All 44 beaches in New Jersey, ranked worst to best: 2019

By Jeremy Sdhneider

Last year, we took on the monumental task of ranking every single beach in the Garden State.

It was tough work but someone had to do it.

And guess what — we decided to do it again.

We spent several weeks scoping out all of the beautiful beaches in the great  state of New Jersey, from Sandy Hook all the way down to Cape May at Exit 0 on the Parkway. We judged only oceanfront beaches (no bay, lake or riverfront) on beach quality, crowd type and size, parking availability, and surrounding food, drink and recreation. We went to one beach per town — for example, Ortley Beach was the representative for Toms River and Island Beach State Park checks in for Berkeley Township.

A quick reminder, being the worst beach in New Jersey is kind of like being the worst pizza in New Jersey — it's still better than most you'd find anywhere else.

Check out where your favorite beach landed in the following list, and feel free to let us know what we got right (and wrong!) in the comment section.

44. Seaside Park

Meh. Seaside Park, just south of the Seaside Heights summer chaos, is more reserved and there’s decent street parking, but the beach itself is nothing to write home about — not worth the $10 per person daily badge fee. If you’ve made it all the way to vanilla Seaside Park, drive another few miles to Island Beach State Park and have yourself a REAL beach day.

42. Wildwood

We ranked Wildwood dead last in our beach rankings last summer (much to its locals' chagrin) but in our defense we crowned its boardwalk the second-best in the state. You know exactly what you're getting with this one, and chances are you love it or hate it. It's about as touristy and crowded as they come, and the walk along the less-than-sparkling clean sand to the actual beach area is so long that you'll wish you could call an Uber to get to the water.

41. Allenhurst

Another beach that is hard to find, though not as difficult as neighboring Deal. A maze of pathways to get to the beach gives way to  soft sand, clean water and a lack of crowds, making this an appealing option, though you’ll be sharing the beach with the Allenhurst Beach Club — which isn’t nearly as pretentious as the Deal Casino Beach Club.

area surrounding Monmouth has been built up with mansions, really taking away from the ambiance and making you feel more like you’re sneaking onto a private beach (but in a bad way). Getting a parking spot is nearly as hard as landing Bruce Springsteen tickets. On the bright side, the badge-checker told me that if I stayed on a certain side of the beach and didn’t mind using a port-a-potty instead of the inside bathrooms, getting on the beach was free.

40. Atlantic City

The good news? The beach closest to New Jersey’s answer to Las Vegas is nicer than I remembered it. The bad news? I remember it being really gross. Chances are you won’t be making the trip to AC just to hit the beach — you’re probably there to gamble or see a show. And that is Atlantic City’s greatest asset: The Hard Rock, Resorts, Bally's, Caesars and Tropicana are all right on the boardwalk. No, it’s not the cleanest beach you’ll find, even in this region of the state, and it can get packed quickly. But  if you feel like washing away the stench of defeat after a rough day at the blackjack table, there are worse beaches to hit.

39. North Wildwood

A stone’s throw from the craziness of Wildwood and much smaller than its boisterous brother, which is a compliment. A strong choice if you want the flavor of a weekend at one of New Jersey’s most touristy beaches without the crowds right in your face. There’s a decent amount of street parking, though don’t forget to feed the meter.

38. Strathmere

You won’t have to sneak past the badge-checkers here — Strathmere is one of the few free beaches you will find in New Jersey. The natural beauty is enjoyable, the surprisingly rough sand is not. A no-frills beachfront, the biggest waterfront attraction in town may be on the bayside — Twisties, a tiny red-shingled bar.

37. Brigantine

Just north across the Brigantine Bridge from Atlantic City, but it feels a lot farther than that even though you can see the A.C. skyline in the distance. It’s flat and natural, though the difficult parking and long walk to the beach can be frustrating. The town has some decent food options (Aversa’s Bakery has dynamite pastries and bread) but isn’t in walking distance to the beach.

36. Mantoloking

Same setup as Bay Head: small beach, limited access, no frills. If that’s your game, don’t let us stop you.

35. Bay Head

I echo what I wrote last year: Bay Head, a small town sandwiched somewhere between Seaside and Point Pleasant, features a very narrow beach with only a few public entrances. But if you don’t need any more than a small patch of sand on which to sit, it’s a sneaky little spot the average out-of-towner probably wouldn’t find.

34. Loch Arbour

Loch Arbour was so empty when I got there that I thought it was closed. It isn’t, it’s just one of the Garden State’s best-kept secrets. You’ll have to trek to find it, and the meter parking is severely limited. The small crowds help keep the beach in prime condition, though the food and entertainment options are lacking. If you’re looking for a no-nonsense, lowkey beach, Loch Arbour is a solid bet.

