Day Trip to Beach Haven
From Philadelphia • 1hr 15min drive
Philly's shore run doesn't get much easier: Beach Haven is 1hr 15min away, and you can be back from Fantasy Island Amusement Park before the Schuylkill jams up.
Timing it: Leave by 8:30 AM to beat both traffic and the parking crunch. Weekdays are noticeably quieter, and September keeps warm water without the crowds.
Getting to Beach Haven from Philadelphia
car
1hr 15min
Route 70 east out of Cherry Hill, then Route 72 over the causeway — the only road onto Long Beach Island.
💡 No tolls once you clear the bridge out of the city.
Doing Beach Haven without your own car?
The train and bus get you to town. A one-day rental from Philadelphia gets you to the beaches the schedules skip.
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Your Beach Haven Day Trip Itinerary
☀️ Morning
Leave Philadelphia
The drive runs about 1hr 15min — leaving by 8:30 AM puts you on the sand by mid-morning, ahead of the lot-fills-up crowd.
Arrive in Beach Haven
Park first, then get badges. Local intel: Free street and lot parking. Downtown can be busy on summer weekends.
Beach time
Claim your spot while the good stretches are still open
⏱️ 2 hours
🏖️ Afternoon
Lunch
Grab a casual lunch at a local spot
See Fantasy Island Amusement Park
Fantasy Island Amusement Park is the signature stop; Thundering Surf Waterpark is worth folding in if you have the energy.
⏱️ 2 hours
Late beach or activity
Another swim or one more stop before dinner
🌅 Evening
Early dinner
Eat before the drive home to avoid rush
Head back to Philadelphia
Depart after dinner and the drive home stays easy.
Top Things to Do in Beach Haven
Fantasy Island Amusement Park
Thundering Surf Waterpark
Surflight Theatre
Taylor Avenue Bay Beach
Bay Village
Where to Eat in Beach Haven
Smokey's Bar-B-Q
Side Door Donuts & Coffee
Shore Good Donuts Inc
Shore & Anchor Kitchens
Practical Information
Parking
Free street and lot parking. Downtown can be busy on summer weekends.
Budget
Plan on $50-100 per person all-in. Known costs: $10 beach badge; the rest is gas, tolls, and food.
Day Trip Tips
- Daily beach badges in Beach Haven run $10 in season. Kids under 12 are free. Bring cash — some badge checkers don't take cards.
- Parking in Beach Haven is free — the constraint is spaces, not price, so arriving by 10 matters.
- No tolls once you clear the bridge out of the city.
- With only 1hr 15min of driving, this works as a spontaneous trip — even a 9 AM decision still gets you a full beach day.
Turn Your Day Trip into a Weekend
Beach Haven moves at an island entertainment hub pace; a single day only skims it. Thundering Surf Waterpark deserves the second one. The 1hr 15min drive home can wait until Sunday.
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