Overview
Seaside Heights/ Casino Pier is a sand-bottom beachbreak around the rebuilt, much shorter Casino Pier. It still picks up a lot of swell, with lefts and rights along the beach, and can be one of the better local options when the sand is good.
The south side can produce an occasional bowly right, while the north side can mirror it with a less intense left in southerly swell. Just north, Hiering Avenue has fun lefts and rights and breaks with decent consistency.
When It Works
The spot is consistent, especially through autumn and winter, with September through March the main season. It works from 0.6 m / 2 ft to 3.7 m / 12 ft.
Swell can come from northeast through east-southeast to south, with east the optimal direction. It breaks over sand and is known for some of the longer tube rides in New Jersey when conditions line up.
Wind and Tide
The best wind is west. Mid tide is good, though it depends on the sandbar and swell size, and a rising tide is better.
At higher tides on a northeast swell, the south side can throw a high-performance right back toward the pier.
Local Tips
Crowds are usually heavy, and there is a strong local crew. The lineup is still listed as friendly, but expect the scene to feel busy and regulated at times.
Shortboards and fish both fit here. Paddling is usually pretty manageable because it does not often break that far out.
Summer is a circus on the boardwalk, with tourists, swimmers, and packed beaches adding to the chaos.
Access
Access is annoying in summer and pretty easy otherwise. There is a car park with paid, metered parking, but open spaces can be hard to find when it is busy.
Restrooms and lifeguards are available.
