Avalon is South Jersey seashore resort whose motto is "Cooler by a mile" which refers to the fact that it juts out into the Atlantic Ocean about a mile farther than other barrier island resorts. It is also called "cooler by a mile" because it is one mile longer than Stone Harbor, which is three miles and Avalon is four.
Avalon is only 2 hours from Philadelphia and 30 minutes from Atlantic City.
Avalon beaches were voted by The Washingtonian the safest for swimming out of 30 beaches visited. The magazine called it "the best beach in New Jersey", with its gentle surf, natural dunes, a wide beach, and good life guards. It even has a small and well maintained boardwalk.
It was ranked the seventh best beach in New Jersey in the 2008 Top 10 Beaches Contest sponsored by the New Jersey Marine Sciences Consortium.
Beach Fees:
Avalon requires that beach tags be worn by all using the beach, 12 yrs. or older, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., June 1 through Sept. 1.
Pre-season beach tags may be purchased weekends beginning March 22 at the Beach Tag Booth at Community Hall.
Other beach tags may be purchased daily April 28 - Sept. 1 at the booth on or beginning June 1 from beach tag inspectors on the beach.
Beach tag fees are: pre-season (purchase on or before May 31) $19.00; season tag (effective June 1) $24.00; weekly (Saturday through Saturday) $12.00 and daily $6.00.
Reciprocity of beach tags is observed between Avalon and Stone Harbor.
Beach Season:
Open from Memorial Day to Labor Day. For your protection, bathing and swimming are permitted only at protected beaches where lifeguards are on duty 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. June 9 through August 19.
Use of rafts and surfboards are permitted only at designated beaches.
Restrooms and Showers:
Restrooms are located in Borough Hall (closed on weekends) at 32nd Street and Dune Drive; In the Public Safety Building at 31st and Dune Drive; in Community Hall at 30th Street and Avalon, in the Tennis Building at 8th and 39th streets, at 8th Street and Dune Drive, at 10th Street and Dune Drive, at 30th Street and Dune Drive, and at 39th Street and Dune Drive.
There are no showers or changing rooms.
Parking:
Public parking is available in Borough lots at 3100 & Dune Drive next to the Public Safety Building, at 32nd Street and Dune Drive behind the Municipal Building, at 28th through 30th streets and the beach; and on the corner of 21st Street and 5th Avenue.
Lifeguards:
Lifeguards are on duty from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. From June 7 through Aug. 19 all designed beaches will be guarded.
From Aug. 19 through Sept. 7, a limited number lifeguards will be on duty.
Visitors are allowed to swim only in areas patrolled by lifeguards. The following beaches will be protected for the 2008 Season: 9th, 15th, 18th, 21st, 24th, 26th, 28th, 30th (Surfing only), 32nd, 35th, 38th, 40th, 43rd, 50th, 57th, 61st, 65th, 69th, 73rd, 76th and 78th Streets.
Surf fishing is permitted between 40th St. and 60th St. on the beach but not near designated beaches with swimmers.
Beach Badges are required.
Access for Visitors with Disabilities:
There are ramps from the boardwalk to the beach at 30th Street, to the beach at 8th Street and Avalon Ave., and to an observation platform and to the beach at 80th Street.
Hard packed gravel paths from the street to the beach are located at 32nd, 38th and 6th streets.
Parking is available at 30th and 32nd streets.
Restrooms are located at 30th Street and the beach and at the 10th Street & Dune Drive Recreation Field, The Senior Center (31st Street & Dune Drive), Borough Hall (32nd & Dune Dr.) and Community Hall (30th St. & the beach).
There are surf chairs available at 8th, 30th and 80th Streets. Visitors can call the Avalon Beach Patrol at (609) 967-7587 to reserve a beach wheelchair.
Food:
Picnicking on the beach is permitted. Fires, alcoholic beverages, bottles and glass are prohibited.
Additional Info.:
Raft beaches (use of rafts and inflated objects) is allowed at 12th, 18th, 24th, 28th, 35th, 40th, 50th, 61st, 69th and 78th streets. Surfing on 30th Street. Loud noise and indecent language and actions are prohibited. For more information, call (609) 967-5530 or visit www.avalonboro.org.Factual information provided by the Borough of Avalon, the Avalon Chamber of Commerce and the State of New Jersey Department of the Public Advocate