Island Beach State Park in NJ???

[DisAddict]

Anyone ever been here????

 

[GJM]

I have many times. It has been awhile - you pay per car not person, once the lots fill up they will close the park. They have a food stand, changing rooms with showers. You use to be able to go all the way down and park, no lifeguards or bathrooms, not sure if it is still like that.

I use to love going there.

 

[swanmom]

A nice beach as GJM said, but here in NJ the water will be cold for quite a while longer. On a nice weekend, you do have to get there early. Once the parking lot is full, they turn people away. But it is well worth the trip.

 

[buddy&wooz]

I've always liked IBSP because it has the lifeguards and bathrooms but no boardwalk- just beach & dunes. Plus you can just bring your own cooler- some of the other beaches won't let you. And it's cheaper if you load up the car with friends. The drive to the parking areas is nice, sometimes you see foxes and other animals along the way.

Sometimes we spend a day at the beach then head over to Seaside Heights in the late afternoon/evening for the boardwalk there.

On a weekend get there early (before 10am), weekdays are better IMO.

 

[Hannathy]

There a 2 guarded beaches with bathrooms, showers, and food. further down on the point there is a fishing beach. If you have kids the rangers do walks and programs that are really interesting. We did one were they take you out on the bay side and drag a net thru the water and discuss the "marine life" you find. Get a handout when you pay telling you where to meet and the times.There are several paths thru the dunes you can walk on and see what the area looked like before it became a tourist trap. We like it because with kids it is hard to find bathrooms and changing places along the boardwalk beaches. Our usual plan is spend the day at Island beach, shower and then spend the evening up on the boardwalk eating great shore junk food and walking around- Oh this is making me soooo hungry!

If you get there on a weekend and the beach is closed eat lunch and try again because a lot of people go early but also leave early.

 

[Cindy B]

There are lifeguards there.

The per car price is much better than the individual price for beach tags. The parking is good, they have bathrooms and changing areas and like other posters have said kids programs and there are always displays that show the kids about marine life and such.

We've never done the walking trails, but they do look interesting.