Here are the beaches that are still free in NJ

Can you almost smell that ocean air? Hear the gulls? Taste that boardwalk food? Feel the hot sun with your toes deep in the cool part of the sand?

We are just days away from Memorial Day Weekend and maybe you’re thinking of last-minute day trip plans. If money is tight, I hear you. I too have been known to check couch cushions for gas funds in my life.

So, while we’re very used to paying outrageous fees for beach tags here in Jersey, there still are some beaches that are free. Now some come with a catch, but let’s run them down for you catch and all.

Atlantic City

The beach here is still free. That’s it. No badge required. Enjoy!

Corson’s Inlet State Park

There is no fee, no badge, nothing to get on this beach, nor is there any catch such as a fee to get through a state park main gate. This free beach is described on an nj.gov site as

natural habitats rich in diversity with primary and secondary sand dune systems, shoreline over wash, marine estuaries and upland areas in which a great variety of wildlife species live and breed. This park is a popular area for hiking, fishing, crabbing, boating and sunbathing.

Island Beach State Park

After several years of fees being waived, they return this year but not until July 1. So free until June 30. Then $6 weekdays and $10 weekends for a car to enter at the main gate. No badge necessary and no extra money to step onto the beach. That’s still a pretty good deal.

North Wildwood

Free beach, no badge, no annoying beach badge checkers. Do it!

Sandy Hook

Now no beach fee or badge required, but beware parking is $20 for a day or a season parking pass for $100.

Strathmere

A free beach with no badges required. We don’t need no steeenking badges!

Wildwood

A beach as enormous as this and yet it’s free with no badge requirement. You might even find some leftover Trump merch buried in the sand.

Wildwood Crest

A free beach to enjoy and no hassling with a beach badge. Happy summer!

Opinions expressed in the post above are those of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Jeff Deminski only.

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