Beautiful start to summer at Jersey Shore

SHIP BOTTOM, N.J. (WPVI) -- What a way to kick off the official start of summer!

It was a perfect beach day Monday and now that the kids are out of school, a great time to hit the shore and start working on a tan.

"We come every year, the first week of June right after school lets out. The weather is gorgeous and we have 50 family members here this week and we're having a fantastic time," Marie Aldrich of Chalfont, Pa. said.

It may have been broiling inland, but next to the water, it was comfortable and if anyone gets too hot, well, you just go for a dip or catch a wave.

"It is just beautiful. Beautiful day today; the water's magnificent, clean, very nice," Georgia Ranieri of Beach Haven West, NJ said.

"It is a good beach day because it's nice and the water's not too cold," Kyle Pickard of Southampton, NJ said.

Ship Bottom just underwent an extensive beach replenishment project.

"I think it's a beautiful day and we're glad the winter is over. We just have to get used to our new beach. It's a lot bigger the sand is a darker color," Doreen Copeland of Medford, NJ said.

Now, if you are planning an escape this summer and you're driving to the shore or anywhere else on vacation, it may cost you a little more than you thought at the pump

The statewide average right now is $2.61 for a gallon of regular. Analysts thought it would be lower, but demand has been higher than expected pushing prices up

"I'm pretty excited. I don't get a lot of days off from work so I'm here any chance I can," Chelsea Snyder of Pemberton, NJ said.

Hopefully, this was the first of many sunny days this summer, so get out your bathing suit and beach chair and head to the shore.