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We asked you to tell us your favorite places and experiences at the Jersey Shore. And you responded. What follows are your picks for the best in 10 categories.
ACTIVITY WITH KIDS | BEACHES | BOARDWALK | BOARDWALK GAME/RIDE | BOARDWALK SNACKS | HOTEL/INN | MINATURE GOLF | NIGHTLIFE | RESTAURANT | SHOPPING
 Even if they're just digging a hole, the beach is best with kids. (TARIQ ZEHAWI / THE RECORD) 
Activity with Kids
1. The beach: We realize this is pretty obvious, but ... just hanging out on the sand, digging for shells or crabs, or fishing along the shoreline and jumping waves is enough to entertain your children. After all, they are at the beach.
2. Amusement/water parks: Breakwater Beach at Casino Pier, 800 Ocean Terrace, Seaside Heights; 732-793-6488 or casinopiernj.com.
Fantasy Island Amusement Park, 320 Seventh Ave., Beach Haven; 609-492-4000 or fantasyislandpark.com.
Jenkinson's Boardwalk, 300 Ocean Ave., Point Pleasant Beach; 732-892-0600 or jenkin sons.com.
Lucky Leo's Arcade, 315 Boardwalk, Seaside Heights. 732-793-1323 or luckyleosamusements.com.
Raging Waters at Morey's Piers, 3501 Boardwalk, Wildwood; 609-522-3900 or moreyspiers.com.
Storybook Land, 6415 Black Horse Pike, Egg Harbor Township; 609-641-7847/0103, ext. 5, or storybookland.com.
Honorable Mention: The boardwalk, for biking, riding surreys or simply strolling.
 The Ravioli House in Wildwood has "Italian food like your grandmother makes from scratch," one reader wrote. (PETER MONSEES / THE RECORD)  Restaurant
1. Lavallette's The Crab's Claw Inn and Wildwood's Ravioli House tied for your favorite restaurant down the shore. Rosie Villano of Saddle Brook said of Ravioli House: "[It's] Italian food like your grandmother makes from scratch. Make a reservation or you'll never get in. The woman who owns it is the classic 'little old Italian lady,' and her food is out of this world. The best!" The Crab's Claw Inn, 601 Grand Central Ave. (Route 35 north), Lavallette, 732-793-4447 or thecrabsclaw.com. Ravioli House, 102 E. Bennett Ave., Wildwood, 609-522-7894.
Honorable Mention: Atlantic City Bar and Grill, South Carolina and Pacific avenues, Atlantic City; 609-348-8080 or acbarandgrill.com.
The Crab House, Ocean Drive and Fish Dock Road, Wildwood Crest, 609-522-1341 or thecrab house.com. Temporarily closed.
The Washington Inn, 801 Washington St., Cape May, 609-884-5697 or washingtoninn.com.
 The beach at Wildwood Crest easily topped the list at best beach, according to those responding to our survey. Also winning praise were the beaches at Cape May, Point Pleasant Beach and Seaside Heights. (PETER MONSEES / THE RECORD)  Beaches
1. Wildwood Crest: Wildwood Crest was the clear winner. One of the most serene and family-friendly of all the beaches on the Jersey cape, Wildwood Crest is also known for its 1950s doo-wop architecture, preserved in many of its motels today, as well as Sunset Lake to the west.
2. Cape May.
Honorable Mention: Point Pleasant Beach, Seaside Heights
 Wildwood's boardwalk is a good place to exercise as well as be entertained. (PETER MONSEES / THE RECORD) 
Boardwalk
1. Wildwood: This world-famous boardwalk is known for its amusement rides, water parks and games — all within a 2-mile, 38-block radius. 800-WW-BY-SEA (992-9732) or wildwoodsnj.com.
2. Seaside Heights.
Honorable Mention: Point Pleasant Beach.
 Kohr Bros. stand on the Wildwood boardwalk. (FILE PHOTO) 
Boardwalk Snacks
1. Ice cream: Naturally, ice cream was the resounding favorite, keeping you cool (albeit sometimes sticky) as you take in the summer at the shore. However, Kohr Brothers Original Frozen Custard was the particular favorite. Various locations in Cape May, Ocean City, North Wildwood, Stone Harbor and Wildwood. 434-975-1500 or kohrbros.com.
2. Pizza.
Honorable Mention: Funnel cake.
 The Washington Street Mall in Cape May is a stroll-and-shop paradise. (FILE PHOTO) 
Shopping
1. Cape May: Readers cited the Washington Street Mall as their favorite shopping destination, by a landslide. Popular stores included Whale's Tale at 312 Washington St. and WinterWood Gift and Christmas Gallery, 526 Washington.
2. Lavallette: B & B on Grand Central Avenue, Ocean Hut Surf Shop on Route 35 north.
Honorable Mention: Point Pleasant Beach: Brave New World Surf & Ski on Richmond Avenue and Sand House on Ocean Avenue.
