Ocean Grove does summer like nowhere else on the Shore: tent city porches, concerts at the Great Auditorium, long evenings on the boardwalk between the Grove and Asbury Park. The only thing missing from that postcard is a homemade cone, and it's closer than you'd think.
Ryan's Oakhurst shop at 1805 Route 35 is about 10 minutes inland, up West Park Ave or straight out Route 33, an easy add to the drive home while the beach towels dry in the back. Two dozen small-batch flavors, open daily from noon to 10.
Why Ocean Grove makes the trip
After a beach day, options matter: homemade small-batch ice cream, Italian ice that beats the heat, hand-spun milkshakes for the boardwalk-tired, and 100% dairy-free Dole soft serve.
Renting in the Grove for a week? Hand-packed quarts turn a beach-house freezer into the most popular spot on the porch, and a custom cake (48 hours' notice) makes a vacation birthday feel like home.