318 A Cooks Lane
Point Pleasant, NJ 08742

Point Pleasant Beach offers some of the cleanest beaches in New Jersey, and has both public access and private beaches. The southern end of town is comprised of a public access beach. There is a small fee to get on the beach and lifeguards are present form 9-5 each day. Entrance to this beach can be found on Ocean Avenue. The public beach access here is marked by a small blue sign which is easily overlooked. This area is public east of the high water line. To the north of this point, you will find Bradshaw Beach. There is a small shed which sells seasonal as well as daily beach badges. The area of the boardwalk is owned privately.

SWIMMING: Private pay beaches offer individual lifeguard towers. These are spread out throughout this area. Beach goers can find surf conditions marked by flags flying. The public beach area is "At your own risk".

SURFING: It is becoming increasingly more difficult to find beach areas where surfing is permitted. In the off hours, surfers gather at "The Pocket" area at the inlet.

BOARDWALK: In the summer, Friday and Saturday Nights are packed with visitors from all over the area. Weekdays are typically not crowded until school lets out in mid June. If free parking is what you have in mind, be prepared to walk a few blocks. All along the southern stretch of the boards you will find arcades, wheels of chance, games of skill, food, rides and gift shops. Jenkinson's Aquarium is located on the north end and there is a fun house right near the middle.   The boardwalk ends at the Manasquan Inlet, where you will see commercial fishing vessels, party boats, and recreational boaters cruising in or out from the Atlantic. This is also a prime fishing area.

Good links:

Point Pleasant Beach

Point Pleasant Beach Boardwalk
Borough of Point Pleasant Beach

NJ Point Pleasant

HISTORY:  Original settlers of Point Pleasant Beach were the Lenni Lenape Indians On September 2, 1609, Henry Hudson and the crew of his ship, Half Moon, noticed Point Pleasant Beach on their way north to explore the Hudson River. The Borough of Point Pleasant Beach was established 277 years later on June 2, 1886. Quaker settlers arrived during the 1700’s. Fishermen and farmers by trade, many owned hundreds of acres of land. Summer tourism began in the early 1800’s when locals opened their houses to boarders.

Captain John Arnold did the most to establish Point Pleasant Beach as a destination for visitors in the 1870’s, when he retired from a career at sea and bought land. In 1870, he built a roadway to the ocean, now known as Arnold Avenue. In 1875, he was instrumental in building the first bridge over the Manasquan River to Brielle. Later, he convinced the Central Jersey Railroad to extend its service to Point Pleasant Beach by giving it right-of-way, land for a depot, and about $6,000 cash. On July 3, 1880, the first passenger train rolled into Point Pleasant Beach.

The first permanent boardwalk was built in 1915. It was already the long-time home of a merry-go-round and several other amusements when, in the late 1920’s, Orlo Jenkinson built Jenkinson’s Pavilion and Swimming Pool. The boardwalk pavilion became the place to go for a night of dancing to well-known big bands.

Now, Point Pleasant Beach has a thriving downtown business district, offering diverse shopping experiences and premiere antique shops. It is famous for its annual Seafood Festival in September. The Boardwalk is home to a first class aquarium, as well as rides, arcades and diverse dining experiences, ranging from the traditional sausage sandwich to sushi.