Exit | Beach Fee | Parking | Website | Best Bets |
---|---|---|---|---|
Sandy Hook 117 | Free | Season: $50, | Go lighthouse hopping. Visit the Sandy Hook light house, America’s oldest, or the Ft. Hancock lighthouse, which has a five-mile nature trail. | |
Sea Bright s-117, n-105 | Season: $100, seniors $35 | Free | Hit Donovan’s Reef (1171 Ocean Ave, 732-842-6789), the only beach bar in Monmouth County, or try the Asian-fusion cuisine of Elements (1072 Ocean Ave, 732-842-1100), owned by Jon Bon Jovi’s brother Matthew. | |
Monmouth Beach 105 | Season: $70 Day: $8; under 12 free | Season: $40 | Breakfast at Jersey girl Karyn Jarmer’s My Kitchen Witch Café (29 Beach Rd, 732-229-3033). Then log on to surfline.com for surf and weather conditions. | |
Long Branch 105 | Season: $35, 13–17 $30 | Season: $35 | Swim, surf, fish, or stroll the beach at Seven Presidents Oceanfront Park, which has volleyball courts, playgrounds, and an activity center on its 38 acres. Browse 30 boutiques and restaurants at Pier Village (piervillage.com). | |
Deal s-105, n-98 | Season: $125, 13–17 $100 Mon–Fri: $6. Sat–Sun: $7; under 13 free | Free | Conover Pavilion (at the foot of Phillips Ave) has free parking, lockers, dressing facilities, showers, snack bar, and lifeguards. | |
Asbury Park | Season: $50, seniors, 13–17 $15. Day: $5 Sat, Sun, holidays: $5; under 12 free | Free or | Take in a set at the legendary Stone Pony (913 Ocean Ave, 732-502-0600), where Bruce Springsteen and Jon Bon Jovi got their starts. | |
Ocean Grove | Season: $70, seniors $40, 12–17 $35. Week: $35; Mon–Fri $7; Sat–Sun $12; under 12 free. | Free | Explore the historic district on a walking tour, Wednesdays and Fridays (1 PM) and Saturdays (11 AM), June through September (Historical Society, 732-774-1869). Improve your handwriting at the Calligraphy Workshop at Centennial Cottage (July 25 10:30 am-12:30 pm). | |
Bradley Beach s-100b, n-100 | Season: $65, 14–15 $25 | Free or | Summer Concert Series at the Fifth Avenue Gazebo on the ocean; bradleybeachonline.com. | |
Avon S-100B, N-100A | Season: $75, seniors and teens $35. Day: $8, | Free | Rent scuba gear and get lessons at Divers Two (1 Main St, 732-776-7755). | |
Belmar 98 | Season: $50, seniors $15 | Free or | Free movie on the strand every Sunday evening at dusk on 8th Avenue Beach. | |
Spring Lake 98 | Season: $100; Half-season: $60. Day: $8, under 12 free | Free | See a show at the Community House Theatre (Third and Madison aves, 732-449-4530). Linger downtown the fourth Friday of the month, when shops stay open till 8 pm. | |
Sea Girt 98 | Season: $70, seniors $50. Day: $7, under 12 free | Free | Drop in at the Parker House, a Victorian restaurant and bar, with live music, games, and a dance club (732-449-0442). | |
Manasquan s-98, n-90 | Season: $60, seniors $20, | Season: $75 | Every Thursday night, July 4th through Labor Day, view fireworks as you ride the Manasquan water taxi (manasquanwatertaxi.com). | |
Pt Pleasant Beach s-98, n-90 | Season: $80, 5–11 $45, seniors $55. Mon–Fri: $6.50. Sat, Sun, holidays: $7.50, 5–11 $2 | Free, metered, | Catch dinner. The fishing is good from local inlets and marinas. Try Ken’s Landing (30 Broadway, 732-892-9787). | |
Bay Head s-98, n-90 | Season: $65. half-season $45 Day: $6, under 12 free | Free | Art in the Park, Saturday, June 14 (Centennial Park, off Bridge Ave, 10 am–4 pm); more than 40 local artists display their work. | |
NORMANDY S-89, N-82 | Season: $80 Month: $60 | Free | NA | Locals hang out in the shops on Route 35 North. Stop by Kaboodles (732-830-0222), a town favorite for ice cream. |
Lavallette 82 | Season: $40, seniors $12 | Municipal | Stroll, jog, or bike down Lavallette’s mile-long boardwalk. Bay-front concerts are held every Sunday from July until Labor Day. | |
Seaside Heights 82 | Season: $35. Day: $5. | Metered lots $5–$10 | Arts and Crafts By the Sea, a June 14 festival on Seaside Height’s boardwalk. | |
Seaside Park 82 | Season: $45, seniors $16. | Metered | Cool off at Seaside’s favorite malt shop, Sundae Times Ice Cream (800 Central Ave, 732-830-9460). | |
