Belmar NJ Beach Guide
Belmar beaches need a badge for everyone 14 and older. Lifeguards are on duty 9 am to 5:30 pm on weekdays and 9 am to 6 pm on weekends.
We find the town keeps its sand clean and family friendly all summer.
Minimal Fly Activity
Based on current conditions, encountering flies at the beach today is low. Keep an eye on the weather for any changes and enjoy the beach!
Current Weather for Belmar, NJ
Humidity: 89%
Wind: SSW at 8 mph
UV Index: 0.0
Sunrise: 6:30 AM
Sunset: 4:49 PM
Ocean Temperature
59.0 °F
Last Tide
Low Tide
11/4/2026, 10:19 PM
Next Tide
High Tide
11/5/2026, 4:25 AM
Forecast updated every 15 minutes. Last update: November 5, 2026, 2:00 am
Is Belmar worth visiting?
Yes, if you want a lively boardwalk beach with lots of guarded stands and easy accessibility.
- Mats and beach wheelchairs at every beach
- Cashless badge booths
- Free for kids 13 and under
- Surfing at 17th and 18th Avenues
Belmar quick facts
| Topic | What to know |
|---|---|
| Season badge | $80, seniors and disabled $32 |
| Daily badge | $12 |
| Badge hours | 9 am to 5 pm weekdays, 9 am to 6 pm Fri to Sun and holidays |
| Lifeguards | 9 am to 5:30 pm weekdays, 9 am to 6 pm weekends |
| Dogs on beach | October 1 to April 30 only |
| Beach Office | 732-749-4530 |
Beach tags
Badges are checked from 9 am to 5 pm on weekdays starting in mid June, and from 9 am to 6 pm on Fridays, weekends and holidays starting Memorial Day weekend. Children 13 and under are free. Seniors 65 and over with ID and people who meet the disability criteria pay $32 for a season badge. Active military and their families, Gold Star families and veterans get free admission. The booths are cashless, so buy at belmarbeachbadges.com, text Badges to 844-984-4826, or scan the QR code, and get daily badges on your phone before you reach the booth. Booths sit at 3rd, 8th, 11th, 14th, 16th, and 19th Avenues and at the Beach Office inside the Taylor Pavilion at 5th and Ocean Avenues, where you can also pay in person. There are no refunds, rain checks or replacements for lost badges.
Guarded beaches
- Stands are typically located at 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th, 13th, 14th, 15th, 17th, 18th, 19th, 20th, and 21st Avenues.
- Boogie boards are permitted on 7th, 14th, and 20th Avenues.
- Surfboards are permitted on 17th and 18th Avenues.
Coverage is subject to change due to weather or timing of the season. The Beach Department Office answers questions in season at 732-749-4530.
Accessibility
Handicapped accessible parking spaces are along the boardwalk, closest to each beach entrance, and are free as long as a handicap placard or plate is visible. Other boardwalk parking is $2 an hour through ParkMobile.
Beach access mats and beach wheelchairs are at all beaches.
Comfort stations
Bathrooms open around May 1st and close in October, depending on weather. From Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day they are open 7:30 am to 9:30 pm, and times before Memorial Day weekend may vary. The bathroom by the Taylor Pavilion at 5th Avenue stays open year round from 9 am to 4 pm, and portable toilets may be out at select spots off season. You will also find bathrooms at 8th, 11th, 16th and 19th Avenues. There are no bathhouses or changing rooms at the beach, but outdoor showers and foot showers sit at each beachfront entrance.
More Belmar Beach Regulations
Grilling and bonfires are not permitted on the beach. Food and drinks are fine, but alcohol and glass bottles are not allowed. Smoking is banned on the beach and boardwalk.
- Dogs are allowed on the beach only from October 1 to April 30, licensed and leashed, and never on the boardwalk except to cross to the sand. Always clean up after your dog.
- Bikes are allowed on the boardwalk from 6 am to 9 am between May 1 and September 30.
- Tents are not allowed from the Friday of Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day, and umbrellas can be no wider than 6 feet.
- Fishing is only allowed near the Belmar Fishing Club pier and in non bathing areas.
- For borough questions off season, call 732-681-3700
Best time to visit Belmar
We like early June weekdays, before weekday badge checks start in mid June, and September after the crowds thin out. For quieter weeks read our guide to the Jersey Shore after Labor Day.
More beaches to compare
- Read the ultimate Jersey Shore beach guide
- Compare breaks in our Jersey Shore surf spot guide
- Check badge costs in the beach tag price guide
Our Belmar beach tips
- Buy badges on your phone before you walk up, since booths are cashless
- Bring a 6 foot or smaller umbrella and skip the tent
- Bike the boardwalk before 9 am
- Rinse off at the showers at every entrance
- Pack bug spray and read our greenhead fly guide
A short history of Belmar
Belmar was a summer retreat long before it had a name. The Monmouth County Clerk archives recall migratory Indians fishing the south side of the Shark River each season, salt works rising there around 1755, and British raiders destroying them on April 6, 1778. In 1872 twenty five businessmen who summered in Ocean Grove wanted a town of their own, and the Ocean Beach Association was incorporated on March 13, 1873. Residents voted 63 to none for the name Belmar on May 14, 1889, and by 1890 there were 17 hotels.
Over the next century the resort became a hometown. The borough’s 2016 master plan reexamination counts 4,636 residents in 1950 and a peak of 6,771 in 1980. Then Superstorm Sandy struck on October 29, 2012, and roughly 683 households suffered major or severe damage. The borough rebuilt its entire boardwalk, replenished the beaches and rebuilt two pavilions, and in 2013 it named the whole town an area in need of rehabilitation so owners could rebuild with tax abatements.
The same report finds many south end summer rentals becoming year round homes. Today Belmar feels like a real town that happens to have a famous beach, and we love it that way.
Belmar beach FAQ
Do you need beach badges in Belmar NJ?
Yes. Everyone 14 and older needs a badge during badge hours. A daily badge is $12 and a season badge is $80, with $32 season badges for seniors and qualifying disabled visitors.
Where can you buy Belmar beach badges?
Booths are cashless. Buy at belmarbeachbadges.com, by texting Badges to 844-984-4826, or by QR code, or pay in person at the Beach Office in the Taylor Pavilion at 5th and Ocean Avenues.
Are Belmar beaches free for military and veterans?
Yes. Active military and their families, Gold Star families and veterans get free admission.
When are Belmar beaches guarded?
Lifeguards work 9 am to 5:30 pm on weekdays and 9 am to 6 pm on weekends in season. Coverage can change with weather or timing of the season.
Where can you surf in Belmar NJ?
Surfboards are allowed on 17th and 18th Avenues, and boogie boards on 7th, 14th and 20th Avenues.
Where are the bathrooms in Belmar NJ?
Bathrooms run along the boardwalk, including 8th, 11th, 16th and 19th Avenues, open 7:30 am to 9:30 pm from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day. Outdoor and foot showers are at every entrance.
Are dogs allowed on Belmar beaches?
Only from October 1 to April 30, licensed and leashed, and never on the boardwalk except to cross to the sand.
Are tents allowed on Belmar beach?
No tents from the Friday of Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day, and umbrellas can be no wider than 6 feet.
Can you drink alcohol on Belmar beach?
No. Alcohol and glass bottles are not allowed.
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