Jersey Shore Is A Destination For Many Looking To Escape City During Papal Visit
By David Madden
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- With Pope Francis due in Philadelphia in a little more than two months, there may be some area residents wanting to get as far away from the city as possible to avoid the throngs of people expected in town to see him. So how about a weekend down the shore?
You could rent a place, if that's your style. Over at Remax at the Shore, with offices from Ocean City to Cape May, Bob Pitera is scratching his head.
"You would think the people, as they vacate their primary residences, that they would be looking to come down to rent properties at the shore," Pitera says. "It's a wonderful time of the year. But we've noticed none of it."
Hotels and motels, on the other hand, have noticed an uptick in business.
"Their bookings are up between 10 and 13% during that week over the same time last year," says Diane Wieland, Cape May County's Tourism Director. "And we're also hearing from them that while some are attributed to the Papal visit, others are not saying."
Wieland says the end of September is a great time to hit the shore, with open stores, lots to do, still warm ocean water and fewer kids running amuck on the boardwalk.
It's likely reservations will get tighter the closer we get to the Papal weekend. So if you're thinking about booking a stay at the shore -- you might want to do so soon.
