Long Beach Island New Jersey is a barrier island located along the Atlantic Ocean’s coast of southern Ocean County, New Jersey. Separated from the mainland by Barnegat Bay and known to locals as LBI NJ, the Islands 18 miles of white, sugar sand beaches are a magnet for family oriented vacationers. According to a 2000 United States census, 8,556 people call LBI home on a year round basis. A perfect balance of yin and yang, the island is so sleepy in the winter, the towns turn off the traffic lights. The summer population swells dramatically with the influx of tourists and affluent part-time second homeowners. The Island is comprised of six communities consisting of Barnegat Light, Long Beach Township, Harvey Cedars, Surf City, Ship Bottom and Beach Haven. It is accessed by the Route 72 bridge, known as the Causeway, which bisects the Island into north and south regions. According to an article in the Philadelphia Magazine, “the haves turn right and the have mores turn left”. Turning left, the homes in the Loveladies and North Beach sections of Long Beach Township outdo each other with head turning architecture and style. Private deeded lanes keep beach access to a minimum. At the northernmost point, is the Barnegat Lighthouse built in 1859. A right turn at the Causeways end brings you to the more densely populated areas sprinkled with commercial businesses, restaurants and amusements. The “Queen City” of Beach Haven features historic and restored Victorian homes and the Little Egg Harbor Yacht Club. At the southernmost point is the Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge known for bird watching and fishing. With so much to offer, is it any wonder that generations of families have made Long Beach Island their destination of choice?
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Barnegat Lighthouse at the Northern tip of Long Beach Island New Jersey.