Frequently Asked Questions

June 2023 Update: Guarded Beaches, Public Restrooms and More!

June 2023 Update!

Summer is officially here and the beaches are filling up with people from all over, eager to spent all their time in the sun! We have compiled and answered some of your most common questions for this time of year below: Guarded Beaches, Public Restrooms and More! Check it out!

2023 Beach Information on Long Beach Island

Barnegat Light

Hours (in-season): 10am to 5pm

Guard stands are located at the following streets during the full coverage season dates: 30th, 27th, 26th, 25th, 22nd, 21st, 19th, 17th, 15th, 14th, 12th, 10th, and 25th Bay Beach.

Public Restrooms: Barnegat Lighthouse State Park, West 10th Street at the Bay

Click HERE for more information on the Barnegat Light Beach Patrol!

Beach Haven

Hours (in-season): 10am to 5pm

Guard stands are located at “12th Street, Taylor Ave., 5th Street, 2nd Street, Centre Ave., Engleside Ave., Pearl St., Belvoir Ave., Essex Ave., Liberty Ave., and Kentford Ave.” during the full coverage season dates.

Public Restrooms: Taylor Ave Bay Beach, Centre Street (oceanside) – Outside Shower or Foot Shower Available, Dock Road (bayside), Marine Street Tennis Courts, Nelson Ave Playground

Click HERE for more information on the Beach Haven Beach Patrol!

Harvey Cedars

Hours (in-season): 10am to 5pm

Full Coverage Season Start Date: June 18th

Guard Stands are located at 86th Street, 83rd Street, 80th Street, 77th Street, 73rd Street, 69th Street, Middlesex Ave., Atlantic Ave., Hudson Ave. (also surfing beach), Cape May Ave., 5417 Blvd. easement (aka Cumberland), Bergen Ave. south, Bay Beach at West 75th Street

Public Restrooms: Sunset Park (Outside Shower or Foot Shower Available), Borough Hall (75th Street)

Click HERE for more information on the Harvey Cedars Beach Patrol!

Long Beach Township

Hours (in-season): 10am to 5pm

Guard Stands are located at:

Loveladies: Tract 153 (Dolphin), Tract 141 (Seaview), Coast Ave, Tract 99 (Harbor North), Tract 85, Tract 53 (Harbor South)
North Beach: Tract 1119 (Green), Tract 1087 (Flamingo), Tract 1065 (Pump House), Track 1049, Tract 1023, Tract 1005
Brant Beach: 32nd Street, 36th Street, 40th Street, 44th Street, 48th Street, 52nd Street, 55th Street, 58th Street, 62nd Street, 65th Street, 68th Street, Bay Beach – 68th Street
Beach Haven Crest: 70th Street, 75th Street, 78th Street, 82nd Street, 86th Street, 91st Street, 96th Street, 100th Street, 104th Street, 110th Street, 114th Street
Spray Beach: Colorado Ave (118th), Ramp Ave (122nd), Dune Ave (127th), Pennsylvania Ave (131st), 33rd Street, 29th Street, 25th Street, 21st Street, 17th Street, 14th Street, Bay Beach – Pennsylvania Ave (131st)
Holgate: Osborne Ave, Marshall Ave, Susan Ave, Rosemma Ave, Scott Dr, Chatham Ave, Jacqueline Ave, Harding Ave, Washington Ave

Public Restrooms: 68th Street at Bayview Park (Outside Shower or Foot Shower Available), Parking Area at the southern end of Holgate (Outside Shower or Foot Shower Available)

Click HERE for more information on the Long Beach Township Beach Patrol!

Ship Bottom

Hours (in-season): 10am to 6pm

Guard stands are located at “3rd Street, 7th Street, 15th Street, 20th Street, 23rd Street, 26th Street, 30th Street. The actual placement of the lifeguard stands vary due to beach conditions. Therefore, the guarded swim areas may be more to the north or more to the south of the listed street.”

Public Restrooms: Municipal Building at 17th Street & Long Beach Blvd, 10th Street at the Bay Boat Ramp, 13th- 16th Street at the Bay Beach (Outside Shower or Foot Shower Available)

Click HERE for more information on the Ship Bottom Beach Patrol!

Surf City

Hours (in-season): 10am to 5pm

Guard stands will be located approximately at South 2^nd Street, Division, North 2^nd, 4^th, 6^th, 8^th, 10^th, 12^th, 14^th, 16^th, 18^th, 20^th, 22^nd, and 24^th. The precise location of the guarded beach may change from year-to-year or even week-to-week depending on surf condition and the location of sandbars.

Public Restrooms: Behind Borough Hall at 813 Long Beach Boulevard, 16th Street Bay Beach, Division Street Boat Ramp

Click HERE for more information on the Surf City Beach Patrol!

