This is something every NJ resident needs to do this summer

We've got so many great beaches in New Jersey that offer a million different things. Some have activities you can do that others don't.

But what's something every NJ beach has in common?

They give you the ability to see the sunrise over the ocean! And after doing it last weekend I believe it's something everyone in New Jersey needs to try.

Kyle Clark / Townsquare Media

Some ground rules before you decide to do this. You're going to need to get up EARLY. Depending on how far you live from the beach (40 minutes for me) you'll need to wake up somewhere in the 4 a.m. range. No matter who you are that's never going to be easy.

It seems self-explanatory, but you're going to want to pick a day when you know the sun is going to rise. The day that I went it was cloudy with little sun. Now this still makes for an amazing experience (I'll get into that later) but for the optimal experience make sure the weather forecast calls for sun, and a lot of it.

As for my experience, well, there wasn't much sun. Unfortunately, it was an overcast day and the sun seemed to hide behind the clouds for most of the morning. This was still a one-of-a-kind experience though.

The beach was completely empty. Picture that if you can. Our beaches are always so crowded but there was not another soul there that morning. The clouds made the ocean almost look pink at 5 am which was more beautiful than you would imagine. And it was one of the most peaceful experiences I've ever had.

Kyle Clark / Townsquare Media

Nobody in sight, just the sound of the waves crashing along the beach in front of you. We're very lucky in New Jersey to have this opportunity, everyone needs to take advantage of it at least once.

LOOK: Here are the 50 best beach towns in America

Every beach town has its share of pluses and minuses, which got us thinking about what makes a beach town the best one to live in. To find out, Stacker consulted data from WalletHub, released June 17, 2020, that compares U.S. beach towns. Ratings are based on six categories: affordability, weather, safety, economy, education and health, and quality of life. The cities ranged in population from 10,000 to 150,000, but they had to have at least one local beach listed on TripAdvisor. Read the full methodology here. From those rankings, we selected the top 50. Readers who live in California and Florida will be unsurprised to learn that many of towns featured here are in one of those two states.

Keep reading to see if your favorite beach town made the cut.