Getting from Manhattan to the Jersey Shore just got a lot more interesting.
Seastreak, the high-speed ferry company that runs daily service between Lower Manhattan and several North Jersey ports, is launching a new summer route directly to Point Pleasant Beach—no car, no traffic, no Garden State Parkway.
Service runs on select weekends from June 19 through August 9, with an additional run from September 4-7. The trip takes approximately 75 minutes each way. Departures from the Battery Maritime Building at Slip 5 in Manhattan leave at 11:30 a.m. on Fridays. Return trips from the Seastreak Ferry Dock at 49 Inlet Drive in Point Pleasant Beach depart at 1 p.m. on Sundays.
Fares are $69 one-way and $99 round-trip for adults. Children ages 3-12 receive discounted pricing, and kids under 3 ride free. Reservations are required in advance and can be made through Seastreak’s website. Passengers are permitted to bring food and non-alcoholic beverages in soft-sided coolers—bicycles and scooters can be brought aboard for an additional fee.
The route still needs final approval from Point Pleasant Beach’s Borough Council, which voted 3-2 to advance a temporary permit for the summer. A public hearing and second vote are scheduled for June 15—just four days before the first planned departure.
For New Yorkers looking to make an easy day trip to Point Pleasant’s white-sand beaches and famous Jenkinson’s Boardwalk, this summer is your shot. At the same time, North Jersey residents who want to skip the weekend traffic might save time by crossing the Hudson, then shooting down the Shore from New York.
The New Jersey Digest is a new jersey magazine that has chronicled daily life in the Garden State for over 10 years.