Jersey Shore Prices and Their Rapid Rise

As the summer countdown gets closer to ‘Zero Days’ and the weather gets sunnier, New Jerseyians alike flock to the beach – or as Jersey residents would say, “down the shore”. The shore is remarked as a family-friendly place filled with fun, tan lines, and memories. The southern bay of Cape May up to the northern Long Beach Island is filled with visitors year after year. NJ.com reports there are upward of 48 million visitors a year looking for the perfect getaway.

In the past few seasons, beach presence has been popping. However, the number of visitors isn’t the thing rising down the shore. Every year NJ.com does a full list report of prices at every beach, and every year prices are growing larger and larger. In the past year, beaches such as Barnegat Light, Bay Head, Lavallette, and Surf City have raised their prices by $5. Some beaches have even jumped $20 just in seasonal badges. For example, Long Branch Beach went from a $45 seasonal badge in 2022 to a $70 seasonal badge in 2023. In the past 15 years, Sea Grit has raised its seasonal badges by almost $50.

These price jacks are mainly due to inflation and upkeep. However, some feel that the shore is getting too expensive. In an opinion article posted on New Jersey 101.5, writer Mike Brant dives into the reality of visiting the Jersey Shore. From the beach admission to the parking to the food, Brant writes that the beach is “too expensive to visit anymore”. To an average person, these rising prices are making it almost impossible to visit frequently. It appears in the next few years, if Mike Brant is correct,  visitation will start to plummet due to these prices.