The small borough ranks high on many ‘New Jersey Best Beaches’ lists
By Madison Lewis
SEA BRIGHT – Thanks to high dunes and a protective seawall, you may not even realize one of New Jersey’s top beach towns sits right in the Two River area.
Sea Bright’s stretch of the Jersey Shore is a hidden gem, but once beachgoers find a coveted parking spot and walk to one of the many access points, they are met with salty air, a comfortable ocean breeze, soft sand and a kaleidoscope of colorful towels strewn across the wide expanse of beach.
Over the past few years, Sea Bright has landed on a number of beach “best lists.” In 2023, U.S. News & World Report ranked it sixth among New Jersey beaches. The following year, the borough was ranked fifth out of 45 by NJ.com; this year, New Jersey Digest placed it sixth on its Top 10 list.
Samuel Catalano, president of the Sea Bright Borough Council and chair of the Beach Committee, attributes the popularity of the borough’s beaches to many things, especially the leadership of Don Klein, the borough’s beach manager.
Klein takes part in the hiring and training of employees, coordinates budgets and schedules and writes a “shared service contract with the Highlands to supply their two beaches with Sea Bright Ocean Rescue personnel,” Catalano said. “Year after year, he just puts out a top-notch production.” Catalano also noted that beach department personnel, including Jack Forsman, the lifeguard captain, and Susie Markson, assistant to the beach manager, effectively collaborate with the police, fire and public works departments to ensure the beaches are clean and the staff is well-trained and amicable.
“You know you are getting a great service when you come here,” he said.
Avid beachgoer Peyton O’Brien, who visits Sea Bright Beach weekly from her home in Tinton Falls, agreed. She said she frequents the beach because “all my friends go here and it’s also a really nice and clean beach.”
While there are seven private beach clubs along the stretch that cost thousands per year to join, U.S. News & World Report lauded Sea Bright’s other budget-friendly beach options: The municipality offers seven free public access points to wide swaths of unprotected beach. If you’d like to take advantage of the amenities the borough offers, daily and seasonal beach badges are available for a reasonable fee: $8 for a daily pass, $100 for the season. Children under 12 and active duty military personnel and their families are free.
A badge grants you access to both protected municipal beaches, Catalano said, “What we call the main beach and the beach at Anchorage Park.” Lifeguards are on site from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. If you love walking on the beach, a badge also gives you access to the public-use areas in front of the private beach clubs, offering a lovely, uninterrupted stretch for exercise.
For badge holders, the borough also features well-maintained restrooms in the municipal building, as well as a limited number of lockers available for rent on a seasonal basis.
Another feature that sets Sea Bright beaches apart from others in New Jersey, Catalano said, is the proximity to “hot-spot restaurants.” For a 1.29 square mile town (of which almost 45% is water, according to the U.S. Census Bureau) Sea Bright has a wealth of dining options. Tommy’s Tavern + Tap, Angelica’s, Yumi, Woody’s, McLoone’s Rum Runner, Drifthouse, Eventide Grille, Alice’s Kitchen, 2nd Jetty and more are all popular eateries a short walk from the beach. And you don’t even have to leave the beach to eat and drink at longtime staple Donovan’s Reef.
Another perk of Sea Bright’s beaches? As NJ.com points out, as you’re relaxing to the sound of the waves on a clear day, you can also get a stunning view of the New York skyline.
Catalano said he is looking forward to an anticipated replenishment project that will make the beaches “bigger and better.” He said Sea Bright Mayor Brian Kelly has been in talks with the Army Corps of Engineers; the borough is expected to be part of its 2026 beach sand replenishment project.
“We are just real proud of our beach,” said Catalano.
For more information about Sea Bright’s beaches, visit seabrightnj.org and click on the Beach Info icon.
The article originally appeared in the July 3 – July 9, 2025 print edition of The Two River Times.
