To help usher in the July 4 holiday, the New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium announced, at the end of June, the winners of this year’s “Favorite Beaches” poll in a ceremony held in Ocean City. While that shore town remains defending overall champion – with 11 straight wins – Long Beach Island’s own Beach Haven and Barnegat Light did place third and fifth, respectively, in the Ocean County category.

Seaside Heights took the top spot in Ocean County, followed by Point Pleasant Beach, and with Island Beach State Park…