Came to the beach for the first time since pre-COVID! (mainly due to wild crowds, lack of time on the weekends, etc.). Was originally planning to go to Point Pleasant, but some expensive street parking led us to Manasquan where we found some free parking. We got here before 9am. If you do so, you can typically enter without paying for a beach pass (granted you don't leave the beach premises and return). It helps getting early for that, beating traffic, and enjoying the beach before it gets unbearably hot. Admittingly, it might not be the best beach for swimming, but it's pretty clean and quiet. It's more a surfers beach with the waves, but I had a fun time. I like the quiet nature of the beach and the boardwalk. It's a nice area to walk around. I also enjoyed the swingset which brought back memories of my childhood. Overall, I'd consider coming back here again. read more

Manasquan Beach - Beaches Near Me

Many times, Jenk's is waaaaay too crowded with Bennys and Shoobies. Squan's is my local beach. Even if it doesn't have all the amenities that Point has, it's still a nice and relaxing time. Perfect for a relaxing beach date with the gf (we're in our 30s--Point's better if you're 10 years younger imo). The water's better in Squan, too, I think, when compared to Point. Going out on the rocks can be fun, but be careful. read more

See all

Manasquan Beach is great for families or anyone looking to come to a beach that's not filled with riffraff. The beach is large, and very clean and regularly maintained. Lifeguards go on duty the middle of June. People can play volleyball and games on the beach and there's room to spread out. In certain areas there is surfing and fishing. Each beach is surrounded by jetties. If you come early, you can find parking on the street. Beach badges will be required on weekends beginning on Saturday, May 29th. Badges will be required daily beginning Saturday, June 19th through Monday, September 6th. You can check the status of the crowds on the following, Manasquan Beach Inlet webcam. Season Badge: Adult (ages 17-64) - $85.00 Junior (ages 12-16) - $40.00 Senior badges (ages 65 and up) - $30.00 (Handicap season badges are half price) In order to purchase 2021 Manasquan Beach season badges and parking passes, a Community Pass account is required. Parking Passes are $100 each. Only one pass per registered user will be available for online purchase only. Season badges will not be sold at the office. Manasquan Beach Office located at 205 Beachfront (next to Gee Gee's). For anyone who purchases a season beach badge, they're offering a complementary Manasquan Beach Christmas card. They're limiting it to 1 per badge. If your into fitness, there's a blacktop paved path that's pretty wide for riding bikes, jogging, or taking a stroll. There are public bathrooms right off the beach. The people here are all very nice and friendly. Belmar is only 10 minutes away. There's no smoking,vaping, or drinking on the beach. I really enjoy my time here and look forward to returning. read more

See all

10 bucks for the umbrellas 10 bucks pp for entry 15 bucks for parking Pretty clean, very rocky in the water read more

Manasquan Beach - Beaches Near Me

See all

Such a beautiful beach it's beautiful. If you have a chance to experience this beach, the bars in the place is amazing the live music.

Manasquan beach is less commercial and crowded than neighboring beaches. The boardwalk (actually a paved path) is great to walk, run or cycle on. It is lined with beautiful ocean front properties. Many of them are summer and winter rentals. Several rest area stations as well as a first aid station can be found along the beach. I have always found the facilities to be very clean. This beach is a great surfing beach and our primary reason why we go here. On a recent visit there must have been 50 surfers. The waves were incredible. Perhaps, in part, due to Hurricane Irma. There are a handful of eateries located near the beach . Street parking is free. Daily beach tags are $8. After Labor Day through Memorial Day it's free to get on the beach. read more

See all

We went today and they don't allow dogs. Despite all the reviews saying that you can, you can not. We went to fisherman's cove dog beach and it's great. Very close to Manasquan beach read more

Great beach-and if you amble by the Inlet you might get a Bruce Springsteen sighting. He mentions it several times in his autobiography as being his happy place. read more

I've been surfing here for 15 years. I've been getting a summer share here for 12 years. Tons of Hoboken yuppies have been getting drunk at the bars in Manasquan for 20 years. I will continue to surf and get drunk in this beach town. #JRZShoremuthafuckas read more

