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Looking for fun things to do in Sea Isle City NJ — besides going to the beach? Of course, relaxing on the sand, getting a tan, and enjoying the oceanfront vibes are the main draw to Sea Isle. But there is so much more beyond the shore!
Find all the best places to eat, drink, party, play, or take the kids to learn and have fun.
It’s all here in our guide, starting from the hub of Excursion Park and heading farther from the main hub of JFK Boulevard.
Make the most of your summer getaway to Sea Isle City.
You might also like our guide to the best things to do in Ocean City NJ, Point Pleasant NJ, Belmar, or in Cape May if you want to check out more spots along the Shore.
Or check out activities to try in LBI, New Jersey.
Fun Things to Do in Sea Isle City, NJ
Excursion Park
Excursion Park (2 41st Street) is a park in the immediate center of Sea Isle City, along the main promenade.
The clear highlight of the park is the outdoor theater, which is home to concerts, stand-up shows and – on every Friday night throughout the summer – a movie.
The open park space around the theater is usually open for general strolling and, on special occasions, events are held in the green space.
A ramp and handicapped seating provide accessible spaces for movie nights or concerts.
If you’re ever wondering what to do in Sea Isle City, start at Excursion Park!
Boardwalk Casino
Boardwalk Casino (4200 Boardwalk) is one of the most popular Sea Isle City attractions; it’s a hub of excitement and youthful energy from the moment it opens its doors every summer day.
This arcade is located on the main section of the promenade and is thus an incredibly popular hot spot for children and adults alike.
There is a wide range of games available, including racing, pinball, sports, circus games, and modern video games.
The Point
The Point (10 43rd Street) is a unique Sea Isle bar among the many great options available.
Boasting a large outdoor space with three tiki hut bars, The Point is a prime beachfront destination for enjoying a warm summer day.
There is a steady stream of live music all summer long on their outdoor stage, and patrons are encouraged to grab a drink and stay all day.
While the drinks and the atmosphere are the primary draws, there is also a great beach-themed menu with tacos, seafood, and bar staples.
Yum Yums Ice Cream
There are many wonderful ice cream shops in Sea Isle (more to come later in this list), but Yum Yums (31 John F Kennedy Boulevard) is the most beloved.
The location right along the main strip on JFK Boulevard helps with its popularity, but there is much more to love once you step inside.
All of their ice creams are made fresh, with 40 flavors ranging from standards like peach and pistachio to truly inventive flavors like Black Raspberry Blast and Maine Blueberry.
Ocean Drive
Sea Isle is well-known for its exciting nightlife.
The late-night bars attract locals and tourists, not just from Sea Isle but from all of the neighboring towns.
Going to Ocean Drive Bar & Restaurant (3915 Landis Avenue) is one of the most popular things to do in Sea Isle for late-night fun.
The large dance floor and stage allow Ocean Drive to host concerts nearly every night of the summer and beyond, frequently home to a packed crowd of excited concertgoers late into the night.
This bar is such an iconic Jersey Shore destination that legendary Eagles player Jason Kelce hosts a charity bartending event here every summer, which is something any local Eagles fan should keep a close eye on.
O’Donnell’s Pour House
O’Donnell’s Pour House (3907 Landis Avenue) is located right next to Ocean Drive on Landis Avenue.
While Ocean Drive is home to the party, O’Donnell’s is a comfortable pub where you can sit with a few friends over a couple of drinks and a meal.
The drink selection is expansive, with draft beers, bottled beers, specialty cocktails, and a large selection of wine.
The dinner menu is just as popular as their drinks, with popular items including seafood, shepherd’s pie, and other pub favorites.
Pirate Island Miniature Golf
While mini golf is a popular attraction in most beach towns, Sea Isle only has one prominently located miniature golf option: Pirate Island Miniature Golf (3302 Landis Avenue).
Pirate Island is an 18-hole course that is elaborately designed with decor that will make you feel like you stepped into an amusement park.
There are many unique features to enjoy, including caves, waterfalls, and suspension bridges, all winding around and through a large pirate ship in the middle.
JFK Boulevard Park
JFK Boulevard Park (199 W Jersey Avenue) is a very popular playground located right along the main strip in the center of town.
For parents looking for a kids’ activity that isn’t playing on the beach, the playground has a full-size playset with slides, ladders, and more, alongside a miniature playset for smaller children.
For older kids and adults, there are also two full-size basketball courts that, in addition to being open to the public, also host basketball tournaments throughout the summer.
Fish Alley
Fish Alley (JFK Boulevard and Park Road) is a signature piece of Sea Isle history, home to dockside seafood restaurants with over a century of stories to tell.
Fish Alley began in 1908, with the vision of creating a space that feels like the canals of Venice.
Canals were dug along the strip behind Park Road so that a waterway could connect boats to the bay and the ocean.
Once boats were able to dock along this canal, seafood restaurants began to open and use the dock space to have fresh seafood delivered daily.
As you drive into town on JFK Boulevard, you will not be able to miss the iconic blue arch welcoming you into Fish Alley with all of Sea Isle’s most beloved seafood restaurants.
