Long Beach Island, New Jersey is where you can experience a classic beach vacation. Navigating the island is simple and straightforward since there is only one main boulevard that runs north to south. Whether you prefer a luxurious or quaint getaway, choose from plenty of fantastic Long Beach Island vacation rentals. Check out the most noteworthy points of interest on and around Long Beach Island.
1. Beach Haven, South Long Beach Island
When your vacation rental is at Beach Haven on the southern end of Long Beach Island, the kids may return home talking like pirates. That is if you take them aboard the Black Pearl pirate ship for the hour-long interaction sailing adventure. Thirty-minutes before setting sail, the kids dress like pirates, get tattoos and transform into little buccaneers with painted faces. On board, the crew teaches them how to talk, sing, dance, and play games like true buccaneers on the high seas. They search for Pirate Pete, who stole the treasure chest key. When they find him, they help Captain Salty fire the water cannons at the pirates. Aye, but the scalawag fires back, and everyone gets wet. Upon recovering the keys, the crew raises the victory flag and everyone celebrates by drinking grog and sharing the treasure chest. Other kid-friendly activities include Thundering Surf Waterpark, which features water park rides, a mini golf park, and casual eateries.
2. Long Beach Island Township, South of the Dorland J. Henderson Memorial Bridge
If you have kids, Long Beach Island Township makes a great place to book your vacation rental. It’s just south of the bridge, making it convenient to the mainland if you need to go shopping or want to go to Atlantic City, less than an hour away. Your kids will love Fantasy Island Amusement Park, just five blocks to the south. It includes thrilling rides for the big kids and fun rides for the little ones. The carousel features horses made using molds from the early 1900s, and meticulously painted and decorated. The family casino arcade includes hundreds of games with thousands of prizes, including electronics, stuffed animals, and collectibles. The Chef Gator’s Grill kid’s meal comes in a beach sand bucket with a shovel, and, the menu includes burgers, shrimp, and other finger foods. At the ice cream parlor, you can get old-fashioned funnel cakes, yogurt, and hand-dipped ice cream.
3. Surf City, North of the Dorland J. Henderson Memorial Bridge
The sky’s the limit when you stay at Surf City, just north of the Dorland J. Henderson Memorial Bridge on Long Beach Island. LBI Parasail offers you the choice to go wet and wild or high and dry to sail 500 feet above the coastline. You get panoramic views of the Island, Barnegat Bay, the mainland and even Atlantic City on a clear day. Gliders sometimes see dolphins frolicking in the ocean and say hello to pelicans winging past them. If you want to know what’s under the water’s surface, grab some gear and go snorkeling or scuba diving in the bay. You can get around on two or more wheels with bikes and buggies from the Surf Buggy Bike Shop. You can keep your beach transportation in your vacation rental garage until you need it. Instead of having to drive to the mainland, if you need just a few supplies, head on over to Surf City 5&10. They offer snacks, drinks, and souvenirs.
4. Ship Bottom
Surf’s up at Ship Bottom; so says LBI Surf Guru. Imagine walking from the doorstep of your vacation rental onto the beach for surf lessons with the Guru and his friends. You and your kids can learn how to surf in the gentle waves of the Atlantic and have a great time. Ron Jon Surf Shop offers surfboards for sale and for rent along with wetsuits, life jackets, and leashes. The shop also offers beach accessories, including towels, bags, beachwear, toys and skin care for adults and children.
5. Harvey Cedars
Book your vacation rental in Harvey Cedars if you crave some adrenaline-pumping adventures. Flyboarding puts you up in the air on a wakeboard that is propelled by a strong water hose powered by a jet ski. The jet ski instructor controls the height of the Flyboard, but the flyboarding controls the board by tilting the feet forward or backward. The typical gear includes a helmet, life jacket, and Flyboard. Flyers must weight at least 100 pounds, and anyone under age 18 must have parental signature. When you feel like slowing things down, Liquid Bliss Yoga offers stand-up paddleboard yoga. It’s a great way to enjoy amazing sunsets and soothe jangled nerves.
6. Loveladies
Loveladies is a small neighborhood located in the northernmost part of Long Beach Township, just south of Barnegat Light. The nearby Long Beach Island Foundation of the Arts and Sciences offers a wealth of art exhibits, adult learning opportunities, programs for children, and a stunning nature trail for exploring the wetland edge of the property. The trail begins at the rear of the Marine Science building and leads to a turtle garden before merging with the salt marsh trail on the Joe Torg Wetlands. With Barnegat Bay to the west and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, your opportunities for water sports are as broad as your imagination.
7. Barnegat Light, North End of Long Beach Island
Families who enjoy getting away from the hustle and bustle of the city enjoy booking their vacation rentals at Barnegat Light, a borough at the northern end of Long Beach Island. The Barnegat Lighthouse State Park is a popular destination for climbing the lighthouse up to the light keeper’s catwalk. Night climbs and full-moon climbs are scheduled as weather permits. The park includes an enclosed dog park, a skate park, tennis courts, picnic areas and a basketball court. Adding to the charm of the quaint town, Viking Village features little fishing shacks that have been re-purposed as specialty shops with gifts and a little something for everyone.
8. Bonnet Island, Manahawkin
Between the mainland and Long Beach Island, charming Bonnet Island imparts a quiet atmosphere to your vacation rental. If boating is your passion, Duke’s Boat Rental offers boats for use on Manahawkin Bay and the ocean. It’s about a 15-minute walk to the Atlantic Ocean on Long Beach Island, where you can help the kids build sandcastles, frolic in the surf, or look for seashells. Or, you can drive there in five minutes or less.
9. Beach Haven West
Beach Haven West is a small community in the Stafford Township, located on the mainland across Manahawkin Bay to the east of Long Beach Island. The Manahawkin Lake Park is located a couple of miles to the northwest where visitors and locals enjoy swimming, fishing, and kayaking. The park features a children’s playground, a large picnic area in a shady stand of pines and lifeguards in the summer. Route 72 Waverunner and Kayak rents kayaks for use on the lake, and wave runners for use in the Bay and the Atlantic Ocean.
10. Tuckerton, Little Egg Harbor Township
Your fun is in full swing when you stay in Tuckerton, in Little Egg Harbor Township near the Ocean County Golf Course at Atlantis. When it’s tee time on this par-72 course, golfers make their way through many challenging holes, including the tricky par-three sixth hole with the pond in the middle of the fairway. If you enjoy historical sites, the Little Egg Harbor Friends Meeting, built in 1863, is located on Main Street. It includes an old cemetery with historical grave markers.