New Jersey beach guide: What are the coronavirus restrictions? Can I still book a rental?

If you’re planning a trip to the Jersey Shore this summer, you’re not alone.

Easing coronavirus restrictions have many Pennsylvanians looking forward to summer vacation, but the ongoing pandemic may keep their trips closer to home.

An outdoor vacation within driving distance is a good idea, and it seems like a lot of people are thinking the same thing. This will have vacationers flocking to the likes of Cape May, Atlantic City and Wildwoods this summer.

If you’re going to hit New Jersey’s beaches in the coming months, there are a few things you should know.

Finding a place to stay on the Jersey Shore won’t be easy. Higher-than-normal demand and a low supply due to pandemic occupancy restrictions could make it difficult to find a hotel or a rental beach home. Here are a few handy tips to follow.

Book it now. Summer bookings are not only exceeding what they were at this point in the year in 2020, but they are also exceeding the record-breaking 2019, said Ben Rose, director of marketing and public relations for the Greater Wildwoods Tourism Authority.

“I think now is the perfect time to get your reservations,” he said. “If you try in June or July, it might be more difficult.”

See you in September. New Jersey has a secret, which Jeff Vasser, executive director for the New Jersey Division of Travel and Tourism, was willing to share.

“The best time of year to visit is September,” Vasser said. “It’s just as warm, but less crowded, and the room rates come down some.”

Middle of the week. If the kids are in school in September, it may be difficult to get away for a family vacation then. In that case, Vasser recommends looking at the middle of the week when beach-home rentals and hotel rooms tend to be more available. A Saturday in August is pretty booked up, even during a slow year.

Be flexible and be creative. Come to terms with the fact that, this year, you may not be able to score the exact rental you want.

“If you’re looking for a needle in a haystack property, places like beach fronts, they always go early. So if your plan is to get something on the beach, definitely you can’t wait,” Frank Shoemaker, broker with Berger Realty in Ocean City, N.J., previously told PennLive.

You may have to keep your options open and settle for something else.

And Ryan Vince of Tim Kerr Sotheby’s International Realty in Avalon and Stone Harbor added splitting a week’s vacation between two properties may be inconvenient, but it may be necessary, for your stay on the Jersey Shore. Another idea to consider is splitting large groups into several small homes rather than one big one.

Two-week rentals. Two-week rentals are still available, Shawn Clayton of Clayton & Clayton in Bayhead, told our sister site, NJ.com. But month rentals are harder to come by and full season rentals are gone, he said. Spring Lake, Sea Girt, Bayhead and Mantaloking typically offer two-week rentals ranging from $6,500 to $10,000 per week. The $6,500 would get you a five-bedroom home a few houses from the ocean, and shelling out $10,000 would get you a five- to seven-bedroom home with either a straight view of the ocean or a few houses away from the ocean, depending on the town, he said.

New Jersey has more than beaches. Vasser points out that there is much more to see in New Jersey than its 130 miles of beaches. A big part of their tourism push includes the rest of the state, too.

“In the summertime, how many more people can you squeeze into small, shore community?” he said. “We would like to get them into the cultural exhibits in cities or the mountains. We’re pushing our arts and culture, our farm-to-table restaurants and our breweries.”

To get information on a wide variety of things to do, and places to stay, see VisitNJ.org.

All beaches and boardwalks follow New Jersey’s coronavirus guidelines.

Face coverings are required indoors and in outdoor public spaces where social distancing is difficult to maintain.

While New Jersey’s beaches follow the guidelines put in place by the state, each town and beach may have additional restrictions or rules. Here are a few:

Atlantic City. The beaches, the famous Boardwalk and all of the activities of Atlantic City are open, but COVID-19 restrictions are still in place.

Under the governor’s Restart and Recovery Commission, indoor dining is offered at 50% capacity right now. Abundant social distancing and face coverings are required on the beaches and Boardwalk.

The casinos and hotels are open. You can find a list of those, and their health and safety guidelines, here.

Retail shops are also open for indoor shopping.

Cape May. Coronavirus restrictions beyond those already in place for New Jersey were not readily available for Cape May. When visiting the beaches there, maintain social distancing on beaches, wear a mask indoors and wear one outdoors when social distancing is difficult to maintain.

Ocean City. Most city-sponsored events are canceled until further notice. The beach and boardwalk remain open to the public. Ocean City is following the state’s COVID-19 restrictions, asking visitors to maintain six feet of social distancing, avoid large crowds and wear face coverings when social distancing is difficult to maintain outside. Public restrooms are open on the boardwalk and are being sanitized daily. Indoor dining is restricted to 50% occupancy.

Sandy Hook. This beach is part of the National Parks Service, and visitors are required to wear face masks in federal buildings. When outdoors, face masks are required when physical distancing cannot be maintained. CDC guidelines are in place to recreate responsibly.

Stone Harbor Beaches. Beaches there officially open Memorial Day weekend when lifeguards are on duty from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Stone Harbor follows the state’s pandemic guidelines.

Wildwoods Beaches. Wildwoods requires face coverings inside all businesses and outdoors when social distancing is not possible. They follow sanitizing protocols at the hotels and restaurants and amusement piers.

“We follow the Department of Health and CDC guidelines very strictly,” Rose said. And as guidelines change, “We’re able make adjustments quickly here in Wildwoods and will do that.”

A day at the beach isn’t always free.

Here’s a sampling of what you can expect at some of the bigger beaches in New Jersey:

Atlantic City. The beaches here have no admission fee. Lifeguards are not on duty from September through May.

Even if you’ve never been to Atlantic City, you probably know about the Boardwalk. It’s open, as well, with social distancing requirements and the strong recommendation of mask wearing. Pubic restrooms on the Boardwalk will be closed through Memorial Day, and the Boardwalk Information Center is closed at this time.

Updated openings can be found here.

Cape May. If you visit Cape May City beaches from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend, beach tags are required for those who are 12 and older. They’re available weekdays at City Hall and can be purchased online here. Beach tags are free for active military and veterans.

A seasonal beach tag from Memorial Day to Labor Day is $30.

A weekend tag that’s good from one Saturday to the next is $20.

Three-consecutive-day beach tags are $15.

And daily beach tags are $6 each.

Ocean City. Pre-season beach tags are $20, increasing to $25 after May 31. They’re required for people who are 12 and up. Daily rates are $5, and weekly rates are $10. You can buy a tag at the beach or purchase one on Ocean City’s website.

Sandy Hook. While there are no beach entrance fees, there is a parking fee from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend. For most vehicles, the fee is $15 per day or $75 for the season. For oversized vehicles, it’s $30 per day or $150 per season. Hours of collection are 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Stone Harbor Beaches. Pre-season tags are $25 until May 30, then $30 after May 31. Daily tags are $6 and weekly are $13. People over 12 are required to have beach tags. Special beach tags are available for free for veterans. Beach tags can be purchased online here. Stone Harbor officially opens on Memorial Day when lifeguards are on duty from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Wildwoods Beaches. The Wildwoods beaches are free and require no beach tags. They are wide and spacious, Rose noted, and they have 38 blocks of boardwalk, giving tourists plenty of room to socially distance.