Ocean City Beach

Ocean City has eight miles of ocean beach, and the boardwalk stretch between 12th and 20th Streets hosts the Beach Patrol's one-mile Masters Swim, held since 1979. Guards work 10 to 5 on weekdays and until 5:30 on weekends, and they shift stands to the safest water. Tags are required from early June through Labor Day for anyone 12 and older.

Directions

Photo: Dough4872 · CC BY-SA 4.0

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Latest reading · SwimScore 66/100 (Good swim) for a typical swimmer: air 17°C, wind 31 km/h, waves 2.4 m, UV 2. Updated 23 Sept, 22:00 UTC.

Know before you go

Getting in: Beach tags required for ages 12 and older, June 1–September 7, 2026: seasonal $30 through May 31 or $35 from June 1, weekly $20, daily $10. Seasonal tags online at store.ocnj.us; all tags sold at beach entrances and boardwalk booths. Free seasonal tags for veterans and active military.
Lifeguards: Ocean City Beach Patrol staffs beaches from Memorial Day weekend to mid-September, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. weekdays and 10 a.m.–5:30 p.m. weekends and holidays. The list of guarded beaches changes and is posted daily at ocnj.us/OCBP; stands may be moved from street ends to the safest spot.
Water quality: Cape May County Health Department and NJDEP sample ocean stations weekly for enterococcus during the bathing season (standard under 104 per 100 mL); elevated readings often follow heavy rain.
Season: Guarded Memorial Day weekend to mid-September; tags June to Labor Day.
Who swims here: The T. John Carey Masters Swim, run by the Ocean City Beach Patrol since 1979, is a one-mile point-to-point ocean race parallel to the boardwalk (12th to 20th Street) held on a July Sunday afternoon; wetsuits are allowed in all categories only if the water is under 65°F.

Sources: ocnj.us, ocnj.us, ocnj.us, ocnj.us, ocnj.us, capemaycountynj.gov