My favorite beach town of all time. Yes, it has religious roots, but please do not let that drive you away. I am not religious and still had an amazing time and never felt like I had to adhere to the town's beliefs or that they were pushed onto me. During the summer there are some faith-based camps and activities running, but I much preferred this to drunk young adults and teenagers that other beaches have! The beach is gorgeous and all the workers were kind. The town is quaint and filled with history. The architecture is stunning and builds a cozy atmosphere that you will never want to leave. The highlight of my trip was biking around the town (no biking on the boardwalk during the summer) and taking in the sights and the sea. The bathrooms are clean and stocked, parking is free. The beach has it's own little snack stand that serves drinks, coffee, lunches, acai bowls! You don't feel the lack of a bustling boardwalk since main street is lined with shops and the snack stand can fulfill all your needs while on the beach. If you are looking for a relaxing Jersey Shore experience, Ocean Grove is the spot for sure. read more

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I stumbled across Ocean Grove Beach this summer, and I think it might just be my favorite beach so far. Now, fair disclaimer: Ocean Grove is very Christian-based. There's a specific tented area with benches on the boardwalk where Christian services are held multiple times a day. You'll also find people on the boardwalk handing out tracts. If that's not your thing, just keep walking--they don't pressure you, and once you're actually on the beach, it all fades into the background. What really stood out to me was how pleasant and peaceful everything felt. Parking is free with lots of street parking available, and you can get from your car to the sand in seconds--which is a huge plus. The scenery is beautiful, bathrooms are clean, and there are food trucks around for when you get hungry. We forgot our umbrella one day and ended up renting one. It was super easy--$16, and you can pay with cash. They let you keep it until 4:45 pm and even come around to collect it for you. Chairs are also available to rent. For beach entry, however, it's cash-free--you scan the QR code and pay online. Overall, I loved the atmosphere here. Everything felt calm, well-kept, and welcoming. I can't wait to return--definitely one of the most peaceful beach experiences I've had. read more

I LOVE ocean Grove! Such a quaint town outside of Neptune Nj. Love the big beautiful homes. Ocean Grove is a christian town so the beaches do not open until 12 on Sundays. They have several worship services open to the public. Beautiful clean beaches.. $12 entry to beach. They also have chair and umbrella rentals. My family fave Jersey beaches to go to. read more

Ocean Grove Beach - Beaches Near Me

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I have been visiting Ocean Grove beach for over 10 years. It is a well-kept and clean beach with plenty of free parking. Main Street is a short walk away from the beach where you can shop and eat. There's a great boardwalk for a nice stroll. Hands down, my favorite beach down the jersey shore! read more

The lifeguard that brought the wheelchair up for my mom, Garth, was AMAZING!!  Not only did he take my mom down the beach in the wheelchair, but he came to my rescue as he could see that I was struggling to pull the cart on the beach.  He also said he'd send an umbrella down for us.  A few minutes later, a very kind young man brought us an umbrella. I asked if he would mind bringing us a chair.   He kindly said, "Sure.  Just let me set up the umbrella."  Once he did that, he brought us a chair.  My mom wanted to tip him, but he said it was not necessary.  She then asked if he'd help us pull the cart back to the boardwalk when we leave if she gave him a few bucks.  He again said it was not necessary. He'd be happy to help.  So, we got situated and enjoyed the beautiful day for hours.  My mom needed to use the bathroom so I asked the lifeguards for help again to transport her with the wheelchair.  After calling for the chair without a response, one of the young men ran up to get it & took her to the bathroom ASAP.  He also refused a few dollar tip.  Lastly, when we were ready to leave, the same lifeguard came back with the wheelchair along with the gentleman who agreed to help us with the cart.  I asked if he would ask the guy who brought us the umbrella and chair if he could come help.  He brought the cart all the way to the boardwalk and the lifeguard brought my mom up to the boardwalk.  I was highly impressed with their kindness, help & willingness to accommodate!!  That is not often seen these days.  Which brings me to the staff at the office on the boardwalk, they could benefit from training from the young gentleman referenced above. Oh & the girl checking for beach tags was also quite cool.  Highly reccomend Ocean Grove beach. Just be prepared to struggle with parking if you're not there first thing in the morning. read more