Manasquan Beach - Beaches Near Me

Great family friendly beach. Surfer beach. Swimming beach. Fishing jetty. It's all there. Dad can fish the rocks, kids can swim, teens can surf but everyone can be together on the beach for lunch and play. Great times here. Beautiful beach front homes to walk by. Parking can sometimes be tough, but hey drop off everyone and every thing, go park and walk back. Easy living here. read more

Manasquan Beach - Beaches Near Me

I love the jersey shore but not the loudness of too many people. I have never been to this beach before. Someone told me to check it out and I am glad I did! This beach is clean, not too noisy and is now my favorite beach. read more

Manasquan Beach - Beaches Near Me

We left Atlantic City to relax at this beach. Its quiet, family friendly, clean and beautiful. Its picture perfect. Fun to watch the surfers from the inlet and walking to look at the unique beach houses. One of my favorite beaches. read more

Manasquan Beach - Beaches Near Me

See all

Nice people nice beach but impossible to get to. My daughter lives in the town there was nowhere to park as usual then they tried to charge me to park and said they can't take cash and the app was down as usual.. So if you don't mind walking a mile or so and going to the beach I would recommend this beach otherwise stay otherwise stay away from the beach I'm walking 50' to my pool in a backyard and floating on there now This is very symptomatic of not Manasquan but all Jersey towns trying to create more revenue with paid parking and vehicle enforcement.. I've been a resident for over 60 years of the shore if the army corps of engineers are dumping sand and creating these beaches why am I paying a premium to go with it at what a little no access? read more

We call it the Riviera of the Jersey Shore -- bright blue skies, clean sandy beaches and the cold salt sea beckoning. Though a daily beach badge seems spendy at $8, it ensures the sand you are lying upon is free of trash and no homeless are encamped for the duration, like Venice Beach in California. Since Manasquan is not an island, it is home to a well-established year-round community of affluent white people. Manasquan High School has a surf team to go with their football squad; you'll see teenager players of all types shredding it up at the Inlet on their pointy shortboards. If you're serious about surfing, you can brave the sneer-y locals to hit up that Inlet surfing beach (go as early in the morning as possible to get clean glass and the fewest kooks) and enjoy the classic right. Food selections are limited -- best bets are the Main St. Trattoria for Italian, Stubby's Char Pit for ribs, Leggetts for beer and pizza and Sweet Tease for coffee and desserts. Avoid the Acme at all costs. In summation, Manasquan is a pretty little beach town that is basically undiscovered by the unwashed masses. No boardwalk and only two adjacent bars on First Ave. make it relatively quiet and serene. read more

Traffic on the way was a bit heavy and parking proved to be a bitch during the 4th of July weekend.... but Manasquan Beach was a great spot for a semi-impromptu beach day for the boyfriend and I. I have been schooled by locals for the past two summers on where the "best" beaches are along the Jersey Shore and/or Long Island, so I'm quite surprised Manasquan Beach was never mentioned. The sand, albeit rocky, was clean of any trash/debris and the water temperature was refreshingly cold (don't let the first dip deter you -- it gets better, I promise!). There's no boardwalk (and few beach bars, from what I saw), so I'd bookmark Manasquan for the beach trips that entail plenty of sunbathing, frisbee-throwing, water-splashing, etc. As it's relatively close, it's good for a quick day-trip but next time, I think I'd want to either rent a house for the week or plan an overnight trip. The Cali part of me is still a little disturbed by the fact that one needs to pay an entrance fee to get on the beach, but apparently that's the norm (absurd!). $8/person is no big deal (and cheaper than what I expected, based on what other's have told me). Well-worth it! Now, if anyone finds a pair of Ray-Ban wayfarers wash up along the one-mile beach that is Manasquan Beach, please send it my way; I'm in dire need of it for my weekend sunbathing in Central Park... read more

