Our 3rd Coastal Getaway stop this year was…drumroll please….LBI/ Long Beach Township, NJ
This is a destination we personally visit annually , as my oldest daughter participates in a special adaptive Surf program every year. My kids & I absolutely LOVE our little 3day stay & we pack in all the fun each & everytime we go.
We choose to stay at the Holiday Inn Manahawkin/Long Beach Island as we love it’s resort feel with it’s onsite restaurant & activities such as Go-Karts, Adventure Park, Arcade, Pool, mini putting green etc. It’s a little inland from the water, but we prefer coming to/from after our Long Beach day. It’s a nice short drive from all the main beach dining & surf shop spots.
The Inns on-site restaurant , Mainland is typically one of our Dinner stops, which works perfectly at the end of our Long Beach day, since we can just walk right down from our hotel room floor to its main door! They offer both indoor/outdoor seating & typically have live entertainment. We love sitting outdoors and dining while hearing/watching the live music. Their menu is a nice mix of all around Burgers, Sandwiches, Salads… and some unique spins on traditional dishes that change at times. They label items that are Gluten-free & while it’s not a wide variety, the options they do offer always work well for us! It’s mainly salad options, or you can omit the bread/Bun on other dishes. (They don’t offer Gf bread options)So far we’ve had knowledgeable staff waiting on us ,able to answer questions & offer options to fit our dietary needs. Pictured below is their “CHOPPED SALAD” with grilled Shrimp added (vegan? Just don’t add the extra protein options & you’ve got your vegan meal)& a Balsamic dressing.
Now, TOPPING my list of MUST EAT AT spots, is a total Gem! They have two locations, one right on LBI closer to the main beach drag and the one we visited, not far away,in Manahawkin. We loved that the Manahawkin location was within super close proximity to our hotel, just a bit off the beaten path, a little away from the main beach area stretch. THIS PLACE (whichever location you stop at) is a Healthnuts, Plantbased lovers or VEGANS paradise!!!
Their menu is just aaaamazing and based off the few things we’ve tasted, absolutely deeeelicious!! I can attest that their juices and smoothies are all made fresh, on the spot with REAL veggies and fruit in their raw whole form. We watched as the handfuls of veggies were juiced right then and there, made to order for us! Order to-go and bring it with you to the beach, or sit and dine in with their cute,quaint & quirky indoor decor vibe or on outdoor tables. Anything and everything you could want in a plantbased form is there. Juices. Smoothies, sandwiches, bowls, soups, wraps&more! They have plenty of GLUTEN-FREE as well (remember vegan/plantbased doesn’t mean Gluten-free and the combo can sometimes be hard to find)
Pictured above : “Vegan scramble” (also GF)
Bowl and fresh GREEN juice . (Living on the Veg LBI)
They have some of everything for all types of taste buds and have one of the more extensive Gluten-free and/or Dairy free/vegan menus. Everything is clearly labeled on their menu if it is GF, DF/Vegan which takes guesswork out of it, but, should you have a question, or need to adapt an item the waitstaff was very informed in our experience. Burgers and sandwiches can be made GF on GF bread/buns, Quesadillas can be made with Vegan cheese, salads have Gf dressings and so on… So many options!! They also serve breakfast with an array of amazing GF dishes. You MUST stop in!!
Pictured above: Rainbow Falafel bowl w/Tahini dressing and Vegan/GF Quesadilla (Wally’s LBI)
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If you’re like me, and always find yourself a “coffee stop” every vacation to grab your daily fix & maybe a snack or two , then you’ll want to stop in at
Surfside Coffee House . With plenty of gourmet coffee concoctions to choose from & multiple non dairy creamer options it’s a great way to start your day or take a midday beach break! If you prefer your breakfast or lunch to-go and maybe some snacks for later on the beach they have plenty of healthy options, gluten free bread can be substituted as well! They even have GF baked goods available as well as some packaged snack options that are perfect for packing in your beach bag.
Pictured above: -GF Avocado toast & Dairy free Iced Coffee
- GFCF QUINN snacks Choco-PB pretzels 👌
(Surfside coffee)
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Need a sweet treat? No shortage of ice cream shops that offer non dairy/vegan options. A couple of our stops include :
Pictured above: Vegan Black Rasberry and Peanut Butter icec cream (Ice cream Shoppe of Manahawkin)
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Smoothie fan?? Multiple options to hit! Many of the places listed above are top go-to’s!
Living on the Veg would probably be #1 in terms of quality ingredients when it comes to frozen smoothies. But, for a place more specific to ‘Smoothies’ to-go in particular, you’ve got a couple decent options , that are familiar , known chain eateries. Most places do also offer other simple menu items in addition to smoothies, such as toasts, bowls & salads. Being a “chain” sometimes means you just have to ask more carefully about the ingredients & may have to swap some around to ensure it’s as Healthified and dietary friendly to your needs, but they’re still great spots to grab&go assuming you’re aware of ingredients and what you’re looking for. Be mindful of processed gluten & sugar containing granolas, commercial processed honey and/or premade fruit juices , added dairy or powders etc. That’s all! They can definitely still be a great treat on the go and a healthier option if you order accordingly. Two of the chain name spots right on the main beach stretch :
Pictured above: Avocado Toast and GREEN smoothies
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AND last , but certainly NOT LEAST and definitely not the end of the delicious dining spots you’ll find in the area, last of our Favs we recommend,
This trip was so jam packed with action and dining visits, we couldn’t even manage to get this one on our schedule this year. But, last year it did NOT dissapoint as this pic below shows!! Knowledgeable staff when it comes to Gluten and other dietary needs and fresh made dishes served hot off the grill with deliciously REAL ingredients 👌
And that a wrap!! For this year anyhow. Go book your visit before the seasons over. As for us… see you again next year LBI. ☀️ 🌊 🏄♀️ 🏖