33. Seaside Heights

Oh, Seaside, the town that housed MTV’s “Jersey Shore” and has spent a decade trying to destigmatize itself as a fist-pumping party central. The beach itself here isn’t so bad; a little dirtier than the others with way too many selfie-takers, but is a good size. The sand is pretty coarse and there’s a sizable drop from the beach to the surf line, but hey, if you’re in town to hit the boardwalk, it’s not an awful accompaniment. Parking can be awful here, too, especially on weekends with privately owned lots charging as much as $30 to stash your car.

32. Deal

You need a treasure map to find the beach in Deal — the borough has gone so far to limit public access to the beach that its being sued. You'll end up going down several dead-end roads before finally finding entry to the water. Once you do, you'll be at a quiet and clean beach in the state albeit with very limited food options. The best part of this beach is reserved for the Deal Casino Beach Club, which requires an incredibly expensive membership. Mansion gawking is fun, too.

31. Ventnor City

Perfect if you want to be close to Atlantic City nightlife but get a better beach experience than right next to the casinos, Ventnor is a short enough walk down the boardwalk from A.C. that you won’t need to call an Uber after a night of partying while offering a cleaner, less crowded beach. There isn’t nearly as much to do, and parking is tricky, but it’s definitely more low-key that its bustling big brother to the north.

30. Margate City

You won't find many elephants down the shore, but the biggest is certainly in Margate City. Lucy the Elephant, is six stories tall and nearly 140 years old and is still one of the most unique attractions in the state. The beaches are adequate, the parking is not.

29. Longport

The cleanest beach we found in the region, with some of the softest sand and chillest vibes. There’s a sharp drop-off in the water, meaning it gets deep quickly — an often overlooked factor when it comes to beach-ranking, I've learned.

28. Point Pleasant Beach

If you’re gonna go, get there EARLY. Due to all the attractions that bump up against the beach — Jenkinson’s Amusement Park, Aquarium and a boardwalk loaded with family fun — Point Pleasant becomes a veritable nightmare during the summer months. Parking borders on impossible, and the beach itself isn’t all that and a bucket of Chippy’s fries; it’s pebbly and loaded with daytrippers and folks whose sole purpose in life seems to be making as much noise as possible. Plenty to do here, plenty to give you a headache.

27. Barnegat Light

No one stumbles onto the secluded sand of Barnegat Light by accident. Not only is the beach located at the very top of Long Beach Island but once you endure the long drive up Long Beach Boulevard, you then need to traverse at least 100 yards of greenery and labyrinthian dunes to reach the actual shoreline. It’s a quiet place, certainly, and if you’re looking for minimal disturbance and a bit of personality, this is your spot. But let’s be real: it’s a pain in the ass.

26. Ortley Beach

Ortley Beach, which is technically part of Toms River and lies just north of Seaside Heights, is a cool little getaway similar to Lavallette, but with more people and less parking (or so it seemed to me). The sand is on the coarser side and there’s a big drop to the ocean. But it’s okay. You could do better, you could do worse if you’re heading to Ocean County.

25. Sea Girt

Known for being the home to vaunted restaurant and bar Parker House and pristine lawns in front of fancy shore houses, the beach here is relatively tiny and parking can be tricky. But with other bigger beaches surrounding it drawing more of a crowd, it's frequented mostly by families and locals, so you can enjoy the dunes and soft sand in peace.

24. Stone Harbor

Taylor Swift and her family used to vacation here. Need we say more? Fine, we will. The parking is less than ideal and it’s not a short walk to get to the actual beach. But it’s bursting with natural beauty, featuring dunes and some of the softest sand you’ll find in the state. Just be sure to shake it off, shake it off.

23. Sea Bright

If it’s good enough for Tony Soprano, it’s good enough for you, right? Sea Bright is where the Sopranos beach house, Whitecaps, was located. We had a hard time finding it, though because getting to Sea Bright requires an anxiety-inducing trip on narrow Route 36. Parking is tight and the beach is narrow, but if you get a good spot you’ll enjoy the clean sand along with the myriad food options just across the road. But as one of the more popular beach destinations in the state, finding that spot might take some time.

22. Lavallette

 Lavallette is a great, unassuming little beach town hiding north of the Seaside hubbub, and its beach is a good one: nice size, easy vibes, and free, fairly plentiful street parking. For Ocean and Monmouth County daytrippers and vacationing families alike, Lavallette is always a fine choice.

Taylor Swift and her family used to vacation here. Need we say more? Fine, we will. The parking is less than ideal and it’s not a short walk to get to the actual beach. But it’s bursting with natural beauty, featuring dunes and some of the softest sand you’ll find in the state. Just be sure to shake it off, shake it off.

