Elberon carries more presidential history per square block than anywhere else on the Jersey Shore. Seven sitting U.S. presidents vacationed in this unincorporated section of Long Branch during the Gilded Age—Grant, Hayes, Garfield, Arthur, Harrison, McKinley, and Wilson—earning it the nickname "Summer Capital of America." When President Garfield was shot in Washington in 1881, locals built a half-mile railroad spur overnight to bring him to the shore in hopes the sea air would help him recover. He died here at the Elberon Hotel on September 19th. The grand estates along Ocean Avenue still echo that era when robber barons and commanders-in-chief shared the same stretch of sand.
The beach experience here offers something increasingly rare on the northern shore: genuine peace. Daily badges run $12 weekdays ($9 weekends—yes, cheaper on weekends), using Long Branch's system since Elberon is technically part of that city. But the atmosphere is nothing like Long Branch's Pier Village crowds. The sand is backed by historic mansions rather than condos, the lifeguard stands are less frequent, and the crowd trends toward families and couples who know what they're looking for. The Elberon Bathing Club continues a tradition of private beach clubs dating to the 1880s, but public access remains available at the municipal sections.
The estates along Ocean Avenue constitute an open-air museum of Gilded Age architecture. Driving this stretch reveals Shingle Style mansions, stone cottages, and sprawling properties that once hosted presidents, industrial tycoons, and the social elite who followed wherever power went. The Church of the Presidents (St. James Chapel) in nearby Long Branch—where seven presidents worshipped—now operates as a small museum with presidential artifacts and community history. Free parking exists along residential streets, but fills quickly on summer weekends.
Dining options in Elberon itself are limited by design—this remains a residential enclave rather than a commercial district. Pier Village in Long Branch (5 minutes north) provides the nearest concentration of restaurants: Sirena for upscale Italian with ocean views, McLoone's Pier House for that $49 Sunday brunch buffet, Rooney's Oceanfront for the raw bar. Figure $50-80/person at upscale spots, $30-45 for casual waterfront dining. The Elberon train station on the North Jersey Coast Line puts you 1 hour 20 minutes from Penn Station—making this one of the most accessible quiet beaches for NYC day-trippers.
Elberon works best for history enthusiasts tracing presidential footsteps, couples seeking refined beach days without crowds, train commuters who want peaceful sand within easy reach of the city, and architecture photographers documenting Gilded Age grandeur. Combine Elberon's morning tranquility with Pier Village's afternoon shopping and Long Branch's dinner scene for a full day. Skip Elberon if you want boardwalk entertainment, nightlife, or beaches with amenities beyond lifeguards—that's Long Branch or Asbury Park's domain. But for the beach that presidents chose when they wanted to escape Washington, Elberon still delivers that same serene retreat.