Casino Pier:
Both sides of the Casino Pier offer some of the longest tuberides in New Jersey. Crowds can be heavy, and there is a solid crew of locals who run the show. Several established names have retained their position in the pecking order for the better part of two decades.
On the south side, there’s an occasional right bowl that breaks in the middle of the beach. The pier has hosted world-tour events in the past, including the infamous New Jersey Pro of 1988, in which the prize money mysteriously vanished by the time the contest ended.
Just north of the famous Casino Pier, Hiering Avenue offers fun lefts and rights. Wide open to most any swell, it breaks with relative consistency.
Ortley Beach:
Here, you’ll find several beachbreak alternatives to the big-name, big-crowd locations to the north. Each is highly dependent upon the sandbar at any given time. Tony Giordano’s Ocean Hut Surf Shop is the locals’ choice. A young gang of progressive-minded young guns will chop-hop over your back if you aren’t careful. Mantoloking, with its beach badges, parking issues and unwelcoming residents, make just getting to the water a chore.