What’s a better vacation: a week at the Jersey Shore or spring training in Clearwater?

I have invited two Inquirer journalists who I knew could answer this week’s question — Sam Ruland, who has gone to Clearwater for Phillies spring training and frequents the Shore, and Amy S. Rosenberg, a Shore resident and The Inquirer’s Shore correspondent.

Have a question of your own? Or an opinion? Email me.

Evan Weiss, Deputy Features Editor

This week’s question is:

What’s a better vacation: a week at the Jersey Shore or spring training in Clearwater?

Amy S. Rosenberg, Life & Culture Reporter

I’d say if you’re talking about February or March, definitely opt for Spring Training. We’ve got almost nothing for you down here.

I‘m always really envious of people who go to Spring training. Do people envy me for living at the Shore? Maybe. Maybe not.

So maybe it’s easier for me to say definitely take that spring training trip! Then in the summer take day trips to free beaches (Atlantic City, Strathmere, Wildwood) and sit there with the games on audio. That’s just a lovely day at the beach.

Sam Ruland, Features Planning and Coverage Editor

I went to Phillies spring training in Clearwater in 2023, splitting a house Airbnb with friends, doing the full baseball-all-day, casual-night-out routine.

Clearwater felt special because it was a treat: a few days of baseball optimism, warm weather when Philly is still miserable, and no expectations beyond watching baseball and drinking beer.

I think both of these experiences are so different though! Spring training wouldn’t fill the void of missing a week down the Shore in the summer. Spring training is spring break!

Amy S. Rosenberg

Which is more expensive?

Sam Ruland

Depending on when you book flights, it can be cheap. But if you don’t plan far enough out, you can easily end up dropping close to $1,000 on airfare… to Florida. Which feels wrong.

Amy S. Rosenberg

I would have guessed the Shore would be the more expensive. I really miss the old minor league Atlantic City Surf that played on Albany Avenue at the Surf Stadium, a lot of times with fireworks, and their own mascot, Splash. You didn’t need to leave the Shore to have the full experience, especially for little ones. Mitch Williams was the coach one year.

I typically spend about $38 each way to get to Florida from Atlantic City, just saying.

Sam Ruland

WOW!

Amy S. Rosenberg

(Don’t tell anyone about ACY, the world’s greatest airport.)

Sam Ruland

We spent about $200 on roundtrip flights. But when we considered going last year the prices were wayyyy higher.

Amy S. Rosenberg

As someone who’s a Philly sports fan, though transplanted, I sometimes find it hard to get into the teams in the early season, so for me, going to spring training would be a great way to guarantee a full season immersion, which sounds heavenly.

But if you’re stuck up north, and into basketball, Atlantic City hosts the MAAC 10 tournament, which is a great lead up to March Madness. A lot of times, the teams that win that are sleeper upsets in the main tournament, like St. Peter’s Peacocks. Atlantic City people had a head start on that.

Sam Ruland

I think the Shore is probably more money for a full week — no question. But for some reason, it also feels like you get more out of it. And I say that as someone who loves the Phillies deeply and does not enjoy admitting this.

Amy S. Rosenberg

When you’re down in Clearwater, do you get any beach time? Is there even a beach in Clearwater?

(I’m not really a west coast Florida person.)

Sam Ruland

Yes, there are beaches, but for us the days revolved around games and schedules. The beach was there in theory; spring training energy very much took over in practice.

Amy S. Rosenberg

I feel like spring training vacation is something you should do but not every year maybe.

Evan Weiss

Yeah, I think if it’s something you’ve always wanted to do… go for it. Then go down the Shore next year.

Sam Ruland

Agreed! Spring training is a great trip — but the people who go every year usually don’t have to choose. For friends or couples, Clearwater is perfect. For families, the Shore just makes more sense, even if it costs more.

Amy S. Rosenberg

I think it would be an awfully long summer without that trip down the Shore.

Sam Ruland

I mean Jersey Shore in March vs. Clearwater in March, I think yes, Clearwater. You’re not going to Shore that early!

Amy S. Rosenberg

Yeah, March is kind of bleak. Lots of contractors building very expensive homes on land where cute bungalows used to be. I am surprised to see my summer neighbors showing up on long winter weekends though.

Evan Weiss

So if it’s spring training vs. peak summer down the Shore, do you both side with the Shore?

Sam Ruland

Peak summer Jersey Shore, 1,000%. No hesitation. Hoagies on the beach, Shore showers, no shower happy hours, ice cream every night, boardwalk walks for no reason. That’s unbeatable. But in March, being in Clearwater with the Fightins just feels right.

(But one over the other, I think I have to choose Shore.)

Amy S. Rosenberg

I think it’s okay to take a summer off and go to Spring Training, especially if people in the traveling group are into it. You won’t be banned from the Shore. There are weekends and free beaches and ways to do it without breaking the bank. And if the Phillies go deep in the post-season you can join the locals on the beach with the twilight games on, order a pizza, and you’ll feel like the beach is a South Philly street where everybody’s on their steps listening.

(Just bring a sweatshirt.)

This conversation has been edited and condensed for length and clarity.