As Labor Day weekend comes to a close, your summer days at the Jersey Shore fade to fond memories, replaced by the reality of the hustle and bustle of school, work and the upcoming holidays.

Slow down speedy, and put those holiday thoughts on hold. There is still time to enjoy the beach.

Named for the sparse crowds and still warm weather, September beach trips, dubbed the "local summer," are a chance for folks living the everyday Shore life to reclaim their beaches, restaurants, and favorite hot spots.

Many Shore locals consider September the best month of the year.

“It is the most beautiful month, I think, in our area, and a perfect reason to come to the beach,” said Marilyn Schlossbach, owner of Langosta Lounge, Pop's Garage, and the Asbury Park Yacht Club.

Here are nine reasons why September is the best time to make a trip to the Shore.

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Cape May beach tags which were made and assembled at Jersey Cape Diagnostics Training and Opportunity Center in Cape May Court House, Tuesday, April 17, 2018.

1. Free beach

Finally, now the Jersey Shore is like most beaches during the summer -- free. Isn't that what you all wanted?

It’s a topic for discussion every summer: why do most Shore towns charge for the use of their beaches? We all know that the money goes to beach clean up, lifeguards, and patrols; but that still doesn’t soften the blow of putting out more than $100 for a piece of plastic that can get you onto the beach all summer.

If you have a big family, you might as well take out a loan for those season tags. So much for that college education.

But after Labor Day, beach badge checkers go away and you can enjoy your spot on the beach, for free, all the while thinking that you somehow are getting revenge on your favorite Shore town that dug deep into your wallet all summer long.

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A large crowd gathers near Martellâs in Point Pleasant Beach in northern Ocean County. (Andrew Mills | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

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Annie Hubbs, a bartender at Back Bay Ale House in Atlantic City, makes a Bob Marley Basin Mason at the outside bar.

2. Smaller crowds at your favorite restaurant

Nobody likes to wait to eat. During the summer months, those lines to get a table at your favorite restaurant, or a drink at your favorite bar, are long.

"Depending on the weather and time of day it can take anywhere from five minutes to 90 minutes to get a table," said Jane Williams, owner of Back Bay Ale House in Atlantic City.

This Key West style restaurant, located in Gardner's Basin, offers views of the sun as it sets behind the bayside casinos, and is packed from when school lets out to the time school starts again, explains Williams.

But after Labor Day, the crowds thin, the wait is cut in half, and you can enjoy some additional recipes.

“When we are serving less people we can put out a bigger variety of food,” she said.

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The view from Back Bay Ale House in Atlantic City as the sun sets behind the bayside casinos. (Tim Hawk | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

The same crowded summer scene plays out about 80 miles north in Asbury Park.

"On a beautiful day it could be anywhere from an hour to two hours depending on the time of day that you come," said Marilyn Schlossbach, owner of Langosta Lounge, Pop's Garage, and Asbury Park Yacht Club.

But in September the wait drops to nothing, she said, adding that the off season also means more food specials and a longer happy hour.

“We definitely add more to our programming to get people in.”

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3. Greenheads are gone

The greenhead: The destroyer of bliss, the flying devil of the Jersey Shore.

One of the biggest gripes for anyone visiting the beaches during prime season are those nasty greenheads. If a west wind is blowing, you will become a tasty meal for those females looking to get a blood source for their eggs. Most experts agree, nothing will keep them from gouging you.

Most if not all of them are gone by September.

Good riddance fly, see you next year.

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Robert Gilliard, of New York City, tries alligator during the Atlantic City Seafood Festival, Saturday, Sept. 9, 2017. (Tim Hawk | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

4. Fall festivals

It’s Friday afternoon and work is winding down for the week. A perfect weather weekend is staring you in the face and all you have planned is yardwork.

What are you thinking? Go to the beach, and while you are there stop by one of the many festivals that the Jersey Shore has to offer in September. From music to seafood to Irish favorites, there is something for everyone.

North Wildwood has Boots on the Beach, a three day country music festival beginning September 13, and the Irish Fall Festival, September 19-22.

If seafood is what you're looking for, try the Downbeach Seafood Festival in Ventnor, September 7, or the Asbury Park Oysterfest, a three day culinary event starting September 6.

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Asbury Park Oysterfest draws thousands for its three-day event.