For All Beaches

Please Note: Some beaches listed above as “guarded” may not have lifeguards present at certain times due to weather, staffing issues, after hours, etc. Do not swim at a beach if you do not see a lifeguard present. If you do not understand the rules regarding flags, digging holes, playing games, surfing, or other beach activities, please ask the lifeguard on duty and they will answer your questions. Beach Badges are required during the summer season. Please see our 2023 Beach Badge Blog for more information on acquiring beach badges for each town.

Need Help?

Please Contact Us if you have further questions about this blog posting. If you have a specific question about lifeguard stands, public restrooms and parking, please contact the township that you are staying in. You can also reach out to us if you have a community event that you would like us to post on our event calendar.

Photo by Jen Acolia Photography (@Jen.acoliaphotography)

2023 LBI Beach Badge Information

Are you getting ready for the best summer yet on Long Beach Island? If you’re planning on hitting the sandy shores, then it’s important to be prepared. And, of course, that means getting your beach badges sorted out. But don’t worry, we’ve got all the information you need right here!

Different Types of Badges

First things first, let’s talk about the different types of badges available. There are daily badges, weekly badges, seasonal badges, and even senior badges – so make sure to choose the one that’s right for you. Prices can vary depending on the town, so it’s a good idea to do some research before you buy.

Six Towns, Six Badges

Speaking of towns, there are six municipalities on Long Beach Island, each with their own unique beach badge. So, make sure to locate the town your rental is in and purchase the badges for your desired beach. Don’t know the area well? No problem! Just shoot us an email and we’ll help you out.

Each Town & How To Buy

Now, when it comes to buying your beach badges, it’s important to note that you should not send any forms to us. We can’t process them for you. Instead, each town has their own process for selling beach badges. Some may require you to mail or physically bring a form to their town hall or beach badge office by a certain date. So, be sure to check out the details and town forms on each site (we’ve included links for you below). And remember, only send forms and other requirements to the town you want to purchase beach badges in.

Okay, now let’s get down to business! Here are the pre-season pricing dates for each town:

Beach Haven: Available through May 31st – https://beachhaven-nj.gov/departments/recreation/beach-information/

Barnegat Light: Available through June 5th – https://barnegatlight.org/departments/beaches-lifeguards/

Ship Bottom: Available through May 31st – https://shipbottom.org/government/public-safety/beach-patrol/beach-badges/

Surf City: Available through May 31st – https://surfcitynj.org/beaches/

Harvey Cedars: Available through June 15th – https://www.harveycedars.org/cn/webpage.cfm?TID=150&TPID=18248

Long Beach Township: Available through June 15th – https://lbtbp.com/beach-badges/

So, what are you waiting for? Get those beach badges and start planning your summer fun! We can’t wait to see you on the sandy shores of Long Beach Island.

Ocean Safety on LBI: What's A Rip Current?

What’s A Rip Current?

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration describes rip currents as “powerful, narrow channels of fast-moving water.” Rip currents can be dangerous for all levels of swimmers – experienced or not. The NOAA also notes that “panicked swimmers often [incorrectly] try to counter a rip current by swimming straight back to shore;” this can put swimmers in a fatigued state, making it harder for them to keep swimming. Many experienced lifeguards, surfers, and swimmers can spot a rip current from the shore – these areas look different than the rest of the water (can be darker, churning, sometimes choppy, etc.). The photo below (provided by the United States Lifesaving Association) shows what a rip current can look like, when viewed from the beach. Some beach patrols will mark rip current areas with a flag or sign, or exclude them from a swimming area on purpose, which is why it is important to swim near a lifeguard, inside of the approved areas.

Rip Currents - United States Lifesaving Association

hat Should I Know Before Swimming?

Each guarded beach has a lifeguard and a designated area for swimming. If the area you want to swim in does not have those two things, you should not swim there.
Be smart. Does the ocean look more intense than you are comfortable with? If so, try a calmer day.
If you get caught in a rip current – don’t panic and don’t fight the current! Signal to a lifeguard (if able) and swim parallel to the shore. Then, swim back towards the land. See the photo below for a visual aid.

Where Can I Find More Information?

We recommend the following local sources for beach information:

Barnegat Light Beach Patrol: Click to Email
Beach Haven Beach Patrol: 609-492-9193
Harvey Cedars Beach Patrol: Click to Email
Long Beach Township Beach Patrol: 609-361-1200
Ship Bottom Beach Patrol: 609-494-9481
Surf City Beach Patrol: 609-361-7655

And the following national sources for information:

June 2022 Update: Guarded Beaches and Fireworks Information!

June 2022 Update!

The numbers on that “last day of school” countdown are getting smaller and smaller…summer must be just around the bend! We have answered some of your most common questions for this time of year below: Independence Day Events and Guarded Beaches! Check it out!

