This Is NJ's Favorite Beach For 13th Year In A Row

OCEAN CITY, NJ — Ocean City was named New Jersey’s Favorite Beach for 2026 at an awards ceremony hosted by the New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium on July 29 at the Ocean City Music Pier.

This is the 13th year in a row Ocean City has taken the top honors.

The annual event recognizes coastal destinations across the state through a public voting process that draws thousands of online votes from New Jersey residents and visitors.

The consortium said the Favorite Beaches Awards began in 2008 as “New Jersey’s Top Ten Beaches.” According to the announcement, the contest later became Favorite Beaches after Hurricane Sandy to highlight the beauty and diversity of the state’s shoreline, from smaller destinations to well-known boardwalk communities.

This year’s ceremony recognized one winning beach in each coastal county before announcing a statewide favorite. The 2026 county winners were Asbury Park in Monmouth County, Island Beach State Park in Ocean County, Margate in Atlantic County and Ocean City in Cape May County. Ocean City also took the top statewide honor as New Jersey’s Favorite Beach for 2026.

The runner-up in the overall category was Margate. The county runner-ups were Sandy Hook Gateway National Recreation Area in Monmouth County, Point Pleasant Beach in Ocean County, Longport in Atlantic County and The Wildwoods in Cape May County.

According to the announcement, winners were selected through an open public voting process. The consortium said thousands of residents and visitors cast their votes online, making the contest both a recognition of popular shore destinations and a measure of community pride tied to the coast.

The event was held in Ocean City, one of the towns recognized during the ceremony. The announcement described the awards as an annual tradition that celebrates the state’s shoreline and the communities connected to it.

The New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium also thanked voters and participants and extended congratulations to the winning towns. According to the announcement, the Favorite Beaches Awards are meant to engage both residents and visitors in recognizing the shared value of New Jersey’s coast.