10 Best Beaches on Long Beach Island

Harvey Cedars Bay Beach is a great place to catch some rays in serene surroundings. Located near the north shore of Long Beach Island, this beach is part of a quiet and laid-back small town that offers a superior option for those who want a more relaxing and quiet holiday. Public showers and a children's playground can be found next to the beach. 

Harvey Cedars is home to a popular Christian retreat which hosts the Harvey Cedars Bible Conference every year. There are also summer craft shows and many parks to explore while you’re not swimming and sunbathing away from the fast-paced world outside.

Head to Bayview Park if you’re looking for a great place to go swimming that’s got a calm surf and is great for the kids. Not only is this bay calm and great for splashing around, the park includes covered seating areas for grabbing a picnic lunch, and there’s also a playground where kids can run, climb, and swing to their heart’s content. 

Bayview Park is a wonderful stretch of golden sand where you can enjoy kayaking, seining, windsurfing, and even stand-up paddleboarding.

Ship Bottom Bay Beach is right at the end of the causeway that connects Long Beach Island to the New Jersey mainland. Many consider Ship Bottom to be the gateway to the island. The beach has a stretch of soft, golden sand and deep blue waters. The sunset over the ocean here is spectacular with blazing shades of red and orange filling the sky and waters. 

Not far from the beach, you can find live performance venues, tonnes of businesses for surfers and souvenir shoppers, and even a wealth of festivals and events held all year long.

Barnegat Lighthouse State Park is renowned for its serene, peaceful surroundings. It has amongst the widest of the beaches on Long Beach Island and is the home of important commercial seafood ports where you can find eateries that offer freshly caught fish right off the boats. 

When you're not having fun on the sand and in the waves, you can take a tour of the important lighthouse and even climb to the top of it for a panoramic view of the maritime forest and the surrounding ocean waves.

Long Beach Township Bay Beach is a beautiful spot for gazing out to sea. The ocean floor is fairly rocky, making swimming tricky, but it is a popular spot for kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding. If you’re looking to switch up your holiday while on the island, this township is a great place to be. While here, you can jump from white sand beaches to gold-sand beaches, relaxing in completely different backgrounds and environments every day.

Here you can find coastlines that are party areas with beach volleyball and surfing. There are also shores that are laid back and easygoing, ideal for just laying back with some peace and quiet. On the small west-facing shore of the Bay Beach, in particular, you can enjoy quiet afternoon strolls with stunning sunsets. 

Atlantic Ocean Beachfront at Beach Haven is a great public beach on the southern shore of Long Beach Island. Come here to enjoy a beach picnic while your kids play in the sand. The beach is clean and well-maintained, and you can expect minimal crowds during the off-season. Beach Haven is in fact a borough with several beaches beside the Atlantic Ocean Beachfront. Each of them offer a wealth of natural features, from unique rock formations to long stretches of soft sand. 

Just steps from the several beaches located here, you’ll find great seafood restaurants and independent boutiques. Shop for arts, crafts, and unique handcrafted souvenirs. There are also plenty of seasonal parties and events, such as stand-up paddleboard races. There’s a good reason why so many people choose Beach Haven for their annual family holiday.

Surf City Bay Beach in the borough of the same name is the ideal spot for long-term holidaymakers and day-trippers looking for a picturesque way to spend some time on Long Beach Island. The bay beach is accessible from many of the side streets where parking is mostly available. Surf City has parks where the kids can play, and of course, there are long stretches of sand and sun for swimming, surfing, birdwatching, and sunbathing.

Surf City itself is home to the Bay Beach Area, which offers a yacht club with boat access, and has a walkable and memorable city centre shopping area along the Boulevard where you’ll find a large collection of seafood restaurants and indie shops bursting with handmade crafts, quirky souvenirs, clothes, and more. 

Holyoke is a long and wide beach in Beach Haven, Long Beach Township with white sand that’s popular amongst swimmers and surfers. It’s also known for its jetty where you can go surf fishing and draw in large striped bass and tautog, amongst others. This coastal strip is known by locals as one of the best places to go for some of the most intense surfing on Long Beach Island.

The beach takes its name from Holyoke Avenue which serves as its main access. Just steps away from Holyoke Beach you’ll find outstanding restaurants with the freshest seafood and seasonal menus with locally sourced food. You'll also find plenty of shopping and entertaining activities for the entire family.

Loveladies Public Beach, just north of Harvey Cedars on Long Beach Island, is a beautiful stretch of sand with surfable waves. It features a number of designated ocean access areas for those who own or rent homes in the area. Even so, all of Loveladies' beaches are open to the public and with free parking available. From Long Beach Boulevard, you can reach the Loveladies' shore from either Dolphin Lane, Coast Avenue, Loveladies Lane, or Seashell Lane.

Loveladies public beach is an ideal destination for you and your family. You can also spare some time in your day off the beach and head up north to the Long Beach Island Foundation, which regularly features film screenings and concerts, as well as free art exhibitions in its gallery. You can even book a maritime forest tour to see wildlife such as ospreys and sea turtles. 

Atlantic Ocean Beachfront at Barnegat Light is one of the less famous beaches on Long Beach Island, but that makes it a great place for those looking for something different. This beachfront is without a doubt a hidden gem of Long Beach Island where you can find breathtaking views of the deep blue Atlantic Ocean. 

You can go swimming in the surf or just relax under the warm New Jersey sun. From this sandy coast at the northern tip of the island, you might even see pods of dolphin on the horizon. The maritime forest and landmark lighthouse of the Barnegat Lighthouse State Park is just nearby.