Shame on Belmar – 2019 Beach Badge Prices Skyrocket

Fun fact. New Jersey is the only state that requires people to wear badges to get on the beach. The prices of those badges in Belmar just got jacked up in Belmar for the upcoming season.

First of all, I think it's ridiculous that residents of the Jersey Shore have to pay to get on the beach period. With insane property taxes and the overall cost of living here, a free pass to get on the beach, I think, is not a lot to ask. I won't get into the logistics of it. It's been this way since 1929 when Bradley Beach introduced beach badges as a way to try to keep Bennys away.

Regular passes will increase from $55 to $70. Day passes will only go up a buck to $9.

The cost increase that really bothers me is for senior citizens and the disabled. The fee doubled. This summer, it will now cost $30 for a seasonal badge up from $15 last year. Real nice.

Belmar Council President Tom Brennan told APP the reason for the increase was:

a lack of surplus in the beach utility budget because of two bad-weather seasons in a row.