For the next six months, Monmouth Beach's open public space is mostly on the river side. The Bathing Pavilion on Ocean Avenue has closed for the season. The beach north of it is scheduled for Army Corps sand work from November through March. At the same time, the Shrewsbury River side of town has a new pavilion, a completed boat ramp, a park renovation starting, and a kayak launch that is now funded. Most of this comes from grants the borough pursued over the past year. Together they shift the town's usable outdoor space toward the river for the cold months.
The oceanfront is closing, and for longer than usual
The borough's Bathing Pavilion page now lists the facility at 29 Ocean Avenue as closed. A normal offseason would end there. This year, the beach itself is about to become a work site.
In the borough's Fall 2026 newsletter, Mayor Tim Somers writes that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will do a partial sand replenishment in Monmouth Beach. The work centers on the stretch from the Bathing Pavilion north to the Monmouth Beach Bath and Tennis Club. The Corps considers that area a "hot spot," and it sits behind the two high-rise buildings on the oceanfront. The project should start this November and be finished by March. The Monmouth Journal reported in August that the same contract also covers parts of Sea Bright and Long Branch, with completion expected by March 2027.
According to the mayor, the sand came through even though funding for the federal shore protection program has not been restored. He credits a letter-writing campaign he started last summer, plus hundreds of letters from residents, with helping "move the needle just enough." That means the busiest part of the oceanfront will host heavy equipment through the winter.
Seven Presidents Oceanfront Park, the county-run beach in neighboring Long Branch, is also in its offseason. The county says its beach season has ended and lifeguards are off duty, but the park stays open for offseason walks. It closes at 8 p.m. through October 4, at 7:30 p.m. from October 5 to 31, and at 5:30 p.m. from November 1 through January 18.
What's changing on each side of town
| Location | Side | Fall 2026 status |
|---|---|---|
| Bathing Pavilion, 29 Ocean Avenue | Ocean | Closed |
| Beach from the Pavilion north to the Bath and Tennis Club | Ocean | Replenishment set for November through March |
| Griffin Park | River | New waterfront pavilion and exercise stations done; parking lot paving this fall |
| Brower Park, also called Shorelands Park | River | Renovations begin this fall |
| West Street boat ramp | River | Completed and fully operational |
| Tocci Avenue boat ramp | River | Funded for a rebuild and kayak/paddleboard launch, targeted for 2027 |
The table comes from the borough's Fall 2026 newsletter and its Pavilion page. On the ocean side, every entry is a closure or a construction window. On the river side, every entry is something new.
What the grants built along the Shrewsbury
Griffin Park has the work that is already finished. Commissioner Dave Stickle reports new exercise stations along the walking path and a completed ADA-accessible waterfront pavilion with a river viewing deck. A Community Development Block Grant paid for a large share of it. Security cameras have also gone in at the park. The Griffin Park parking lot is scheduled for paving this fall, so expect some disruption at the lot even though the park's new features are open.
Brower Park, at the corner of Monmouth Parkway and North Road, is next. Using county grant money, the borough plans a new children's playground, an activity area, picnic tables, benches, and an ADA-compliant walkway along the river, along with new grass and plantings chosen to suit the riverside setting. Stickle credits Recreation Committee members Darren Weinstein and Colleen Campbell with helping redesign the park. Work begins this fall, so Brower will be under construction through the same months the beach is.
For boaters, the West Street boat ramp is complete and fully operational. The Tocci Avenue ramp comes after it. On September 29, 2026, the Monmouth County Board of County Commissioners announced $9.15 million in Municipal Open Space Grants for 27 municipalities. Monmouth Beach's share is $100,000 for the "Griffin Park/Tocci Ave Boat Ramp and Kayak Launch." That's one of the smaller awards on the list. Several towns received $500,000, including Long Branch for Manahassett Creek Park. The amount matches the project, though. It covers a ramp update and a launch for kayaks and paddleboards, both of which give people direct access to the river. The borough expects to finish in 2027.