I have always liked Ocean Grove, it's a beautiful town with an eclectic population. Some of the homes there have a Victorian, colorful vibe which is such a fantastic way to represent the town. My family have walked around many times there enjoying the views of the beach and checking out the local shops. This past weekend they had a craft fair we attended, just walked around and window shopped. Nice part of the world to visit on a warm day. read more

Ocean Grove Beach - Beaches Near Me

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And to think our day was going to end up at a public pool up in the Hudson valley.... We decided to boogie out the city and head to the beach. we go to the shore every summer and love it. The beaches are well kept and the water is warm. Yesterday was almost a bummer bc the waves were HUGE like they threw my 7 year old off to the shore by like 10 feet. So it was hard to swim! The ocean wasn't having no body coming in to enjoy it! And I looked out thinking And wondering...how far out are the whales? I wonder if they're so close we don't even know it.... 20mins later all of a sudden BAM!!!! A baby humpback jumps out to say hello to the world and let everyone know they're enjoying their life to the fullest!!! It was an amazing day let me tell you. Never have I seen wild humpbacks like that from the shore line especially out here in New Jersey! I guess it's migration time and they were passing thru!! Was so awesome! read more

Ocean Grove Beach - Beaches Near Me

Enjoyed our visit to Ocean Grove beach with the little one. The beach is pristine and peaceful, though the waves can be strong (which I appreciate). We were fortunate with parking, landing a spot right by the beach - be warned, parking can be challenging. Unlike Asbury Park, shops aren't immediately by the beach, so expect a walk for food. read more

Ocean Grove Beach - Beaches Near Me

Vitamin Sea! Find another beach town in South Jersey that can take you back in history. The homes within the small community and along the ocean are worth slowing down to take in and check out. Ocean Grove beach is quite, no boardwalk, compared to the more popular neighbor Asbury Park. Easy walk over to Asbury for more action by the sea, more food and drinking establishments. read more

Ocean Grove Beach - Vitamin SEA - Beaches Near Me

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The beach itself it nice, the lifeguards were all very polite and friendly. Tons of shells along the water line (high/low tide)...with more live muscles than I've seen anywhere. We went during phase 2 (I think) of Covid-19 reopening. We used digital beach badges via Viply and the badge checker was wearing a mask, however nobody else in line to get their badges checked was wearing a mask, almost nobody on the boardwalk was wearing one. People were social distancing on the beach itself (we heard one group ask another group if they were sitting too close)....in the water another story...as the day wore on, it was harder and harder to stay "distant" from people in the ocean, and it appeared nobody (but us) cared. read more

Ocean Grove Beach - Early morning weekday view - Beaches Near Me

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Lovely beach that is both quiet and lively at the same time. The people are courteous to your privacy and yet it does not have the feel of seclusion. The boardwalk is quite leisurely too, and it really gives a whimsical Jersey Shore experience. Good thing I visited in the fall rather than high season! There are also some B&B's nearby, but that is expected for that area. I recommend this beach. read more

After my last review 5 years ago I still think Ocean Grove Beaches are the best around in NJ. They are great for families and kids of all ages. There's no riff raft or loud music. It's a great beach if you don't want to drive more then an hour. Since my last review, I want to update everyone first on the exit number. It used to be 100A off the parkway. For some unknown crazy reason the signs have changed and what was 100A is now called 100B. I can't tell you why after 40 odd years they changed it. Just look for the sign that says Ocean Grove. Follow it south all the way down to Main Street in Ocean Grove. There is some street parking, but that gets taken by a lot of locals who don't have driveways. There is a parking lot with easy access. Best advise get there early and beat the crowds. I suggest you pack a cooler for lunch with drinks, snacks and sandwiches. It's a ways to get to a restaurant. A lot of people either make it themselves or stop at a Wawa or Quick Check on the way. Bring an umbrella there is absolutely no shade. There is a boardwalk that stretches from Asbury Park all the way to Spring Lake. They do allow bicycles only at early morning time. Check locally, every town is different. There is no smoking on any of these beaches. Ocean Grove is still a dry town. ( NO ALCOHOL) A lot of the restaurants allow you to have a BYOB. It's $8.00 per adult 12 and over to get on the beach. Every Beach in NJ charges something different so beware , some will be more and some will be less. FYI- Ocean Grove is a very religious town, so on Sundays, you can't access their beaches until 12p. The other towns are still 9a. It doesn't mean you won't see women in thongs or little bikinis there's plenty of that. There are lifeguards on duty during the peak summer months from 9a-5p. They do an excellent job. After 5p you swim at your own risk. If you go on the border of Ocean Grove and Bradley Beach there is Jetty's next to the surf beach and they allow fishing all day. I believe most of the beaches allow fishing. Ocean Grove in my opinion has some of the cleanest beaches and the nicest people. There is a free bathhouse for changing, and separate bathrooms. Depending on which beach your at it's either directly on the boardwalk off the beach or a 5 minute drive. Outside is a free standing shower to wash off your feet, or a full shower to rinse off your body. All the homes are beautifully kept and in Victorian style. The roads are very narrow and there are tons of bike riders. What I love most is after spending the day at the beach, you can shower off change and in 5 minutes drive and have dinner in town, especially at the Sea Grass Restaurant. Or drive 5 minutes to the Dunes Boardwalk Cafe. It's a complete food court with many little restaurants that serve pizza, subs, burritos, seafood, fruit bowls, poke bowls ice cream , dessert and more. If you drive 10 minutes to next town you will be in Asbury Park. Either way it becomes a full day. This is my happy place! read more

