New Jersey has about 130 miles of coastline — and most of it comes with a fee. Beach badges have been part of Shore culture for nearly a century, used to pay for things like lifeguards, cleanup, and crowd control. The system works for a lot of towns, but it also sparks debate every summer about who gets access and who doesn’t.
A few beaches, though, don’t charge at all! It’s either a policy choice or about how the town is funded or managed. Whatever the reason, they’re open to the public — no badge, no pass.
This guide breaks down those beaches, town by town. You’ll find what each one offers, and what to know before you go.
Free Beaches, NJ — By Location, with Context
Beach access in New Jersey isn’t uniform. A free beach might be in the middle of a busy resort town or tucked into a quiet bayfront neighborhood.
To make it easier to plan a trip, we’ve broken these beaches down by location.
Cape May County
Cape May County is the best place to start. Towns here have strong tourism economies, local budgets that can handle the cost, or, in some cases, residents who just never bought into the beach badge system.
If you’re looking for free beaches that are easy to access, this part of the state has the highest concentration by far.
William Morrow Beach (Somers Point)
For a beach this small, William Morrow packs in a surprising number of reasons to go. It’s bayfront, so you’re not dealing with heavy surf or deep water, which makes it ideal for kids or anyone looking for a relaxed swim. There are lifeguards on duty, restrooms, a fishing pier, free parking, and even outdoor showers — rare for any free beach in the state.
What gives this place a different feel is the Friday night summer concert series. Locals bring beach chairs and coolers and settle in for live music. It has to be said, this is one of the few free beaches in New Jersey where the town clearly reinvests in making the space feel used and cared for.
Bay Front (Lower Township)
This is less of a beach day and more of a quiet retreat. The Bay Front stretch runs along a residential section of Lower Township, from West Miami Avenue to Lincoln Boulevard.
You won’t find lifeguards or amenities here, but you can bring food, picnic in peace, and stay out of the wind thanks to the natural shape of the bay. It’s also a good pick for older beachgoers or families with toddlers — shallow water, little wave action, and no boardwalk scene to navigate. If William Morrow feels built out, this one feels like it’s intentionally been left alone.
Cape May Point State Park
This is where you go if your idea of a beach day includes binoculars and hiking boots. Cape May Point State Park isn’t set up for swimming — that’s actually prohibited here — but it’s one of the best coastal environments in the state for walking, birding, and learning something while you’re at it.
The Cape May Lighthouse is open for climbs, and trails cut through wetlands and coastal forest. You can walk past WWII-era bunkers or sit near the dunes with a packed lunch and watch the tide roll in. There’s no badge required and plenty to see, just not the place to bring your surfboard.
Corson’s Inlet State Park
This is one of the last truly undeveloped oceanfront areas in New Jersey, and it shows. There are no restrooms, no rentals, no snack stands — just trails, dunes, and raw shoreline. The beach is technically accessible from Ocean City’s southern end, and if you’re willing to walk a bit, you’ll often have entire stretches to yourself.
Corson’s Inlet is best for people who want to fish, crab, or sit with a book. If you’ve spent time on the boardwalks in Wildwood or Atlantic City, it will feel like another world. You’ll need to bring everything in and take everything out — but if your version of a perfect beach day means quiet and unmarked trails, this is a match made in heaven.
Higbee Beach (Cape May)
This isn’t a swim beach — and the state makes that clear with signage — but if you’re looking for a walk, a view, and a quiet shoreline, Higbee’s one of the best spots near Cape May. It’s part of a state-managed wildlife management area, and it’s especially popular with birders and locals who want to avoid the crowds altogether.
There are trails through the woods behind the beach, and a wide open stretch of sand that’s often empty, even in peak season. It’s not maintained in the same way as a public swim beach — no bathrooms, no patrol — to the point it’s more so a nature preserve.
Sunset Beach (Cape May Point)
As the name suggests, this one’s all about timing. Sunset Beach sits at the end of Sunset Boulevard and draws a small crowd most evenings to watch the sun drop over the bay — one of the few places on the East Coast where you can watch it set over water. People clap when it dips below the horizon. It’s a thing.
