If your first thought about New Jersey is a joke that includes armpits, exit numbers, fist pumping, mafiosos, or any other New Jersey stereotypes, let me stop you before you start - we've heard them all before.

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Yes, Jersey (as we locals call it - and not "Joisey") doesn't have a sterling reputation. Some of that bad reputation is well earned - those rather unsightly industrialized areas that greet many visitors for the first time do not leave welcoming first impressions.

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But if you're going to rule out a visit to Jersey due to these stereotypes, you're going to miss out on some pretty spectacular beach settings, delicious food (especially Italian!), peaceful rural woodlands, and a population who definitely knows how to hold their own but loves to share their home with interested outsiders.

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Jersey might be an oxymoron, but it's my oxymoron. Leave the preconceptions behind, and you might discover why New Jersey is such a popular vacation destination.

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*I should note that the background picture is of Point Pleasant Beach BEFORE Hurricane Sandy decided to redesign the Jersey Shore. Though the Jersey Shore is still rebuilding, it is no less beautiful than before.