If you’ve ever spent the summer in Philly, you know it gets hot. Like, unbearably hot. Luckily, we city slickers don’t have to suffer through the sweat because there are over a dozen beaches at our disposal. The best beaches near Philadelphia offer warm sand, wooden promenades, and salty waves. Even better: they’re all within about two hours or less of the city limits.
Digging our toes into the sand on a nice day is one of our favorite things to do, so we’ve spent a lot of time exploring what the region has to offer. Here’s a look at some of our favorites.
(Note that many of the beaches, especially in New Jersey, require an admission fee, so check before you go if you’re hoping to see the sand for free.)
Our top choices…Visit Margate for calm waters and pristine sand, but head to Bethany Beach if you want bigger waves but a quieter scene. Ocean City, New Jersey, is ideal for families and its proximity to the boardwalk. If you want something a little more upscale, Avalon is your place. For sunsets, sand, and general ambiance, the beaches of Cape May are our pick.
Brigantine
Just a little over an hour from Center City, Brigantine Beach is the closest beach to Philadelphia. The 3-mile-long stretch of sand across the bridge from Atlantic City is the perfect spot for a quick day trip from Philly. Certain sections allow surfing, kite flying, and jet skis (with a permit), so there are lots of way to enjoy the surf and sand here.
When you’re not soaking up the sun and saltwater, pop over to the Brigantine History Museum for a look into the past or grab some local produce from the Brigantine Farmers Market.
Margate
Margate City is just one hour and ten minutes from Philly, making it a no-brainer to visit on the hottest days of the summer. The water here is shallower than at many local beaches, so the waves are gentler. As a result of the calm seas, there are often lots of families that settle in here on warm days. Unlike several of the popular towns nearby, there are no shops along the boardwalk–just lots of pristine beach, which we love.
The Margate beach is a great place to lay out, swim, or just watch the sandpipers follow the waves (it’s an oddly intoxicating movement). When you’re ready for something else, check out Congo Falls adventure golf or the town’s main attraction, Lucy the Elephant–a six-story elephant structure that is the oldest surviving roadside tourist attraction in America. Get something to eat at Steve & Cookie’s before you leave.
Sea Isle City
A family-friendly beach town right next to Ocean City, Sea Isle City is a favorite of lots of local celebrities, including Jason Kelce. Accentuated by a beachfront promenade, packed with stores and cafés, the beach is not the only attraction in town. If water sports are your thing, the area has designated beaches for kayaking, kiteboarding, rafting, and surf fishing. Don’t forget to get a beach tag from an inspector, unless it’s Wednesday, which is free.
After a long day of surf and sun, enjoy a quick slice from Uncle Oogie’s or a seafood feast from Mike’s Seafood. If you’re looking to keep the fun going all night, the bar and club scene is not too shabby either!
Ocean City, New Jersey
The perfect destination for a family vacation, Ocean City, New Jersey, has 8 fabulous miles of coastline. This dry town–no alcohol of any kind sold within its borders–gets very busy in the summer when visitors flock to the beaches and boardwalk attractions. We love it for the sand and the variety of things to do.
You can surf in designated spots or swim at one of the 14 beaches in town. The most popular area is to the north of the boardwalk, near the sand dunes.
In addition to the beach, there are plenty of activities to occupy your time, including Castaway Cove and Totally Tubular Aqua Park. Start your day off at Augie’s Omelette and Waffle and then ride the rides, or take it easy and relax on the beach.
Avalon
One of the more upscale areas of the Jersey Shore, Avalon’s beaches are extremely clean, jutting out into the ocean a mile farther than any of the nearby towns’ beaches. On the north part of Seven Mile Island, the white sand here seems to stretch on forever. It’s one of the places we visited first when we moved to Pennsylvania because it was a favorite of so many people we knew.
Looking to catch your lunch? Check out the Miss Avalon fishing charter for full-day and half-day trips. If that’s too much work, grab a donut from Kohler’s Bakery or a turkey club wrap from Avalon Brew Pub.
Long Beach Island
Less than 90 minutes from Philadelphia and less than two hours from New York City, Long Beach Island (LBI) is a popular road trip stop. The area is a mixture of luxury summer homes with expensive yachts and quirky amusement parks with miniature golf courses. Barnegat Lighthouse State Park is a must see for its beautiful waterfront views and impressive lighthouses.