23. Sea Bright

If it’s good enough for Tony Soprano, it’s good enough for you, right? Sea Bright is where the Sopranos beach house, Whitecaps, was located. We had a hard time finding it, though because getting to Sea Bright requires an anxiety-inducing trip on narrow Route 36. Parking is tight and the beach is narrow, but if you get a good spot you’ll enjoy the clean sand along with the myriad food options just across the road. But as one of the more popular beach destinations in the state, finding that spot might take some time.

22. Lavallette

Lavallette is a great, unassuming little beach town hiding north of the Seaside hubbub, and its beach is a good one: nice size, easy vibes, and free, fairly plentiful street parking. For Ocean and Monmouth County daytrippers and vacationing families alike, Lavallette is always a fine choice.

21. Long Branch

A trip to Long Branch feels like less like a trip to the boardwalk and more like a trip to a mall that happens to be next to a beach — think Garden State Plaza meets the Jersey Shore. Pier Village is an impressive shopping center situated right next to the water, though it and the massive crowds that flock to this fairly clean but calamitous beach can be overwhelming. Finding a parking spot wasn’t easy, but even in the middle of the week finding a spot on the beach was even harder.

20. Wildwood Crest

While North Wildwood still makes you feel like you’re close to the region touristy craziness, Wildwood Crest is where you go to get away from it. There isn’t a whole lot to do near this beach, and that’s kind of the point. It’s very wide and cleaner than its two Wildwood neighbors. Parking is dominated by the shoreside hotels, making actually getting to the beach a bit more tricky.

19. Ocean Grove

There is something undoubtedly quaint and charming about this section of Neptune located just south of Asbury Park, which is celebrating its 150th anniversary this year. Its Victorian architecture is reminiscent of Cape May. Its boardwalk is understated but new after a post-Sandy rebuild, with decent food options. The beach itself is small but relaxed, devoid of the day-trippers and tourists that fill some of the the surrounding beaches. Parking can be incredibly frustrating, but if you’re willing to make a bit of walk from your car it will be worth your while. If you get lucky, you may catch the Weaser’s Ice truck in the beach parking lot.

18. Belmar

Belmar’s touristy, party town reputation is earned on the weekends, when it can get plenty crowded and boisterous. But during the week it’s a bit more relaxed, and boasts one of the better boardwalk and beach combinations. The beach itself is wide enough to serve the masses that flock here, and after you’re done swimming you can enjoy a walk on the town's broad and well-maintained wooden boardwalk, grab dessert at Coney Waffle or have a drink at D'jais.

17. Long Beach Township

So, there’s Long Beach Island, but only a relatively small chunk of the 18-mile-long strip of land is actually Long Beach Township, nestled between Beach Haven to the south and Ship Bottom to the north. The beach here, like on the rest of LBI, is generally spotless minus the heaps of seaweed that wash up with high tide. Being closer to Route 72 than some of the other LBI spots, it gets busy more quickly here but it’s a fine, family-friendly spot with decent parking.

16. Spring Lake

A clean, long and well-manicured beach. Ample parking. A low-key boardwalk with a pavilion that sells sandwiches, burgers and ice cream. There isn’t a whole lot to do at Spring Lake’s beach, but it’s perfect for a no-frills, no-nonsense day at the beach. A solid place to get away from the stereotypical Jersey Shore crowd.

15. Sea Isle City

Very soft sand, very bad parking. But it’s off the beaten path and doesn't get crowded like many of the beaches on this list. A paved promenade takes the place of a boardwalk, though the funnest part of town maybe Fish Alley, an Italian neighborhood loaded with restaurants.

14. Sandy Hook

The northernmost beach in the Garden State, Sandy Hook features miles of wide, natural beaches that are well-maintained by the National Parks Service and frequented by families and day-trippers. There’s plenty of parking and enough beach space that even on a busy day you won’t feel crowded, and the area offers better biking, birding and hiking than nearly every other beach in the state. Food trucks are just about the only dining option, so pack a lunch if you’re looking for something different.

13. Avon-by-the-Sea

I still struggle to pronounce this beach (ah-von, not ay-von) but I don’t struggle to see the appeal. Less crowded and more subdued than southern neighbor Belmar, which means there isn’t quite as much to do — the boardwalk, while nice, is a bit barren when it comes to food options — but the tradeoff is the peace and quiet you’ll get at the beach which is frequented by locals and not as many tourists.

12. Asbury Park

There is no trendier beach in the Garden State, and for good reason. It's arguably the best surrounding area of any beach in New Jersey, with a broad boardwalk with dining options ranging from quick bites to fancy dinners along with watering holes like the vaunted Wonder Bar and The Stone Pony, the latter of which hosts a summer concert series that routinely draws major acts. The immense popularity exacerbates the beach’s biggest issue: it isn’t big enough to support those massive crowds. On top of that, while I wouldn’t call the sand “dirty” per se, but it’s far from the nicest you’ll find down the shore. And the parking is a disaster, whether you’re going to the beach or hanging out in town.

