Bill Barlow

With economic uncertainty and rainy weekends on one side, and popular events and some spectacular beach days on the other, Jersey Shore businesses rode an economic roller coaster for the summer of 2025.

“Roller coaster is a good way to put it,” said Diane Wieland, Cape May County’s longtime tourism director, in a post-Labor Day interview.

Weekend rain early in the season kept visits down, but a stretch of 100-degree days helped lure people to the shore.

On some weekends, beach towns were packed with visitors, with parking at a premium and people bickering over beach space. But many visitors stayed fewer days, three or four nights instead of a week, and those who came tended to watch their spending closely, Wieland said.

“Some businesses are reporting that they did great, o

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