Gullies At NJ Beaches: Safe Fun For Kids During Local Summer

If you grew up going "down the shore," chances are you’ve waded through one hundreds of times without knowing its name.

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That shallow, calm section of water that hugs the shoreline before the waves really start breaking? It’s called a gully, and if you’re a South Jersey beach regular like me, it’s where many of our earliest ocean memories were made.

Gullies vs. Tide Pools: What’s the Difference?

Let’s clear up a common mix-up: gullies are not tide pools. Tide pools are rocky, still-water pockets typically found along coastlines with lots of boulders. Think Maine or the Pacific Northwest, not our soft-sanded Jersey shores.

A gully forms along flatter beaches like those in Ocean City, Wildwood, or Sea Isle when waves sculpt a shallow trough in the sand near the shoreline.

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During low tide, they become perfect mini “pools” where toddlers and young kids can safely splash without getting knocked over by waves. There’s no seaweed or crabs crawling over your feet—just warm, shallow water and giggles.

Why Families Love Them

Gullies are a hidden gem for parents. You get the joy of letting your little ones experience the ocean without the fear of strong surf.

As a kid, I remember digging canals from the gully to the sea and catching mini waves in my little boogie board.

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If you’re raising your kids at the beach here in NJ, these natural shallow zones offer the same pretty special magic.

Next time someone asks what that shallow part of the beach is called, you’ve got the answer: it’s a gully, and it’s a local summer staple at every South Jersey beach.