Not exactly a strip club...

I really know how to pick 'em. This place is another great South Jersey value. With all the gems I've been finding down in the Southland, I may never go back to Central or North Jersey to get my rocks off ever again. But I digress. I had been to the Carnival once before, over a year ago, and honestly I didn't have such a great experience (although I never wrote about it). Something told me to take one more trip, which I did, a little more than a month ago.

And I'm so glad that I did. First the basics. This place really isn't a traditional strip club, but I can totally understand why it's included on TUSCL. (After all, where else are you going to find a review for a place like this? Angie's List?) Anyway, it's very old-fashioned, probably intentionally. As has been said many times before, the overall vibe is that of a Times Square peep-show in the 70's or 80's. They call it a bookstore because they actually do sell DVDs, magazines, adult "novelties," sex toys, etc. And the walls are covered with posters and marketing material for various adult videos. But probably the first thing you'll notice about this place is that there is no place to sit and "watch the show."

This is appropriate because the Carnival doesn't really have stage acts, and I didn't notice any functional stage to speak of. In keeping with this, there's no cover charge, no dollar parade, and they don't serve beverages (unless you count vending machines). So don't come here if you're just looking for a place to hang out. They're conveniently located on Route 130, near 295, 76, and 42, but despite the location, this section of 130 really only gets busy during rush hour. I believe they're open 24/7, but call ahead to verify this before you make the trip.