About Beach Haven
Beach Haven is the largest commercial hub on Long Beach Island and the island's undisputed cultural heart. Eight miles south of the Causeway, it's where you'll find Victorian-era homes still standing, the only amusement park on LBI, a working professional theater and the most walkable downtown anywhere on the island.
Established as one of New Jersey's earliest shore resorts in the late 1800s, Beach Haven retains a historic character no other LBI town can match. Original Victorian cottages line streets like Centre, Pearl and Berkeley, sitting side by side with new construction and recently renovated luxury homes. The borough has worked hard to preserve its architectural identity — making it the most photographed community on LBI.
Bay Village and Schooner's Wharf serve as twin downtown anchors with boutique retail, casual and upscale dining, ice cream, and bay-view bars. Fantasy Island amusement park brings families in every summer night for rides, arcade games and the famous animal show. The Surflight Theatre keeps the arts scene alive year-round with Broadway-quality productions.
Real estate in Beach Haven runs the full spectrum. Restored Victorians on small downtown lots sit alongside elevated new builds in Beach Haven Park and oceanfront mansions facing the Atlantic. Median prices have climbed past $1.7M, with oceanfront and downtown Victorians often exceeding $3M.
Vacation rental demand here is the strongest on LBI. Beach Haven's walkability — you can park the car Friday night and not move it again until Sunday afternoon — drives premium weekly rates. Families return generation after generation, and many homes are booked for the entire summer before April.
For year-round residents, Beach Haven offers something rare on LBI: restaurants and businesses open through the winter, a tight-knit community, and walkable amenities that most barrier-island towns simply don't have.
