New to surf fishing

[Vacha_Shots]

Hi there guys, I'm an avid LMB and SMB fisherman who's been fishing all of my life. Recently my mother in law moved to Middletown (I'm from trenton area) she lives within walking distance of the bay. I'm interested in getting a surf set up so I can fish while we're visiting, we just had a baby in January so we will be visiting a lot lol.

Basically just looking for tips for a beginner like me. Starting with what kind of set up should I be looking to get into. Not trying to spend a fortune on top of the line stuff (yet) but also dont wanna buy crap. Primarily will be fishing the raritan bay, but occasionally would like to fish the ocean. Pretty much trying to keep it simple now, will focus on fishing with bait for now. Just want to get out and relax, but also maximize my chances for catching fish.

Also, I'm not looking for any secret spots or anything like that, doing my own exploring is half the fun! And if theres already a write up thread with this sort of information, I dont mind being pointed in that direction! Thanks in advance!