Margate Beach
Margate City, NJ
Margate's beach is best known for what stands beside it, Lucy the Elephant, the six story wooden elephant that's been a roadside landmark since the 1880s and now anchors Josephine Harron Park right on the sand. A beach badge is technically required, though enforcement loosens considerably after 3 p.m.
Lucy the Elephant gives it a genuine landmark that no other beach on this list has, and the relaxed badge enforcement is a real perk, though it also means the town relies more on that landmark than the beach itself for its draw.
How we score beachesTime a beach visit for after 3 p.m. if you'd rather skip the badge altogether. Just don't expect that to be an official policy, it's simply how enforcement tends to work here.
Free parking is available at Lucy the Elephant's own lot, limited to about ten spaces with a complimentary hour while visiting. Metered spots line Atlantic Avenue nearby, and free parking can be found a few blocks back on residential streets.
Flat streets lead to the sand at regular access points, with no boardwalk involved.
Water warms into the low to mid 70s by August, consistent with the rest of Absecon Island. Lucy the Elephant draws steady visitor traffic through the shoulder seasons even after the beach crowds thin out.
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