Borough · Long Beach Island, NJ
Surf City
Whalers made the first settlement on Long Beach Island at Great Swamp, now Surf City, in the latter half of the 17th century, according to the Ocean County Library. The library says the community grew around the Mansion of Health, a hotel established in 1822. A New Jersey Geological Survey history of civil boundaries records that Long Beach City borough was formed from Stafford Township on September 19, 1894, a day after a referendum. A council resolution renamed it Surf City on May 26, 1899.
The census counted 1,442 residents in 2000, 1,205 in 2010 and 1,243 in 2020. The borough's flood page says all of Surf City lies in what FEMA labels a Special Flood Hazard Area. In March 2007, as the Army Corps of Engineers was finishing beach replenishment in Surf City, a resident with a metal detector found a munition in the new sand, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported. The Associated Press called the munitions World War I-era and reported on April 22, 2009, that the beaches had reopened after the final phase of removal. The bayside Surf City Yacht Club, incorporated on September 26, 1940, traces its start to an informal club formed about 1894.
Sources (8), checked October 8, 2026
- Ocean County Library, Long Beach Island Branch page (Local History section)
- John P. Snyder, The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries 1606-1968
- Ocean County Department of Planning
- Borough of Surf City, Flood Resources page
- The Philadelphia Inquirer, Jacqueline L. Urgo, 'Munitions find shuts beaches
- Associated Press, 'Surf City beaches reopen after munitions cleanup'
- Surf City Yacht Club, 'Our Club' page
- Surf City Yacht Club, 'History of SCYC' (About SCYC page)
- Type
- Borough
- ZIP code in listed addresses
- 08008
- Next area north
- North Beach
- Next area south
- Ship Bottom
- Beach accesses listed
- 15
- Places listed
- 51
- Official site
- surfcitynj.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 Surf City is North Beach, Manahawkin Bay, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North 24th Street | Yes | |||
| North 22nd Street | Yes | |||
| North 20th Street | Yes | |||
| North 18th Street | Yes | |||
| North 16th Street | Yes | |||
| North 14th Street | Yes | |||
| North 12th Street | Yes | With the mat | ||
| North 10th Street | Yes | |||
| North 8th Street | Yes | |||
| North 6th Street | Yes | |||
| North 5th Street | Yes | |||
| North 4th Street | Yes | |||
| North 2nd Street | Yes | |||
| Division Avenue | Yes | |||
| South 2nd Street | Yes |
A blank cell means the record does not list it.
The beach rules for Surf City, including when dogs are allowed, are on the beach rules page. The beach wheelchair loans and rides over the dunes in Surf City 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 Surf City. 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 |
|---|---|---|
| LBI Sunset Cruises | Boating | 325 1st Street |
| LBI Surfing | Water Sports | 1008 Long Beach Boulevard |
| Surf City Division Street Municipal Boat Ramp | Boat ramp | West Division Avenue at Barnegat Bay |
Beaches & Outdoors
| Place | Type | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Surf Buggy Bike Shop - Day Rentals | Outdoor Recreation | 1414 North Long Beach Boulevard |
| Surf City 16th Street Bay Beach | Bay beach | West 16th Street at Barnegat Bay |
| Surf City Bait and Tackle | Outdoor Recreation | 317 Long Beach Blvd |
| Surf City Veteran's Memorial Park | Park | 1100 Long Beach Blvd |
Shopping
| Place | Type | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Blue Claw Seafood Market | Grocery, produce & seafood market | 1103 Long Beach Boulevard |
| HYB Supply Co. | Shopping | 2 South Long Beach Boulevard |
| Just Bead It | Shopping | 1616 Long Beach Blvd |
| Mario's Italian Market | Grocery, produce & seafood market | 1905 Long Beach Boulevard |
| Okie's Butcher Shop | Grocery, produce & seafood market | 2107 Long Beach Boulevard |
| Society Beach | Shopping | 2106 Long Beach Blvd |
| Surf City 5&10 | Shopping | 411 N. Long Beach Blvd |
| Surf City Farmers Market | Farmers market (seasonal) | 713 Long Beach Boulevard |
| The Good Life Gift Boutique | Shopping | 2200 Long Beach Blvd |
