Since boyfriend and I dragged our feet just a bit too long on our vacation plans, we had to give up our grand dreams of the Everglades and Key West for something a bit more local (and less expensive than a less-minute flight to Florida). Still, we’re excited nonetheless (as is sister, who will be joining in on the shenanigans as well). So in honor of our upcoming long weekend, here’s some info we should all know about Point Pleasant Beach, New Jersey:

• Point Pleasant Beach is only 45 miles south of NYC, and is home to 5,314 residents
• The Leni Lanape Native Americans were the original inhabitants of the area
• Tourism began in 1800, when Thomas Cook opened a farmhouse nearby
• During the 1870s, Captain John Arnold had a roadway built to the ocean. He also built a bridge over the Manasquan River, stretching through to Brielle.