The Best BMWs for a Jersey Shore Summer (And Where to Take Them)
Summer in New Jersey has its own rhythm. The Shore comes alive, traffic on the Parkway thickens, and suddenly everyone’s looking for a reason to get in the car and drive. If you’re behind the wheel of a BMW, that reason doesn’t need to be a destination — the drive itself is half the point.
Here’s a breakdown of the BMWs we’d put on the short list for a Jersey summer, plus the roads and routes where each one earns its keep.
2 Series Convertible — The Shore Car
If there’s one BMW built for summer in New Jersey, it’s the 2 Series Convertible. Drop the top, point it toward the coast, and you’ve got a car that makes Route 9 south feel like a road trip worth taking.
It’s compact enough to squeeze into a parallel spot on Ocean Avenue in Belmar, powerful enough to make passing on Route 35 feel effortless, and open enough that you’ll actually smell the salt air instead of just seeing it through a windshield. The 2 Series punches well above its size — the turbocharged four-cylinder moves it with genuine urgency, and the chassis balance is something you feel through every corner.
Best road: Route 35 along the Monmouth coastline, or any of the barrier island drives between Manasquan and Seaside Heights.
4 Series Convertible — The Grand Tourer
The 4 Series Convertible is what you drive when the destination matters as much as the drive. Longer, wider, and more refined than the 2 Series, it’s the BMW you’d pick for a long weekend in Cape May or a run down the Garden State Parkway with the top down and the seats heated for a cool morning departure.
The soft-top drops in about 20 seconds, the rear seats are usable for adults (a genuine rarity in this class), and the interior quality is a step up from anything in its price range. The available straight-six engine makes a sound that turns heads at every stoplight.
Best road: The GSP southbound from Exit 98 to Exit 0 — Cape May or bust.
Z4 — The Driver’s Pick
The Z4 is the honest answer when someone asks which BMW is most fun to drive. It’s a two-seat roadster built with one purpose: to make driving something you look forward to even when there’s nowhere specific to be.
New Jersey doesn’t have mountain passes, but it has more good back roads than most people give it credit for. The Z4 finds them. The steering communicates, the chassis rotates, and the power delivery from the turbocharged six is smooth and strong in equal measure. It’s also a BMW co-developed with Toyota, which sounds like a footnote until you realize the result is one of the best sports cars under $70,000 sold anywhere.
Best road: Old Mine Road along the Delaware River in Warren County — 27 miles of curves, elevation changes, and almost no traffic. One of the best drives in the state.
X3 and X5 — The Beach Trip SUVs
Not every summer drive is a solo run down the coast. Sometimes it’s six people, four beach chairs, a cooler, and a dog. That’s where the X3 and X5 earn their place on this list.
The X3 is the practical choice: small enough to park without stress, big enough to carry everything, and capable enough that a rainy-day detour into the Pine Barrens won’t cause any anxiety. The X5 is for when you want more of everything — more space, more power, more presence. Both drive with a composure that makes a two-hour GSP crawl feel manageable.
Best road: Route 72 east through the Pinelands into Long Beach Island. The transition from pine forest to causeway to beachfront is one of the better arrivals in New Jersey.
i4 and iX — The Charging-Station Road Trip
New Jersey has invested seriously in EV charging infrastructure, and the BMW i4 and iX are set up to take advantage of it. Both support DC fast charging, both have real-world range that handles a full shore day without anxiety, and both drive like BMWs rather than science experiments.
The i4 Gran Coupe is particularly impressive — it looks like a traditional 4 Series, drives with genuine sport-sedan character, and happens to be electric. The iX is larger, quieter, and more focused on comfort, with an interior design that’s unlike anything else in the segment.
If you’re heading to the Shore and want to use a charging stop as an excuse for a good lunch rather than a delay, the i4 and iX make that an easy case. Round Valley Reservoir in Hunterdon County has a charger nearby and is worth a stop on its own — excellent for a walk or a paddle before continuing east.
Best road: Route 519 through Warren and Hunterdon Counties — winding, scenic, and light on traffic. Pair it with a charging stop in Flemington or Somerville and make a morning of it.
Get Your BMW Ready Before You Go
Salt air, sand, and heat are harder on a car than most people realize. Before you put serious summer miles on your BMW, it’s worth a quick service check — tire pressure, brake fluid, air filters, and cabin filters all take a hit from seasonal driving.
Our service team at BMW of Bridgewater can get you in and out quickly. Call us at 908-437-8750 or schedule online at bmwofbridgewater.com. The Shore will still be there — just make sure your car is ready for it.