At these Ocean County beaches, there's plenty of excitement, relaxation and even a bit of mystery
LONG BEACH ISLAND -- Before swimming or sandcastles, visitors to Long Beach Island are met with a bit of mystery. High dunes keep much of the beach hidden to passersby, and beach-goers will climb over a sandy hill before they see it -- one of New Jersey's true summer paradises.
The barrier island itself is massive -- 18 miles including three miles of nature reserve at the southern tip -- and includes popular shore destinations Beach Haven, Surf City, Harvey Cedars, Long Beach Township and more, all of which are included together in this finalist report.
If you can't find a spot here to relax in the sun and enjoy the remainder of your Jersey summer, you just aren't trying.
Here's what we found on LBI, based on the criteria listed for our Best Beach poll -- where nearly 5,000 of you voted for your finalists.
Overall beach quality -- Once you walk over the dunes and check out the LBI landscape, you realize the beach itself is relatively skinny -- not much wider than Ocean City's small swath. But the sand seems endless in either direction, and because it's cordoned off by the dunes and a long line of beach homes, lounging here can feel like an exclusive experience (especially on lighter days).
The sand itself is lighter in color a little coarser than our beaches in Wildwood or Cape May, and the areas we visited in Surf City and Beach Haven were immaculate. In Surf City the was a huge sandbar, with folks only up submerged to their knees while trying to catch boogie-boarding waves. In Beach Haven, there was more of a drop-off from the tideline.
A day at the beach in Surf City on Long Beach Island, Long Beach Township, NJ. (Mark Brown | For NJ.com) Size and type of crowd -- The bad news: LBI falls into a patron overlap, where it's a very popular area for summer homes and families vacationing for weeks at a time, but also draws a large daily crowd. Naturally, oceanfront spots on the sand can get tight on weekends. The good news: Long Beach Island is a gigantic swath of beach properties, and if you have no quarrel venturing to an adjacent town if another is crowded, you'll almost certainly find a calm, roomy locale.
The crowd itself is mixed; all those families, plus football-chucking teens and 20-somethings, couples strolling, older patrons sunbathing. If you want fun and excitement, you'll find it. If you want to kick back and relax, there's usually a sleepy space for that, too.
Availability of boardwalks, food and recreation -- Long Beach Island does not feature a boardwalk, but good eats and fun are usually nearby, along the seemingly endless stretch of Long Beach Boulevard. Depending on your location, an ice cream shop, pancake house or mini golf course -- or even Fantasy Island Amusement Park -- is likely nearby and walkable, but bike riders definitely benefit on the island.
And LBI, specifically Beach Haven, may have the best old-timey, beach treat experience: A throwback Good Humor truck rides up to each beach's side street, stands atop the dune entrance and rings a horseshoe of bells like a town crier, summoning that ice cream has arrived!
A day at the beach in Beach Haven on Long Beach Island, Long Beach Township, NJ. (Mark Brown | For NJ.com) Cost of beach badges and parking -- Things can get tricky here: Daily passes for Beach Haven and Long Beach Township are $5, Harvey Cedars is $6, Ship Bottom is $7 and Surf City is $8. And each beach requires its own badge, so beach-hopping can quickly burn a hole in your boardshorts.
Also, don't be fooled -- when you first walk over the dunes and onto the beach, there is no one immediately selling badges. But the LBI staffs are diligent about walking around to make sure your presumably already-purchased pass is displayed. If you're caught without it, you can buy one from the badge checkers.
Parking is mostly street and free; during the week is no issue, the weekends you might need to circle a while, but again, LBI is enormous with plenty of real estate.
What sets Long Beach Island apart -- Many beach towns can feel cramped, as if the municipality is a venue stuffed far beyond its max capacity. LBI seems to be the opposite; it's almost unfair how much there is to do here. It's just how far you're willing to bike, walk or drive in a straight line, north or south. And for those stopping by for a beach day, week or month, there's a great mix of action and serenity.
Next up in our search, we stick around in Ocean County, for Point Pleasant Beach and Island Beach State park. Stay tuned, as we will post one story per beach, and name the winner later this month!
Bobby Olivier may be reached at bolivier@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @BobbyOlivier and Facebook. Find NJ.com on Facebook.