Thousands Expected To Escape The Snow At The Jersey Shore This Weekend
By Cleve Bryan
SEA ISLE CITY, N.J., (CBS) -- Party tents are going up and strange visitors are starting to arrive in Sea Isle City.
"We're having the polar bear plunge and I'm the polar bear," Jim & Elsbeth Welsh of Sea Isle City said.
By noon Saturday thousands are expected to visit Sea Isle for the 20th Annual Polar Bear Plunge weekend.
"It's February at the shore and Sea Isle City is packed like it's a holiday weekend in the summer," Ralph Pasceri, owner of Pour House and Ocean Drive said.
Businesses are preparing for more than just an one event.
Valentine's Day is a whole other reason for restaurants like the Pour House to put together a special menu -- just one ingredient they're leaving out.
"Well there's no snow at all, which is a beautiful thing."
The shore got rain instead of snow this week. It was a bright, sunny Valentine's to take your honey for a walk on the Atlantic City boardwalk. The only thing better is what's in store a block off the beach at the Knife and Fork Inn.
Love potion cocktail with get you started at the Inn, followed by dishes designed for two – then cap it off with a plate of decadent chocolates.
The restaurant usually gets about a hundred extra customers for Valentine's Day and they're hoping this year to draw out-of-towners sick of the snow.
"Everybody's been stuck indoors for the longest time with whether it be cold weather or rain or snow and so this is a great weekend to get out and sort of brush it all off and come out and enjoy yourself," Ryan Bray of Knife and Fork Inn said.
The roads are clear, it's a few degrees warmer and of course there's plenty to do at the shore this weekend. If you don't have plans you might want to consider taking a ride.