11. Avalon

So many beaches we went to were too narrow. This one is nice and wide, and the sand is so soft that you'll enjoy the somewhat lengthy walk to the water. I said it last year and I'll say it again, the Uncle Bill's Pancake House in town makes some of the best pancakes you'll ever taste.

10. Island Beach State Park

Let’s not mince words: Island Beach State Park kicks ass. First off, the cost: $6 per car on weekdays for New Jersey residents is a steal when compared to the per-person rates other beaches charge. You’ll need to drive a few miles through the park’s greenery before you reach the first swimming area (there are two main swimming areas), which is complete with a food court — burgers, hot dogs, ice cream and the like — plus a new Red Fox Bar and Grill on site if you want some booze. The beach itself is well-maintained and while it may seem too crowded when you first step on, walk a little ways away from the main entrance and you’ll find your perfect spot in the sand.

9. Ship Bottom

Ship Bottom is a gorgeous beach, don’t get me wrong. It’s wider than some of the others LBI, picturesque even. But it’s the first beach anyone sees when they come off Route 72 — the only way onto the island by car — so naturally this is the most bustling beach on LBI most days. Street parking fills up here. Vacationing families fill up the sand early. Again, it’s a pretty place to chill, but driving 10 minutes north or south to a less crowded spot is probably the way to go.

8. Surf City

Surf City, which lies just north of Ship Bottom near the middle of LBI, not far off Route 72, might have the coolest name of all New Jersey beaches. And it’s a great place to chill, bring the family, make a day or week or month of it, who are we to judge? Just know that because it’s near the highway, it gets busy at peak times. Still, it fits the LBI beach bill: mostly very clean, a solid spot to recharge your batteries.

7. Cape May Point

One may not think to look for the quiet beach cloistered in the dunes to the west of Cape May, but anyone that does will tell you its worth the trouble of finding your way onto the beach that feels more like it belongs in Cape Cod than New Jersey. Street parking only and a highly residential area, but don’t be scared off by walking a few blocks — this is an absolute hidden gem.

6. Bradley Beach

Much more laid back than its southern cousins, Bradley Beach is family-oriented and understated while still being a really nice, albeit somewhat slim, beach. The boardwalk is made of stone pavers, boasts several food options and even a mini-golf course and is separated from the beach by a row of dunes. If that doesn’t have you sold, the surprisingly ample parking might get you there. And a short walk from the beach is a row of excellent restaurants — we can't recommend breakfast at The Buttered Biscuit enough.

5. Ocean City

“America’s Greatest Family Resort” is a more quaint version of Wildwood and Seaside Heights, with a sizable boardwalk that flirts with the line between charming and too touristy nicely. Gillian's Wonderland Pier, Playland's Castaway Cove and multiple Kohr Bros. custard stands are just a few offerings on the broad dark wood boardwalk — a boardwalk we named the best in the state last summer. The beach itself is narrow but lengthy. You would be wise to take a trip down the beach away from the boardwalk though, where things are much more peaceful.

4. Beach Haven

If you can resist the temptation of pulling off anywhere along the six-plus mile stretch of beach before you hit Beach Haven at LBI’s southern edge, you’ll be rewarded with a pristine (albeit a little narrow) beach with plenty of parking, lounging families and an easy, vacation vibe. When you think “Jersey Shore Getaway,” Beach Haven is the kind of place to fulfill your fantasy. Great restaurants nearby, too; everybody loves the Chicken Or The Egg!

3. Manasquan

Manasquan is one of the most popular beach destinations in the state, and for good reason. Big enough that you won’t feel crowded, even when it gets busier on the weekend — though it was bigger before Sandy hit, which also took the snack stand which once served up tasty burgers and sandwiches. There’s a food truck now, as well as other dining options down the small path that serves as the local boardwalk such as Gee Gee’s Pizza and Playa Bowl. The bar scene is a whole other draw, with Leggett’s and The Osprey serving as great spots to grab a drink after a day at the beach.

2. Harvey Cedars

What a beach. A gorgeous, clean and flat paradise with a big sand bar (at least it was big when I was there) and serene vibe perfect for vacation. Some spots in the sand were a bit too shelly but still — this place will make any Jersey beach hater a true believer. It’s a bit of a drive — an extra five miles or so north once you get onto the island but it’s so, so worth it.

1. Cape May

The king stays the king… or should we say, the queen stays the queen? Little has changed at New Jersey’s southernmost beach since we crowned it the best in the state last year, a flawless combination of sparking clean sand, crisp refreshing water, a modest but fulfilling boardwalk and a quaint downtown lined with Victorian houses along with restaurants and shops filled with classic boardwalk foods as well as more upscale seafood fare. It’s a long trip from just about anywhere in New Jersey down to Exit 0, but it’s well worth it. –NJ