Mantoloking NJ Beach Guide
Mantoloking requires a beach badge for everyone 12 and older from the third Saturday in June through Labor Day, from 10 am to 6 pm.
The borough guards a small number of beaches, and it warns that use of unguarded beaches is discouraged. Badges are sold at badge shacks on Downer Avenue and Lyman Street.
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 Mantoloking, NJ
Humidity: 96%
Wind: SSW at 1 mph
UV Index: 0.0
Sunrise: 6:29 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, 2:15 am
Is Mantoloking worth visiting?
Yes, if you want a quiet beach with a few guarded spots and you do not mind higher badge prices.
- Badges needed only from the third Saturday in June
- Surfers, kayakers and fishers do not need badges while active
- ADA walkway at Downer Avenue
- Beach wheelchair by phone
Mantoloking quick facts
| Topic | What to know |
|---|---|
| Season badge | $145, $130 if bought by Memorial Day |
| Half season badge | $75 from the first Saturday in August |
| Daily badge | $15 |
| Badges required | 10 am to 6 pm |
| Borough | 732-475-6983 |
Beach badges
The borough code sets the season badge at $130 if bought from April 1 through Memorial Day and $145 after that. A half season badge is $75 starting the first Saturday in August, and a daily badge is $15. Badges must be worn where they can be seen and can be shared only within a household. Lost badges are replaced only by paying the full badge fee. In season, badges are sold at the Downer Avenue shack next to the firehouse and the Lyman Street shack, and the borough accepts checks with ID and credit cards. Surfers, kayakers, paddleboarders and fishers do not need badges while they are actively doing those activities. See the borough beach page.
Guarded beaches
Mantoloking provides lifeguards from the third Saturday in June through Labor Day, from 10 am to 5 pm, at 1085 Ocean Avenue, Downer Avenue and Lyman Street daily and at Albertson Street on weekends. The borough also runs a mobile lifeguard ATV.
Some guarded locations close for the season in late August. The borough provides no lifeguards at its other public beaches.
Accessibility
Beach mats
Ocean County’s accessible beach guide lists an ADA compliant walkway at the Downer Avenue access point.
Beach wheelchairs
To use a beach wheelchair, call 732-295-1465.
Public restrooms
Ocean County’s accessible beach guide lists portable toilets at the guarded beaches.
Additional Mantoloking beach rules
Wear your badge, stay off the dunes and swim only at guarded beaches.
- Leave dogs at home from 10 am to 6 pm.
- Food is not allowed on the beach. Nonalcoholic drinks in durable reusable containers are allowed.
- No smoking.
- Surf and fish at least 200 feet away from bathers.
- Umbrellas up to 8 feet across and high are allowed without grounding lines.
- Baby tents up to 36 inches high, wide and deep are allowed.
- Canopy sunshades with one center pole up to 8 feet high and 8 feet wide are allowed, with no extra poles, side walls or screens.
- No sleeping on the beach from 6 pm to 10 am, and no vehicles.
Best time to visit Mantoloking
We like a visit before the third Saturday in June, when badges are not yet required. 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 Mantoloking beach tips
- Buy season badges by Memorial Day
- Pack drinks, not food
- Call ahead for a beach wheelchair
- Pack bug spray and read our greenhead fly guide
A short history of Mantoloking
Mantoloking started with one determined land buyer. The Borough of Mantoloking history page says Frederick W. Downer began buying land here around 1875 with a New York lawyer, Frank L. Hall, and that the town was developed and named in 1881. The railroad arrived that same year, and Captain John Arnold, the first postmaster, built the Mantoloking bridge in 1884.
The borough page explains that the town was part of Brick until it became the Borough of Mantoloking in 1911. There was no road to Bay Head until 1908. After the railroad bridge between Ocean Gate and Seaside Park burned in 1946, the tracks came up in 1949, and once the railroad land was sold after World War II, major development began in the north end.
The ocean has tested the town since. The New Jersey Department of Transportation reports that on October 29, 2012, the surge from Superstorm Sandy washed across the peninsula in three places in Mantoloking, and the largest breach cut a channel at the Route 528 intersection. NJDOT says the permanent repair of that largest breach was finished within two months.
We love how this small borough has held on to its long story, from Downer’s first purchases to the repaired breach at Route 528.
Mantoloking beach FAQ
Do you need a beach badge in Mantoloking NJ?
Yes, for everyone 12 and older from the third Saturday in June through Labor Day, from 10 am to 6 pm.
How much are Mantoloking beach badges?
A season badge is $145, or $130 if bought by Memorial Day. A half season badge is $75 and a daily badge is $15.
Can you eat on the beach in Mantoloking?
No. Food is not allowed, but nonalcoholic drinks in durable reusable containers are.
Are there flies on Mantoloking beaches?
Check our daily fly report before you head to the beach.
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