Shore Business Owners Hope Nice Weather Will Turn On The 'People Faucet'

ASBURY PARK, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- The New York area is finally getting a taste of summer, and many people are hitting the beach to enjoy the long awaited sunshine.

CBS2's Vanessa Murdock was in Asbury Park on Friday, where it was quite a change from the bleak weather we had for the unofficial start to summer.

Memorial Day was a downer with teaming rain and temperatures around 60, it hasn't been much better since then.

"It's been nothing but rain," Alisa Joffe said.

"Not beach type weather until today," Jerry Sokolowski said.

The big relief came a bit to late for the Ortiz family. Their beach vacation ended today, but little Scarlett made the best of it.

"I found a crab shell, a body one," she said.

It took three-and-a-half hours to get from the West Side of Manhattan to Point Pleasant Beach on Friday, but good things come to those who wait, and this hot, sunny weekend has been a long time coming for everyone.

The mad rush to get out of the city had drivers jamming the streets. For many, it was a race for relaxation -- boats in the water, and beers on ice.

"It's finally a nice night. That's why we're out enjoying the weather," Jacquelyn Leach said.

Suns out and surfs up. Bikes were blazing down the boardwalk, and people were enjoying the sand between their toes.

"I love it," one beachgoer said.

Shop owners along the boardwalk love it too. They know the crowds will grow as the weather warms.

"It's like people didn't notice that it was raining or cold. It's been bustling," Sylvia Sylvia, the executive director of the Asbury Park chamber of commerce said.

She said even with the less than ideal beach weather, business hasn't been bad.

"If it's an indication or trend of what the summers gonna be like, it's going to be a great one," she said.

That's what shop owner Tara Elliot is hoping, she knows this will be a busy weekend at the beach.

"It's going to be an onsluaght. We have all new merchandise," she said.

Diane Heleiotis said business at Mayfair gets better as the weather warms.

"We are cooking," she said.

And getting ready for what she calls 'the people faucet' to turn on.