THE GOOD ----------------…read more+ SUPER clean beach with a $12 beach badge fee (13 and under are free) as of July 2025. And, yes, they DO check for your beach badge at every beach entryway. + SUPER clean boardwalk with nicely painted brown planks spanning 1st to 20th Avenue. + For the kids, there are a few small playgrounds located on the beach itself. + Lots of parking spaces in the surrounding area leading to the boardwalk and beach. Only the angle parking spaces facing the beach are pay spots. Spaces in front of houses are FREE! (See NOT SO GOOD section for more) + Bathrooms are seemingly located every few blocks when in the middle of the boardwalk THE NOT SO GOOD ---------------------------- - Not many restaurants along Ocean Avenue and the boardwalk except a few pizzerias (J's Pizza, 3 Brothers From Italy, Mamalukes), ice cream shops (Coney Waffle, Mamalukes) and D'jais bar. - Just a few souvenir/t-shirt stores (Beckman's On the Beach, The Beach Nut) if you're into collecting souvenirs or buying shirts from different towns/cities. - Show up early to park on weekends/holidays! If you show up after 11AM, you might be out of luck until the afternoon when folks begin leaving the beach. RANDOM OBSERVATIONS -------------------------------------- = For a good photo op, stand in front of the Borough of Belmar Taylor Pavilion between 5th and 6th Ave

- Spacious beach; very clean - Short walk from boardwalk to…read moreshore - Bathroom stations are relatively clean and well- maintained by on site staff - Wristbands required for entry - Limited rinse stations, but good water pressure to clean off the grit

Wow. I LOVE IT HERE. I'm a gal who prefers a more quiet, peaceful beach experience. I spent the…read moreday at Avon By the Sea on a weekday in September and it was perfect. All parking is FREE. Can't complain about that! There's plenty of street parking right in front of the boardwalk as well as residential parking nearby. Since I visited after the summer season ended, I had no problem finding a spot at 12pm. If you're going during the season, I would suggest coming much earlier if you want to get a good spot closer to the beach. During the summer season (Memorial Day through Labor Day), beach badges are required from 9am-5pm on weekdays and 9am-5:30pm on weekends/holidays. It's $13 per person. Children ages 11 and under + active military and their dependents are free of charge. They don't accept credit/debit cards, so remember to bring CASH. The beach is beautiful - clear, blue water and clean, soft sand. The crowd is more mature and family-oriented. They do have a lot of rules (no alcohol/smoking/cannabis/canopies/tents/sound systems), but I don't mind. It's not rowdy here, so you'll have a peaceful experience. There are bathrooms, a playground area for children, and a boardwalk. The boardwalk is small, but charming. There are benches for you to sit, relax, and enjoy the ocean view. There aren't many restaurants, bars, games, or entertainment around. They have a snack/food pavilion, but I'd suggest driving a few miles away to Asbury Park or Long Branch for a better dining and night life scene. Seeeeee yaaaaaaaa at the shore!

Avon-by-the-Sea is perfect if you're looking for a quiet, peaceful beach day. It's way more low-key…read morethan Belmar -- not much going on, mostly retirees and families, which honestly makes it super relaxing. Don't come here expecting to walk to a bunch of restaurants or bars -- it's more of a bring your own vibes kind of place. But they do have a snack shack, bathrooms, and the beach itself is really clean with clear water. Daily entry is $13, and there's lots of street parking, which is rare and amazing for beach towns. If you just want to chill, read, and enjoy the ocean without the crowds, this is the spot

Its $13 per person on my visit and kits under 12 are free. Sand is nice. Water its clear and good…read morefor family. It get deep after 10 meters. There a food shop in the main road grab the barcode and you can order food to get deliver in the beach. Thats nice. Parking its a bit hard to find but if you wait there is aways people leaving. You might wait 20-50 minutes

The beach matched our vibe. My top-tier chum and I managed to secure a super decent Airbnb right on…read morethe border of Ocean Grove and Bradley Beach, which came with badges for Bradley Beach. We already figured out that OG was an older, Christian-centric community but weren't sure about Bradley; didn't care really either way, but figured as a result of the proximity to a more religious town that we weren't exactly about to wander into a hardcore party scene. That was definitely true, but it wasn't oppressive - just chill and stunningly low key for 4th of July Weekend. We wandered onto the beach mid-morning on Saturday (so not the official busiest day of the holidays, but clearly still a big one) and ended up uncharacteristically sticking around until 4ish. From the Ocean Grove border, we decided to come in at the second entrance, thinking it was a little less secluded and didn't involve the surf school. One of the few annoyances of the day was the lifeguard/surf school situation - while the school was in session, you couldn't swim near that area (which is fine/understandable). That boundary was marked by a flag, but people were constantly floating toward it throughout the day and getting whistled at, to the point where we would have just put up buoys or something - it's easy to accidentally drift like that. This has to be one of the top three worst times to go to the beach in terms of crowds, etc. but we were both amazed that the entire time we were there, we easily had at least 10 feet of space between us and the next group of people. Given how early we got there, not surprising to have some acreage, but when it was 2pm and we still did? Wild. My top-tier chum who literally went to the school of hospitality also made a cameo appearance around midday and was pleasantly surprised at the lack of population density as well. There are some rules here, which I imagine helps weed out the riffraff a bit. Full disclosure - I'm bad to the bone, so we did smuggle in some 5% tequila-based canned cocktails, and my other chum brought some "juice" in a Minute Maid container or something. I know. We behaved. And I don't know if it matters to the readers who are raking me over the coals right now, but the juice had very high level, Don Julio quality tequila. Anyway. There was a lifeguard patrolling in an ATV but I never saw anyone really looking into prohibited drinking (we were fairly discrete) but I'm sure that's something you should be looking out for no matter what. A few groups were clearly doing the same thing but honestly, anyone who's taking a nip at a beach like this is not doing it as a precursor to a raging kegger. One rule nitpick - we checked beforehand and the rules online clearly stated no cabanas and yet we saw a bunch of them. This was only annoying because my chum has a great one we didn't bring with us, which would have been an enormous asset. So I guess the lesson is, check the rules ahead of time but if you have the room, bring the cabana just in case everyone else is being naughty too. I didn't really think about it in the moment, but it was also very clean (the gold standard for me is Spring Lake, but it comes at the cost of some super off-the-charts rules that diminish the experience a tad). Each entrance had a person checking badges, and everyone I interacted with was very friendly. I forgot to bring my badge for a quick water trip and the woman at our entrance let me go since I had a memorable shirt (featuring Academy Award-nominated actress Winona Ryder) and was going to be back in a few minutes. Nice of her regardless. One of our favorite beaches to date. I think for me personally, I would just need one or two food stands nearby (they do have a QR code thing on the boardwalk to order some shizzle for delivery) and the surf school buoys. Really top-notch stuff.

