In the print dialog pick “Save as PDF” to keep it on your phone. A5 makes a pocket booklet; A4 suits a desk printer.
Voykit pocket guide · United States
Seaside Heights
Seaside Heights, New Jersey
Go for 1–2 nights in Jul–Aug for the boardwalk and beach; skip as a base if you want quiet — it is loud, seasonal and car-dependent.
Seaside Heights is a barrier-island beach town of about 2,900 residents on the Jersey Shore, about 80 miles by road south of New York City and about 65 miles by road from Philadelphia. It is a boardwalk-and-beach destination: Casino Pier rides, arcades, pizza slices and a wide public beach. Almost everything is walkable within 0.8 square miles, but the town is seasonal — many businesses close from October to April — and summer traffic on Route 37 is heavy. One or two nights covers it; a week suits families who want beach days.
- Country
- United States
- Local name
- Seaside Heights, New Jersey
- Best months
- Jun–Sep (beach and boardwalk open); Jul–Aug warmest
- Avoid
- Nov–Mar (many businesses closed); summer weekends for traffic and crowds
- Stay
- 1–2 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 $80–140 excl. bed · Mid $140–250 excl. bed · High $250+ 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 |
|---|---|
| Coffee | $3–6 |
| Pizza slice (boardwalk) | $3–6 |
| Cheese steak | $8–14 |
| Beach badge, day / season | $5 / $35 |
| Casino Pier ride wristband, 2 hours | $38–41 |
| Metered parking, per hour | $1–2 |
| Beer at a boardwalk bar | $6–10 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- EWR · Newark Liberty International
- About 80 miles north; the main intercontinental gateway for the area.
- PHL · Philadelphia International
- About 65 miles away; hub for American Airlines.
- ACY · Atlantic City International
- About 60 miles away; smaller, limited flights.
Typical fares
- Taxi Seaside Heights → Toms River
- $15–25 (check)
- NJ Transit bus to Newark / Toms River
- seasonal; check schedules and fares
- Parking, per hour
- $1–2 April–October
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
Walk or bike: the borough is 0.8 sq mi and the boardwalk is the main artery. A boardwalk tramcar runs in season. Metered parking costs about $1–2 per hour April–October; free parking at Grant Ave at the town entrance, but a 4-block walk to the boardwalk. Taxis are mostly used at night; NJ Transit buses serve the area seasonally.
See and do
Known for
- Seaside Heights Boardwalk
- Casino Pier amusement park
- Jersey Shore beach and boardwalk food
- Bar and nightlife scene
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Island Beach State Park | Drive south on Route 35 through Seaside Park | About 30 min (check) |
| Point Pleasant Beach | Drive north on Route 35, about 20 min | About 30 min |
| Toms River | Route 37 west over the Mathis Bridge, about 15 min | About 25 min |
| Long Beach Island | Drive south via Route 35 and Route 72, about 45 min | About 1 h |
| Atlantic City | Drive south on the Garden State Parkway, about 1 h | About 1 h 15 min |
Sleep
- Boardwalk / Ocean Terrace
- Steps from the beach, rides and arcades; noisiest at night, highest summer rates.
- Boulevard (Route 35) corridor
- Motels and rentals a few blocks inland; quieter, still walkable to the boardwalk.
- Bayside / Bay Boulevard
- Bay views and Sunset Beach; a longer walk to the ocean beach. Rates vary by property (check).
- Seaside Park (south)
- Same island, calmer and closer to Island Beach State Park; fewer boardwalk amenities.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Thank you | Thank you |
| Where is the beach entrance? | Where is the beach entrance? |
| How much is the beach badge? | How much is the beach badge? |
| Is swimming allowed here? | Is swimming allowed here? |
| Can I pay by card? | Can I pay by card? |
| Where is the boardwalk? | Where is the boardwalk? |
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
- Summer traffic on Route 37 and the Mathis Bridge is heavy; allow extra time on weekends.
- Many boardwalk businesses and motels close from October to April — check before booking a shoulder-season trip.
- Beach badges are required in season; swimming is only allowed when lifeguards are on duty.
- Bar-heavy boardwalk at night; keep an eye on drinks and belongings in crowds.
A busy seasonal beach town; the real risks are rip currents, summer traffic and late-night boardwalk crowds. Swim only between lifeguard flags, and keep valuables out of sight on the beach.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Seaside Heights yet. Suggested stay: 1–2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Seaside Heights Boardwalk
- Casino Pier amusement park
- Jersey Shore beach and boardwalk food
- Bar and nightlife scene
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Seaside Heights borough official site: www.seaside-heightsnj.org/
- Discover Seaside Heights (beach badges and events): www.discoverseasideheights.com/
- Casino Pier: casinopiernj.com/
- NJ Transit: www.njtransit.com/
- Wikivoyage: Seaside Heights, revision 5271438 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5271438
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Seaside HeightsSeaside Heights, New Jersey
To this address, please
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police, fire, ambulance911
No embassies in Seaside Heights; nearest consulates in New York City and Philadelphia (check).
US town: 911 for all emergencies. Tipping expected: 18–22% at sit-down restaurants, $1–2 a drink, 15–20% taxis.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/seaside-heights). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.