Borough · Long Beach Island, NJ
Ship Bottom
Route 72 ends in Ship Bottom, where it runs on 8th and 9th Streets. The New Jersey Department of Transportation calls the route the only access point to and from Long Beach Island. The borough gives its size as 0.71 square miles and its ocean frontage as 1.36 miles. Its population at the 2020 census was 1,098.
The borough traces the name to March 1817, citing local historian John Bailey Lloyd. In that account Captain Stephen Willets of Tuckerton chopped a hole in the hull of an overturned ship and freed a young woman trapped inside, and neither her name nor the ship's was recorded. The Coast Guard Historian's Office says Life-Saving Station #20 at Ship Bottom was built in 1872 and credits its crew with 7 Gold Life-Saving Medals for rescuing 5 men from the barkentine Abiel Abbott on January 21, 1903. The Italian vessel Fortuna ran aground on the 16th Street beach on January 18, 1910. Its anchor is displayed at Borough Hall. The Ship Bottom Volunteer Fire Company has served since 1922. The borough was formed from Long Beach Township in 1925 as Ship Bottom-Beach Arlington, and the name was shortened in 1947.
Sources (11), checked October 8, 2026
- NJ Department of Transportation, Straight Line Diagram, NJ 72
- NJ Department of Transportation, Route 72 Manahawkin Bay Bridges Project
- NJ Department of Transportation, Route 72 Manahawkin Bay Bridges Project, Overview
- NJ Department of Labor and Workforce Development
- Borough of Ship Bottom, History of Ship Bottom
- US Census Bureau, 2020 Gazetteer Files, Places, New Jersey
- John P. Snyder, The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries 1606-1968
- U.S. Coast Guard Historian's Office, Station Ship Bottom, New Jersey
- Historical Society of Riverton, How the Fortuna shipwreck became an icon for Ship
- Metal Architecture, How metal anchors the culture of a Jersey Shore municipal
- Ship Bottom Volunteer Fire Co., About
- Type
- Borough
- ZIP code in listed addresses
- 08008
- Next area north
- Surf City
- Next area south
- Brant Beach
- Beach accesses listed
- 23
- Places listed
- 66
- Official site
- shipbottom.org, link checked October 7, 2026
Today's water temperature, waves and tide times are on the conditions page. It covers 6 NOAA tide stations. Of those, the closest to Ship Bottom is Manahawkin Drawbridge, on the bay side. On the ocean beach, high and low tide come earlier than on the bay, and the tide rises and falls farther. For the ocean, the page has Atlantic City.
Beach accesses
| Access | Mobi-Mat (in summer) | Wheelchair access | Restroom | Parking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4th Street | Yes | With the mat | ||
| 6th Street | Yes | |||
| 7th Street | Yes | With the mat | ||
| 8th Street | Yes | With the mat | ||
| 9th Street | Yes | With the mat | ||
| 12th Street | Yes | |||
| 13th Street | Yes | With the mat | ||
| 14th Street | Yes | With the mat | ||
| 15th Street | Yes | With the mat | ||
| 16th Street | Yes | |||
| 18th Street | Yes | |||
| 19th Street | Yes | With the mat | ||
| 20th Street | Yes | With the mat | ||
| 21st Street | Yes | With the mat | ||
| 22nd Street | Yes | With the mat | ||
| 23rd Street | Yes | With the mat | ||
| 24th Street | Yes | |||
| 25th Street | Yes | With the mat | ||
| 26th Street | Yes | |||
| 27th Street | Yes | |||
| 28th Street | Yes | |||
| 29th Street | Yes | |||
| 30th Street | Yes | With the mat |
A blank cell means the record does not list it.
The beach rules for Ship Bottom, including when dogs are allowed, are on the beach rules page. The beach wheelchair loans and rides over the dunes in Ship Bottom are on the beach accessibility page, and its police, offices and schools on the town services page.
