Bay Head NJ Beach Guide
Bay Head’s beaches are open to the public and run by the Bay Head Improvement Association, not the borough, and badges are required for everyone 12 and older from late June through Labor Day.
Bay Head is an Ocean County borough whose beachfront is protected by a federal beach and dune project.
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 Bay Head, 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 Bay Head worth visiting?
Yes, if you want a quiet, uncrowded beach with a peaceful small town feel.
- Quiet, residential beachfront
- Daily, half season and full season badges
- Junior lifeguard program for kids
- No motor vehicles on the beach
Bay Head quick facts
| Topic | What to know |
|---|---|
| Full season badge | $120 |
| Half season, daily | $65, $15 |
| Badges required | Ages 12 and older, late June through Labor Day |
| Badge office | 532 Lake Avenue |
| Improvement Association | 732-892-4179 |
| Borough Hall | 732-892-0574 |
Beach badges
The Borough of Bay Head does not own, operate or maintain the beaches. They are run independently by the Bay Head Improvement Association, and all beaches are open to the public. Badges are required for everyone 12 and older from late June through Labor Day. Bay Head offers full season badges for $120, half season badges for $65 and daily badges for $15. Pick up badges at the association office, 532 Lake Avenue at the corner of Mount Street, which is closed Memorial Day weekend, then opens on weekends from late May and every day from mid June. Credit and debit card fees apply. Call the association at 732-892-4179.
Guarded beaches
The Bay Head Improvement Association runs the beaches and its own Junior Lifeguard Program. It does not publish guarded beach locations or lifeguard hours on the borough site, so call 732-892-4179 before you go and swim only where lifeguards are on duty.
Accessibility
Beach mats
The borough does not publish beach mat locations. Call the Bay Head Improvement Association at 732-892-4179 to ask.
Beach wheelchairs
The borough does not publish details on beach wheelchairs. Call the Bay Head Improvement Association at 732-892-4179 to ask.
Public restrooms
The borough does not publish beach restroom locations. Call the Bay Head Improvement Association at 732-892-4179 to ask.
Additional Bay Head beach rules
Respect the dunes and follow lifeguard instructions.
- Fires on the beach, beach paths and accessways need a permit from the borough.
- Motor vehicles, including electric bikes and scooters, are banned on the oceanfront beach.
- Dogs must be on a leash no longer than six feet and with someone older than 12 in public places, and may never run loose.
- Keep off the dunes, which protect the town from storms and flooding.
Best time to visit Bay Head
We love early summer mornings here, when the beach is at its most peaceful. 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 Bay Head beach tips
- Buy a half season badge for a shorter stay
- Pick up badges at 532 Lake Avenue
- Keep off the dunes
- Pack bug spray and read our greenhead fly guide
A short history of Bay Head
Bay Head began with a farm family and three men from Princeton. The Bay Head Historical Society says the Loveland family settled here about 1837, and that Howe, Mount and Harris bought the land that became Bay Head and developed it as a resort for the upper middle class. The National Park Service study Resorts and Recreation says they bought 45 acres from Capt. Elijah Chadwick, founded the Bay Head Land Company in 1879, and had the Bellevue Hotel, the first of five big hotels, open by 1881.
The society says the Jersey Central arrived from New York in 1882 and the Pennsylvania Railroad came across the bay, and Bay Head was the last stop for both. Its photo collection covers the area’s heyday, from the mid 1880s to about 1940, and it credits Slade Dale with promoting boating here from the 1940s to the mid 1960s.
A National Register nomination for the Bay Head Historic District describes a mostly residential town of cedar shingled Shingle Style houses built between the late nineteenth century and World War II. It says deed restrictions set by the land company founders gave the streets their uniform look, and that the New Jersey Transit train loop here is the only balloon loop station left in the state.
The society bought the 1867 Loveland Homestead in 1997, and since 1999 it has housed the society’s museum. We love that, as the nomination puts it, the district has kept a significant degree of integrity.
Bay Head beach FAQ
Do you need a beach badge in Bay Head NJ?
Yes. Everyone 12 and older needs a badge from late June through Labor Day.
How much are Bay Head beach badges?
Full season badges are $120, half season badges are $65 and daily badges are $15.
Where do you get Bay Head beach badges?
At the Bay Head Improvement Association office, 532 Lake Avenue.
Who runs the beaches in Bay Head?
The Bay Head Improvement Association, not the borough. All beaches are open to the public.
Are fires allowed on the beach in Bay Head?
Only with a permit from the borough.
Are there flies on Bay Head beaches?
Check our daily fly report before you head to the beach.
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