Island Beach State Park
Ten miles of undeveloped barrier beach in Berkeley Township, Ocean County, and one of the last stretches of wild coastline on the mid-Atlantic. Surf fishing, swimming, kayaking, and New Jersey's largest osprey colony, with no beach badge required.
- Hours8 AM–8 PM
- Entry$10 NJ / $20 out-of-state (wknd)
- Beach badgeNone required
- WhereBerkeley Twp, Ocean Co.
About Island Beach State Park
Island Beach State Park is a narrow barrier beach that runs nearly 10 miles between the Atlantic Ocean and Barnegat Bay. It is the largest undeveloped barrier beach left in New Jersey, and it still looks the way the shore looked a century ago. No boardwalks, no arcades, no hotels. Just dunes, maritime forest, and open water.
The park splits into a Northern and a much larger Southern Natural Area. On the bay side sits the Sedge Island Marine Conservation Zone, roughly 1,600 acres of tidal marsh, creeks, and ponds. Surf anglers, kayakers, swimmers, and birders all have reason to come. Just remember the one rule that matters in summer: go early or go home. On a nice weekend the lots fill and the gates close by mid-morning.
Plan Your Visit
Hours, fees, parking strategy, and getting there
⏰ Go Early — Lots Close by Mid-Morning
On a nice summer day the lots fill fast, and once they are full the park closes to incoming vehicles until space opens up. Getting there before 9 AM on a weekend is not a suggestion. It is the strategy. Weekdays are far easier. Gates are open 8 AM to 8 PM in summer.
Entrance Fees (Memorial Day–Labor Day)
| Visitor | Weekday | Weekend |
|---|---|---|
| NJ resident vehicle | $6 | $10 |
| Out-of-state vehicle | $12 | $20 |
| Walk-ins & cyclists | Free | |
No beach badge required — the entrance fee covers parking and beach access. Rates are lower in the off-season; annual State Park Passes are available.
Getting Here
The single entrance is at the south end of Central Avenue in Seaside Park. NJ Transit bus 137 stops at the park entrance (limited service). GPS: 39.79410, -74.09150.
Park Rules
- 🚫 No camping or overnight lodging
- 🚫 No alcohol
- 🚫 No inner tubes or rafts in the swimming area
- 🐕 Dogs welcome on leash in designated areas (not on swim beaches)
- 🏊 Guarded swimming areas A-1 & A-7, mid-June–Labor Day
- 🚙 4WD beach-buggy permit required for mobile sport-fishing access
Things to Do
Swimming, fishing, paddling, birding, and more
Swimming
Two guarded swimming areas (A-1 & A-7) staffed mid-June through Labor Day. Far quieter than the boardwalk beaches.
Nearby beaches →🎣Surf Fishing
NJ's premier surf-fishing destination. Miles of beach-buggy access for striped bass, bluefish, and fluke.
Surf fishing guide →🛶Kayaking & Sedge Island
Guided 3-hour eco-tours through the Sedge Island Marine Conservation Zone on the Barnegat Bay side.
Barnegat Bay guide →🦅Birding & Wildlife
NJ's largest osprey colony, peregrine falcons, piping plovers, and a fall monarch-butterfly migration.
Best birding spots →🥾Hiking & Nature Center
Short interpretive trails through dunes and maritime forest, plus the Aeolium nature center in a Phipps-era lodge.
Trails & maps →🐚Beachcombing & Photography
10 miles of wild, dune-backed shoreline — among the best sunrise and shell-hunting beaches on the coast.
Park map & POIs →History & the Governor's Beach
The crash that saved a wild coastline
Island Beach almost became something else entirely. Steel magnate Henry C. Phipps, a partner of Andrew Carnegie, bought the land in 1926 to build an exclusive seashore resort, complete with golf courses and yacht clubs. He got as far as three large houses (the Ocean House, the Bay House, and the Freeman House) before the 1929 stock-market crash stopped him cold. Phipps died in 1930, the resort never came, and the land just sat there.
During World War II the U.S. Army used the empty peninsula to test rockets, firing experimental anti-aircraft missiles out over the Atlantic. In 1953 the State of New Jersey bought the property from the Phipps estate for $2.7 million, and the park opened in 1959. All three Phipps houses still stand; one is now the park's Aeolium nature center.
The Governor's Residence
Since New Jersey took over the land, the state has kept an official summer residence for the governor on the property. New Jersey is one of only four states (along with Alabama, Michigan, and North Carolina) that owns a vacation home for its governor. In July 2017, aerial photos caught Governor Chris Christie relaxing on an Island Beach beach that had been closed to the public during a state-government shutdown. The pictures went viral and became one of the defining images of his time in office. The fact that a governor keeps a private place here tells you how rare this stretch of coast really is.
The usual comparison is Assateague Island, the wild barrier island on the Maryland and Virginia line that became parkland after a 1962 storm wiped out a failed development. The parallel is almost exact. Both stretches of coast survived the 20th century's push to build through some mix of bad luck and good timing, and both are now among the rarest things on the eastern seaboard: a beach that looks the way beaches used to look.
