Did you end up travelling north along the coastline via 1/9/parallel routes?
There is a gap in U.S. 9 that cannot be ridden. There is an old causeway and drawbridge that carried U.S. 9 across the Great Egg Inlet. The brdge was closed to all traffic several years ago due to structural problems. The state eventually bought it and was going to rehab it. Then it found out that the bridge needs a lot more work than first believed. Last I heard, the plan was to demolish most of it and maybe leave a bit on both sides for fishing. It's fenced off and the draw is in the open position. U.S. 9 now combines with the Garden State Parkway to get across the inlet. Even if it's legal to ride that section of the GSP, you don't want to.
Your two choices are to go way inland to May's Landing to get across the Greast Egg River or ride through Sea Isle City and Stathmere and cross Corson's Inlet into Ocean City, where you can take 34th Street west out of Ocean City to get back to U.S. 9. Personally, I would ride through the coastal towns all the way through Ocean City, taking in some of the boardwalks if timing allows. The Wildwood boardwalk is interesting if you have never seen it. At the north end of Ocean City is a bridge that will take you to SR 152. Following that west until it ends at the traffic light in Somers Point. Make a roght onto Bay Ave., bend left onto E. Ocean, right onto Buffalo and left at the T onto Ocean Heights. That will take you to U.S. 9. The newly rebuilt 9th St. causeway (SR 52) out of Ocean City does have bike facilities, but it drops you off in a busier section of Somers Point.
Note that U.S. 9 in that part of the world can be very busy. Also, the road leading to the bridge between Avalon and Sea Isle City was damaged by Sandy. My GF's parents live right near it. It's supposed to re-open temporarily at least (it may already have) but there may be some necessary closures for final repairs this summer. I will try to get more info.
