In some places, beach towns all run together. Sky. Water. Sand. Check. Not so at the Jersey Shore. From retro swimming spots dotted with hotels, bars and restaurants to hidden beaches tucked just out of sight, the state’s best swimming destinations are big on personality and great things to do, kind of like Jersey itself. The coastal scene has legit beach cred. Case in point: The very first boardwalk in the United States graced Atlantic City’s oceanfront way back in the summer of 1870.