Things to Do on LBI, NJ: Old Barney, Viking Village and Bay-Side Evenings

Long Beach Island is a skinny ribbon of sand between the ocean and Barnegat Bay, about 18 miles long and reached by a single causeway. The ocean side is all beach, with no big boardwalk competing with the waves. The bay side is sunsets, crab traps and boats tied up in the evening light. And at the north end, a red-and-white lighthouse keeps watch over all of it.

If you're looking for things to do in LBI, NJ, this guide goes past the towel and umbrella. You'll find a lighthouse you can climb, a working waterfront with old-fashioned charm, an arts campus in the dunes, a classic amusement park, a theater that runs into the holidays and a ferry ride to a baymen's museum on the mainland.

It's written for families, couples and friends who want a slow shore weekend, in July or in November. LBI is a very different island in each season, and both are worth knowing.

How I picked these

These picks come from research: each place's own website, the Borough of Barnegat Light and other municipal sites, and reputable sources. Every attraction was confirmed open or operating in 2025–2026. Some popular LBI names didn't make this version because I couldn't confirm their current status from an official source. I aimed for a mix from the north tip to Beach Haven, plus one mainland detour.

The north end: Barnegat Light

The island's northern tip is quieter and more salty than the south. It's home to the lighthouse, the fishing docks and a small-town feel.

Barnegat Lighthouse State Park

state park · Long Beach Island

Known for Home of 'Old Barney,' a 172-foot lighthouse with 217 steps commissioned in 1859.

Broadway, Barnegat Light, NJ 08006

WebsiteDirections

Also in Jersey Shore Towns, North to South, 30 Things to Do in New Jersey, Region by Region

Checked against official sources Nov 2026

Barnegat Lighthouse State Park sits at the very northern tip of Long Beach Island, where the island meets Barnegat Inlet. The star is the lighthouse itself, known affectionately as "Old Barney." According to the Borough of Barnegat Light, it's 172 feet tall with 217 steps, was designed by General George Meade and was commissioned on January 1, 1859. Its beam was relit on January 1, 2009, after years in the dark.

The borough describes the park as a popular destination for climbing the lighthouse, picnicking and fishing. It's a lovely place to spend a morning, with the inlet on one side and the ocean on the other, and a picnic is about as cozy as shore days get.

Climbing hours change with the season and the weather, so check the New Jersey State Park Service page before you plan your visit around it. Who'll love it: families, history fans, anglers and anyone who loves a view earned by stairs. Nearby: Viking Village, a short drive or bike ride south.

Viking Village

working waterfront · Long Beach Island

Known for Barnegat Light's historic working waterfront, with commercial fishing docks and small shops.

W 19th St & Bayview Ave, Barnegat Light, NJ 08006

Directions

Checked against official sources Nov 2026

Viking Village is the historic working waterfront of Barnegat Light, on the bay side around West 19th Street. This is where commercial fishing boats tie up, and a small cluster of shops sits alongside the docks, giving the place a fishing-town feel that's rare at the shore today.

It's a great spot for a slow wander. Watch the boats, look at the rigging and nets, browse the little shops and pick up a coffee: How You Brewin Coffee Bar, listed in the borough's merchant directory, is located right in Viking Village.

Who'll love it: anyone who likes a real working harbor, photographers, and families looking for a low-key stroll after the lighthouse. Come back later in the day, when the bay light turns gold.

The middle of the island: art in the dunes

Long Beach Island Foundation of the Arts and Sciences

arts center · Long Beach Island

Known for Nonprofit 22-acre arts and science campus with exhibitions, classes, a nature trail and a holiday market.

120 Long Beach Blvd, Loveladies, NJ 08008

WebsiteDirections

Checked against official sources Nov 2026

The Long Beach Island Foundation of the Arts and Sciences, at 120 Long Beach Boulevard in Loveladies, is a nonprofit campus of 22 acres where art, community and environment come together. It's one of the best reasons to visit LBI outside of beach season.

The foundation runs art exhibitions, workshops, ceramics classes, a speaker series and film screenings, plus science programs, a nature trail and a rain garden. There's tennis, pickleball and yoga, too, and summer camps for kids. In 2026, the LBIF Holiday Market opens on November 14, a great excuse for a fall weekend on the island. The foundation also hosts annual events like a seashore house tour and the Lighthouse International Film Festival.

Who'll love it: art lovers, curious kids, nature fans and anyone looking for a rainy-day plan. Check the foundation's calendar for classes and events before you go.

Beach Haven: rides and the stage

Beach Haven, toward the south end, is LBI's liveliest town, with an amusement park and a theater just a few blocks apart.

