Mantoloking 2011

Mantoloking's beach is split into three sections. There's the public section, charging $12 per season, and two "private beaches" run by the Mantoloking Beach Association and the South Beach Association, respectively.

The private beaches have been charging more than $350 per season for a set of family beach badges for at least the past several years.

Borough Clerk Irene Ryan said the beach run by the Mantoloking Beach Association charged $375 for a "season pass," which includes season beach badges for six to eight members of a family.

However, the two private beaches have also charged that per season rate for even one beachgoer. In other words, if one individual wished to buy a season badge for the beach run by the Mantoloking Beach Association last year, it was still the same season rate of $375 as one would pay for a set of family badges.

Both private beaches charged $8 per person for daily badges last year.

The prices for season and daily beach badges at the two private beaches for this summer were not immediately available.

The public beach is from Mathis Place through Herbert Street, accessible by four walkways on East Avenue, one on Lyman Street, and one on Ocean Avenue, which are all on the Bay Head side of town.

There is also an access point on Ocean Avenue over on the side of town next to Brick Township.

Beach badges at public beach

• 12 and younger: free

• 13 and older: $12 per season

• No daily badges
• Free to active military members

Lifeguards

• None

Food and drink

• Not allowed on beach except for clear, plastic bottles of water. No coolers.
• Nowhere to buy food or water in town.

Bathrooms

• In municipal building on Downer Avenue. The police department there is open on weekends and holidays.

Parking for all three beach areas:

• While parking appears free, parking tickets are frequently issued. Signs say motorists can park for a maximum of two hours. What they don't say is that as soon as you park, your tires are chalked and your time in the spot is closely monitored. If it's over two hours, assume you will get a ticket.

• If you park for less than two hours, come back later and park on the same street, even if it's in a different spot, your time in the two spots will be combined and if that total is more than two hours, you will get a ticket.

• Ryan said a way to possibly avoid that from happening is to park on a different street on your second visit to the beach.

For more information, call the municipal building at 732-899-6600 ext. 100 or visit Mantoloking's municipal website. Scroll down left column to "Beach information" and click on that to get a map of the three beaches, their entry points, and tips on "How to Enjoy Mantoloking's Beaches."