Every year I read the best beaches in NJ and never see Manasquan on the list. And I'm glad for that. I love walking among the small beach houses up to the beach. I love how the crowd is not overly douchy like most of the Jersey Shore. I love how the town has an active surfing community. I love Fisherman's Cove as a dog owner. A whole beach filled with dogs running around and playing and its a free beach. Is the parking a pain during the weekends? Yes but I don't have to deal with it unless I have a lot of visitors who have an issue with parking. While I said its not overly douchy, its still the Jersey Shore and the obnoxious stereotypes do make an appearance at the beach, Leggetts, Osprey, and whatever O'Neills is supposed to be called now. But go over to Pt. Pleasant or Belmar than come back to Manasquan. Its advantage Manasquan. So why am I glad its not listed as a best beach? Because to be on the same list as Sleazeside or Wildwild would be an insult. Because unlike those Manasquan doesn't scream for attention. Its just a nice beach to relax, surf, and all the other great stuff and thats all I want. read more

Had a great time with our two dogs on the inlet side Doggie Beach. It's about an hour and 20 minutes from Manhattan and parking ($11 weekend / $6 weekday) is right there. There is plenty of room to set up camp in the sand and let the dogs off lead. The water level on the inlet side is calm and shallow for the first 20-30 feet (i.e. perfect for dogs). Must have been 50 dogs all along the beach while we were there and the vibe was really friendly. Like minded owners talked, greeted other dogs and watched their own frolic up and down the beach. Is it the most picturesque beach - no - it's on the inlet side with limited view of the ocean. But, it feels very much like a beach and, most importantly, is kept very clean. Everyone was mindful of their dog's behavior. In the two hours we spent I witnessed no incidents of aggression other than one dog who was a "sneaky pee'r" and lifted leg on a few people's bags and such. This is the only dog beach that I could find within reasonable driving distance from the city. A great find. Dogs came home exhausted and happy. read more

This is more a review for the inlet side of the beach rather than the ocean side of Manasquan because it's where I take the pooch when the weather becomes so intolerably hot in Philly. We can come here and both catch a break from the concrete heat, him playing with other dogs in the inlet, myself just breathing in the fresh salt air. Harvey was first brought here last summer, it was my first time letting him off the lead as he's a beagle (a natural nose follower), a mischief maker, and in general was not sure how he'd take to the water. Turns out he didn't run away, the other dog parents promised to help keep an eye on him, and he got a bit of doggie paddling in before deciding that swimming just isn't his thing. Instead he ran up and down the beach chasing tennis balls and frisbees with the other dogs and when it came time to leave at the end of the day he was passed out, motionless the entire way home. The inlet doesn't have the surf of the ocean so it's good for large and small dogs alike, you may catch small waves from incoming and outgoing boats, but otherwise the water is calm and refreshing on a hot summer day. Other poochie parents are incredibly friendly, most bring treats to share with other dogs, some are chatty, and all help keep an eye out for each others dogs whether a little tiff breaks out or a dog uses the bathroom and needs a clean up. Definitely a great place to bring the dog to beat the heat and within an hour and a half's drive of both NYC and Philadelphia. read more

If you are looking for a beach to take your dog to, this is the place to be!! It was a bit hard to find because it is not really labeled on the street, but if you drive past it, you can't miss it. There is plenty of free street parking (we went during the week, so I'm sure the weekends are much busier), as well as a lot ($6 for the day). Walking through the dunes with your pooch, you'll find lots of available trash cans, as well as "Dog Mitt" stands in case you've forgotten your bags. Once you walk out upon the clean beach, there are a few options. To the left towards the road, the beach is a bit more shallow and rocky, and the water is pretty deep upon entry (to the knees, maybe a little higher). There seem to be less people on this end, since it's not as comfortable to sit- however, if I were to go back, I would sit on this end because there are less people. If you walk straight ahead, the waves come up pretty far, but the water is about ankle/mid-calf. This shallow water goes out pretty far, so this is a great spot to throw a ball for your pup! The water is very clean, just a little bit of sea weed. Also all sand, no rocks. This is also a pretty populated area of the beach. This is where we sat, and the sand was very clean. To the right, the beach curves, with more sand, and a bit dingier water (lots of seaweed, etc.). This beach does "require" each dog to be on a leash, and it asks for a 6 foot leash. It looks like a lot of the regulars have loop-holed this rule by making MASSIVLY long leashes with long ropes, so that the dog can have a romp while still under control. Not a bad idea, and this is something I will do when we go back. TIP: Do not bring an extenda-leash! The sand gets caught in the buttons and the mechanism, and chances of accidentally ruining your leash are high. Also, a lot of people have their dogs "on the leash," but don't hold their end of the leash so that the dogs still run freely. This became a bit annoying- most of the people who did this were very inattentive of their dogs, and we spent a lot of time untangling the leashes of these dogs from our own. Then we sent the dogs on their way, not sure who they belonged to. A few other dogs who were off the leash completely also drank out of our dogs water bowl (which of course I don't mind, but like, where are your parents with your own water?). All in all, this was a great place to go for the day. Our puppies had a blast, and most of the other dogs and people at the beach were very respectful. read more

