My first experience at the Jersey shore was in the summer of 1976. My family and I lived in Ottawa, Canada and I was 16 years old. We drove down the Garden State Parkway headed to Cape May, New Jersey for a two week vacation and on the way through we passed a sign for Atlantic City. It was an exciting time, the summer of ‘76, the bicentennial year in the United States and the country was hopping with celebrations. In 1976 the State of New Jersey approved gambling in Atlantic City and the casinos started to be built up and down the boardwalk.