Beyond the view, Sunset Beach is known for “Cape May diamonds,” the polished quartz pebbles that wash ashore and get taken for souvenirs. There’s also the visible wreck of the SS Atlantus offshore — a concrete ship that ran aground in 1926 and never left. The beach itself isn’t huge, and it’s not ideal for swimming, but it’s a great spot to walk, browse the small gift shops nearby, and settle in with a beach chair near dusk.
Cove Beach (Cape May)
Just beyond the main public beach, Cove Beach has a more relaxed feel. It’s technically part of Cape May’s badge system, but enforcement here is famously hit or miss, especially in the early morning and evening hours. It’s a spot people take a chance on, especially during the shoulder seasons.
The surf is gentler here than at other nearby beaches, and there’s a decent stretch of sand between the dunes and the water. It’s also within walking distance from town, which makes it easy to pair with a coffee stop or an early dinner nearby. Just check the signage if you’re unsure — some parts are clearly marked as needing badges, others not so much.
Atlantic County (Urban, Busy, Accessible)
Cape May County might have the most variety, but if you’re looking for a beach day that’s easy to reach and doesn’t involve a badge, Atlantic County might tick some boxes. The beach here is shaped by city infrastructure, where public access is built into how the place works.
Here’s what to expect from the only free beach in this part of the Shore – one of the easiest options for a day trip.
Atlantic City
Atlantic City’s beach has always been free, and that’s by design. The casinos, hotels, and entertainment venues drive enough revenue that the city has never needed to charge people to sit on the sand. What you get here isn’t peace and quiet, but access. The boardwalk runs for miles, restrooms and showers are easy to find, and food is never more than a few blocks away. There are also designated surfing beaches, plus areas for kayaking, paddleboarding, and fishing if you’re not just here to sunbathe.
It’s one of the most accessible free beaches in New Jersey — not because of the lack of fees, but because of how easy it is to get here by train, bus, or expressway.
Ocean County
Free beach options in Ocean County are limited, but the few that exist are worth knowing about, especially if you’re looking for quieter alternatives to the Shore’s busier stretches.
Island Beach State Park (Seaside Park)
Island Beach State Park offers one of the most protected and unspoiled stretches of coastline left in New Jersey — a 10-mile barrier island of dunes, maritime forest, and clean, open sand. On a weekday morning, it can feel like you’ve got the whole shoreline to yourself.
Normally, there’s a per-car entry fee — $6 on weekdays, $10 on weekends for in-state residents — but the state has occasionally waived those fees during early summer through June 30. When that’s in effect, it becomes one of the best free beach days in the state, especially for people looking to get away from built-up boardwalk towns.
The park has designated swim areas with lifeguards, as well as space for surf fishing, kayaking, and wildlife watching. Just be aware that services are minimal beyond the basics — no snack bars or shops here. If you want the Shore without the Shore crowds, this is about as close as you’ll get.
Jennifer Lane Bay Beach (Stafford Township)
Jennifer Lane Bay Beach sits tucked into a residential part of Stafford Township, along the edge of Manahawkin Bay. It’s small, flat, and calm — perfect for little kids, grandparents, or anyone who’s not looking to get knocked around by waves.
There are lifeguards on duty in summer, a few picnic tables, and even a local landmark: “Jenny the Whale,” a fiberglass sculpture in the sand that doubles as a low-key playground. The beach has no entry fee, and the parking situation is pretty straightforward — just don’t expect full beach-town infrastructure.
This isn’t a beach you’d drive an hour to see for the view. But if you’re nearby and want a safe, simple spot to spend an afternoon, it’s a reliable pick.
Monmouth County & the North Shore
This part of the state isn’t short on shoreline, but it’s not built around beach tourism the way towns farther south are. You won’t find much in the way of lifeguards or rental stands, and most of the free beaches here aren’t ocean-facing — they’re tucked along the bay, with calmer water, residential backdrops, and fewer people. Sure, it might sound like a compromise, but that’s exactly why some locals prefer them.