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I went there the day before they officially opened! it was great! Clean beach and very friendly. it was perfect.

I have to say that Ocean Grove beach and boardwalk is pretty as its a nice departure from the liveliness of Asbury or Pt. Pleasant. Its kind of transitional going through it to Bradley or Asbury depending on the direction you go. There are several beach entrances and the beach admitters are nice. At the main part of the beach are nice bathrooms and concession/ information window and even an ATM. Shops and such that are a part of Asburys boardwalk are a short walk off Ocean Groves. This includes beach necessities, food and other unique small shops. My issues with this boardwalk are that it reflects the towns religious background. Way too often I cross paths with someone trying to preach the 'good' word to me or there is a religious function going on that if you aren't interested you're at risk of getting sucked into it. So if anything like this is going on and its not your thing. Move fast. read more

Ocean Grove Beach - Welcome sign - Beaches Near Me

Pro: lots of sand, not overly crowded (except July 4th). excellent lifeguards, very attentive. quiet beach - not a lot of music blaring family friendly no smoking no (obvious) beer drinking. Con: parking is free, but good luck finding a place near the boardwalk; streets leading to the ocean are narrow; are you good at parallel parking? Daily $8, season $80, seniors $45. These prices are higher than Asbury, Belmar, etc. where beaches are owned and run by the towns. The OGCMA, Ocean Grove Counting Money Association, "owns" and operates this beach. The beach is closed Sunday mornings because this religious organization thinks you should be in church. Before Sandy, there was a fishing pier that extended out over the ocean. Now, there is half a pier that sits on the sand. Sandy was 4 years ago. Rebuild this pier! read more

Ocean Grove Beach - From the half pier looking toward AP - Beaches Near Me

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My oh my- my favorite beach on jersey shore! The beach is beautiful- 8$/pp like the Bradley Beach next door. We've been coming here to relax and enjoy the water and good company. I always bring a picnic lunch and no one bothers you about it (I'm looking at you, Spring Lake). The people here are very nice, the boardwalk is gorgeous, and the little houses in the towns are so cute! There is a paid parking lot, but we always manage to find street parking to save on the cost. There are several bathrooms available on the boardwalk as well. I would recommend this beach! read more

Ocean Grove Beach - Beaches Near Me

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What started out as a Victorian era camp meeting ~ quickly became known as the "Jewel of the Jersey Shore". Just an hours drive from Manhattan and Philadelphia this beach has remained a great place to spend summer hours ~ or early evenings to watch the sunset. The boardwalk has a number of benches to sit and "people watch", which in my opinion, is better than going to the movies!! The town of Ocean Grove holds events year round to celebrate the uniqueness of this Victorian town. The Victorian House Tour in December, Chocolate Lovers Weekend in February, and the Garden State Film Festival in April just to name a few. Hurricane Sandy destroyed about 1/3 of the nearly half-mile boardwalk in 2012, but you would never know it! It's simply beautiful. The community came together and rebuilt what Sandy destroyed. That speaks volumes about this quaint ocean side town! Although the church tents were still up, the occupants have moved out for the winter and we missed seeing the decorated tent doors and porches this year. If you haven't been to Ocean Grove Beach, I highly recommend adding it to your "go to places"! read more

