live off your parent's dime) stay during the week. No cover charges, less crowded beaches and bars, $1 drink specials daily, and the beach tag ladies aren't as demanding.

Live bands like Boost who frequent Shenanigans, are a nice break from the top 40. Our favorite is Secret Service, who rock the Ocean Drive on Sunday happy hours and Wednesday nights beginning at 10pm. Dom and Craig, a two-man band, keep the crowd singing the whole night long. Get there early to get seats at the bar, it's the best spot in the house. $1 bottle specials are available both days.

Shenanigans and the Ocean Drive are our favorite SIC clubs. They lean toward more of an older crowd. O'Donnell's Pour House (3907 Landis Ave. 609-263-5600) is a great pub with live Irish music and good, reasonably-priced food but FYI – dress code for men is collared shirts, but please, not popped.

The bars are open until 3am and if you want to keep going, there are always house parties. Just walk around until you hear loud music blaring from backyards.

The best hangover cure has got to be the bacon, egg and cheese on a long roll from McGowan's Deli (3900 Landis Avenue). The wait on weekends might be long but it's worth it. The owners hail from Glenside, a suburb outside of Philly. For a slightly pricier breakfast, try the Epicurean on 41st street. Get the pancakes with the flavored butter - amazing.

Not quite ready for the hot rays? There are free basketball courts on 41st or you could join the ranks of ambitious runners, rollerbladers, and bikers who dart up and down the promenade, but only until mid-morning. After that, the SIC police are out in full-force patrolling for perpetrators. Need a break from the cycle? Ocean City is just 15 minutes away with Mack and Mancos Pizza, funnel cake, and the infamous boardwalk. 25 minutes car-time gets you to Atlantic City.

After throwing breakfast grease on top of those shots, it's time to hit the beach. Avoid 32nd Street, 40th Street, and 44th Street beaches because that is where the public restrooms are. Set up your umbrella and towel there, and you will find yourself surrounded by kiddie pools, kites, plastic shovels and parents shrieking, "put on more sunscreen," and "don't go too far out!" The best beach is 42nd, it's close to all the essentials. No matter which beach you choose, don't forget your beach tag when you leave the beach, even if it's to just get a "wooder ice" (yeah, we love saying that and not getting made fun of, like we do in Pittsburgh). The old ladies on beach tag patrol are real sticklers. We've actually witnessed one running into the Atlantic after a surfer to see his tag. A one-day tag costs four dollars and a week costs eight. Hmm, which is the better deal if you stay longer than a day?

We're going to go all Mom on you for a minute: don't forget to put on sunscreen. A nose like Rudolph's isn't attractive when it is glowing brightly under the strobe lights in the clubs. A beach chair is clutch, allowing you to sit down by the surf when the sun gets unbearable. This way you are also closer to the manly football catches and paddle ball games. Chick-lit is another must. Don't try to impress anyone on the beach with your literary selections - we all know you want to know what's going on with Bradelina in US Weekly like the rest of us. Also, beware of the old, hairy European men vacationing in their metallic wiener bikinis. They like to strike interesting positions and this kind of sighting isn't conducive to relaxation if your breakfast already isn't sitting well. Also, do a mirror-check in your bathing suit before appearing public. If rolls of fat and excess body hair is visible, do us all a favor and change.

When you have thoroughly baked yourself to a crisp, spray on some aloe, get yourself to the nearest bar, and repeat.

For more information about Sea Isle City, click here.

Disclaimer: Phillyist does not encourage underage drinking, sleeping on the beach, avoiding parking fines, crashing strangers' parties or scamming real estate agencies. However, you're all big boys and girls now and we're pretty sure you can make these sorts of responsible decisions on your own. Besides, Phillyist is not your Mom. Well, except when it comes to the sunscreen thing - we're serious about that. Wear it. Really. Sunburn is never sexy.

Photo Credit: Sea Isle City NJ Tourism Commission