Fantasy Island Amusement Park

amusement park · Long Beach Island

Known for LBI's only amusement park, with 18 rides, boardwalk games, an arcade and a carousel.

750 N Bay Ave, Beach Haven, NJ 08008

WebsiteDirections

Checked against official sources Nov 2026

Fantasy Island Amusement Park, at 750 North Bay Avenue in Beach Haven, calls itself "the ONLY amusement park on LBI." It has 18 rides, including family, kiddie and thrill rides, plus 13 boardwalk-style games, a full arcade with classic and modern games, a boardwalk grille and a classic carousel.

It's a summer-night tradition for many LBI families, but the arcade isn't only seasonal. For New Jersey's Teachers' Convention week, November 2–8, 2026, the arcade runs special hours. The park also hosts birthday parties, groups and summer camp trips, and its seasonal events are posted on its site.

Who'll love it: families with kids, nostalgic grown-ups and anyone who wants cotton-candy energy after a beach day. Check the park's hours page, since ride schedules vary by season.

Surflight Theatre

theater · Long Beach Island

Known for Nonprofit Beach Haven theater with mainstage musicals, concerts and children's theatre.

201 Engleside Ave, Beach Haven, NJ 08008

WebsiteDirections

Checked against official sources Nov 2026

Surflight Theatre, at 201 Engleside Avenue in Beach Haven, is a nonprofit theater run by Ocean Professional Theatre Company, with mainstage musicals, concerts, comedy and children's theatre. It describes itself as having a storied history of performing arts on the Jersey Shore.

This year's holiday production is Irving Berlin's Holiday Inn, with matinee and evening performances from November 28 through December 20. The musical is packed with Berlin songs like "Blue Skies," "Easter Parade" and "White Christmas." Surflight is already promoting its 2027 season, with a pre-order form on its site.

Who'll love it: musical theater fans, families and anyone who wants a shore weekend with a holiday glow. It's a lovely reason to visit Beach Haven in December. Nearby: Fantasy Island is a short walk away.

Across the bay: Tuckerton Seaport

Tuckerton Seaport & Baymen's Museum

museum · Tuckerton

Known for Year-round showcase of New Jersey coastal culture, with a ferry to Beach Haven and creek tours.

120 W Main St, Tuckerton, NJ 08087

WebsiteDirections

Checked against official sources Nov 2026

Tuckerton Seaport & Baymen's Museum, at 120 West Main Street in Tuckerton, is a short drive off the island on the mainland, and it calls itself "more than a museum." It's a showcase for New Jersey's coastal culture, with replica and historic buildings, interactive exhibits and live aquatic displays. It's open year-round and is home to the Jersey Shore Folklife Center.

The fun part is the water. The Tuckerton Seaport/Beach Haven Water Ferry is a 30-foot pontoon boat that takes about an hour, leisurely and scenic, and includes an eco-tour in transit, so you can make it a car-free adventure from Beach Haven. The seaport also runs narrated creek tours from its Lighthouse Dock, holiday boat tours and programs aboard the Pohatcong II.

Check the ferry schedule and seasonal hours on its website before you go. Who'll love it: families, history lovers and anyone who wants to see the bay from the water.

Beaches, badges and the bay

The beaches are the reason most people come, so a few practical notes. In summer, most LBI towns require seasonal beach badges for the ocean beaches, and each town sells its own. Long Beach Township, for example, keeps a beach badge page on its website, so check the site for the town where you're staying.

The bay side is where LBI slows down. In Barnegat Light, the borough highlights surf fishing, bay fishing and crabbing, and it's a lovely end of the island for a sunset walk. Wherever you stay, find a bay-side street at the end of the day and watch the sky change color over the water.

A north-to-south day on LBI

If you only have one day on the island, here's an easy shape for it. LBI is long and narrow, so plan your stops from one end to the other instead of zigzagging.

Morning at the north end. Start early at Barnegat Lighthouse State Park, when the inlet is calm and the parking is easy. Walk around the lighthouse, and if climbing is open, take on the 217 steps before the day warms up. Then drive or bike a few blocks south to Viking Village and watch the boats along the docks with a coffee in hand.

Midday in Loveladies. Head south on Long Beach Boulevard to the LBI Foundation. Check its calendar ahead of time, since there may be an exhibition on view, a drop-in ceramics session or a talk. Even on a quiet day, the campus is a nice change of pace from the beach.

Afternoon on the sand. Pick a beach in whichever town you're staying in, with your badge if it's summer. The ocean beaches run the whole length of the island, so you're never far from one.

