The Belmar Environmental Commission has partnered with the Belmar Arts Center, the Belmar Historical Society, and the Belmar Public Library to relaunch the Belmar Treasure Trail, a self-paced walking tour of noteworthy points of interest in the borough.
The tour has expanded from 30 to 50 destinations that showcase the environmental, art, and historical treasures of Belmar. Each is identified on an interactive online map and accompanying podcast.
According to Belmar Councilman Tom Brennan, Borough liaison to the Belmar Environmental Commission, the podcast episodes “are filled with fun, fascinating, and some little-known facts about our wonderful town.”
The walking tour is divided into two routes, totaling nearly seven miles in all. The Main Street-Shark River Area route covers the first 27 stops and takes about two hours of leisurely walking to complete (four miles). The Ocean Avenue route is just under three miles in length (about 1.5 hours of walking) and covers stops 28 through 50. Newly updated signage at the 50 points of interest includes QR codes, which provide easy access via any mobile device to the narration that describes the site being visited.
The original Belmar Treasure Trail was developed in 2011. Unfortunately, when Superstorm Sandy struck the New Jersey coast in 2012, many destinations along the trail, along with most of the signage, suffered extensive damage. The project to revive the Belmar Treasure Trail was undertaken in 2022 as part of the Borough’s 150th anniversary celebration.
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In addition to Councilman Brennan and his wife, former Councilwoman Merry Brennan, the Belmar Treasure Trail podcast series is narrated by: Belmar Beach Patrol Director Harry Harsin; Belmar Historical Society President Spencer Heulitt; Lake Como Borough Administrator Andrew Huisman; Belmar Environmental Commission Chair Ed Lippincott; Belmar resident Dave Taylor, who also narrated part of the original Treasure Trail script; Belmar Mayor Mark Walsifer; and Belmar Elementary School Principal Sarah Wilton.
“This has been a true group effort,” said Councilman Brennan. “The Belmar Environmental Commission has talked for years about rebuilding the Treasure Trail. Celebrating Belmar’s sesquicentennial gave us the push to begin the year-long effort to revise and renew.”
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Download the podcast from the iTunes Store. Alternately, you may scan the QR code on each sign or call 732-749-7323 from any point along the tour to hear the recording. Visit www.belmartreasuretrail.com for more information.
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Belmar Treasure Trail map credit: www.belmartreasuretrail.com. Story and photos © copyright by Christine Cardellino, owner of www.VacationInBelmar.com and publisher of the award-winning Belmar Beachcomber Blog, a travel and tourism guide for the Belmar region of the Jersey Shore. Do not copy any content (including images) without our permission. All rights reserved.
