Sea Isle City
Beach Town · Sea Isle City, New Jersey
A barrier-island town in Cape May County between Ocean City and Avalon that is almost entirely a family rental resort and makes no pretence otherwise. ITS SEAFRONT IS A PROMENADE RATHER THAN A BOARDWALK — a mile and a half of paved concrete, rebuilt that way after the great Ash Wednesday storm of March 1962 destroyed the wooden one along with much of the town. There are no rides and no piers, just a wide flat walk, a beach, a handful of bars at the Excursion Park end, and a working fishing fleet on the bay side.
John F. Kennedy Boulevard, Sea Isle City, New Jersey, 08243, United States
A public beach town, free to walk, with FREE STREET PARKING — unusual on this coast, though genuinely difficult near the beach in July and August, with residential permit restrictions in places. BEACH TAGS ARE REQUIRED AND CHECKED IN SEASON, roughly $10-$15 a day with much cheaper weekly and seasonal rates. SWIMMING IS GUARDED IN SEASON ONLY, roughly mid-June to Labor Day during posted daytime hours — there are NO GUARDS AT ALL outside that window, on a coast with regular rip currents. Free summer concerts and events run at Excursion Park. A VERY LARGE PART OF THE TOWN CLOSES FROM NOVEMBER TO MARCH. No rail service; the island is reached by causeway from the Garden State Parkway, and a seasonal jitney runs its length.