Evening in Beach Haven. Finish at the south end. In season, families can spend the evening at Fantasy Island's rides, games and arcade. In late fall, a Surflight Theatre performance turns the night into an occasion. If you have a second day, start it with the ferry or a drive across the bay to Tuckerton Seaport.

LBI after Labor Day

The off-season is when LBI shows its quieter side, and it's a lovely time for the kind of slow weekend this site is all about. The beaches empty out, the light gets softer and the bay sunsets feel like they're just for you.

There's still plenty to plan around. The LBI Foundation keeps running classes and events through the fall, and its 2026 Holiday Market opens on November 14. Surflight Theatre's Holiday Inn runs from November 28 through December 20. Fantasy Island's arcade opens for special hours during school breaks, like New Jersey's Teachers' Convention week, November 2–8, 2026. Across the bay, Tuckerton Seaport is open year-round, with holiday boat tours and Santa Saturdays on its calendar.

Pack layers, a warm hat for the lighthouse grounds and a thermos for the beach. And check each place's website before you go, since off-season hours are shorter and change from week to week.

Getting there and getting around

By car: LBI is reached by the Route 72 causeway, which lands in Ship Bottom in the middle of the island. From there, turn north on Long Beach Boulevard for Loveladies, Harvey Cedars and Barnegat Light, or south for Beach Haven. The island is about 18 miles long, so allow time on summer weekends, when traffic on the boulevard slows down.

On the island: Bikes are a classic way to get around the quieter streets. Barnegat Light's borough site also lists an LBI shuttle page with current details.

When to go

Summer is peak season, with full beaches, Fantasy Island in full swing and every town busy. September is quieter, with fewer crowds and the last of the summer weather. Fall and winter turn LBI into a quieter, cozier place, with the LBIF Holiday Market from November 14, Surflight's holiday musical and empty beaches perfect for long walks. Spring brings lighthouse visits and the first bay sunsets of the year.

Want more shore ideas? See my guide to Jersey Shore towns, or head south for things to do in Cape May. For more trip ideas, there's always weekend getaways.

Every place in this guide, on the map

1. Barnegat Lighthouse State ParkBroadway, Barnegat Light, NJ 08006
2. Viking VillageW 19th St & Bayview Ave, Barnegat Light, NJ 08006
3. Long Beach Island Foundation of the Arts and Sciences120 Long Beach Blvd, Loveladies, NJ 08008
4. Fantasy Island Amusement Park750 N Bay Ave, Beach Haven, NJ 08008
5. Surflight Theatre201 Engleside Ave, Beach Haven, NJ 08008
6. Tuckerton Seaport & Baymen's Museum120 W Main St, Tuckerton, NJ 08087

Questions people ask

What is there to do on LBI besides the beach?

Plenty. You can climb Barnegat Lighthouse at the island's north tip, wander the historic Viking Village docks in Barnegat Light, take a class or see an exhibit at the Long Beach Island Foundation in Loveladies, ride the rides at Fantasy Island in Beach Haven and catch a musical at Surflight Theatre. Across the bay, Tuckerton Seaport adds a baymen's museum and boat tours.

Can you climb the Barnegat Lighthouse?

Yes. Barnegat Lighthouse State Park is known for lighthouse climbing, along with picnicking and fishing. Old Barney is 172 feet tall with 217 steps, so it is a real climb, rewarded with views over the inlet, bay and ocean. Climbing is seasonal and can be affected by weather and maintenance, so check the New Jersey State Park Service page before you go.

Is LBI worth visiting in the off-season?

Yes, for a quieter kind of trip. In November 2026, the LBI Foundation's Holiday Market opens on November 14, Surflight Theatre's Holiday Inn runs from late November into December, and Fantasy Island's arcade keeps special hours during school breaks. Lighthouse walks, bay sunsets and empty beaches make the off-season a slow, cozy weekend.

How long is Long Beach Island?

Long Beach Island is a barrier island about 18 miles long, reached by a single causeway on Route 72 that lands in Ship Bottom. From there, Barnegat Light and the lighthouse are at the north end, and Beach Haven, with Fantasy Island and Surflight Theatre, is toward the south. Allow extra driving time on summer weekends, when the island is busiest.

Do you need beach badges on LBI?

In summer, most LBI towns require seasonal beach badges for the ocean beaches, and each municipality sells its own. Long Beach Township, for example, has a beach badge page on its website. Check the website of the town where you are staying for current badge prices, dates and where to buy them, since rules vary from one end of the island to the other.

Spot something out of date, or know a place we should add? Tell us. Corrections are read first.