Do you need good reasons to spend at least part of the next four weeks of summer on Long Beach Island?  Let us help convince you:

Hot Chocolate:
The Chocolate Bar (www.chocolatebarnyc.com) in Beach Haven.  Chocolate and more chocolate. In cool drinks,  scrumptious samplers, and stacks of colorful, creatively packed bars. You will leave believing chocolate is good for you. We do.

Meals To Go:
Avoid the island’s crowded restaurants and bring your dinner home to dine on the deck.

Foodies (8010 Long Beach Boulevard, Harvey Cedars)  is a smallish shop packed with big flavors.  Floor-to-ceiling with inventive home-made dinners, great salads, pastries, candy.

The Pearl Street Market (229 Pearl Street, Beach Haven) offering up a bounty of cooked and raw seafood,  goodies from Dean and DeLuca and a freezer full of Trenton’s Artic Ice Cream.

Fill Your Suitcase:
Forget flip flops and souvenir tee shirts.  Go to Tula (806 North Bay Avenue, Beach Haven)  for super chic at the beach. Owner/buyer Mariana Chianese has brought in a great collection of Cynthia Steffe ( www.cynthiasteffe.com/) dresses and suits.

Don’t leave without a  Run For Cover  (209 North Bay Ave., Beach Haven).   This shop is not new – but up-to-the-minute in taste and style. Check out the gold and silver link necklaces.

Daddy’s Girl:
Everyone is talking about Daddy O (www.daddyohotel.com/)  the island’s red hot boutique hotel that manages to be couple-friendly, but keep families happy.  If you can’t stay there,  plan at least one meal at the restaurant and make sure you sit in the big red booths and order the Buffalo Wing-less appetizers.

Sunrise, Sunset:
On LBI, you’ll have glowing sunsets over the bay and board-walk-less beaches. The carnival is confined to one area. There seems to be an  ice cream stand on nearly every block. You can shop for fantasy real estate, but you might even find something affordable.

Want more reasons?  Get off at exit 63 and head east.  You may spend the next four weeks on the beach