Is One of New Jersey’s Last Free Beaches About to Disappear?

New Jersey is famous for making people pay to use their beaches.

Both residents and visitors are required to purchase beach tags to use the beaches in most of the Atlantic and Cape May County beach towns, except in Atlantic City, the Wildwoods (Wildwood, North Wildwood, and Wildwood Crest), and Strathmere in Upper Township.

That could be changing soon.

The Cost of Free Beaches: Why Upper Township is Considering Tags

Strathmere, a small beach community that runs about 1.5 miles between Ocean City and Sea Isle City and is currently tag-free, could be looking to end that practice. Township officials are considering introducing beach tags to help cover maintenance costs for its beaches and rising lifeguard costs.

Rising Lifeguard and Maintenance Expenses in 2026

According to Township Administrator James Van Zlike, the township has spent more than $513,000 in 2026 on the beach and related services, including lifeguard wages and pensions.

To help cover the expense, an Upper Township subcommittee has recommended introducing beach tags to help generate over $300,000.

Proposed Strathmere Beach Tag Pricing Structure

The proposal has beachgoers paying $10 for a daily tag, $20 for a weekly tag, or $45 for the season, with a discount for purchasing early for $30.

These prices are similar to the structure of most of the beach towns in Atlantic and Cape May counties.

What’s Next? Timeline for the New Beach Ordinance

Look for this ordinance to be introduced sometime in August, and if approved, Strathmere would require beachgoers to purchase beach tags beginning with the 2027 summer season, joining Cape May County towns, Ocean City, Sea Isle, Avalon, Stone Harbor, and Cape May and Cape May Point in requiring beach tags to use the beach.

Towns cannot offer discounted rates to locals, which would require a change in New Jersey state law.