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This is my spot. Catch me hear all summer looking good with my Irish tan. No Guido's is right. Mostly families. I go 1-7....by 3 all the kids are tired and hungry. see ya...So nice and quiet then. Clean bathrooms and its $1 less than most NJ beaches. They have a lil snack shack with burgers dogs and some good wraps too. read more

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Ocean Grove is a quaint little beach town just south of Asbury Park. The little Main St just off the boardwalk has cute little boutiques and restaurants and further down is lined with old Victorian homes. The boardwalk is quiet, newly rebuilt, and is simply a place to walk. You won't find any eateries or shops along the boardwalk so most beach goers here pack their lunch and eat on the beach. The restaurants on Main Ave are dine-in but there is a bakery/sandwich shop, the Daily Bread, where you can order to go. This beach is very family friendly, clean, and relaxing. Entrance is $8/pp and kids under 12 are free. What sets this beach apart from the other jersey shore beaches is it's Christian background. I read it was established by a Methodist preacher as a camp meeting community and the land is still owned by the the camp meeting association. They keep the beach closed on Sunday morning until 12pm and the town is a "Dry" town. The sale of alcohol is prohibited and no drinking allowed. These rules definitely keep the riff raff away. We actually came here on the Sunday before Labor Day and did not know about the Sunday hours, but luckily we only had to wait 20 mins to enter. Once 1pm rolled around, the beach was fairly crowded. Overall, Ocean Grove is one of the better beaches to chill and relax with the family. read more

This is one of my favorite beaches to visit at the Jersey shore. Nestled between Asbury Park to the north and Bradley Beach to the south, Ocean Grove beach is a calm oasis compared to rowdier neighboring beaches. There's no charge for parking, which is nice considering you often have to battle for paid parking at places like Point Pleasant. Rowdy people tend to stay away from this beach as there is no alcohol allowed here. Sure it might not have the action scene of bars, restaurants, and boardwalk games/food, but such things also attract lots of children and party types, so Ocean Grove beach can be a comparatively more peaceful experience than other beaches. There are a few shops along the boardwalk and plenty of benches to relax and take in the ocean breeze. Parking and traffic can be a pain during weekends in the summer, but the same holds true for all the beaches along the Jersey shore. read more

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Such a great beach town! Sad that their boardwalk was ripped away because of Sandy but they are slowly putting it back together... I was surprised to hear that they still have a law that nobody is allowed on the beach til after 12 on Sundays...still it is worth a visit. The town is beautiful and great for people who like to stroll. It's a dry town but just steps outside of town you'll find plenty of bars and restaurants that can accommodate. There are great places for brunch and high tea within the small main street and everyone is very friendly. read more

Another one of my favorite beaches! I come here for the small down town walking area, as well as the family friendly beach. It has a few rocks that go out into the water and a small pier. I enjoy this area overall because of the ornate architecture and lovely main street for wandering. They have public restrooms that are close to the beach along with free street parking. Though go early because the place can be a mad house with finding spots. read more

Paying to go on the beach is whack yo. Time to get with the program, New Jersey. Still clean and safe. Lots of festival type things throughout the year. read more

I love this beach! I came here on a Saturday with two of my girlfriends who came in from New York. Both of them said that this has become their favorite beach!! The beach is fairly north on the jersey shore so you don't get the same experience as you would with south Jersey shore beaches. The beach is fairly clean and surprisingly was not packed for a saturday (it was a little overcast with chance of rain, so that may have been the reason). Parking is free in their designated lot, but you have to pay $8 per person to enter the beach. There is a restroom building located about a half a block walk from the main entrance of the beach. They have several lifeguards on duty, but you are not allowed to swim in areas/section where there is no lifeguard on duty. Pros: - Short drive on Garden State - Fairly clean beach - The beach area is really long, so you shouldn't have a prob finding a spot - It is not crazy or wild like other Jersey Shore beaches - Tons of shopping and grocery stores in town to pick up snacks on your way to the beach - Family friendly - Can eat on the beach - Lifeguards on duty until 6:00pm Cons: - No openly displayed alcohol on the beach - $8/pp (I don't think this is a big issue, but felt I should list it) - No boardwalk - Have to search for food places - Can not swim in areas where there is no lifeguard on duty. read more