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View of the Atlantic City Expressway looking west from Atlantic City. ( Lori M. Nichols | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

5. Less traffic and more parking

The emotions as you drive to the Shore can go from excitement to misery in an instant.

You checked your maps on your phone and saw nothing but green on your route. But then —traffic — with nothing but red brake lights as far as you can see.

Most beachgoers plan their trips around traffic, but inevitably traffic will find you.

After Labor Day, people go back to their regular routines and traffic at the Shore is at a minimum. And as an added bonus, fewer cars also means more parking spots.

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A day at Island Beach State Park, Wednesday, July 11, 2018. (Tim Hawk | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

6. Beaches, boardwalk and fewer bennies

No overbearing boombox pumping out someone else's favorite song. In September on the beach, you can actually hear the ocean and read a book in peace.

Fewer bennies means more room to spread out, maybe even get a spot right by the water. Look to the left, look to the right. Peace.

You can even walk the boardwalk without the fear of getting bumped into by inattentive groups stumbling around.

Slip in and out of the stores quicker — but take a minute to look over the end of season deals — get on the amusement rides faster, and even that slice of boardwalk pizza tastes better without the aggravation of standing in line.

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Kids fly through the air on the Wave Swinger at Morey's Piers in Wildwood, Friday, July 20, 2018. (Lori M. Nichols | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

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Jeans on the beach is a violation. @cfranklinnews did not get that message. We are working to correct this problem. He is working hard at the Brigantine Surf Jam. @jessbeym pic.twitter.com/p8gZu3rFQB — Tim Hawk (@photogthawk) August 8, 2018

7. Ocean and air temperatures are perfect

In my book wearing jeans ON the beach is a violation. Temperatures can reach 90 degrees by the time August rolls around. But hey, if that’s your thing then knock yourself out.

If you fit this mold then September is your month. The days are warm, with less humidity and the nights bring in that fall air you probably crave.

“Generally speaking, dew points and relative humidity values are lower by mid to late September,” said Alex Staarmann of the National Weather Service in Mount Holly.

The average high temperature in Atlantic City is 77 while the average low is 58. The same can be said for Toms River where the average high is also 77, but the average low drops to 55, according to the NWS.

Break out the sweatshirts for that romantic evening stroll on the beach and make sure you put your feet in the water.

According to data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the ocean is warmer at the end of September than it is in June. Average ocean temperatures for the first half of September range from 70 in Sandy Hook to 73 in Cape May. Compare that to the first half of June, where temperatures range from 60 to 67.

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Sophie King, 6, of Doylestown, surfs in Ocean City. (Tim Hawk | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

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The Water Star Grille at The Reeds at Shelter Haven in Stone Harbor, Tuesday, Aug. 7, 2018. The Reeds, a year-round luxury boutique hotel, opened a new 22 room expansion that will feature a two-story spa located adjacent to the main hotel. (Tim Hawk | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

8. Great deals on rentals

Looking for that swanky rental property or hotel that might have been a little out of your price range?

Start looking now because after Labor Day, rental prices tend to drop and those experienced beachgoers have already booked a place.

The Reeds at Shelter Haven, a boutique hotel in Stone Harbor, is offering a midweek Endless Summer Escape Package which includes beach butler services, bay activities — access to paddle boards, kayaks— and a $50.00 resort dining credit.

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Inside the Superior Suite at The Reeds at Shelter Haven in Stone Harbor. (Tim Hawk | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

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Sunset at the Absecon Inlet. (Tim Hawk | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

9. Spectacular Sunrises and Sunsets

Those amazing sunrises and sunsets didn’t always match our laid back schedules during the summer.

A 5:30 a.m. sunrise, forget about it!

But now is a perfect time to catch the beauty of nature you might have missed earlier in the Shore season. By mid September, sunrise is approximately 6:40 a.m. and the sunset around 7:05 p.m.

Some great locations to see a sunset are Sunset Beach in Cape May Point, Sunset Lake in Wildwood Crest, Barnegat Lighthouse State Park, and off of Barnegat Bay in Lavallette and Ortley.

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Sunrise in Atlantic City. (Photo courtesy Kristian Gonyea)

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Sunrise in Atlantic City. (Photo courtesy Kristian Gonyea)

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Tim Hawk may be reached at thawk@njadvancemedia.com. Follow Tim on Instagram@photog_hawk and Twitter @photogthawk.

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