For badges and fees, see the official beach page for Ship Bottom. This site does not list prices.
For every town at once, see the beaches page and the beach accessibility page.
Places
On the Water
| Place | Type | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 25th Street Fishing & Crabbing Pier | Fishing & crabbing pier | West 25th Street at the Bay |
| Ron Jon Surf Shop | Water Sports | 801 Central Avenue |
| Starky's Ship Bottom Marine Center | Boating | 2601 Central Avenue |
| Wave Hog Surf Shop | Water Sports | 620 Long Beach Blvd |
Beaches & Outdoors
| Place | Type | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 20th Street Bayside Park | Park | West 20th Street at the Bay |
| 4th Street Remembrance Park | Park | West 4th Street at the Bay |
| 5th Street Bayside Park | Park | West 5th Street at the Bay |
| Beach Arlington Park & Bay Beach | Bay beach | West 14th Street & Shore Avenue |
| John J. Guld Jr. Recreation Area | Park | West 5th Street & Barnegat Avenue |
| Pedego Long Beach Island | Outdoor Recreation | 418 Long Beach Blvd |
| Pyour Core | Fitness studio | 347 W. 8th Street |
| Ship Bottom Waterfront Park | Park | West 10th Street & Shore Avenue |
| Sunset Point | Park | 1201 Bay Terrace |
Shopping
| Place | Type | Location |
|---|---|---|
| B&B Department Stores — Ship Bottom | Shopping | 901 Central Avenue |
| Country Corner Farm Market | Grocery, produce & seafood market | 275 West 9th Street |
| CVS Pharmacy — Ship Bottom | Pharmacy | 819 Barnegat Avenue |
| Farias Surf & Sport | Shopping | 2800 Long Beach Boulevard |
| Fisherman's Headquarters | Shopping | 280 West 9th Street |
| Hazel Boutique | Shopping | 101 W 27th St |
| Mystic Market LBI | Grocery, produce & seafood market | 2901 Long Beach Boulevard |
| Sugar Kingdom | Shopping | 2210 Long Beach Boulevard |
| Surf City Fishery | Grocery, produce & seafood market | 902 Long Beach Boulevard |
Arts & History
| Place | Type | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Grace Calvary Church | Religious Sites | 1902 Long Beach Blvd |
Food & Nightlife
| Place | Type | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Bageleddi's | Dining & Nightlife (seasonal) | 1815 Long Beach Boulevard |
| Baker's Port Hole | Dining & Nightlife | 1620 Long Beach Boulevard |
| Burger 25 | Dining & Nightlife | 1915 Long Beach Boulevard |
| Dune 18 | Dining & Nightlife | 1916 Long Beach Boulevard |
| Dunkin' | Dining & Nightlife | 330 West 8th Street |
| Ferrara's Island Bakery | Dining & Nightlife | 2900 Long Beach Boulevard |
| Get Roasted LBI | Dining & Nightlife | 2421 Long Beach Boulevard |
| Joe Pop's Shore Bar + Restaurant | Dining & Nightlife | 2002 Long Beach Blvd corner of 20th St. |
| Joeys' Pizza & Pasta | Dining & Nightlife | 2201 Long Beach Boulevard |
| LBI Pancake House | Dining & Nightlife | 2111 Long Beach Boulevard |
| LBI Table | Dining & Nightlife | 502 Long Beach Boulevard |
| Raimondo's | Dining & Nightlife | 1101 Long Beach Boulevard |
| Russo's Italian Restaurant | Dining & Nightlife | 1415 Long Beach Boulevard |
| Salt Kitchen & Bar | Dining & Nightlife | 350 West 8th Street |
| Ship Bottom Ice Cream Co. | Dining & Nightlife (seasonal) | 1801 Long Beach Boulevard |
| Ship Bottom Shellfish | Grocery, produce & seafood market (seasonal) | 1721 South Long Beach Boulevard |
| Shore Good Donuts — Ship Bottom | Dining & Nightlife | 1211 Long Beach Boulevard |
