Island Beach State Park
2401 NW Central Ave, Seaside Park, NJ
Seaside Park, NJ
Ten miles of wild dune and beach on a barrier island the boardwalks never reached, where ospreys hunt over the bay and foxes trot across the sand.
Island Beach State Park is a rare thing on the crowded Jersey Shore: a barrier island left wild. Ten miles of natural beach, dune, and thicket stretch south from Seaside Park, with the Atlantic on one side and Barnegat Bay on the other, and almost no development in between. Where much of the coast is lined with boardwalks and towns, here the dunes roll unbroken and the only crowds are the shorebirds.
The park protects one of the largest undeveloped stretches of barrier-island beach remaining on the mid-Atlantic coast. Behind the beach lie tall primary dunes, maritime forest, and quiet bayside marshes, a full cross-section of a healthy barrier island. It is a haven for ospreys, foxes, migrating birds, and native plants, and a reminder of what the whole coast once looked like.
What Guests Love
- Miles of natural, undeveloped beach backed by tall wild dunes
- Ospreys wheeling and diving over Barnegat Bay
- Excellent surf fishing along the open Atlantic shore
- The chance to spot red foxes trotting across the dunes at dawn or dusk
Worth Knowing
- The park can reach capacity on summer weekends and close its gate, so arrive early
- There is little shade and no boardwalk, so bring water, sun protection, and everything you need
- Stay off the fragile dunes and out of fenced nesting areas to protect wildlife and plants
- Four-wheel-drive beach access for fishing usually requires a permit, so check the rules first
Details
Seaside Park, NJ
Learn about Island Beach State Park
A wild island the boardwalks passed by
For most of its history this narrow spit of sand was too remote and storm-swept to develop. In the early twentieth century a wealthy industrialist envisioned an exclusive resort community here and built a handful of grand houses, but the plan faltered in the Great Depression, and the island stayed largely empty while the towns to the north filled with cottages and amusements.
The state acquired the land in the 1950s and opened it as a park in 1959, setting it aside to remain undeveloped and protected. That decision preserved a piece of the coast that would almost certainly have been built over otherwise, and today Island Beach stands as living proof of how the Jersey Shore looked before the boardwalk era, a natural barrier island held in public trust.
Ospreys, foxes, and the birds of the bay
Island Beach is one of the great wildlife-watching spots on the shore. Ospreys nest on platforms above the bayside marshes and hunt over the water, plunging feet-first for fish, and the park has long been a stronghold for these fish hawks. In fall the dunes and thickets funnel migrating hawks, songbirds, and monarch butterflies down the coast in remarkable numbers.
The island's most beloved residents may be its red foxes, which have grown used to people and are often seen trotting along the dunes or napping in the beach grass at the quieter hours. Shorebirds probe the wrack line, terns dive offshore, and in the bay you may spot herons, egrets, and diamondback terrapins. It is a place where the natural rhythms of the coast still hold sway.
Beach, dunes, and the bay
The beach itself is the main event, a long, natural strand for swimming, walking, and sunning, backed by dunes so tall and intact that they hide the sea from the road. Boardwalks are absent by design; instead, marked paths cross the dunes to keep them from being trampled, and the fragile beach grass that holds the sand in place is carefully protected.
The park is famous for its surf fishing, with anglers casting into the Atlantic for striped bass, bluefish, and more, some driving specially permitted four-wheel-drive vehicles onto designated stretches of beach. On the bay side, quiet coves and marshes invite kayaking and paddling, and the calmer water is a fine place to explore the inland edge of the island.
Season by season
Spring brings nesting ospreys back to their platforms, migrating birds through the thickets, and mild days for beach walks before the summer crowds. It is a quiet, fresh time to have the dunes nearly to yourself.
Summer is the busy season, when swimmers fill the beaches and the gate can close once the park reaches capacity on hot weekends. Autumn is a favorite among naturalists, when the great hawk and monarch migrations sweep down the coast and the fishing peaks along the surf. Winter empties the island to a stark, windswept beauty, with foxes on the dunes and gulls over a gray sea.
Closest Boutels
The closest Boutel™ stays, so you can turn this stop into an overnight. Each is an independently owned, editorially selected place to stay.
Things to Do Near Seaside Park
Seaside Park and Seaside Heights
Just north
Classic Jersey Shore boardwalk towns with amusement rides, arcades, and a lively summer scene.
Barnegat Lighthouse
Across the inlet, a longer drive around the bay
A red-and-white lighthouse at the tip of Long Beach Island, visible from the park's southern end across Barnegat Inlet.
Barnegat Bay
Along the park's western shore
A wide, shallow bay rich in marshes and wildlife, popular for paddling, sailing, and birdwatching.
Toms River
About 15 miles west
A larger mainland town with shops, restaurants, and services, an easy base for a shore visit.