The 18 miles of beaches on LBI are ideal for swimming, surfing, and plenty of sand castle-making. Each of the six municipalities here has its own vibe and its own beach badge. We like the energy of Beach Haven and seeing the sunset at Harvey Cedars’ Sunset Park. Before you head home, treat yourself to breakfast at Uncle Will’s Pancake House.
Cape May
Victorian architecture, pristine beaches, and a blossoming arts community make Cape May one of the most popular shore destinations. Its beaches span 2.5 miles of coast, some adjacent to the promenade and gorgeous homes. There is no bad spot to enjoy the sand here, though it can get very busy. We’re partial to Sunset Beach at Cape May Point.
Away from the surf, explore all the fun things to do in Cape May. This small beach town accommodates every visitor with preserved monuments for the history buff, gourmet eateries for the foodie, whale and dolphin watching for the animal lover, and expansive vineyards for the lush. Pop by Cape May Winery for lunch or see what music is on at Hawk Haven — their regular Rootstock concerts are some of our favorites.
Wildwood
Wildwood is definitely a party spot, but behind the glaze of booze and beach bashes remains a mid-century modern time capsule with the Doo Wop-style of post-World War II era embedded in its unique architecture. To learn more about the off-beat style that colors the streets of Wildwood, visit The Doo Wop Museum.
The beach at Wildwood seems to go on forever, which leaves a good amount of room for the numerous visitors who enjoy the surf here each summer. Throw a frisbee, go for a walk, or just relax in the sun. Even better: no beach tags required! If you are bringing the kids or embracing your inner child, don’t miss the lively boardwalk complete with piers, amusement park rides, and, of course, lots of ice cream.
Rehoboth
The beach in Rehoboth is one of our top picks. It’s gorgeous and has long expanses of clean, guarded ocean all accessible for free. The mile-long boardwalk that runs beside the sand is home to classics like Zelky’s arcade and burger joint Gus & Gus’ place. If none of that sounds appealing, race your friends at the Midway Speedway Park race track, peruse the local offerings at the Rehoboth Farmers Market, or check out other fun Rehoboth Beach attractions.
Bethany Beach
Calling all surfers! Bethany Beach has killer waves and more than enough surf shops to get you all the gear you need. On a good day, you can get there from Philly in just over two hours to enjoy the peaceful scenery and cool water of the Delaware shore. To check out the current conditions, see one of the live beach cams.
It’s one of the quieter, more residential beaches in Delaware, featuring a cute shopping area and a farmers market. While it can be found in several East Coast beach towns, we can’t forget to mention the deliciousness that is Kohr Brothers soft serve–chocolate peanut butter swirl is our favorite.
Dewey Beach
Another hotspot, most folks head to Dewey to party along the one-mile-long town that’s only two blocks wide. Dewey’s bars and restaurants tend to stay open pretty late into the night, making it ideal for a thriving nightlife scene.
Along with bars and clubs like the Starboard or Woody’s, Dewey has a variety of fun water sports like parasailing and paddle boarding. For a nice little spot where you can sit on a bench and watch the bay sunset, wander over to Sunset Park. If you’re in town on Wednesday from mid-June to mid-August, don’t miss the family-friendly bonfires on the beach.
Island Beach State Park
Last but not least, Island Beach State Park is under two hours from Center City. It is a beautiful, relaxing place to enjoy the Jersey Shore. This eye-catching NJ State Park has beaches, hiking trails, bicycle lanes, fishing sections, a nature center — they’ve got it all!
Over the years, this spot has remained family friendly and relatively quiet, but it also offers visitors the option to partake in light afternoon drinking with a beach bar.
Bartam ave beach in Atlantic City is the most cleanest beach in Atlantic City
Very clean sand , bathroom is very clean, shower area to take the sand off , and you can also have food delivered to you at this beach , check it out
Nice beach. I spent my summers at the Baton Rouge beach in Ventnor and now mostly at Little Rock. Great beaches up and down Absecon Island.
I like Atlantic City beach and Ocean City Maryland are the best. I wish I had money to stay again in Maryland but I am in the process of surgery so I can’t stay. I miss Maryland already. It is a great place to visit.