This past year, I spent a lot of time traveling to many beach sessions. They were a hit for my 2024 summer sessions! With my experience at different beach’s, I’m compiling a list of some of the beaches I have visited for photos, with any other information you may want to know!

Belmar Beach:

Belmar beach is my go to beach for beach sessions. While it is the closest beach for most of my clients who reside in Mercer County, NJ, you can’t go wrong with this popular spot. With a little bit of dunes, a little bit of rocky areas, and a lot of beach with an ocean view, there’s some great spots to capture. In addition to the beach itself, there’s also a beautiful pavilion located on 5th/6th Avenue and also makes for a great backdrop! 

Parking is best along Ocean Ave if you can find spots - those spots will be pull in spots with parking meters. There’s also parking on 5th and 6th Ave which has the pull in spots with parking meters, or you can park on any of the numbered streets where you may find free street parking.  

Asbury Park Beach

If you’re looking for a unique beach with some great rock areas and some of the historical buildings, this is the spot for you! The Carousel Building and the Convention Hall make for great backdrops along the ocean (and provide some shade in the afternoon, as well)! The rocky areas are great for giving us a variety of shots - we are able to do some photos sitting on the rocks against the ocean, some photos standing on the rock wall area, and of course with the rocks in the distance. 

Parking for Asbury is a bit tricky! Each time I’ve visited this beach, the good parking is limited and can also be quite hectic. I always recommend trying to find a spot along Ocean Ave, but you can also find parking on side streets from 1st-8th Avenue.

Seaside Heights Boardwalk / Beach

When you think of the Jersey shore, you may think of Seaside Heights - it’s a staple beach! With dunes, the boardwalk, small sandy pathways, and of course, the beach with an ocean view, it’s great for photos. 

Parking is all over, but may be tricky to find! There's various side streets with street parking, metered spots, and parking lots. I recommend my clients parking by Stockton Ave, which is right by the Sawmill and close to beach access.

Sandy Hook Beach

Sandy Hook is a great North Jersey beach located in Middletown Township and may be perfect for your upcoming session. While there is of course a great view of the beach, there’s also some nice dune areas and a small boardwalk pathway with lots of greenery. This unique pathway is one of my favorite things about this beach, and makes for a great backdrop for your upcoming shoot!

After 6:00, parking fees are waved, and you can park in any of the lots along the beach. Before 6:00, there is a parking charge - so make sure to consider this for your shoot!

Avalon Beach

This quiet beach spot was great for capturing an extended family shoot of multiple families! With a great spot for photos with dunes, a nice sandy pathway, a small boardwalk, and of course, the beach with an ocean view, we were able to capture a variety of shots. 

Avalon offers street parking and also parking by 28th-30th E St. You'll be able to find a few different parking lots with different payment options.

Wildwood Beach

This beach location is one of my personal favorites! With a great boardwalk, a beautiful long beach for lots of space to run around, and picturesque spots, this beach is a great spot for your upcoming beach session! When I visited this spot for the Stewart family beach session, we were able to achieve a wide variety of shots on the beach itself, with the lifeguard stands, the wildwood sign and on the boardwalk. Even better, we were able to include their pup Riley for photos, since it is a dog friendly beach!

Dog Friendly Beaches:

Dog friendly beaches are hard to find, but after doing some research, dogs are welcome at Asbury Park (on 8th Ave), Barnegat Light Beach, North Wildwood dog beach, and Sunset beach. All of these are located in New Jersey, and are great spots for a photoshoot. If you’re looking to include pets in a beach session at these locations, please reach out to book a session! 

Belmar Beach is not dog friendly, but it does have a gorgeous pavilion with greenery, florals, and the Silver Lake in the background. It’s a beautiful spot, and perfect if you’re looking to incorporate your dogs in this beach town for your photoshoot. 

Ready to book your beach session?

Reach out today and let's get to planning! Use the. contact button below or reach out via email to www.jennakphotos.com.