Enjoy the Jersey Shore thru #JerseyLove

It’s been two weeks now since I’ve been back from the Jersey Shore and I’m in total withdrawal. Why? Because I miss my #JerseyLove peeps!

For four days, my online community of fellow bloggers came together for social good to help New Jersey tourism. I actually can’t believe it was two weeks ago that I joined over 40 wonderful women down the Shore for our “Jersey Love Social Media for Social Good” Social Media Moms retreat.

How did JerseyLove come about?

We all know about Hurricane Sandy and how it devasted our state. Scores of homes lost and people displaced. Small businesses closing. The results? People crossing off the Jersey Shore from their summer list which equates to the Jersey economy dropping. Without tourism, the people and businesses that call the Shore areas home suffer.

Then JerseyLove was born. In the matter of months, Dawn Sandomeno, Elizabeth Norton, Natalie Klein, Kadi Prescott and Candice Kahn came together to organize this amazing trip with one concept. Show Jersey some love through social media.

I’ll admit here that I’ve never spent the night in Atlantic City before JerseyLove. I’ve only gone down the Shore for concerts and a weekend trip in Wildwood once many years ago. But thanks to our wonderful sponsors Caesars Entertainment and D6 Surf Skimmers, I had the chance to see a whole different side to Atlantic City and the surrounding communities.

Together, we shared the Jersey Shore with the world reaching more than five million people, generating over 80 million impressions on Twitter through 6,000-plus tweets and shared over 3,000 Instagram images. It’s A-MAZING what we can do for our community when we ban together.

I had so much fun with the ladies of Social Media Moms and my fellow New Jersey Digital Moms. It all started with a rental car, airport pickups and a carpool ride with Rajean (Rajean Blomquist), Sharon (Not Your Mom Blog), Shana (Shana Mama) and Stephanie (TravelGirl).

After a drive from North to South Jersey, we relaxed in a clean and gorgeous hotel room from our sponsor and host Caesars Entertainment.

Followed by an amazing dinner at Mia

We visited Belmar for a day, and despite Superstorm Andrea, we made the most of our day hanging out at DJais with our families and Belmar Mayor Matt Doherty. Some of our members even surfed with D6 Sports and skimmed with D6 Surf Skimmers. Thanks to D6 Sports we were able to donate $5,000 to the City of Belmar to help with Sandy Relief.

New Jersey is well known for it’s lighthouses. During this trip I visited my first one and climbed 228 steps to the top.

I didn’t get a chance to join the ladies at the Steel Pier, but I know you and your family will have as much fun as the our group did just looking at these photos from Jennifer of Mommy B Knows Best and Robin of Princeton Found.

I had fun hanging out in Atlantic City, participating in our scavenger hunt and walking on the broadwalk. I even went shopping with my fellow NJDMom Clarissa of The Posh Parent.

Caesars Entertainment also arranged for us to enjoy a delicious evening of Taste of AC at Harrahs Resort.  

Spread the word: The Jersey Shore is open for Business!

I had such a great time and you and your family will too. When you visit the Jersey Shore, you help make Jersey Strong and become a huge part of JerseyLove. (Photo credit: Dawn of Party Blu Prints).

We Came, We Saw, We Conquered –  VENI VEDI VICI!

And a little video to recap our event

Read more about our trip through these links – it may seem like an overwhelming list, but these are the stories from the ladies who attended the trip with me and will give you different perspectives.

Thanks to all our sponsors for helping us make JerseyLove happen.

• Caesars Entertainment
• D6 Sports / D6 Surf Skimmers

To make a donation to help displaced families of Belmar - yes there are many who still need our assistance - visit the Belmar Relief website.

Link to the press release: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2013/6/prweb10822760.htm