 Martell's Tiki Bar, Point Pleasant Beach, tied for top night life. (PETER MONSEES / THE RECORD) 
Nightlife
1. (tie) Martell's Tiki Bar and Atlantic City: Point Pleasant Beach's popular bar, a self-proclaimed "tropical paradise," tied with Atlantic City, particularly the casinos, for things to do at night. Martell's Tiki Bar, 308 Boardwalk, Point Pleasant Beach, 732-892-0131 or tikibar.com.
Honorable Mention: Hemingway's Café, 612 Boulevard, Seaside Heights, 732-830-1255 or hemingwaysnj.com.
Jenkinson's Boardwalk, 300 Ocean Ave., Point Pleasant Beach. 732-892-0600 or jenkinsons.com.
 The Port Royal Hotel on Ocean Avenue in Wildwood Crest rated highly because of its location, luxury amenities and offerings for kids. (PETER MONSEES / THE RECORD) 
Hotel/Inn
1. The Port Royal Hotel, 6801 Ocean Ave., Wildwood Crest: No surprise that your favorite hotel is at your favorite beach! Aside from its prime location, this year-round luxury oceanfront hotel offers a private balcony for each room, heated pool and kiddie pool and a variety of supervised kids' activities. 609-729-2000 or portroyalho tel.com
2. (tie) Chateau Inn & Suites, 500 Warren Ave., Spring Lake. 877-974-5253 or chateauinn.com.
The White Sands Oceanfront Resort & Spa, 1205 Ocean Ave., Point Pleasant Beach. 888-558-8958 or thewhitesands.com.
Honorable Mention: Aztec Motel, 411 E. Lavender Road, Wildwood Crest. 800-633-4193 or aztecmotel.com.
El Coronado Resort, 8501 Atlantic Ave., Wildwood Crest. 609-729-1000 or elcoronado.com.
Windjammer Motor Inn, First and Central avenues, Seaside Park. 732-830-2555 or windjammermotorinn.com.
Windswept Motel, 1008 Ocean Ave., Point Pleasant Beach. 732-899-1282 or windsweptmotel.net.
Even if they're just digging a hole, the beach is best with kids. (TARIQ ZEHAWI / THE RECORD) Activity with Kids
1. The beach: We realize this is pretty obvious, but ... just hanging out on the sand, digging for shells or crabs, or fishing along the shoreline and jumping waves is enough to entertain your children. After all, they are at the beach.
2. Amusement/water parks: Breakwater Beach at Casino Pier, 800 Ocean Terrace, Seaside Heights; 732-793-6488 or casinopiernj.com.
Fantasy Island Amusement Park, 320 Seventh Ave., Beach Haven; 609-492-4000 or fantasyislandpark.com.
Jenkinson's Boardwalk, 300 Ocean Ave., Point Pleasant Beach; 732-892-0600 or jenkin sons.com.
Lucky Leo's Arcade, 315 Boardwalk, Seaside Heights. 732-793-1323 or luckyleosamusements.com.
Raging Waters at Morey's Piers, 3501 Boardwalk, Wildwood; 609-522-3900 or moreyspiers.com.
Storybook Land, 6415 Black Horse Pike, Egg Harbor Township; 609-641-7847/0103, ext. 5, or storybookland.com.
Honorable Mention: The boardwalk, for biking, riding surreys or simply strolling.
 A coaster and ferris wheel at Wildwood. They topped the amusements list. Skee-ball and Frog Bog also rated well. (PETER MONSEES / THE RECORD) 
Boardwalk Game/Ride
1. Roller coasters: Coasters in general are your favorite Jersey Shore ride. The Great White and the Great Nor'easter, which will reopen this year with new trains, were the particular favorites; both are at Morey's Piers, 3501 Boardwalk, Wildwood. 609-522-3900 or moreyspiers.com.
2. Ferris wheel, Skee-Ball.
Honorable Mention: Frog Bog.
 Duffer's in Wildwood offers amusing props for mini-golfers. (PETER MONSEES / THE RECORD) 
Minature Golf
1. Duffer's, 5210 Pacific Ave., Wildwood: This family restaurant's 18-hole miniature golf course is just one of the many features that Duffer's offers to make it "A Family Place," as its sign says. "Duffer's is a must-see," says reader Daryl Seriale of New Milford. "[It has] the best homemade ice cream in the Wildwoods, with an arcade for the kids." 609-729-1817 or dufferswildwood.com.
2. (tie) Barnacle Bill's, 1968 Route 35 north, Seaside Heights. 732-794-9345.
Jenkinson's Boardwalk, 300 Ocean Ave., Point Pleasant Beach. 732-892-0600 or jenk insons.com.
Cape May Miniature Golf, 315 Jackson St., Cape May. 609-884-2222 or cape mayminigolf.com.
Honorable Mention: Monterey Miniature Golf Course, 3141 Route 35 north, Lavallette. 732-793-6700.
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