Island Beach 82 | Free | Season: $50 | Explore eight trails, where you can observe birds or ride horses, or glide along the scenic five-mile, two-lane bike path. | |
Barnegat LIGHT 63 | Season: $35. Week: $20 Day: $5, seniors $8, | Free | The second tallest lighthouse in the country, affectionately called Old Barney, provides a beautiful view of Island Beach State Park, the Atlantic, the New Jersey mainland, and Long Beach Island. It’s well worth climbing the 217 steps to the top. | |
Loveladies 63 | Season: $35. Week: $20 | Free | At the Long Beach Island Foundation of the Arts and Sciences (120 Long Beach Blvd, 609-494-1241), you can peruse and purchase work by local and national artists. | |
Harvey Cedars | Season: $35, seniors $9 Week: $20. Day: $6. | Free | 19th annual Craft Day by the Bay on July 5 from 10 am to 4 pm. | |
Surf City 63 | Season: $35. Week: $17 Day: $8, over 65 and under 12 free | Free | Compete in weekly surf races against yacht clubs from neighboring towns, or ride the waves on your own. Unusually high tides and large waves attract surfers and spectators from all over the world. | |
Ship Bottom 63 | Season: $35. Week: $17 Lifetime: over 65 $3 | Free | For a break from the beach, visit Allen House (Rt 35 and Sycamore Ave), site of a popular tavern in the 17th century, or tour Christ Church (Sycamore Ave) for its marvelous Federal-style architecture. | |
Beach Haven 63 | Season: $25. Week: $15 Day: $5, over 65 and under 12 free. | Free | Fantasy Island Amusement Park (320 7th St) has rides and games for the entire family. | |
Brigantine 38 | Season: $17. Week: $13 Day: $7, seniors and | Season: $13. | Observe dolphins and whales at the Marine Mammal Stranding Center and Sea Life Educational Center and Museum (3625 Brigantine Blvd). | |
Atlantic City | Free | Meters and | Atlantic City Boardwalk Hall (2301 Boardwalk). Call 800-736-1420 for tickets. | |
Ventnor 38 | Season: $15, under 12 free. | Metered or | Hit a bucket of golf balls at the Bay Breeze Driving Range (Lafayette and Wellington Aves). A small bucket is $3, medium $6, large $9. | |
Margate 36 | Season: $15, under 12 free. | Free 2-hour | At 65 feet tall, Lucy the Elephant (Atlantic and Decatur Ave, 609-823-6473) is the largest wood-framed pachyderm in the world. At 124+ years of age, she’s the oldest remaining example of zoomorphic architecture in the country. | |
Longport 36 | Season: $30. Week: $10, seniors $5, under 12 free. | Limited free | Swing, see-saw, and slide at the playground, or challenge your kids to a game of tennis or basketball at the Longport Recreational Complex (3498 Atlantic Avenue). | |
Ocean City s-30, n-25 | Season: $20. Week: $10 Day: $5, under 12 free. | Metered and | Ride the 140-foot Ferris Wheel with its spectacular view of the ocean, city, and surrounding towns. Gillians Wonderland Pier (609-399-7082). | |
Sea Isle City s-17, n-14 | Season: $20. Week: $10 Day: $5, 12 and under free. | Metered | The Skimmer Festival (Promenade & JFK Blvd) on June 14 kicks off a weekend of live music, dance contests, antique auto shows, and parades. | |
Avalon 13 | Season: $24. Week: $12 Day: $6, under 12 free. | Free | Lunch in the shade on the protected deck of the Avalon Anchorage Marina (885 21st St). The view across Pennsylvania Harbor to Cedar Island includes plenty of shore life; tip your cap to the resident ducks. | |
Stone Harbor | Season: $24 Week: $12 Day: $6, under 12 free. | Free lots and | The Wetlands Institute (1075 Stone Harbor Blvd, 609-368-1211) calls itself “the natural place to have fun.” Guided tours show you coastal ecosystems in action. Also available: back-bay boat rides, kayaking, and guided beach and dune walks. | |
The Wildwoods 4B | Free | Day: free, Season | Morey’s Piers (3501 Boardwalk) include an amusement park and two beachfront waterparks. | |
Cape May 0 | Season: $25 Week: $13. 3 days $9. | Metered | Harbor Fest (June 20-22) celebrates seafood and song. Activities take place at or near the Nature Center of Cape May (1600 Delaware Ave; 609-884-5508; capemaychamber.org). |