Island Beach State Park is the crown jewel of the Toms River area, and one of the finest natural beaches on the Atlantic coast. Ten miles of undeveloped barrier island stretch south from Seaside Park, with broad ocean beach on one side and the quiet waters of Barnegat Bay on the other. The dunes are intact, the osprey nest in numbers, and in late summer the monarch butterflies stage here on their migration south.
The north section of the park is developed for swimming — lifeguards, bathhouses, parking — and fills up on summer weekends. The south section is maintained for fishing, birdwatching, and hiking through the maritime forest of holly and bayberry. A day-use permit is required in season. If you can get there on a weekday in September, you'll have the beach nearly to yourself.