Dover Beaches South, New Jersey
Dover Beaches South is a community of 1,601 people in Ocean County, New Jersey.
Why visit Dover Beaches South
Townapedia lists 4 museums and landmarks, 8 parks and trails, 83 places to eat, 41 places to stay and 3 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Casino Pier, Thomas A. Mathis and J. Stanley Tunney Bridges, Seaside Heights Carousel and Jacobsen Park.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 86°F; January lows average 22°F.
Weather in Dover Beaches South
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Dover Beaches South
Dover Beaches South, more commonly known as Ortley Beach, is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) located within Toms River, in Ocean County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 census, Dover Beaches South had a population of 1,331. Dover Beaches South is situated on the Barnegat Peninsula, a long, narrow barrier peninsula that separates Barnegat Bay from the Atlantic Ocean.
From the Wikipedia article Dover Beaches South, New Jersey (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do3
Casino Pier
Monument and historic site · 1.0 mi
Amusement park in Seaside Heights, New Jersey
Thomas A. Mathis and J. Stanley Tunney Bridges
Bridge · 1.3 mi
Bridge in New Jersey and Seaside Heights, New Jersey
Museums and landmarks4
Seaside Heights Carousel
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.8 mi
Historic carousel in Seaside Heights, New Jersey
1401 Ocean Terrace
Parks, trails and playgrounds8
Restaurants and cafes83
The Music Man Singing Ice Cream Shoppe
Restaurant · Ice Cream · 0.7 mi
2305 Grand Central Avenue
Mo-Su 12:00-23:00
Golden Gate Express
Restaurant · 0.4 mi
1851 Grand Central Avenue, Seaside Heights
Mo-Su 11:30-22:00; Fr,Sa 11:30-22:30
Coffee Crepes & More
Cafe · Crepe, Breakfast, Waffle, Ice Cream, Cafe · 1.3 mi
2 Ocean Terrace, Seaside Heights
Mo-Su 07:00-00:00
Maruca's Tomato Pies
Restaurant · Sandwich · 1.1 mi
601 Seaside Heights Boardwalk, Seaside Heights
Mo-Su 11:00-21:00; Fr,Sa 11:00-24:00
Three Brothers from Italy
Restaurant · Italian · 1.0 mi
1020 Ocean Terrace, Seaside Heights
blue cup Specialty Coffee
Cafe · Coffee Shop · 1.4 mi
1800 Seaside Heights Boardwalk, Seaside Heights
71 more on the map.
History
The current location of Ortley Beach was once home to Cranberry Inlet, an important maritime route that closed after an 1812 storm. The area was opened to development by the completion of the Pennsylvania Railroad on the peninsula in 1883 and the completion of what is now Route 35 in 1913. The community was settled as a vacation resort in the 1940s and 1950s. There were several unsuccessful efforts to secede from Dover Township in the latter half of the 20th century. After suffering widespread damage to its housing stock during Hurricane Sandy, some publications have argued that Ortley Beach is undergoing gentrification as high rebuilding costs have pushed out older residents and ushered in a new wave of luxury homes.
From the History section of Dover Beaches South, New Jersey on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay41
Churches and places of worship6
Shopping16
One of a Kind Beach Supplies
Shop · 1.0 mi
609 Seaside Heights Boardwalk, Seaside Heights
Gas and EV charging2
Schools, colleges and libraries18
Healthcare1
Map of Dover Beaches South
182 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 42°F | 22°F | 4.4 in |
| Feb | 44°F | 22°F | 3.2 in |
| Mar | 51°F | 28°F | 4.9 in |
| Apr | 62°F | 38°F | 3.8 in |
| May | 71°F | 49°F | 3.6 in |
| Jun | 80°F | 58°F | 3.9 in |
| Jul | 86°F | 64°F | 4.5 in |
| Aug | 84°F | 62°F | 5.0 in |
| Sep | 77°F | 53°F | 4.7 in |
| Oct | 67°F | 42°F | 4.5 in |
| Nov | 56°F | 32°F | 3.7 in |
| Dec | 47°F | 27°F | 5.8 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Toms River Hcn (7 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Ocean County has had 21 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for hurricanes.
- 2025-04-24: Jones Road Fire (Fire)
- 2021-09-05: Remnants Of Hurricane Ida (Hurricane)
- 2021-09-02: Remnants Of Hurricane Ida (Hurricane)
- 2021-04-28: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm (Snowstorm)
- 2020-03-25: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Terminal Ocean County (MJX) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 4 miles away.
- Dover Beaches North 3 mi north, about 4 min by car
- Toms River 6 mi northwest, about 10 min by car
- Beachwood 7 mi west, about 11 min by car
- Bay Head 8 mi north, about 13 min by car
- Silver Ridge 8 mi west, about 13 min by car
- Point Pleasant 9 mi north, about 14 min by car
- Brielle 10 mi north, about 17 min by car
- Holiday City-Berkeley 11 mi west, about 17 min by car
- Lakewood 12 mi northwest, about 19 min by car
- Cedar Glen West 12 mi northwest, about 20 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Seaside Heights Carousel, NJ - overview, 2026, Zeete, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2013-08-21 11 14 00 View east along New Jersey Route 37 on the Barnegat Bay Bridge at the drawbridge traffic light, Famartin, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church, Seaside Heights, NJ, Dec. 2024, Mr. Matté (if there is an issue with this image, contact me using this image's Commons talk page , my Commons user talk page , or my English Wikipedia user talk page ; I'll know about it a lot faster), CC BY-SA 4.0
- Ocean County Library, Lavallette, NJ branch, Dec. 2024, Mr. Matté (if there is an issue with this image, contact me using this image's Commons talk page , my Commons user talk page , or my English Wikipedia user talk page ; I'll know about it a lot faster), CC BY-SA 4.0
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.