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This review is for Ocean Grove, NJ (the community) as well as the beach. We love visiting the shore in September. Originally, our intention was to only visit Asbury Park but a Yelp search for breakfast led to our discovery of Ocean Grove. We love this place. As a comparison, this community reminds me of a cross between Stone Harbor & Cape May, NJ. (Victorian & early 20th century architecture). Ocean Grove has many Victorian homes/hotels for rent. No riff-raff here. Not much of a nightlife here but Asbury Park & Belmar is around the corner for that. We parked on "Main Avenue" (free parking) and had a great breakfast. (lots of other quaint stores/restaurants but not as vibrant as Stone Harbor). We then walked to the ocean. Ocean Grove has a killer promenade for walking. (bicycles & dogs allowed, check website for the rules). The beach was immaculately clean. We ended up walking north on the promenade that connects to the Asbury Park boardwalk. (where we had lunch). We then walked back south, past Ocean Grove and continued on the promenade into the shore towns of Bradley Beach and then Avon-By-The-Sea (then we came back to Ocean Grove). It was a fantastic walk, great exercise. We noticed that all these shore towns seem to also have cool looking lakes/ponds inland (looks like great kayaking potential). If you have the time, also check out Spring Lake, NJ We are going to look into renting a house in Ocean Grove. Looing forward to returning! read more

Came Sunday on Memorial Day weekend and of course we hit the usual Garden state parkway traffic on the way over but it wasn't too bad compared to other times we've gone. Parking can get insane depending on when you come, we usually come by noontime and there's usually some spots a few blocks away from the beach. There's a lot of old houses that the owners have restored and offer for rent. We like coming here because it's a good family oriented beach and its not overcrowded. It's $8 bucks for a day pass for adults , 12 and under are free. read more

Ocean Grove Beach - Beaches Near Me

Clean beach it's paid so makes a difference. Can get crowded but the crowd is decent.

This place is beautiful and you can even catch a bible study. However you can NOT go to the bathroom. Other beaches have figured out how to operate their bathrooms and their season passes are half the price. If they can afford to have their actual bathrooms with running plumbing open, Ocean Grove could at least not pad lock their port-A-potties. Very disappointed. read more

A condensed guide to the Jersey Shore: Seaside:Think Jersey shore/guidos Belmar: College kids...party scene Point Pleasant: Families with toddlers/babies in swim diapers Ocean Grove: Clean, quaint, family oriented. The town of Ocean Grove was established in 1869 by Methodist ministers and it still has a religious feel to it: The logo of Ocean Grove has a cross on it and when you buy your beach badge there is a white board with the scripture reading of the day. But no worries............everyone is welcome at this beach. This lovely beach is not far at all from NYC or Northern NJ. Exit 100 off the Garden State Parkway. Plenty of free street parking on a Friday. Showers on the beach to wash that salty ocean water off. Beautiful tanning/fishing pier that has bathrooms and changing rooms. Beach passes are $7.00 daily and children under 12 are free. Quiet, clean and not too crowded.........mostly families/couples. Ocean Grove is a dry town, a remnant of it's Methodist past so there is no alcohol allowed on the beach, the rebels that we are....... managed to sneak some beers in our cooler.....and we made it t through the day without getting arrested by any religious police. : ) read more

Ocean Grove harkens back the old timey days of long striped swim attire, men riding huge front wheeled bicycles, ladies fanning themselves on the boardwalk and children slurping ice cream soda floats. The beach here is clean, quite and family friendly. No "Jersey Shore" types here because this is a dry town! No booze, no idiots. You have to pay to play, about $6 - $7 for the day, but a season pass is much cheaper if you go often enough, at around $42. If you have the ability, try to rent a room in one of the many beautiful victorian style beach houses. Of course there is a quaint downtown area with antique stores, a soda pop and ice cream shop, fudge store, pizza parlor, etc. I've been coming here for years, and hope to continue! read more