2022 Independence Celebration Events on LBI

July 2nd: Independence Day Parade in Barnegat Light, NJ at 6pm

July 4th: Fireworks at Bay Village in Beach Haven, NJ at dusk (July 5th rain date)

July 8th: Fireworks at the 16th Street Bay Beach in Surf City, NJ at dusk

2022 Guarded Beaches on Long Beach Island

Barnegat Light

Hours (in-season): 10am to 5pm

Full Coverage Season Start Date: June 18th, 2022

Important Information: Guard stands are located at the following streets during the full coverage season dates: 30th, 27th, 26th, 25th, 22nd, 21st, 19th, 17th, 15th, 14th, 12th, 10th, and 25th Bay Beach.

Click HERE for more information on the Barnegat Light Beach Patrol!

Beach Haven

Hours (in-season): 10am to 5pm

Full Coverage Season Start Date: June 25th (there will be limited coverage until then)

Important Information: Guard stands are located at “12th Street, Taylor Ave., 5th Street, 2nd Street, Centre Ave., Engleside Ave., Pearl St., Belvoir Ave., Essex Ave., Liberty Ave., and Kentford Ave.” during the full coverage season dates.

Click HERE for more information on the Beach Haven Beach Patrol!

Harvey Cedars

Hours (in-season): 10am to 5pm

Full Coverage Season Start Date: June 18th

Important Information: Guard Stands are located at “86th Street, 83rd Street, 80th Street, 77th Street, 73rd Street, 69th Street, Middlesex Ave., Atlantic Ave., Hudson Ave. (also surfing beach), Cape May Ave., 5417 Blvd. easement (aka Cumberland), Bergen Ave. south, and Bay Beach at West 75th Street” during the full coverage season dates.

Click HERE for more information on the Harvey Cedars Beach Patrol!

Long Beach Township

Hours (in-season): 10am to 5pm

Full Coverage Season Start Date: June 18th

Important Information: Please click HERE for a list of guarded beaches in Long Beach Township.

Click HERE for more information on the Long Beach Township Beach Patrol!

Ship Bottom

Hours (in-season): 10am to 6pm

Full Coverage Season Start Date: June 18th

Important Information: During the full season coverage dates, Guard stands are located at “3rd Street, 7th Street, 15th Street, 20th Street, 23rd Street, 26th Street, 30th Street. The actual placement of the lifeguard stands vary due to beach conditions. Therefore, the guarded swim areas may be more to the north or more to the south of the listed street.”

Click HERE for more information on the Ship Bottom Beach Patrol!

Surf City

Hours (in-season): 10am to 5pm

Full Coverage Season Start Date: June 18th

Important Information: During the full coverage season dates, “lifeguard stands will be located approximately at South 2^nd Street, Division, North 2^nd, 4^th, 6^th, 8^th, 10^th, 12^th, 14^th, 16^th, 18^th, 20^th, 22^nd, and 24^th. The precise location of the guarded beach may change from year-to-year or even week-to-week depending on surf condition and the location of sandbars.”

Click HERE for more information on the Surf City Beach Patrol!

For All Beaches

Please Note: Some beaches listed above as “guarded” may not have lifeguards present at certain times due to weather, staffing issues, after hours, etc. Do not swim at a beach if you do not see a lifeguard present. If you do not understand the rules regarding flags, digging holes, playing games, surfing, or other beach activities, please ask the lifeguard on duty and they will answer your questions. Beach Badges are required during the summer season as the governor’s statement regarding the 2022 summer season fees only includes State Parks, not municipal beaches. Please see our 2022 Beach Badge Blog for more information on acquiring beach badges for each town.

Need Help?

Please Contact Us if you have further questions about this blog posting. You can also reach out to us if you have a community event that you would like us to post on our event calendar.

Photo: Tracey Pagano (@tracey_pagano)

September Beach Update 2021: Guarded Areas and Pets!

Happy September, everyone! We have gathered the following information on guarded LBI beaches for the 2021 off-season, as well as information on when pets are allowed back on beaches across the island! Hope to see you this September! Remember: do not swim at unguarded beaches!

Barnegat Light

Beaches: Please contact Barnegat Light Borough for a list of currently guarded beaches. At the time of this posting (9/1/21), 9th Street and 22nd Street in Barnegat Light beaches are guarded during regular hours. Other questions about Barnegat Light Beaches can be answered by clicking here.

Pets: Leashed pets are allowed on Barnegat Light State Park Beaches after September 15th, BL Borough Beaches starting October 1st

Beach Haven

Beaches: Centre Street in Beach Haven will be guarded on Saturdays and Sundays through Sept. 19 (10a to 5p). On weekdays, beaches will be covered by mobile units. Please click here for Beach Haven updates to this schedule.

Pets: Leashed pets are allowed on Beach Haven Beaches after September 15th