Great place to take the dog! Being a toy and some energy! Lots of friendly people and dogs! Really wonderful place to go out for the day. read more

Manasquan Beach - Beaches Near Me

Manasquan is a true blue Jersey shore town. It is not a board walk town or an old shore town being reinvented, it has remained true to its roots for quite some time. It is mostly a residential community but it does have a few small B and B's and Inns. It has old Jersey shore type fish shacks and restaurants. Manasquan inlet is the Northern border of the inland portion of the intracoastal water way. Manasquan is mostly known for it's surfing. We have been to Manasquan during hurricanes and winter storms just to watch the waves and we were not alone. It seems like a popular past time in Manasquan. I surf a little bit and have even surfed in Oahu ,Hi but I would not surf here. This is for experienced brave surfers only. It is pretty funny to watch people in New York try to surf they just float side ways because of the way the beaches in LI sit. Here in Manasquan this is the real deal! If you have only surfed in New York do not try to surf here. We have never stayed in Manasquan but walk or drive from near by beaches to watch the waves. If you look at surf blogs and videos on youtube there are so many in Manasquan. This is a true surf community. http://www.surfline.com/surf-report/manasquan-northeast_4278/ The town is racially mixed and very diverse. Season beach badges are $70.00 and daily badges are $8.00 read more

See all

Manasquan beach is where I have been going to the beach my entire life. I am a native to this area, and this beach is truly a great family friendly spot. I have, however been slightly off put with how they have been handling the COVID-19 situation. While they say they are limiting the number of people, I personally have never seen the beach more packed than it is this summer. The social distancing is not being adhered to on the beach, and no one wears masks on the beach. While I do understand why everyone would want to go here, especially in the hot weather, people should consider this review when thinking about going this summer. read more

I have been coming to Manasquan every summer since I was in the womb! I love this place! The beaches are clean, the water is beautiful. There's an arcade and food (Gigi's) that I remember always walking down to when I was a kid. I plan on bringing my family here when I get older and carrying out the tradition! When it comes to the Jersey Shore, Manasquan is the beach you want to be at. read more

Manasquan Beach - Manasquan - Beaches Near Me

This beach does not allow dogs. You must go down to Fisherman's Cove for the dog beach. Fishermans Cove it not on the ocean, it's in a bay where boats do go by, so you can't swim much. Your dog will enjoy itself though. The day we went it was pretty windy, so sand was flying everywhere and the umbrellas were precarious. The restaurants nearby are not dog friendly, even ones with patios/outdoor seating. Their insurance doesn't cover having animals, only service dogs are allowed. The actual Manasquan beach looked lovely, and we went on a weekday so did find parking. I look forward to going back to enjoy the ocean without our dog. read more

We had fun at the dog beach! Beach on the river. We went at low tide, by chance. There is a sand bar where the doggies can play in shallow water. Also they can swim further out. Most people had their dogs on leash. Most had a long leash, like 20'. Some would let the dogs off leash to throw a ball into deeper water. There is a sandy area to sit and a porta potty for humans. We went on a week day so on street parking was available and free. There are a couple restaurants that are dog friendly on the river road closer to the ocean beach. They have outside tables. 5 minute walk from the beach entrance. read more

