Avon boardwalk A s the warm weather approaches, gather with family and friends and explore the historic and delightful town of Avon-by-the-Sea.

This tiny Monmouth County borough,

60 miles from New York and Philadelphia, is packed with personality and is surrounded by three bodies of water: Sylvan Lake to the north, Shark River inlet to the south, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east.

Find pleasure in Avon’s clean, white beaches and enjoy year-round fishing, boating and scuba diving. Stroll the boardwalk with its Victorian lamps, benches and pavilions.

For family fun just after Independence Day this year, attend the Boardwalk Craft Fair, which will be held Saturday, July 9, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and is sponsored by the Avon Garden Club.

The same weekend, July 9-10, the annual Book Fair will be held in the Pavilion, to benefit theAvon Public Library.

August calls for even more fun in the sun, kicking off with the Great Ocean Raft Race onAug. 1. Participants ages 15 and older should sign up for this popular event before July 15.

Atlantic View Inn The family is sure to get excited about the annual Sand Castle Contest to be held at the Norwood Avenue Beach on Saturday, Aug. 6, from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. The contest is open to all ages at no charge. Sign up from 8:30 to 9 a.m. on the day of the contest outside theAvon Boardwalk Pavilion. Contest age groups are 7 and under, 8-11, 12-16, and 17 and up. Each group may have a maximum of five people. Ribbons will be given out for first, second and third place.

The Boardwalk Pavilion will also host evening concerts Monday through Saturday throughout the summer, featuring Jimmy Byrne, Nicole and Denise, Creative Experience, Presley and Melody, Ragtimers and Full of It. Check out the full schedule online at http://www.avonbytheseanj.com/.

TheAvonArt Show will be held from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Aug. 13 on the boardwalk in and around the Pavilion. Enjoy fine art, originals and prints during this all-day event.

For a day you will never forget when traveling to this Victorian Jersey shore town, begin with waking up at one ofAvon’s well-known bed and breakfast inns like the Atlantic View Inn, where you’ll step back in time and experience this Victorian seaside resort. Here you will encounter old-fashioned charm and hospitality and begin your day with a generous breakfast before embarking on a day outdoors.

Begin at the beach where you can lie in the sun with a good book, or if you are feeling adventurous, try scuba diving or surfing.

Then take a stroll down the half-mile, noncommercial boardwalk where you can have lunch at the Avon

Pavilion, between Norwood and Woodland avenues.

Here you will dine overlooking the ocean and enjoy soups, salads or even a Pavilion Sandwich Platter.

Continue your day shopping in some of Avon’s unique shops and emporiums, where you will find clothing accessories, antiques and even collectibles.

For true relaxation and rejuvenation, stroll along

Main Street and stop by the Spa at Avon. Christine Blasich and Lori Segreti, owners of the spa, have a passion for health and beauty as well as a love for the ocean, which drew them to this resort town. Their goal is to have their patrons relax and unwind as they leave their worries at the door.

Blasich and Segreti have worked with celebrities, performing makeovers, facials, manicures, pedicures and waxing. After a day at the beach, you may want to take advantage of the full complement of hair services available, as well as a spray tan to even out any telltale lines.

The owners note that their affordable high-end spa will pamper your senses without emptying your wallet.

Continue along Main Street, home to an array of restaurants, and complete your day with a night on the town in the historic downtown area of Avon. What better way to end the day than with cocktails and cuisine from another of Avon’s well-known restaurants, like Alberto’s Seafood and Latin Cuisine or Schneider’s German-American Restaurant, both located on Main Street.

When you visitAvon-by-the-Sea, you can eat, play and fall in love with one the many “Treasures of the Jersey Shore.”

For rain dates on events and more information, visit http://www.avonbytheseanj.com/.