Margate City NJ Beach Guide
Margate City requires a beach tag for everyone 12 and older, and lifeguards protect designated beaches from 10 am to 6 pm from Memorial Day to Labor Day.
Margate is home to Lucy the Elephant, a National Historic Landmark, and has mobility mats at 18 beaches plus dune transport for visitors with limited mobility.
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 Margate City, NJ
Humidity: 95%
Wind: SSW at 6 mph
UV Index: 0.0
Sunrise: 6:30 AM
Sunset: 4:52 PM
Ocean Temperature
60.3 °F
Last Tide
Low Tide
11/4/2026, 9:55 PM
Next Tide
High Tide
11/5/2026, 4:13 AM
Forecast updated every 15 minutes. Last update: November 5, 2026, 12:00 am
Is Margate City worth visiting?
Yes, if you want guarded beaches, low preseason tag prices and strong accessibility services.
- Preseason tags for $10 through May 31
- Mobility mats at 18 beaches
- Dune transport for visitors with limited mobility
- Surf chairs at six beaches
Margate City quick facts
| Topic | What to know |
|---|---|
| Preseason tag | $10 through May 31, $3.50 for seniors 65 and older |
| From June 1 | $20 for every tag |
| Holiday tag | $12 |
| Lifeguards | 10 am to 6 pm, Memorial Day to Labor Day |
| Dogs on beach | Leashed, 6 am to 8 am only from Memorial Day weekend through September 30 |
| City Hall | 609-822-2605 |
Beach tags
Everyone 12 and older needs a beach tag. Preseason tags are $10 through May 31, seniors 65 and older pay $3.50, and holiday tags are $12. Starting June 1 every tag is $20. Buy tags in person at the Martin Bloom Pavilion at Granville Avenue and the beach, as digital or physical tags in the MyBeach Mobile app, or online from Jersey Cape Tags with delivery by mail. You can also reserve by mail with the order form and payment sent to Margate City Hall, 9001 Winchester Avenue, which must arrive by May 31, then pick up at the Bloom Pavilion. Veterans and active military members get free seasonal tags with military ID, and spouses of active members do too. All sales are final. For questions call City Hall at 609-822-2605.
Guarded beaches
The Margate City Beach Patrol protects designated beaches from 10 am to 6 pm from Memorial Day to Labor Day, and some beaches stay guarded after Labor Day when weather permits. Protected beaches change through the season, so check the city’s protected beaches page before you swim. Beach Patrol headquarters is at Decatur Avenue and the beach.
Swim only at protected beaches, and use surfboards only where they are allowed.
Accessibility
Beach mats
Mobility mats are at Andover, Barclay, Clarendon, Clermont, Douglas, Exeter, Huntington, Iroquois, Kenyon, Osborne, Rumson, Thurlow, Vendome, Decatur, Adams, Madison, Coolidge and Jefferson Avenues. Andover, Huntington, Osborne and Jefferson Avenues are the fully accessible beaches. For transport over the dunes call 609-517-5245 from 11 am and give at least 30 minutes notice. The last pickup is 4:30 pm, rides are first come first served, and the service cannot carry specialized medical equipment.
Beach wheelchairs
Surf chairs are kept at Brunswick, Huntington, Knight, Thurlow, Madison and Decatur Avenues. Call the Beach Patrol at 609-822-2370 or ask at a lifeguard stand.
Public restrooms
Beach restrooms are at Clarendon Avenue, Huntington Avenue in the Bloom Pavilion, Quincy Avenue, Benson Avenue at the Greenhouse and Madison Avenue.
Additional Margate City Beach Rules
Carry your trash off the beach and follow lifeguard instructions.
- Alcohol is not allowed on the beach.
- Glass containers and littering are banned.
- Fires are banned on the beach.
- Dogs must be leashed, and from the Friday of Memorial Day weekend through September 30 they are allowed only from 6 am to 8 am.
- Kites are banned during bathing hours, and so are ball games that put other people at risk.
- Chairs, kayaks and other items left on the beach or locked to the bulkhead or fence are removed.
Best time to visit Margate City
We love September here, when the water is still warm and some beaches stay guarded after Labor Day when weather permits. 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 tag costs in the beach tag price guide
Our Margate City beach tips
- Buy tags by May 31 for half price
- Call for dune transport after 11 am
- Check the protected beaches page before you swim
- Pack bug spray and read our greenhead fly guide
A short history of Margate City
Margate City grew up around an elephant. The history published by Lucy the Elephant says James V. Lafferty built the elephant in 1881, applied for a patent on June 3, 1882 and received it on December 5 of that year. He sold the property to the Gertzen family in 1887.
The same history says the borough of South Atlantic City formed on August 4, 1885, with James Rider as its first mayor. It became a city on April 23, 1897, and took the name Margate on April 20, 1909.
By the late 1960s the elephant was decaying. Chapter six of the Lucy history says Edwin T. Carpenter and a group of residents formed the Margate Civic Association in 1969 to save it from demolition, and the owners donated the elephant to the city. The plan was to move it two blocks south to beachfront parkland the city had bought in a 1932 referendum.
Chapter ten says tours inside resumed by the summer of 1974, and by 1976 the U.S. Department of the Interior had recognized the elephant as a National Historic Landmark. The Save Lucy Committee raised more than $600,000 to preserve it. We love that a whole town pulled together to keep its oldest neighbor standing. Today Lucy’s official site says she stands along the beach in Josephine Harron Park, and the museum offers guided tours through the elephant.
Margate City beach FAQ
Do you need beach tags in Margate City NJ?
Yes. Everyone 12 and older needs a beach tag.
How much are Margate City beach tags?
Preseason tags are $10 through May 31, $3.50 for seniors 65 and older, and holiday tags are $12. Starting June 1 every tag is $20.
Where can you buy Margate City beach tags?
At the Martin Bloom Pavilion at Granville Avenue and the beach, in the MyBeach Mobile app, online from Jersey Cape Tags, or by mail to Margate City Hall by May 31.
When are Margate City beaches guarded?
Lifeguards protect designated beaches from 10 am to 6 pm from Memorial Day to Labor Day, and some stay guarded after Labor Day when weather permits.
Which Margate City beaches have mobility mats?
Andover, Barclay, Clarendon, Clermont, Douglas, Exeter, Huntington, Iroquois, Kenyon, Osborne, Rumson, Thurlow, Vendome, Decatur, Adams, Madison, Coolidge and Jefferson Avenues.
Can you get help crossing the dunes in Margate City?
Yes. Call 609-517-5245 from 11 am with at least 30 minutes notice. The last pickup is 4:30 pm.
Are dogs allowed on Margate City beaches?
Yes, on a leash. From the Friday of Memorial Day weekend through September 30 dogs are allowed only from 6 am to 8 am.
Where are the restrooms in Margate City?
At Clarendon Avenue, Huntington Avenue in the Bloom Pavilion, Quincy Avenue, Benson Avenue and Madison Avenue.
Can you drink alcohol on Margate City beaches?
No. Alcohol and glass containers are not allowed on the beach.
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