Beaches in Beach Haven
Beach Haven runs from 12th Street south to Nelson Avenue, with public beach access at almost every numbered street and named avenue along the way. The beaches here are wide, lifeguarded in season, and tend to be the most populated on the island — expect a lively crowd in July and August. Beach badges are required from mid-June through Labor Day, sold daily, weekly, and seasonal. Badges are NOT required on Wednesdays. Buy online in advance through the Borough of Beach Haven for the best price.
Parking in Beach Haven
Public parking in Beach Haven is free — no meters — but the closest streets to the beach fill by 10 AM in peak season. Free street parking is available a few blocks inland. Plan to arrive early or use the LBI Shuttle. No vehicle (including trailers) may park in a Borough lot for more than 48 hours within a 7-day period.
Things to Do in Beach Haven
- Fantasy Island Amusement Park — classic family rides, an arcade, and games open evenings in summer.
- Thundering Surf Waterpark — water slides, a lazy river, and adventure mini-golf next door.
- Bay Village & Schooner's Wharf — original LBI shopping districts with boutiques, ice cream, candy, and bayfront seafood.
- Surflight Theatre — professional summer-stock musicals; a long-running LBI tradition since 1950.
- Show Place Ice Cream Parlour — interactive theatrical ice cream parlour where servers sing.
- Parasailing, jet ski rentals, bay tours — book on the bayfront docks along Centre Street and West Avenue.
Beach Haven Public Dock & Wharf
Beach Haven's bayfront is its second waterfront. The public docks and the historic Schooner's Wharf / Bay Village area sit along the bay on the west side of town, roughly around Centre Street and 9th Street, and this is where you'll find the bay tour boats, parasail and jet-ski operators, and small-boat access. Kids crab off the bulkheads with a chicken-neck and a drop line all summer, and it's the calmest place in town to watch the sun set over Barnegat Bay. There's no single grand "wharf" building — it's a walkable district of bayfront shops, docks, and eateries rather than one pier.
Parks in Beach Haven
Beach Haven packs a lot of public space into a small borough. Veterans Bicentennial Park (Bicentennial Park) on the bayfront hosts summer events and gives you open lawn and bay views; the borough also maintains a boat ramp, pickleball and tennis courts, playgrounds, and a public library. Green bike-lane striping runs through town, so a beach cruiser is the easiest way to move between the ocean beaches, the bayfront parks, and the food.
Where to Eat in Beach Haven
Beach Haven has the densest restaurant scene on LBI. Classic picks include Black Whale Bar & Fish House for bayfront drinks, The Gables Historic Inn for fine dining in a Victorian setting, Buckalew's for casual pub fare, The Chicken or the Egg (CHEGG) for famous late-night breakfast, Parker's Garage & Oyster Saloon for elevated seafood, Stefano's for BYOB Italian, and Country Kettle Chowda for award-winning clam chowder in Bay Village. Reservations are essential on summer weekends.
Landmarks & the "Beach Haven boardwalk"
First-timers often search for the "Beach Haven boardwalk" — but LBI famously has no traditional oceanfront boardwalk like Seaside or Wildwood. The closest thing is the walkable bayfront at Schooner's Wharf and Bay Village, where a plank walkway threads between shops and the docks. On the ocean side you simply walk on and off the sand at the numbered-street access points. The town's signature landmark is The Gables, a restored 1892 Victorian inn and restaurant on Centre Street, and the whole historic district around it is a National Register neighborhood worth a stroll.
Beach Haven Inlet & the Holgate boundary
Beach Haven borough ends at Nelson Avenue on its south side. Everything below that — the long, narrow peninsula running down to Beach Haven Inlet and the Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge at the island's very tip — is Holgate, which is part of Long Beach Township, not Beach Haven borough. The refuge end is closed April 1 through August 31 for piping plover nesting. So when a map or listing says "Beach Haven Inlet," it's pointing at the southern tip past Holgate, a short drive south of downtown Beach Haven.
Beach Haven vs. the "Beach Haven" sections
One quirk that trips up first-time visitors: Beach Haven borough is its own municipality, but several nearby sections — Beach Haven Terrace, Beach Haven Park, Beach Haven Crest, Beach Haven Gardens, and North Beach Haven — are actually part of Long Beach Township, not Beach Haven borough. They sit north of the borough along the central island. If your rental address is one of those, you'll buy Long Beach Township beach badges, not Beach Haven ones.
Beach Haven FAQ
Does Beach Haven have a boardwalk?
Not a traditional oceanfront boardwalk — LBI doesn't have one like Seaside or Wildwood. The closest thing in Beach Haven is the walkable bayfront plank walkway at Schooner's Wharf and Bay Village, lined with shops and docks. Ocean beaches are reached directly from the numbered-street access points.
Where can I park in Beach Haven?
Public parking in Beach Haven is free with no meters, but the streets closest to the beach fill by 10 AM in peak season. Free street parking is available a few blocks inland, and the LBI Shuttle can save you the hunt. No vehicle may stay in a Borough lot more than 48 hours within any 7-day period.
Is there a water park in Beach Haven?
Yes. Thundering Surf Waterpark has water slides and a lazy river, with adventure mini-golf next door, and Fantasy Island Amusement Park is right beside it — the two together are the center of family activity in Beach Haven.
Where is the Beach Haven public dock?
The public docks sit on the bay side of town around the Schooner's Wharf and Bay Village area, near Centre Street and 9th Street. It's where the bay tour boats, parasail and jet-ski operators launch, and a popular spot for crabbing off the bulkheads and watching the sunset over Barnegat Bay.
Who Beach Haven is best for
Families with kids, first-time LBI visitors, groups who want walkable food and nightlife, and anyone who values activity over solitude.
Nearby on the island
