Ocean City was voted the Top Beach in New Jersey in an online poll. Ocean City swept four categories of the N.J. Top 10 Beaches Contest for the second straight year.
For the second consecutive year, Ocean City swept first place in all categories of the New Jersey’s Top Ten Beaches contest.
Councilman Tony Wilson, Councilman Pete Madden, Mayor Jay Gillian, Councilman Pete Guinosso, Business Administrator Jim Mallon, Chamber of Commerce President Bill McMahon and Chamber Executive Director Michele Gillian celebrate Ocean City's victory.
The awards were announced in a brief event on the Ocean City Music Pier on Thursday morning.
New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium (NJSGC) and the
Richard Stockton College of New Jersey’s Coastal Research Center introduced the survey in 2008 to “inspire pride in and stewardship of New Jersey’s beaches while promoting a little healthy competition between New Jersey’s favorite beach towns.”
The contest is decided by online voters who are prevented from voting more than once. Balloting ran from President’s Day weekend through the end of June, and winners were announced on July 2 — on the eve of the big Fourth of July weekend for all shore towns.
With the public alone choosing the winner, Ocean City easily outpaced second-place Wildwood Crest and third-place Wildwood.
The combined “Wildwoods” had been named “Top Beach” in four of the five years before they were separated into four municipalities in 2014. Ocean City won in 2009.
"It tells you how loyal the Ocean City community, visitors and guests are," Ocean City Regional Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Michele Gillian said. "They believe in Ocean City and its traditions, and they want to pass it from one generation to the next. It truly is America's greatest family resort."
Voters chose their top towns in four categories: Overall, Day Trips, Ecotourism and Family Vacations. Ocean City came out on top in each category.
See winners of the Top Ten Beaches title from
2008,
2009,
2010,
2011, 2012 and
2014. The contest was not held in 2013 as beach towns in New Jersey recovered from Superstorm Sandy.
See the full list of winners below.
Top Beaches
- Ocean City
- Wildwood Crest
- Wildwood
- Sea Isle City
- North Wildwood
- Asbury Park
- Manasquan
- Belmar
- Brigantine
- Long Beach Township
One of many active osprey platforms can be spotted near Roosevelt Boulevard in Ocean City.
Top Beaches for Ecotourism
- Ocean City
- Wildwood
- Wildwood Crest
- Sea Isle City
- North Wildwood
- Island Beach State Park
- Cape May Wildlife Refuge
- Sandy Hook
- Belmar
- Brigantine
Top Beaches for Day Trips
- Ocean City
- Wildwood
- Sea Isle City
- Wildwood Crest
- North Wildwood
- Asbury Park
- Belmar
- Manasquan
- Point Pleasant Beach
- Brigantine
Top Beaches for Family Vacations
- Ocean City
- Wildwood
- Wildwood Crest
- Sea Isle City
- North Wildwood
- Manasquan
- Belmar
- Point Pleasant Beach
- Long Beach Township
- Brigantine
Councilman Tony Wilson, Councilman Pete Madden, Mayor Jay Gillian, Councilman Pete Guinosso, Business Administrator Jim Mallon, Chamber of Commerce President Bill McMahon and Chamber Executive Director Michele Gillian celebrate Ocean City's victory.
The awards were announced in a brief event on the Ocean City Music Pier on Thursday morning.
New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium (NJSGC) and the Richard Stockton College of New Jersey’s Coastal Research Center introduced the survey in 2008 to “inspire pride in and stewardship of New Jersey’s beaches while promoting a little healthy competition between New Jersey’s favorite beach towns.”
The contest is decided by online voters who are prevented from voting more than once. Balloting ran from President’s Day weekend through the end of June, and winners were announced on July 2 — on the eve of the big Fourth of July weekend for all shore towns.
With the public alone choosing the winner, Ocean City easily outpaced second-place Wildwood Crest and third-place Wildwood.
The combined “Wildwoods” had been named “Top Beach” in four of the five years before they were separated into four municipalities in 2014. Ocean City won in 2009.
"It tells you how loyal the Ocean City community, visitors and guests are," Ocean City Regional Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Michele Gillian said. "They believe in Ocean City and its traditions, and they want to pass it from one generation to the next. It truly is America's greatest family resort."
Voters chose their top towns in four categories: Overall, Day Trips, Ecotourism and Family Vacations. Ocean City came out on top in each category.
See winners of the Top Ten Beaches title from 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 
One of many active osprey platforms can be spotted near Roosevelt Boulevard in Ocean City.
Top Beaches for Ecotourism
