Spring Lake is the most upscale, elegant beach town on the Jersey Shore, often called "The Hamptons of New Jersey." Known as the "Irish Riviera," it holds the highest Irish-American ancestry of any municipality in the United States—39.4% per the 2000 census, rising to 50.7% including summer residents.
Developed in the 1870s as an exclusive resort for New York and Philadelphia high society during the Gilded Age, Spring Lake maintains strict architectural standards preserving its Victorian character. The 2-mile non-commercial boardwalk—the longest of its kind in New Jersey—features no arcades, shops, or food vendors, just peaceful ocean views. The town has no traffic lights or parking meters.
St. Catharine Church (built 1901) resembles a mini-St. Peter's Basilica with 800-year-old bronze standards from Rome and Irish-themed frescoes. Eleven Victorian bed-and-breakfast inns (built circa 1870-1888) welcome guests, while The Breakers on the Ocean remains the only grand 19th-century oceanfront hotel. The Irish Centre features the largest Belleek China collection outside Ireland, Waterford Crystal, and Aran knitwear.