Ortley Beach is Toms River's beach: a small, residential, rental-heavy strip of the barrier island between Seaside Heights and Lavallette.
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141 Miles verified June 8, 2026. Hours and prices may have shifted.
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Ortley Beach is Toms River's beach: a small, residential, rental-heavy strip of the barrier island between Seaside Heights and Lavallette. It is not a standalone town but a section of Toms River Township, and it pulls families and second-home owners more than day-trippers. There is no boardwalk amusement scene here. The draw is a quiet, narrow beach and a low-key summer rhythm, with Seaside's noise a short drive south.
History
Ortley Beach became the public face of Superstorm Sandy in 2012, widely called the storm's "ground zero." The ocean broke through the dunes and over Route 35, and more than 2,000 properties in the section were damaged or destroyed. Recovery has been long and uneven: homes were rebuilt and elevated five to eight feet to meet flood rules, the Army Corps replenished the beach, and Route 35 was rebuilt. Landmarks were lost, including the 128-year-old St. Elisabeth's Chapel and the Joey Harrison's Surf Club.
What makes it unique
Ortley is defined by the storm and the rebuild more than by any single attraction. The old Joey Harrison's Surf Club site is now public land, where Toms River is building a boardwalk extension, parking, and public beach access, part of a wider push to revive the small central business district. The result is a beach community still actively reshaping itself more than a decade after Sandy.
Interesting facts
Ortley Beach is a section of Toms River Township, not its own municipality.
It was labeled Superstorm Sandy's "ground zero" in 2012.
The former Joey Harrison's Surf Club is now public land slated for a boardwalk and parking project.
It sits on Route 35 between Seaside Heights and Lavallette.
Summary Ortley suits families who want a quiet beach and a rental near the water, not nightlife or rides. Come for the sand and the calm, with Seaside's action a few minutes away.
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.
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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.
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Source ↗No dogs on beach during summer
Tents and canopies banned. Umbrellas, baby tents, canopy chairs, playpens allowed
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)
Ortley Beach
ocean beachOrtley Beach
Route 67 bus from Asbury Park; nearest rail: Bay Head (6 mi)
Bus runs in summer but infrequent
NJ Transit 67 — Ortley Beach
No upcoming events.
Serving Ortley Beach (Toms River Township), Island Heights and Lavallette since 2005. Part of Micromedia / Jersey Shore Online.
Outbound links. 141 Miles does not control content on third-party sites for Ortley Beach.
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