My husband and I come here with Stella, our maltipoo, to hang on the dog beach and let her romp around with new friends. The dog beach I don't think is Manasquan Beach per se, but I didn't see a yelp listing for the actual dog beach. read more

For my money, this is the best beach on the east coast The locals and(mostly) polite out of towners keep this beach clean and pleasant Just enough to do and eat but not so much that it draws crowds read more

Manasquan's the best beach on the Jersey Shore. My family has been coming here for generations. Well, since the 80's, when my grandparents moved down the shore and my grandpa settled on Manasquan "since it had the best looking girls." Manasquan is great for me mostly due to nostalgia, but also because it's got a lot going for it. You can find free street parking within a 20 min. walk. It's less of a kiddie shitshow than Pt. Pleasant. It's less guido juice-headed out than Belmar. Fewer ciggie butts on the beach. More under the radar. I can take the train there from NYC (although it's a seriously long train ride). How many more months til summa? read more

I came here on a weekday to avoid weekend crowds and find parking easier. Don't park in the 1-hr signed area or the cops will likely ticket you. The beach and the bathroom facilities were clean. At the southern-most area is a crazy boardwalk made of giant rock boulders where if you're clumsy and fall you will get hurt (or die)....so it was so much fun to walk it to the very end where you'll reach a concrete platform made of weird shapes. Sadly, deviants have graffitti'ed up that part. Lots of surfing here! read more

The best beaches to go to. Family time, alone time, go to the inlet and watch surfers and boats coming in and out. A great experience

Manasquan is one of my favorite beaches. It is extremely clean and the sand is nice, especially compared to a lot of beaches in our area. I love that they have a doggy beach as well, and my little pup is also very appreciative of that! He had a blast today. Even the dog beach is super clean. Another bonus: Free Parking. There is plenty of free street parking, and even in the summers I haven't had too much trouble finding a spot. I grew up in this area, and I have always loved driving over here on the regular and just hanging out at the inlet. read more

Best beaches in NJ. I always feel safe when I go on badge checker Ciara's beaches. No trespassers or juulers ruining my fun day in the sun! keep up the good work squan read more

My family and our dog visited Fishermen's Cove, or the doggie beach in Manasquan over the weekend, thinking that for a change, we would have our dog join in on the fun on the beach rather than leaving her all alone at home as usual on a hot day. What a mistake. It seems that many web sites rate Fishermen's Cove as one of the best doggie beaches in Jersey Shore. REALLY???!!! I wonder what the WORST one looks like - sharks patrolling in the water looking for their next canine meal? Obviously I say that because we had a horrible time at Fishermen's Cove, and we were out of there in less than 30 minutes. There are no waves, water is as cold as ice on a 100-degree day, and most of the VERY narrow beach was reeking from an ugly stretch of seaweed, not to mention the bed of pebbles that makes walking barefoot painful. Our two little girls had this look of "oh my god" as soon as we arrived at this "beach." This is not to say there weren't many dogs and their owners having fun there. There were. But I think this place is good only if the visit is for you (singular) and your dog, not with a family that includes little kids who are hoping to ride the waves and run around on a nice, wide sandy beach with the dog. Anyway this was the occasion on which we decided that we will never bring our dog to any beach going forward, at least not as a family on a beach-weather day. read more

I have been coming to Manasquan since I was a little girl, some of my favorite memories are on the beach at Manasquan; getting fries & a cold drink at Carlson's Corner, standing and watching the inlet as the boats come in and go out, I love this place, it's better off-season when it's not crowded ...but it's still a great place to go to swim and hang out in the summer sun! read more

