Stop Complaining: 7 Things That Make Living in The Atlantic City NJ Area Awesome

No one ever seems to appreciate where they live.

Is the grass greener? Would I be happy living somewhere else?

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Do other states other than New Jersey have to pay so many taxes?

Well... sorry, the taxes thing is New Jersey. No way around that...

Let's, though, focus on some GREAT things that really do make where we live, well,  awesome!

1. The Beaches, the Boardwalks, the Ocean.

OK, really three things, but they're all good. Do you know how lucky we are to have this? Even if you don't swim in the ocean, just being able to walk near it, smell it, look at it is a treat. Go anywhere in the interior part of this country, and you just don't have it. A few lakes or streams, maybe, but no OCEAN!

When I'm near the ocean, I feel at home.

2. The Restaurants.

I'm not going to say the Atlantic City casinos are part of the awesomeness. Even though they are unique, some people love them, and some people hate them. The restaurants, though, bring really good food and unique experiences to South Jersey.

I'm talking about the restaurants in the casinos, many led by world-famous chefs and/or TV cooking celebrities. I tell you, no other city of 40,000 people has the food choices that the casino properties give us.

It's really beyond that, though. There are great restaurants not connected to the casinos in Atlantic City - but also up and down the South Jersey Coast and inland. I don't know the figures, but our great restaurants per capita number must be astronomical.

It's not just the expensive either. The mom-and-pop restaurants in South Jersey are phenomenal.

Count me as one of those locals who wish for a Panera Bread or a Cheesecake Factory, but at the end of the day, I love the choices we have! (By the way, make sure to thank local restaurateurs for hanging in there the last couple of years, and remember to tip your servers.)

3. Friendly People!

There are nice, good-looking people who live in South Jersey! The mean ones? They must be from North Jersey of Philly.... (That's a joke people!)

4. There's Not A Lot of Traffic.

Yeah, I know summer weekends on the Parkway and Expressway and a few other roads. That's pretty much it, though, right? Sure, once in a while, there's other traffic here and there, but for the most part, we're not sitting in traffic and watching the world go by.

5. No Sales Tax on Clothes.

Sometimes it's the little things that make life a touch sweeter. The price of that sweater? It's what you see, no tax. (Well, not yet anyway...)

6. We Have A Great Free Zoo!

The Cape May Zoo always finishes near the top of when someone ranks zoos in this country. What a great, fun, relaxing place to take the kids or grandkids - or just take a stroll on a nice fall weekend.

7. We Get All Four Seasons.

Yes sir! Luckily, at least for me, it's not a big heavy slice of winter. One good snow is usually just enough.

There you have it, 7 great things that make South Jersey an awesome place to live.  Be thankful!