Surf City sits in the geographic middle of Long Beach Island and was, in fact, the island's first true resort town — settled by whalers in the 1600s and one of the earliest stops for summer travelers in the 1800s. Today it's a busy, family-oriented stretch of Long Beach Boulevard packed with shops, ice cream stands, and some of the best casual restaurants on the island.
Surf City's beaches run from Division Street north to 25th Street. They're known for being clean, well-maintained, and slightly less crowded than Beach Haven's. The dunes here are protected and tall, giving the beach a more natural feel. Beach badges are required in season and can be bought through the Borough of Surf City — daily and weekly options are easy to find at the borough hall.
Surf City offers mostly free street parking on residential side streets, with two-hour limits posted in some areas near the boulevard. Arrive before 10 AM in peak season for spots closest to the beach. The LBI Shuttle stops in Surf City and can save you the parking hunt entirely.
A persistent local myth says Surf City ends at Division Avenue. It doesn't. Division Avenue sits two blocks inside the borough, between North 1st and South 1st Street, and the name means what it says — it's where the borough's street numbering divides from North to South. The real boundary is two blocks further south, running down the centerline of South 2nd Street: only the north side of S 2nd is Surf City. Everything below that, including all of South 3rd Street, is Ship Bottom, even though the mail there still says Surf City. At the other end of town, North 25th is the last numbered street, though a named lane or two sits above it before the North Beach line near Sherwood Way.
Scojo's is the casual local favorite for breakfast and lunch. Wally's is the family-owned diner-style spot serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily for 50+ years. Surf City Hotel is the longstanding bar-and-grill anchor of the boulevard with a Clam Bar and Sushi Bar. Joey's Pizza & Pasta and Surf City Pizza are the family pizza go-tos. Country Kettle Fudge's sister shop Country Kettle Chowda is in Beach Haven, but The Big Dipper has been serving Richman's hand-dipped ice cream since 1970. Panzone's Pizza is a Jersey Shore staple — same family since 1980.
Visitors who want a central island location, families who like walkable downtowns, and anyone who prefers a relaxed pace over Beach Haven's full-throttle energy.
