Bay Head
Bay Head is the quiet, old-money end of the northern Shore, a small residential borough where the appeal is what it doesn't have.
Ocean County·Central Shore·141 Miles verified June 7, 2026·Official site ↗
Bay Head is the quiet, old-money end of the northern Shore, a small residential borough where the appeal is what it doesn't have.
Ocean County·Central Shore·141 Miles verified June 7, 2026·Official site ↗
How Bay Head ranks across the 141 Miles editorial indexes.
Bay Head is the quiet, old-money end of the northern Shore, a small residential borough where the appeal is what it doesn't have. No boardwalk, no arcades, no nightlife to speak of. The draw is large shingle-style Victorian homes, a tidy village core with a few shops and galleries, and beaches that stay calm because access is tight. It sits directly south of Point Pleasant Beach and feels like the opposite of it.
History
The town was laid out as a planned resort in the 1870s by a land company and named for its spot at the head of Barnegat Bay. Wealthy families built large summer houses near the water, and much of that late-1800s housing stock still stands. The character has barely changed: it stayed residential and low-key while neighbors to the north grew louder and more commercial. Hurricane Sandy hit the town hard in 2012 and forced extensive rebuilding along the oceanfront.
What makes it unique
What sets Bay Head apart is the quiet and the exclusivity. It is one of the most buttoned-up towns on the coast, built around sailing and the bay rather than a beachfront scene, with the Bay Head Yacht Club at the center of summer life. The barrier-island geography is part of it: ocean on one side, Barnegat Bay on the other, with the village squeezed between. Beach access is famously restricted, which keeps the crowds down.
Interesting facts
Bay Head sits at the northern tip of the Barnegat Peninsula, ocean on one side and Barnegat Bay on the other.
The town takes its name from its position at the head of Barnegat Bay.
The Bay Head Yacht Club has anchored the town's sailing culture since the late 1800s.
Bay Head was among the hardest-hit barrier towns in Hurricane Sandy.
Summary Bay Head suits a quiet beach day, a walk, and not much else, which is the point. Come for stillness and old houses, not food, nightlife, or easy parking.
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NJT terminus station, short walk to beach
End of the line — quiet town, walkable to beach
Bay Head
Dogs restricted during summer season
Tents and canopies allowed — no restrictions
Year-round surfing permitted. Works on most swell directions
Smoking banned on all NJ public beaches (state law since 2019). Fines $250–$1,000
Glass containers prohibited on beach
Alcohol prohibited on beach (local ordinance)
Bay Head Beach
ocean beachBay Head Beach
73°
Today
77°
Mostly Sunny
Tonight
69°
Partly Cloudy then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
Friday
82°
Partly Sunny
Friday Night
70°
Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Showers And Thunderstorms Likely
Saturday
77°
Rain Showers
Saturday Night
68°
Showers And Thunderstorms Likely