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Voykit pocket guide · United States
Avalon, New Jersey
Avalon is a quiet beach town for a 2–3 day family stay or a day trip from Cape May County bases. Go June–August for the beach; skip if you want nightlife or boardwalk action.
Avalon sits on Seven Mile Island, sharing it with Stone Harbor. It's a low-key resort with wide beaches, a strict police presence and no boardwalk. Most visitors come for the sand, the calm and the easy bike rides. Two nights cover the essentials; a day trip works if you're staying nearby.
- Country
- United States
- Best months
- Jun–Aug
- Avoid
- Dec–Feb (many businesses closed)
- Stay
- 2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- USD
- Money
- Currency is the US dollar (USD, $). Cards and phone payments work almost everywhere; carry a little cash for tips and small vendors.
- Daily spend
- Budget $100–150 excl. bed · Mid $200–350 excl. bed · High $400+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile cover the country; prepaid SIMs at their stores and Walmart/Target (passport required), or an eSIM before you fly.
- Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance 911
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 120 V · 60 Hz · Chargers are dual-voltage; hair dryers and straighteners from 230 V countries need a converter.
- Tipping
- Sit-down restaurant: 18–22% of the pre-tax bill.; Bar: US$1–2 per drink or 20% of the tab.; Taxi / ride-hailing: 15–20%, in the app.; Hotel housekeeping: US$3–5 a night.; Porter / valet: US$2–5 per bag or car.; Tour guide: US$10–20 per person for a day tour.; Counter service / tablet prompts: Optional; 0–15%.
- Water
- Tap water is drinkable nearly everywhere; boil or treat water from streams in parks.
- Toilets
- Free public toilets are scarce in big cities; use cafés, department stores, libraries, stations. Rest areas on highways are free.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Beach badge (daily / weekly / seasonal) | $8 / $30 / $60 |
| Pizza slice (Circle Pizza) | $4–6 |
| Coffee | $3–5 |
| Bike rental (half day) | $25–40 |
| Taxi from Avalon to Stone Harbor | $10–15 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- ACY · Atlantic City International Airport
- About 45 min drive; limited flights, mostly seasonal.
- PHL · Philadelphia International Airport
- About 1.5 h drive; more flight options.
Typical fares
- Greyhound from Philadelphia to Avalon
- about $25–40, 2 h (check)
- Taxi from Atlantic City airport
- about $60–80, 45 min (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Walking and biking cover the town. A free shuttle runs along Dune Drive in summer (check schedule). Cars are fine but parking near the beach fills early.
See and do
Known for
- Seven Mile Island beaches
- Beach badges required in summer
- Strict traffic enforcement
- Family-friendly, quiet atmosphere
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Stone Harbor | 5 min drive north on Ocean Drive | 10 min |
| Cape May | 20 min drive south on Ocean Drive | 25 min |
| Wildwood | 15 min drive south via Ocean Drive and Rio Grande Ave | 20 min |
| Ocean City | 25 min drive north on Ocean Drive | 30 min |
Sleep
- Dune Drive corridor
- Closest to beaches and restaurants; most hotels and rentals here.
- Ocean Drive
- Quieter, bay side; more private rentals.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Hello |
| Thank you | Thank you |
| How much is a beach badge? | How much is a beach badge? |
| Where is the beach entrance? | Where is the beach entrance? |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake and 'hi, how are you?' — reply 'good, thanks'; avoid: Treating the question as a real health enquiry
- Restaurants: Tip 18–22% and wait for the check; avoid: Leaving without tipping
- Personal space: Keep an arm's length in queues; avoid: Standing close to strangers
- Politics and religion: Listen more than you speak; avoid: Opening with hot-button topics
- Smoking: Smoke only in marked areas; avoid: Smoking near doors or in parks where banned
Scams and watch-outs
- Beach badges required for ages 12+ from Memorial Day to Labor Day; buy at beach entrances.
- Speed limits are strictly enforced with cameras; do not speed.
- Many restaurants and shops close outside summer season.
- No boardwalk; the beach is the main draw.
Avalon is very safe; violent crime is rare. The main risk is traffic enforcement: speed cameras and police patrols are strict. Do not drink and drive.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Avalon, New Jersey yet. Suggested stay: 2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Seven Mile Island beaches
- Beach badges required in summer
- Strict traffic enforcement
- Family-friendly, quiet atmosphere
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Avalon Borough official website: avalonboro.net/
- Wikivoyage: Avalon (New Jersey), revision 5298993 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5298993
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Avalon, New Jersey
Take me to this address, please
Take me to this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police, fire, ambulance911
English is universal; no phrasebook needed.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/avalon-new-jersey). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.