Smaller towns towards the northern tip such as Ocean Grove feature well-preserved clapboard homes reminiscent of the Long Island suburbs, rubbing shoulders with Bradley Beach, where author Philip Roth spent summers in the 1930s. If you want a Hamptons-style break outside of New York City, on a more modest budget, a new wave of hotels, restaurants and culture make the Jersey Shore a more affordable – and arguably more interesting – alternative, complete with timeless dunes and celebrated beaches.

The 141-mile stretch of the Atlantic coastline, in New Jersey, spans multiple towns with distinct personalities, many dramatically transformed over the years. For others, “the Shore”, as locals affectionately call it, is a nostalgic place of salt-sprayed, sun-kissed holidays.

For many, the mere mention of Jersey Shore conjures up the boozy antics of the cast of the MTV reality show of the same name.