The 5 Best New Jersey Beaches
The Jersey Shore has been a primary summer destination for decades. Not only for those who live in the state and surrounding cities of New York and Philadelphia, but also for true out-of-towners. The combination of sun, surf, wooden boardwalks, and a variety of beach foods provides an atmosphere of both nostalgia and relaxation.
As there are many beaches to choose from, here are five of the best in New Jersey to choose from.
1. Cape May
At the southern tip of New Jersey is a Cape May – a time machine that takes visitors back to Victorian days at the shore. Though there’s no boardwalk at this location, there’s still miles of sand, water, and waving grasses. If you need to get your shopping and dining on, it can be done at the three-block Washington Street Pedestrian Mall.
Due to its location on a peninsula, you can catch the sunrise on one side of the beach and a glorious sunset on the other. Those who want to travel across the Delaware Bay can take their car on the Cape May Ferry and travel 90 minutes to the town of Lewes, Delaware.
2. Wildwood
Situated between Atlantic City and Cape May, Wildwood has one of the best amusement piers in the state. Actually, it has three of them situated across the two-mile boardwalk. The area also has the widest beach in New Jersey. The sand extends from the boardwalk to the Atlantic Ocean for over a quarter of a mile. Therefore, you shouldn’t have any problem finding a place to sunbathe.
3. Gunnison Beach
Hidden within Sandy Hook State Park, Gunnison Beach is the only legal clothing-optional beach in New Jersey. Fortunately, it’s well-secluded from prying eyes. Not only is the park on an islet in Sandy Hook Bay, but the beach’s lot G is 4.5 miles from the main parking area.
It’s okay if you want to keep some clothing on during your first visit. However, you need to shed it all during future trips. Also, when you shed your garments, leave your camera with them.
4. Asbury Park
The Central Jersey beach once known as the musical home to Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band has gone through a revitalization over the last several years. There are no rides on the nearly two-mile boardwalk. Nevertheless, the eating establishments and shops make it the hippest beach along the Jersey shoreline.
The seemingly endless beach is ready for all types of guests. Easily accessible, it offers pleasant views of the Atlantic and some of the old structures that remain from the city’s early 20th-century heydays.
5. Point Pleasant
Though it was severely damaged during Hurricane Sandy, the family-friendly Point Pleasant Beach has picked itself up again to be rated as one of the cleanest in Ocean County and the state. Its one-mile boardwalk is chock full of rides and attractions for all ages. This includes Jenkinson’s Aquarium and the 36-hole Castaway Cove Miniature Golf Course. The beach itself is flat and wide. Much of that space due to the tons of sand added after Sandy. Overall, Point Pleasant is a quiet respite from busier locations like Seaside Heights.