Sandy Hook (Gateway National Recreation Area)
Sandy Hook is the rare beach in New Jersey that manages to feel remote without being hard to reach. It’s part of a federally managed park, so there’s no badge system — just a $20 vehicle fee from Memorial Day through Labor Day. But if you bike or walk in, it’s free.
The beach here is split into sections, and only part of it is guarded. Gunnison Beach is clothing-optional. The northern end near the lighthouse is good for walking and birding; the southern end is more set up for swimming. There are no food stands, rentals, or boardwalks. So, whatever you need, bring it with you — including shade. But if you’re looking for long, wide stretches of sand without development, this is your best bet, in North Jersey, anyway.
Keansburg
Keansburg is a bayfront beach, sandwiched between older neighborhoods and an amusement park; you could say it feels stuck in time. There’s no badge required, and no one’s checking for much of anything. The sand is coarse, the water’s murky, and there aren’t lifeguards — but you get views of the Manhattan skyline and a beach that’s open to anyone.
It works best if you’re combining it with something else — a ride or two at the park, food from a boardwalk vendor, or a sunset walk. It’s not for swimming, either. That said, if you’re nearby and want a break without paying for it, this one gets the job done.
Ideal Beach & Leonardo Beach (Middletown Township)
These are residential beaches, plain and simple. You’ll find no tourism push here — just flat bayfront sand, minimal waves, and a handful of locals. Ideal Beach has a small playground and some open space near the lot. Leonardo is smaller, quieter, and tends to stay that way.
Both are maintained by the township. There are seasonal restrooms and no badge checks. The water is shallow and usually calm, good for little kids or people who just want to sit near the bay and read. You won’t find much signage or amenities, but if you’re looking for a place to park and be left alone for a few hours, it’s not a bad shout.
Union Beach
Union Beach is more about the view than the beach itself. The shoreline faces the city, and there’s a long walking path that stretches alongside a rebuilt seawall, part of the area’s post-Sandy efforts. The sand is narrow, and the swimming isn’t great, but it’s a solid spot for a walk, a jog, or a quiet place to sit.
There are benches, plenty of birds, and on a clear day, a sharp line of skyline across the bay. It’s not a destination beach — more of a neighborhood one — but it serves its purpose. If you live nearby or just want a less crowded alternative, it’s worth stopping by.
Highlands
You won’t find a central public beach in the Highlands, but if you know where to look, there are a few slivers of bayfront shoreline hidden between marinas and small parks. Shore Drive is the best place to start. There’s no badge required and rarely any crowd. You’re more likely to see boaters coming and going than anyone stretched out on a towel.
It’s not a swimming spot — and you wouldn’t really go here for that anyway — but it’s a peaceful place to sit, especially with food from one of the nearby seafood joints. Think of it more like a place to pause than post up. Great for killing time before a ferry – that kind of thing.
A Few Things to Keep in Mind
Free beaches are great, no doubt, but they come with a few trade-offs.
Here’s what to consider before you head out:
- Parking isn’t always free. Some towns have meters, some require local permits. Always check signage or the town’s site before you park.
- Lifeguards aren’t guaranteed. A few beaches have them during posted hours (like Sandy Hook or William Morrow), but many don’t. If you’re planning to swim, double-check ahead.
- Bathrooms, shade, and food are hit or miss. There are beaches with restrooms or picnic areas, but most don’t have them. Thus, bring what you need — especially water and cover from the sun.
- Access rules can shift. A handful of beaches are only free on specific days (like Beach Haven on Wednesdays), and a few towns adjust policies year to year. Just make a thing of confirming before you go.
That’s It on Free, NJ, Beaches
If there’s one thing this list confirms, it’s that you don’t need a badge or a boardwalk to have a good beach day. From wide-open oceanfronts in Cape May County to tucked-away bay spots in Monmouth, we’ve covered the towns where you can skip the badge and still get your feet in the sand.
Since you don’t have to search for “free beaches near me” anymore, where do you think you’ll head to first?
