What to Do
Ocean City Beaches
Welcome to OCNJ - Voted #1 Beach in New Jersey
The City of Ocean City wants everyone to have fun at the beach and wants everyone to be safe! The ocean is a great place to play in the waves or to cool off on a hot summer day, but it can be dangerous in certain conditions or for those who may not be used to the waves and currents. To keep everyone safe lifeguards from the Ocean City Beach Patrol (OCBP) guard a number of beaches along the coast. Certain beaches are designated for surfing only as the surfboards can be dangerous to swimmers.
The OCBP guards a total of 42 beaches in the summer season spanning eight miles of beautiful beaches. Beaches are guarded from the Saturday before Memorial Day through the week after Labor Day. However, to extend the season somewhat, the OCBP guards 5 beaches, conditions permitting, throughout September. For the last three weeks in September the 5 guarded beaches are St. Charles Place, 9th Street, 12th Street, 34th Street and 58th Street.
The Ocean City Beach Patrol divides the Ocean City beach into zones from north to south and each zone has a first aid station at the zone headquarters. These first aid stations are located at 1st Street, 12th Street, 34th Street and 59th Street.
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All of the beaches listed here are guarded by the last week in June. Prior to this, and at the end of the season, there are a limited number of guarded beaches (see below). The beaches that are guarded when the full summer staff is in effect are:
| Seaspray Rd. | 10th St. | 30th St |
| Surf Rd | 11th St. | 32nd St. |
| Waverly Blvd (Surfing Beach) |
12th St. | 34th St. |
| Atlantic Blvd. | 13th St. | 36th St. |
| North St. | 14th St. | 39th St. |
| Stenton Pl. | 15th St. | 42nd St. |
| St. Charles Pl. | 16th St. (Surfing Beach) | 44th St. |
| Pennlyn Pl. | 17th St. | 46th St. |
| Park Pl. | 18th St. | 48th St. |
| Brighton Pl. | 20th St. | 50th St. |
| 5th St. | 22nd St. | 53rd St. |
| 7th St. (Surfing Beach) | 24th St. | 55th St. |
| 8th St. | 26th St. | 57th St. |
| 9th St. | 28th St. | 60th St. |
Pre- and Post-Season Guarded Beaches
The Beaches that will be guarded the Saturday before Memorial Day through the third week in June are:
| St Charles Pl | 9th St | 14th St. | 44th St. |
| Brighton Pl. | 11th St. | 26th St | 57th St. |
| 8th St. | 12th St. | 34th St. |
The same assigned beaches will be guarded the week after Labor Day, manpower permitting.
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Contact Information for Guarded Beaches
For an update on guarded beaches dial (609) 814-WAVE (9283).
Zone Headquarters:
1st Street Phone 525-9200
12th Street Phone 525-9203
34th Street Phone 525-9204
57th Street Phone 525-9207
Beach Badge Season:
Pre-season Beach tags are currently available at City Hall, the Aquatic & Fitness Center at 18th and Haven Avenue and the Knight Building at 11th and Haven Avenue. Sales will begin at the Music Pier on weekends beginning Saturday April 4th. Beach badges must be worn from June 13 through September 7th.
Restrooms and Showers:
Restrooms are located at the Boardwalk at Moorlyn Terrace, 1st, 6th, 8th, 12th and 34th Streets.
Private showers and changing rooms are located on 13th Street and Ocean Avenue. They are open from 9 am to 7 pm weather permitting. Adults are $8 for the entire day and children under 10 are $4. They also have towels, soap and shampoo available for an additional cost. For more information call 609.399.7121.
Parking:
Metered parking is available. Visitors can also find parking lots on 5th, 8th and 9th Streets, and Moorlyn Terrace. Private parking lots are also available.
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Access for Visitors with Disabilities:
The City of Ocean City wants everyone to be able to enjoy the beautiful beaches and so offers a wonderful beach accessible wheelchair service for mobility limited individuals of all ages. “Surf Chairs” provide an opportunity for everyone to enjoy the surf and sand on Ocean City beaches.
The beach accessible wheelchair service is available on weekdays from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (check-in by 4:30 p.m.) and on weekends from 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (check-in by 5:00 p.m.). The surf chair program runs from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend. Reservations are suggested.
The Surf Chair Program is based out of the Ocean City Sports & Civic Center located on 6th Street at the Boardwalk. For more information about this program, call (609) 525-9304.