| Speakeasy Pizzeria | Dining & Nightlife | 1318 Long Beach Boulevard |
| The Arlington | Dining & Nightlife | 1302 Long Beach Boulevard |
| The Gateway Restaurant & Lounge | Dining & Nightlife | 227 W 8th St |
| The Local Market & Kitchen | Grocery, produce & seafood market | 604 Central Ave |
| The Mermaid Room | Dining & Nightlife | 1920 Long Beach Boulevard |
| The Salt Shack | Dining & Nightlife | 401 West 8th Street |
| Topsail Steamer | Dining & Nightlife (seasonal) | 2608 Long Beach Boulevard |
| Uncle Louie G's | Dining & Nightlife | 2420 Long Beach Boulevard |
| Wawa | Dining & Nightlife | 901 Central Avenue |
| Woodies Drive In | Dining & Nightlife | 509 Long Beach Boulevard |
| Zen Sushi & Asian Cuisine | Dining & Nightlife | 1220 Long Beach Boulevard |
Family Fun
| Place | Type | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Flamingo Miniature Golf Course | Mini Golf | 5th Street & Long Beach Blvd |
| Hartland Golf & Arcade | Mini Golf | 2801 S Long Beach Blvd |
| Our Endless Summer | Amusement | 320 Long Beach Boulevard |
| The Sand Trap Mini Golf | Mini Golf (seasonal) | 23rd and Long Beach Blvd. |
Wellness
| Place | Type | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Bella Donna Salon and Spa | Fitness & Wellness | 2400 Long Beach Boulevard |
| Island Massage | Fitness & Wellness (seasonal) | 816 Long Beach Blvd Suite 5 |
| Lyceum Health & Fitness Club | Gym | 265 West 8th Street |
Services & Transit
| Place | Type | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Drifting Sands Oceanfront Hotel | Lodging | 119 East 9th Street |
| Hackensack Meridian Urgent Care — LBI | Urgent care (seasonal) | 901 Long Beach Boulevard |
| Hotel LBI | Lodging | 350 West 8th Street |
| Shuttle Service | Transportation | 350 West 8th Street |
| Southern Ocean Chamber of Commerce | Services | 265 West 9th Street |
| The Islander Motel | Lodging | 1202 Central Avenue |
A place marked seasonal is one the record lists as open for part of the year. For the others it does not say either way.
These places to eat are also on the where to eat page, which lists every town.
Restrooms, ATMs and post offices
| Place | Type | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Bank of America — Ship Bottom | ATM or bank | 1501 Long Beach Boulevard |
| Beach Arlington Park & Bay Beach | Bay beach | West 14th Street & Shore Avenue |
| Ship Bottom Post Office | Post office | 1621 Long Beach Boulevard |
| Ship Bottom Waterfront Park | Park | West 10th Street & Shore Avenue |
History at these addresses
- Hotel LBI, 350 West 8th Street: 4 chapters
- La Spiaggia, 357 West 8th Street: 1 chapter
- LBI Table, 502 Long Beach Boulevard: 2 chapters
- Rare Company, 605 Long Beach Boulevard: 2 chapters
- Dune 18, 1916 Long Beach Boulevard: 3 chapters
These are from Back When, the archive of what stood at each address.
Questions
Which beach accesses in Ship Bottom have a Mobi-Mat in summer?
All 23 listed: 4th Street, 6th Street, 7th Street, 8th Street, 9th Street, 12th Street, 13th Street, 14th Street, 15th Street, 16th Street, 18th Street, 19th Street, 20th Street, 21st Street, 22nd Street, 23rd Street, 24th Street, 25th Street, 26th Street, 27th Street, 28th Street, 29th Street and 30th Street.
Where are the public restrooms in Ship Bottom?
The record lists 2 places with a public restroom: Ship Bottom Waterfront Park and Beach Arlington Park & Bay Beach.