Historic Smithville began as a 1787 stagecoach stop on the road between Atlantic City and Philadelphia—a place where travelers stopped for food and rest before the final leg of their journey. The building still stands, now operating as the Historic Smithville Inn, anchoring a village that has transformed that original waypoint into one of the Jersey Shore's most distinctive non-beach destinations. Atlantic City Magazine named it "Best Off-Shore Restaurant," and the colonial American cuisine in 18th-century surroundings justifies the 25-minute drive from the casino strip.
The village surrounds Lake Meone with 60+ shops connected by cobblestone pathways: A Tour of Italy for imported goods, Castle in the Air for antiques, Smithville Peanut Butter Company for the obvious specialty, and enough variety to occupy serious shoppers for an afternoon. The shopping skews toward unique finds rather than chain stores—the kind of browsing that beach towns abandoned for surf shops and souvenir stands.
Lake activities provide the family entertainment that shoppers bring kids to tolerate. Paddle boat rentals run $12 weekdays, $15 weekends for circuits around the lake. An antique carousel operates seasonally. A train provides village tours for $3/person. These aren't thrill rides; they're the kind of gentle activities that work for mixed-age groups where grandparents and toddlers share the same afternoon.
Fred and Ethel's Lantern Light Tavern—named after the village founders—handles the casual drinking and dining: homemade French onion soup, bar food, live weekend music, eight TVs for sports. Figure $15-25 for tavern fare, $40-60 at the Smithville Inn for fine dining.
The event calendar distinguishes Smithville from random outlet shopping. Thirty-plus free events annually include Oktoberfest, the Irish Festival, Dickens Fest in November (Victorian costumes and A Christmas Carol performances), the Monster Bash for Halloween, and a Pet Costume Parade. The holiday light show runs nightly from Thanksgiving through early January—free admission for synchronized lights and music over the lake that draws thousands and has become a shore-region tradition.
Historic Smithville works best for shoppers seeking non-chain browsing, families needing Atlantic City alternatives, couples wanting romantic village dining, and event-goers tracking the festival calendar. Skip Smithville if you want beach access—Atlantic City is 25 minutes, Brigantine 20 minutes, and this village is entirely landlocked by design. But for the stagecoach stop that evolved into a shopping village and kept its 1787 inn operating, Smithville delivers the shore's most distinctive non-beach day trip.