July 4th weekend kicks off at the Jersey Shore

OCEAN CITY, N.J. (WPVI) -- Folks are hitting the roads in the Delaware Valley. And others are trying to beat the heat at the Jersey Shore as the holiday weekend begins.

"I'm not going in, it's pretty darn cold but the kids love it. They don't care," Jen Weinik of Jenkintown, Pa. said.

The water was a chilly 63 degrees Friday, but that did not stop people from swimming.

"It could be warmer. It's been kind of cold but once you get in you get used to it," Sloane Gochin of Hilltown, Pa. said

Heading in to 4th of July week, the beach in Ocean City is busy today.

A strong breeze is whipping the umbrellas and it's chilly enough that some folks including the lifeguards are wearing sweatshirts.

This did not please four-month-old Joey Raschella.

"We just came down for the day and we just enjoy it. We wanted to take him down so he could get down here. We thought it was gonna be warm but it's a little cold but it's still okay. We wanted to get down before the crowds," Joe Raschella of Mt. Laurel, N.J. said.

Allen Welker and his daughter Aralynn were happy as clams building a pyramid at the water's edge.

"Vacation. Going to the beach," Mindless fun, right? "Yeah exactly," Welker of Altoona, Pa. said.

The Garcia family has just arrived in town. They're first-timers in Ocean City.

"Looking forward to exploring Ocean City, maybe do some amusement park rides, beach, pool," Sakinah Garcia of Harlem, NY said.

Zadok and Enoch Garcia of Harlem, NY added, "Bike riding. After this we are going bike riding. Then we're going to go to the pool."

They seem to have it all planned out.

Enoch just couldn't wait to get going! And as the beach and boardwalk fill up this Friday afternoon before the Fourth of July, others are planning their exits.

"We come down every year for the week before Fourth of July so we come Saturday to Saturday and kind of head out before the traffic gets really really bad," Tom Gaal of Hatboro, Pa. said.

"It's been great. Lots of rides, ocean time, boardwalk, it's our favorite place to be," Stephanie Zaring of Middleburg, Pa. said.

Triple A says July 4th weekend will be the most traveled Independence holiday ever.

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