An hour north of Atlantic City, Long Beach Island makes an easy late-season day trip, and there is a clear order to doing it right. Start the morning at Mustache Bill's Diner, a cash-only institution that has barely changed since it opened in 1959, before climbing the 217 steps of Barnegat Lighthouse, originally lit in 1859, for one of the best views anywhere on the Jersey Shore. From there, the afternoon is made for wandering the galleries and antique shops of Surf City and Ship Bottom before the drive back down the island.
For a dinner worth planning a trip around, the Knife & Fork Inn in Atlantic City has been serving steak and seafood since 1912, when it opened as an exclusive private club before becoming a notorious Prohibition-era speakeasy tied to Atlantic City power broker Enoch "Nucky" Johnson. A 2005 renovation restored its mahogany millwork and painted ceiling murals depicting the Roaring '20s, and today it remains one of the Shore's most storied fine-dining rooms, the kind of place where the history is as much a part of the meal as the seafood tower.
- Long Beach Island's classic day trip starts with breakfast at Mustache Bill's Diner, open since 1959
- Barnegat Lighthouse, lit in 1859, offers sweeping Shore views after a climb of 217 steps
- The Knife & Fork Inn in Atlantic City has operated since 1912, with a storied history tied to Prohibition-era Atlantic City
- A 2005 renovation restored the restaurant's original mahogany millwork and Roaring '20s-era murals
Whether it's a day on LBI or a dinner steeped in Atlantic City history, the Shore still has plenty to offer as the season winds down.
👉 Read the LBI day trip guide here
Attribution: Main Line Today
Photo Credit: Courtesy of Main Line Today
