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·Official site ↗
141 Miles verified June 7, 2026. Hours and prices may have shifted.
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·Official site ↗
141 Miles verified June 7, 2026. Hours and prices may have shifted.
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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.
No upcoming events.
Flash Flood Warning — NJ coast
Flash Flood Warning issued August 16 at 11:38PM EDT until August 17 at 3:30AM EDT by NWS Mount Holly NJ
Flash Flood Warning — NJ coast
Flash Flood Warning issued August 17 at 12:48AM EDT until August 17 at 3:30AM EDT by NWS Mount Holly NJ
Soccer fans mob D'Arcy's Tavern in Bradley Beach for U.S. World Cup opener
Throughout the rapturous first half these fans paid their national team the ultimate compliment: None of them scrolled their phones.
Source ↗N.J. got 250 free World Cup tickets for kids — here’s who is handing them out
Airbnb, the short-term rental platform, is providing the tickets that will be distributed by the Raritan Bay Area YMCA, Big Brothers, Big Sisters of Coastal & Northern New Jersey and Boys & Girls Clubs in New Jersey.
Source ↗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
2026 LBI Beach Badge Information
The ocean is calling… and this summer, Long Beach Island is ready to deliver. Before you load up the car and head over the causeway, there’s one essential item to add to your checklist: your beach badge. We’ve got everything you need to know right here, so you can spend less tim…
NJT terminus station, short walk to beach
End of the line — quiet town, walkable to beach
Bay Head
Flash Flood Warning
Flash Flood Warning issued August 17 at 12:48AM EDT until August 17 at 3:30AM EDT by NWS Mount Holly NJ
74°
Tonight
72°
Showers And Thunderstorms
Monday
84°
Rain Showers then Partly Sunny
Monday Night
73°
Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Partly Cloudy
Tuesday
83°
Mostly Sunny
Tuesday Night
71°
Mostly Clear
Wednesday
85°
Sunny
How Bay Head ranks across the 141 Miles editorial indexes.