| Wink | Shopping | 1913 Long Beach Blvd Ste 7 |
Arts & History
| Place | Type | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Firefly Gallery | Arts | 15 N Long Beach Blvd |
| M.T. Burton Gallery | Arts | 1819 Long Beach Blvd |
| Ocean County Library — Long Beach Island Branch | Library | 217 South Central Avenue |
| Solace Studio & Gallery | Arts | 2312 Long Beach Blvd |
| SwellColors Glass Studio & Gallery | Arts | 1715 Long Beach Blvd |
Food & Nightlife
| Place | Type | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Bagels & Beyond — Surf City | Dining & Nightlife | 1616 North Long Beach Boulevard |
| BLVD Pizza | Dining & Nightlife | 1503 Long Beach Boulevard |
| How You Brewin | Dining & Nightlife | 8 North Long Beach Boulevard |
| Kyuramen | Dining & Nightlife | 1419 Long Beach Boulevard |
| Lighthouse Restaurant & Grill | Dining & Nightlife (seasonal) | 1718 North Long Beach Boulevard |
| Little Sumo's Sushi & Poke | Dining & Nightlife | 1513 Long Beach Boulevard |
| Northside Bar & Grille | Dining & Nightlife | 1500 Long Beach Boulevard |
| Panzone's Pizza | Dining & Nightlife (seasonal) | 2117 Long Beach Boulevard |
| Pelican's SnoBalls | Dining & Nightlife | 3 North Long Beach Boulevard |
| Playa Bowls — Surf City | Dining & Nightlife (seasonal) | 518 Long Beach Boulevard |
| Rita's of Surf City | Dining & Nightlife (seasonal) | 1801 Long Beach Boulevard |
| ScoJo's Eatery | Dining & Nightlife | 307 North Long Beach Boulevard |
| Smokey's BBQ | Dining & Nightlife | 1700 Long Beach Boulevard |
| Surf City Dog House | Dining & Nightlife | 16th Street and Long Beach Boulevard |
| Surf City Pizza | Dining & Nightlife | 1017 Long Beach Boulevard |
| Surfside Coffee House & Grill | Dining & Nightlife | 1901 Long Beach Boulevard |
| Taqueria Rendon | Dining & Nightlife (seasonal) | 1409 Long Beach Boulevard |
| The Big Dipper | Dining & Nightlife (seasonal) | 1501 Long Beach Boulevard |
| The Corner Bakery | Dining & Nightlife | 1700 Long Beach Boulevard |
Family Fun
| Place | Type | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Richard A. Zachariae Recreational Area | Park | 301 S 1st St |
| SandBar Golf | Mini Golf | 1011 Long Beach Boulevard |
| Surf City Island Golf | Mini Golf | 603 Long Beach Blvd |
Wellness
| Place | Type | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Beach House Spa | Fitness & Wellness | 1709 Long Beach Boulevard |
| Red Sails Salon | Fitness & Wellness | 1709 Long Beach Boulevard |
| Yoga Bohemia Surf City | Fitness studio | 3 North Long Beach Boulevard |
Services & Transit
| Place | Type | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Surf City Hotel | Lodging | 800 North Long Beach Boulevard |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Surf City 16th Street Bay Beach | Bay beach, portable restroom | West 16th Street at Barnegat Bay |
| Surf City Borough Hall Portable Restroom | Public restroom, portable restroom | 813 Long Beach Boulevard |
| Surf City Division Street Municipal Boat Ramp | Boat ramp, portable restroom | West Division Avenue at Barnegat Bay |
| WSFS ATM at Bagels & Beyond Surf City | ATM or bank | 1616 North Long Beach Boulevard |
| WSFS ATM at Surf City Liquor | ATM or bank | 800 North Long Beach Boulevard |
History at these addresses
- 414 Seafood and Chop House, 414 Long Beach Boulevard: 2 chapters
- Wally's, 712 Long Beach Boulevard: 2 chapters
- Surf City Hotel, 800 North Long Beach Boulevard: 4 chapters
- Surf City Laundromat, 1709 Long Beach Boulevard: 1 chapter
These are from Back When, the archive of what stood at each address.
Questions
Which beach accesses in Surf City have a Mobi-Mat in summer?
All 15 listed: North 24th Street, North 22nd Street, North 20th Street, North 18th Street, North 16th Street, North 14th Street, North 12th Street, North 10th Street, North 8th Street, North 6th Street, North 5th Street, North 4th Street, North 2nd Street, Division Avenue and South 2nd Street.
Where are the public restrooms in Surf City?
The record lists 3 places with a public restroom: Surf City 16th Street Bay Beach (portable unit), Surf City Borough Hall Portable Restroom (portable unit) and Surf City Division Street Municipal Boat Ramp (portable unit).