Commissioner Larry Bolsch writes that the borough hopes to carry out several improvement projects "with a very minimal tax increase" because of the state and county grants it pursued. He names Griffin Street Park and Brower Park as examples. In practice, the money landed on the river side of town.
The fall calendar, in order
- Saturday, October 3: The Monmouth Beach Historical Committee's Annual Garage Sale in the Cultural Center parking lot at 128 Ocean Avenue. The rain date is Sunday, October 4.
- Through October 9: Borough public works crews pick up household storm debris and brush daily. Keep the two piles separate. After October 9, bulk pickup is suspended until further notice.
- Mid-October through mid-November: An exhibit at the Cultural Center featuring Michael Short. Check the dates on the committee's site before you go (details below).
- Saturday, October 24, 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.: Clean Ocean Action's Fall Beach Sweeps, promoted on the borough's homepage. Volunteers pick from more than 80 beach sites when they register with Clean Ocean Action.
- Late October: Greg Kelly's presentation on the Johnson family legacy.
- October through January: Leaf collection. Rake leaves into a narrow row at the curb, separate from brush and other yard waste.
- November through March: Sand replenishment from the Bathing Pavilion north to the Bath and Tennis Club.
Road work also falls in this window. A Seaview Avenue paving and drainage project, funded by an NJDOT grant and running from Beach Road to Cottage Road, begins this fall.
One Ocean Avenue address stays open
The ocean side still has one reliably open building this season. The Historical Committee's Cultural Center at 128 Ocean Avenue is free and open to the public on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The committee notes that "the coffee is always hot." The 1976 time capsules from the borough and Monmouth Beach School are on display. Visitors are asked to use the dedicated Cultural Center spaces on the south side of the building, by the ramp.
The fall exhibit suits a season when the beach is closed. The borough newsletter lists Michael Short's "EBB and Flow Art Exhibit and Vintage Surfboard Display," opening Saturday, October 17 and closing Sunday, November 15. The committee's own schedule lists a "Mike Short / Dave Stickle Exhibit" on Monday, October 12. The two sources don't match, so confirm the opening date at monmouthbeachhc.org before planning a visit.
The Greg Kelly talk has the same problem. The committee lists it for Thursday, October 29. The newsletter prints "Thursday 10/19/26," but October 19, 2026 is a Monday. The newsletter also gives the venue as the Great Room at Borough Hall, not the Cultural Center. The committee's Thursday, October 29 date is the one that falls on a Thursday. After that, the Cultural Center plans a Holiday Party on December 5 and a Holiday Decoration Exhibit from December 1 through 18.
Where to get coffee or lunch
The Beach Road businesses sit between the river parks and Ocean Avenue. Booskerdoo lists its Monmouth Beach café at 36 Beach Road, Suite 9, phone 732-222-0729. Gianni's offers online ordering on its site and is listed at 36 Beach Road in a local business directory. My Kitchen Witch, at 29 Beach Road, serves breakfast and lunch, grab-and-go food, juice and catering. Its site posts café hours of 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily and market hours of 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays. The market's later hours cover a takeout dinner on weekdays.
Beach Tavern lists its address as 33 West Street, phone 732-870-8999, on the same street as the completed boat ramp. Call ahead to confirm hours before you make a special trip.
Next spring
If the borough's timelines hold, Monmouth Beach will come out of the winter with replenished sand between the Pavilion and the Bath and Tennis Club, a rebuilt Brower Park, a repaved Griffin Park lot, and the Tocci Avenue kayak launch next in line for 2027. The Recreation Committee's winter programs, including Kids Tennis and Winter Recreation Camp at the Monmouth Beach School gym, open registration through Community Pass on the borough website.
Park renovations, new boat access and a winter of beach work can all change how buyers see a home's location in a small borough. If you're curious how this season's changes along the river and the oceanfront could affect your home's value, Gerine A. Skamarak and The Gerine Team can walk you through it with a current, Monmouth Beach-specific valuation. Get your home value whenever you're ready.