This year it was clean again. It also was not overly crowded like last year but last year was the heat wave. Time Out did an article about it. http://newyork.timeout.com/things-to-do/22664/ocean-grove-nj Last year there was a bus from Port Authority which may have been responsible for the crowd. I do not think it is there again this year. But you can still take the train to Asbury Park and walk over. It may be a 5 or 10 minute walk from the train station or call us and we will pick you up! :) I prefer the beach in OG over Asbury for 2 reasons. One is OG has huge outdoor showers that Asbury and none of the other shore beaches have. The other is because of the angle OG sits on the shore it is much cooler. So on hot days OG is a great place to seek relief. But if cooler I would choose Asbury for the food and board walk. Since OG is an historic town there are strict laws keeping them from opening up concessions on the board walk. But you can quickly walk over the board walk to Asbury to eat lunch or dinner. Most of the restaurants in OG are over priced and touristy not true shore eateries. OG is a very old fashioned patriotic town. If you look at my pictures everyone from grandma and grandpa to the life guards dress in patriotic clothing on July 4th. It is still a quirky town with all nationalities, families, gay couples, all income backgrounds just about everyone you can imagine. It is often chosen as the best swimming beach on the Jersey shore. read more

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This beach is great for families, friends, groups or even hanging by ocean solo. The beach is clean, has a bathroom and changing area, has a concession stand with snacks and has free parking on Ocean Ave (if you're able to score a spot). The price is $8 for a day pass but that seems to be the going rate for most beaches in the area. Unlike other beaches you can eat on this beach and you can bring coolers. Some other nearby beaches are becoming strict with the policy and that makes the beach day that much more difficult. If you get tired of sitting out in the sun go take a walk down Main Street. There are many shops and small restaurants that all were packed with visitors. read more

Very nice beach. Clean sand, clean water. Good for families. $8 per person beach badge. Kids were free. Lifeguards appeared attentive. Drinking is NOT ALLOWED. I mean not all...like cops on the beach not allowed. 4 cops were patrolling the beach scoping people and there cups. They even busted a young couple drinking from their Solo Cup. So Beware with what and how you drink on the beach. read more

Ocean Grove Beach - Fun beach family day - Beaches Near Me

summer 2015: * street parking is free *$8 at all times for adults *showers & foot sprays near the entrance * no bathrooms in sight =( *beaches are clean and not a far walk from the street area *not many stores to go to, unless you walk into town or towards asbury park *dry town= no alcohol to buy anywhere read more

Nice beach we regularly visit when out in jersey. No frills, and bathrooms could use a facelift. But beach is large so never feels crowded. Get there early to find a parking spot. read more

Came here for the first time on the way back from AC, My GF loves Ocean Grove. There really isn't much I can add. Like people before me have said it does Harken back to the old days. A nice slice out of time. The Beach is clean, quite and friendly. You do have to pay to go on beach, (You can go on the beach for free after 5pm.thou) there are a lot of Inn's to stay in and the boardwalk is great. Don't forget to stop by Nagel's Apothecary Cafe for Ice Cream! read more

Great family beach...wish it was a bit more economical. One star off for daily entrance cost at $8 a pop. Ocean Grove has a great mainstreet area only a block from the beach. Along the beach is a small concession stand offering a surprising variety of eats. There are also bathrooms and changing rooms. read more

Clean and beautiful. Wonderful for the entire family. Great boardwalk and friendly people.

I loved the Grove so much, I purchased my second home there 13 years ago. Love that the town is non-touristy, has a great selection of shops and eateries. The Auditorium has some great Saturday night concerts during the summer (The Beach Boys will make their 3rd appearance during the 2013 season). And it's a beautiful town - Victorian's everywhere, and of course, the Tents. If you get a chance, attend their house tours in July. Ocean Grove got battered by Sandy, but the rebuilding is in progress. The South End of the boardwalk is in pretty good shape. The beach office/rest rooms and seemed to be okay, but the area around them is being repaired. The mid section took the biggest hit though. But the beach is there waiting for summer and its visitors. The shops and eateries are ready too. read more

What a lovely beach, along with Bradley Beach (which share a boardwalk). Randomly came here on Memorial Day. Unfortunately, the boardwalk is still destroyed from Sandy. Really hope that they can restore the boardwalk soon because the beach and town is so beautiful, it deserves a boardwalk that is just as nice. FYI - Bradley Beach's boardwalk is has essentially been fully restored. read more