I stumbled across Ocean Grove Beach this summer, and I think it might just be my favorite beach so…read morefar. Now, fair disclaimer: Ocean Grove is very Christian-based. There's a specific tented area with benches on the boardwalk where Christian services are held multiple times a day. You'll also find people on the boardwalk handing out tracts. If that's not your thing, just keep walking--they don't pressure you, and once you're actually on the beach, it all fades into the background. What really stood out to me was how pleasant and peaceful everything felt. Parking is free with lots of street parking available, and you can get from your car to the sand in seconds--which is a huge plus. The scenery is beautiful, bathrooms are clean, and there are food trucks around for when you get hungry. We forgot our umbrella one day and ended up renting one. It was super easy--$16, and you can pay with cash. They let you keep it until 4:45 pm and even come around to collect it for you. Chairs are also available to rent. For beach entry, however, it's cash-free--you scan the QR code and pay online. Overall, I loved the atmosphere here. Everything felt calm, well-kept, and welcoming. I can't wait to return--definitely one of the most peaceful beach experiences I've had.

I have been visiting Ocean Grove beach for over 10 years. It is a well-kept and clean beach with…read moreplenty of free parking. Main Street is a short walk away from the beach where you can shop and eat. There's a great boardwalk for a nice stroll. Hands down, my favorite beach down the jersey shore!

The beach at Spring Lake is easy to access (depending on parking) from the boardwalk to the ocean…read more It makes Spring Lake less of a hassle in the sand. Beach tags are required and are $12 for a daily pass. While there is a boardwalk, it is limited to bathrooms, snack stand and not much else. One note is that I did notice some trash in the sand on the last time I went.

Spring Lake Beach is one of the Jersey Shore's true gems. The beach is clean, peaceful, and…read morebeautifully maintained, making it perfect for a relaxing day by the ocean. The boardwalk is charming--more tranquil than some of the more commercialized shore towns--and ideal for a scenic stroll or a quiet moment by the water. There are plenty of great spots nearby to grab a bite or a drink, whether you're in the mood for a casual sandwich, seafood with a view, or a refreshing coffee or cocktail. It's a perfect destination for couples, families, or solo visitors looking for a laid-back beach day with easy access to good food and beautiful surroundings.

Cute park, lots of space for kids to burn off energy. Well kept. Nice vibe. Ample parking.read more

Great local park with swings for the kids, picnic tables for the family and a covered pavilion too…read more Bocci courts and an inlet beach for all. Seriously I'd give it 5 stars but then my secret would be ruined.

From start to finish, our sailing experience was phenomenal! Both captains were professional and…read morecourteous. We had an incredible flight and cannot wait to return!

We had a great first time parasailing. It lived up to all expectations! The crew made it easy to…read morecheck in and to enjoy the great views.

This is by far the best linen service at the beach. Janine and her husband run this business very…read moreprofessionally. They always arrive when they say they will. My home has 8 bedrooms and I used to try and maintain the linens myself. I am very happy I decided to bring in Blue Cottage. My life is much simpler now. Rick L

From the owner: We provide fresh linen rentals for vacationers so they can pack less. We deliver directly to the…read moreproperty and pick up on departure day. Premium sheet sets, 100% cotton blankets, micro plush blankets, towel sets, beach towels, bath mats, kitchen towels and we also have a baby gear link.

Friday was my first time ever on a Stand Up Paddle Board... and with Sandy's detailed instruction,…read moreI was able to catch on quick... and fell in love with it! We did it on the beautiful Manasquan River, which felt really private. Sandy has such a friendly, warm spirit and her yoga sequence on the SUP board was meditative and restorative (I think she knew just what I needed that day). Don't be fooled--it's a great workout too. And I can't wait to do it again!

What an amazing experience. This last Friday we hit the beach at the Belmar location for my…read moredaughters first surf lesson. We were immediately met with high energy well informed staff that got her set up without delay. My daughter (age 9) was taught about surf safety, board construction and practiced popping up on the beach for about 10 mins then it was straight to the surf. Her instructor was Hunter and was outstanding. Conditions were great and they were in the water for the remaining 1 hr 20 mins catching wave after wave. My daughter is hooked. All the staff that we ran into were very down to earth and very personable. We have 2 lessons left from the 3 pack we purchased, Summertime Surf is our spot!