Worst experience. My fiancé and I just moved to Philly and went to this beach (our first New Jersey beach) this weekend. We walked onto the beach (not a single sign to pay or anything so we didn't think anything of it), went and laid down on the beach- were there for 3 hrs, then a "beach patrol" man comes over to us as we were lying there, demanding to see our "beach badge." We asked what he meant and said we weren't from around here, and he tells us we must go pay the fee or get off the beach. We were confused at this point because we didn't see a single sign for any payment so we discussed whether we should just leave or not since he was being quite rude about it. While doing this (for about 20 seconds I might add) the man called over two other "beach patrol" men, and one of them told us we are going to have to pay a $75 fine each and receive a court summons as he just called the police. This all occurred in about a 1-2 minute window, my fiancé and I shocked at what was happening. A fully dressed, bullet proof vested police officer comes over, and we explained that we were from out of state and had no idea there was a fee to be on the beach, and had to beg not to receive a summons. If there is a fee to be on the beach they need to have a sign AND/OR have whoever is manning the beach entrances let people know there is a fee. Whoever was working that day did not do their job at the entrance because we had NO idea, and I feel like we were unnecessarily accosted for their error. As we were leaving I checked and there wasn't a single sign about paying any type of fee- confirming that we didn't just miss a sign but none such sign exists or is in any sort of plain view. We would have gladly payed the fee when we entered the beach if we were asked to do so. The whole ordeal ruined the day, if not the entire weekend. Cannot believe how rude and mean the people who run this beach are, I have never been treated like this in my life - and for something so trivial that was a complete accident and innocent mistake. Would give this beach negative stars if I could. Never returning. read more

If you have a handicap this is not a beach for you. The people who run this beach are mean. Witnessed two of them get nasty with the a woman. Talking down and mocking her. One woman told her she should go to a pool instead. Guess they're not handicap friendly. Its a shame cause the beach is nice. read more

I recently went to the inlet side with my dog Sierra and we had a pretty good time. Though it is a leashed-dog beach (and I did see a park ranger drive up as I was leaving) most of the dogs run around without a leash. This would be fine if I didn't keep my dog on a leash (she's part beagle and would chase after any bird in a heartbeat) but it didn't work very well with other dogs being able to run free and mine on a leash. We had an incident where another dog got away from his/her owner and tackled my dog so I would suggest this beach for those with larger dogs (30+ lbs) or generally those who can be let off the leash/properly defend themselves. The beach itself was really clean and the waves are small so the water is good for dogs of all sizes. The people seemed friendly and I would definitely go back again, though not with my current dog. read more

So I'm giving Manasquan 5 stars since I grew up in this perfect little beach town. I now live in FL with my husband and son but my parents still live there and every time we come home to the Shore I never want to leave. Squan is truly the quintessential beach town where you can ride your beach cruiser anywhere, walk or skate just as easily and go into town to shop at the cutest stores. Growing up my parents never worried about us since the town is so safe. We'd take off on our bikes and be gone for hours running around town. It also has a tremendous sense of community going for it too. There are so many events that happen throughout the year that are great for families like the Fireman's Fair, the Turkey Trot, the Candy Cane Hunt, Easter Egg Hunt, the 4th of July Fireworks, the Sidewalk Sale, Thanksgiving Day football game, etc. Never dull in Squan. The inlet is beautiful and has the most gorgeous sunsets, the dog beach is a great newish addition to the town and walking the paved beach is always fun to do and top it off with a cone from Carlson's Corner. My son is 1 and we are seriously thinking about trying to move back to Squan by the time he's 5 and starts school because the school system is incredible and we absolutely love the town. When I think of my happy place and where I feel most at home, nothing else comes to mind than Manasquan. It's a beautiful place perfect to raise a family. Whether visiting or living there permanently, I guarantee you'll love it. read more

The beach is awesome and there are many responsible owners with leased dogs. BUT... Unfortunately, I witnessed an off leash Rottweiler attack a small leashed dog. After the confrontation, the selfish woman continued to let her dog off leash. I was afraid to walk my medium sized dog past her unrestrained dog, which meant I was restricted to one end of the beach. There was also a pit bull there that a young woman had to physically hold while it lunged and aggressively barked at passing dogs. It doesn't matter the breed, if your dog is not friendly, please do not bring it to the beach and ruin it for everyone else. Good dog owners LEASH their dogs! read more