Handicapped Beach Access – Handicapped beach access is provided at 1 st, 6 th, 8 th, 9 th, 12 th, 14 th, 26 th, 29 th, 34 th, 36 th, 40 th, 43 rd, 46 th, 50 th, 51 st, 52 nd,53 rd, 55 th, 57 th, and 59 th Streets.
Accessible bathrooms are located at the Boardwalk at Moorlyn Terrace, 1 st, 6 th, 8 th, 12 th and 34 th Streets.
Beachwalks:
Do you know what kind of shells you are picking up on the beach? For some help, take a guided nature walk on a dune path to the beach in Corsons Inlet State Park. The volunteers for the Beachwalk program will help you to see the beach in new and different ways as they pass on their knowledge of sand and water, birds and sealife. Each guide has a specialty, and many people take the walk over an over, just to hear what different guides have to say. More than 20,000 people have done the walk!
Beachwalks are given in July and August on Tuesday and Thursday at 9:30 a.m. and on Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. The walks start at the south end on Central Avenue, where Corson's Inlet State Park begins.
The cost is $1.00 for adults and $.50 for children. The tours last for about an hour. Reservations are not necessary and the walks happen unless there is lightning.
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Surfing:
Three of the State’s best guarded surfing beaches at Waverly, 7th and 16th.
Ocean City Music Pier:
Over 40 concerts featuring the including Ocean City Pops, Melissa Manchester, James Darren, Dickey Betts and the Great Southern Band and George Winston. Tickets are available on line at www.ocnj.us.
Ocean City Boardwalk:
2 ½ miles of boardwalk from St. James Place to 24th Street with shoppes, restaurants, the Music Pier, amusements, arcades, miniature golf, and other exciting features.
Customer Service Centers:
Questions – stop at the Customer Service Centers at the Ocean City Music Pier on the Boardwalk and Moorlyn Terrance, City Hall at 9th and Asbury, and the Welcome Center on the Route 52 Causeway.
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Fee:
In order to keep the Ocean City beach a safe, clean, and fun place to visit and relax, the Ocean City beach requires beachgoers to have beach tags. Beach tags can be purchased for the season, the week, or the day.
Seasonal tags are available for purchase in the pre-season, before Memorial Day, at a discounted rate. Pre-season purchases can be made on-line at www.ocnj.us or they can be purchased at City Hall (9th Street and Asbury Avenue), the 46th Street Post Office (on West Avenue), and the Information Center at the Music Pier (on the Boardwalk at Moorlyn Terrace). Please note some of these locations have limited hours during the pre-season. City Hall, however, is open Monday through Friday from 8:45 a.m. through 4:30 p.m.
During the summer season, Seasonal, Weekly, and Daily passes can be purchased at the three locations above and from Beach Tag Checkers who work on the beach to ensure that beachgoers have their tags.
The daily fee is $5 and the weekly fee is $10. Access to the beach for the season costs $20. Children 11 and under are free.
Events:
Dozens of events offered throughout the year from The Great Easter Egg Hunt on the beach to First Day at the beach on New Year’s Day. The Doo Dah Parade, Miss New jersey Pageant, Night in Venice, Miss Crustacean Pageant, the Ocean City Air Festival, and First Night are just a few of the annual events.
Bicycling:
Bicycle riding on the boardwalk from 5 am to noon or visit the new Haven Avenue Bike Route from 9th to 34th Streets. Ride along most of West Avenue from 14th Street south, a shared use road.
Skate Park:
Located at 6th Street and the Boardwalk next to the Ocean City Civic Center.
Beach Walks:
South End: 59th Street & Central (Entrance at Corson’s Inlet Park) Tuesdays – 9 am, Wednesdays – 6:30 pm. North End: Ocean City-Longport Bridge Parking Lot, Tuesday – 9am, Wednesday – 9 am. Tickets may be purchased on site at $1.00 for adults and $.50 for children.
Walks, Bikathons, Triathlons:
The Ocean City Boardwalk and beach hosts over a dozen major events to raise funds for various charities.
Junior Lifeguard Camp:
July 7 to 10; August 4 to 7 for ages 9-10, 11-12, 13-15 for registration call 609.525.9304.
Adopt a Beach Program:
Each beach has been adopted by businesses and local families to insure that they stay free of litter.
Recycling:
Recycling is required and recycling containers are located on every beach and along the Boardwalk.