While it’s not the most popular season to visit the Jersey Shore, autumn is one of the best times to experience the area. From late September through November, beach-going crowds thin, but the air takes on a cleaner, clearer, crisper quality, and the ocean breeze offers a brisk, refreshing chill. A mid-October weekend provided the perfect escape for my fiancé and me — a quiet, restorative stay in Stone Harbor, New Jersey.
One highlight of our visit was a stop at The Salt Spa at The Reeds, the newly opened spa at the luxury Reeds at Shelter Haven hotel. Conveniently located in the heart of Stone Harbor’s shops and restaurants and within easy walking distance of the beach, The Reeds is a popular base for exploring the area and relaxing in style.
The Salt Spa reception
PHOTO: © THE REEDS AT SHELTER HAVEN
Opened this spring, The Salt Spa debuted alongside 21 new guestrooms housed in a separate building across the street from the Reeds’ bay-front main building. Our room was in that new building, and the moment we stepped into both the guestroom and the spa the freshness was evident: pristine surfaces, modern finishes, and an inviting atmosphere that felt exclusive without being cold. The new tower rises on the site where Henny’s Restaurant once stood, and the two buildings complement one another in design and ambiance. The new building is quieter and a bit removed from the buzz of the main house, yet everything remains close at hand.
The full-service Salt Spa is a major draw. It features a wide menu of treatments, a Turkish bath, a brine room, a fitness center, a blow-out bar and a nail salon. I even watched a couple pose for photos outside the spa to commemorate a special anniversary — it’s clearly become a destination for celebrations and relaxation alike.
After a delicious breakfast at the quaint Fishin’ Pier Grille across the street, I returned to the spa alone for an 80-minute hot salt stone massage. Given the spa’s focus on salt therapies and its notable brine lounge, it felt appropriate to choose a treatment that incorporated signature salt. The menu is tempting, though: in addition to salt-based treatments, the spa offers a variety of massages, facials and flotation therapies, and the Turkish bath looks stunning in photos.
I waited for my therapist in the Brine Light Inhalation Lounge, which is complimentary with several treatments or available for a 45-minute session for $50. The lounge features a cushioned lounger positioned beneath a gentle cascade of Himalayan salt and a waterfall, with soft light therapy and tranquil music enhancing the calm. It was my second recent experience in a salt cave, and already I could sense the sinuses-clearing benefits Himalayan salt therapy can provide as colder weather approached. The 45 minutes passed quickly, and I was soon invited to my treatment room.
Spa treatment room
PHOTO: © THE REEDS AT SHELTER HAVEN
In the treatment room, the masseuse used perfectly warmed hot salt stones to ease tension from my muscles. The combination of rhythmic stone work and changing temperatures — replacing cooling stones with warmer ones — produced a comforting contrast that deepened the relaxation. I drifted into a blissful state before the 80 minutes were up, feeling renewed and light when the session ended.
After my massage I set out to enjoy a crisp autumn afternoon in Stone Harbor and nearby Cape May. The Reeds at Shelter Haven also offers event spaces, five dining options and a boutique, making it a convenient and stylish home base for a weekend getaway.
Over the course of the weekend we explored the shoreline on a long walk on Stone Harbor beach, visited the Cape May County Zoo, and enjoyed fresh seafood at Quahog’s Seafood Shack. We caught a movie — Joker — at a local cinema, sipped wine while watching the sun set from our guestroom deck, and stopped at a nearby farm stand overflowing with autumn produce whose colors rivaled the sunset. The Reeds at Shelter Haven made it easy to combine exploration and relaxation, and The Salt Spa proved an oasis of calm I look forward to visiting again, even during the busy summer season.