Surf Fishing & Barnegat Inlet
One of the best surf-fishing beaches on the coast
For surf anglers, Island Beach is about as good as the Jersey Shore gets: 10 miles of undeveloped beach with access all year. The fall run (September–December) pulls anglers from across the region for striped bass and bluefish, and spring brings stripers on fresh clams. The park also hosts the annual Governor's Surf Fishing Tournament on the first Sunday in October. The south end borders Barnegat Inlet, where you can see Barnegat Lighthouse ("Old Barney") across the water on Long Beach Island.
4WD Beach Permits
Mobile sport-fishing vehicles can drive designated beach zones with a permit: $75 (3-day) or $195 (annual) for residents; $90/$225 for non-residents. Permits are popular and can sell via lottery — apply early.
Want a guided trip instead?
Book a charter out of nearby Point Pleasant Beach or Barnegat Light with verified reviews and instant booking.
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Wildlife & Nature
Ospreys, falcons, and the Sedge Island marsh
For birders, Island Beach is serious business. The marshes hold New Jersey's largest osprey colony — over 50 active nests — while peregrine falcons and migrating shorebirds make the park a top year-round birdwatching spot. Piping plovers nest on the protected southern beaches, and each fall thousands of monarch butterflies funnel through the dunes on their way to Mexico.
Sedge Island Marine Conservation Zone
On the Barnegat Bay side, roughly 1,600 acres of tidal marsh, creeks, and ponds form one of New Jersey's most pristine estuarine environments, reachable only by boat or kayak. Guided 3-hour eco-tours from the park's naturalists take you past nesting ospreys, herons, egrets, American oystercatchers, and diamondback terrapins. Tours book up weeks in advance. See the Barnegat Bay kayaking guide →
Nearby Towns & Where to Stay
Island Beach has no lodging of its own, so most visitors base themselves just north in Seaside Park (the gateway town), Seaside Heights, or Lavallette. Across the inlet, Barnegat Light on LBI offers a quieter alternative with the lighthouse and Viking Village. Staying nearby means you can be at the gate by 8 AM for sunrise walks or early fishing.
Find a Place Near the Park
Hotels, motels, and rentals in Seaside Park and Seaside Heights — minutes from the park entrance.
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Nearby: South Seaside Park Boundary Change
The area just north of Island Beach State Park (South Seaside Park) is being annexed by Seaside Park Borough after a decades-long legal battle. Island Beach State Park itself is unaffected — free beach access with the usual park entrance fee.
Read the full story →Island Beach State Park FAQ
Do I need a beach badge at Island Beach State Park?▼
No. Unlike most Jersey Shore towns, Island Beach State Park does not require a beach badge. Instead you pay a per-vehicle state park entrance fee at the gate, and beach access is free once you are inside the park.
How much does it cost to get into Island Beach State Park?▼
From Memorial Day through Labor Day, entry is $6 on weekdays and $10 on weekends for New Jersey residents, and $12 weekdays / $20 weekends for out-of-state vehicles. Rates drop in the off-season, and walk-ins and cyclists enter free. Annual State Park Passes are also available.
What time does Island Beach State Park fill up and close?▼
On warm summer weekends the parking lots routinely reach capacity by 9–10 AM, and once full the park closes to incoming vehicles until cars leave. Arrive by 8 AM on summer weekends, or visit on a weekday, to be sure of getting in.
What are the hours at Island Beach State Park?▼
During the summer season the gates are open from 8 AM to 8 PM. Hours are shorter in the off-season, and the park can close early during major storms or for special events.
Is there camping at Island Beach State Park?▼
No. Island Beach State Park is day-use only — there is no camping and no overnight lodging inside the park. The nearest motels and rentals are in Seaside Park and Seaside Heights, a few minutes north of the gate.
Are dogs allowed at Island Beach State Park?▼
Dogs are welcome on a leash in designated areas of the park, but they are not permitted on the guarded swimming beaches. Leashed dogs are popular with surf anglers in the mobile sport-fishing zones.
Can you swim at Island Beach State Park?▼
Yes. Two guarded swimming areas (A-1 and A-7) in the northern recreation zone are staffed by lifeguards from mid-June through Labor Day. They are far less crowded than the commercial boardwalk beaches just to the north. Inner tubes and rafts are not allowed in the swimming area.
Why is Island Beach State Park undeveloped?▼
Steel magnate Henry C. Phipps bought the land in 1926 planning an exclusive seashore resort, but the 1929 stock-market crash halted construction and Phipps died in 1930. The land sat untouched, served as a WWII Army rocket-testing site, and was purchased by the State of New Jersey in 1953 for $2.7 million. The park opened in 1959, preserving it as the largest undeveloped barrier beach left in the state.
Where is the governor's house at Island Beach State Park?▼
New Jersey maintains an official summer residence for the governor inside the park — one of the three houses Phipps built in the 1920s. New Jersey is one of just four states (with Alabama, Michigan, and North Carolina) that keeps a state-owned vacation home for its governor. The residence drew national attention in 2017 when Governor Chris Christie was photographed on the closed park beach during a state shutdown.
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