Day Trip to Margate
From Philadelphia • 1hr 10min drive
Margate sits 1hr 10min from Center City — close enough that South Philly families treat it as their default beach.
Timing it: Leave by 8:35 AM to beat both traffic and the parking crunch. Weekdays are noticeably quieter, and September keeps warm water without the crowds.
Getting to Margate from Philadelphia
car
1hr 10min
Cross the Walt Whitman or Ben Franklin Bridge and take the Atlantic City Expressway straight east — it ends at the shore.
💡 Bridge toll plus Atlantic City Expressway tolls; E-ZPass keeps you moving.
bus
1hr 55min typical
NJ Transit bus route 505 serves Margate from the Philadelphia side.
💰 $10-20 one way
Doing Margate 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 Margate Day Trip Itinerary
☀️ Morning
Leave Philadelphia
The drive runs about 1hr 10min — leaving by 8:35 AM puts you on the sand by mid-morning, ahead of the lot-fills-up crowd.
Arrive in Margate
Park first, then get badges. Local intel: Metered street parking closer to beach. Free parking on residential streets.
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 Lucy the Elephant
Lucy the Elephant is the signature stop; Beachstock 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 Margate
Lucy the Elephant
Beachstock
Marven Gardens
Where to Eat in Margate
South End Pizza
Sofia Restaurant
Shuckers Bar & Grille
Pierre's Pizza
Practical Information
Parking
Metered street parking closer to beach. Free parking on residential streets.
Budget
Plan on $50-100 per person all-in. Known costs: free beaches; the rest is gas, tolls, and food.
Day Trip Tips
- Margate sells no daily badge — beach access is a $20 season pass. Kids under 12 are free.
- Parking: Metered street parking closer to beach. Free parking on residential streets.
- Bridge toll plus Atlantic City Expressway tolls; E-ZPass keeps you moving.
- With only 1hr 10min 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
Evenings in Margate are the reward day-trippers skip: dinner at South End Pizza, a beach walk, no traffic ahead. Book early — good weekends vanish by spring.
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