Harbor Outfitters
If you are itching for adventure out on the water, come to Harbor Outfitters (329 43rd Place).
There are two locations, although the location right off of Fish Alley will give you immediate waterfront access.
You can rent or purchase equipment such as surfboards and kayaks.
Harbor Outfitters also provides lessons for surfing and paddleboarding, for anyone that would like to learn new skills or get more comfortable out on the water.
Maryanne Pastry Shoppe
If you were to ask ten Sea Isle locals what the best hidden gem in town is, seven or eight will most likely tell you to go to Maryanne Pastry Shoppe (108 44th Street).
Maryanne may look like an unassuming shop on a side street of Landis Avenue, but on Sundays when St. Joseph’s church concludes mass across the street, a line will form all the way down the sidewalk.
The bakery is well-known for its yeast-raised donuts, most notably its Boston Cream, Cinnamon Sugar Twist, and Vanilla Iced Ring.
They also offer many other popular options that are all made fresh that morning, including their old-fashioned donuts, pastries, cakes, and pies.
Make sure you get there as early as you can because they will sell out sooner than you may think.
Dock Mike’s Pancake House
Sometimes, a good beach day needs to start with a heaping plate of hot pancakes with extra syrup.
Dock Mike’s Pancake House (4615 Landis Avenue) offers pancakes of all different kinds of flavors, in addition to a full breakfast and lunch menu.
For the truly adventurous, try their unique flavors like Pina Colada Pancakes, Sweet Potato Pancakes or their award-winning Banana Cinnamon Pecan Pancakes.
Sea Isle City Library
The Sea Isle City Library (4800 Central Avenue) is an expansive and inviting place for people to cool off from the sun and get a relaxing break from the commotion around town.
The first floor is home to a community center that hosts many events throughout the summer, along with a museum dedicated to the history of Sea Isle City (more on the museum can be found below).
The second floor is where people can browse a wide range of books or get a seat on the massive deck overlooking the bay.
There are also resources available to students or remote workers who are looking for a quiet space to get some work done.
Sea Isle City Historical Museum
As mentioned above, the Sea Isle City Historical Museum is located inside the library on the first floor.
The museum was initially created in 1982 in celebration of the 100th anniversary of the city’s original founding.
Since 2011, the museum has been located in the library, providing ample space to showcase memorabilia and guide guests through the rich history of Sea Isle City.
You will also be able to learn the history of the time before the town was officially formed as modern-day Sea Isle, including the rich history of the Lenni-Lenape Native Americans who lived in this territory for thousands of years.
Learning at the museum is one of the best Sea Isle City activities for a rainy day.
If you like learning the local history of places on the Shore, you’ll love learning about the Doo Wop architecture of Wildwood.
Marita’s Homemade Ice Cream
Marita’s (5912 Landis Avenue) is an ice cream shop further south from the main strip that offers many unique dessert options.
Whereas Yum Yums has a large interior with all of its ice cream flavors on display, Marita’s is a takeout storefront with a menu that spans the entire front of the building.
There are many beloved flavors, but what makes Marita’s unique is their variety of sundaes, milkshakes, smoothies, water ice, and ice cream floats.
It’s a good thing that the line usually winds back and forth around the front and down the sidewalk, because it may take you that long to decide which unique item you’ll want to try that day.
Dealy Park
Dealy Park (6108 Central Avenue) is a very large park that is home to all kinds of recreational activities for children and adults alike.
There is a large open field that is used for activities like soccer and yoga, as well as an impressive playground with slides, swings, climbing equipment, treehouses, and more.
The playground also has several accessibility features, including a ramp to the bathroom and water fountain, as well as larger accessible swings.
The sports options are plentiful, including two full-size basketball courts, a roller hockey rink, four full-size tennis courts, a bocce ball court, and a batting cage.
Sea Isle City Skatepark
Immediately behind Dealy Park is the Sea Isle City Skatepark (5926 Sounds Avenue).
This concrete playground for skaters and bikers is home to multiple halfpipes, a concrete pad for tricks, and a ramp with a rail.
This skatepark has a personality all its own in Sea Isle, with lifelong skaters and young newbies coming together to share in this bit of concrete paradise.
Dealy Park Pier
Behind the skatepark and Dealy Park is the Dealy Park Pier.
This pier was recently entirely renovated, now home to a boardwalk strip that leads guests out to a beautiful view of the bay.
There is a large space dedicated to fishing, as well as multiple docks where boats can come and go throughout the day.
A ramp provides an accessible entrance to the boardwalk and the rest of the pier.
If you’re looking for the best place in Sea Isle to catch the countless stunning summer sunsets, the edge of Dealy Park Pier is the best view in town.
KIX
The bars along JFK Boulevard may have the prestige of a great location, but KIX (120 63rd Street) has the grit that can only be earned off the beaten path.
Originally a small bar a block off of Dealy Park in 1968, KIX has grown into an immense entertainment venue and one of the most popular places to go in Sea Isle City.
While you can still enjoy the original rocking atmosphere at the KIX SIC nightclub, there are also now five other bars all built around the original location.
The Side Kix Lounge offers a laid-back atmosphere, KIX Outside Patio Bar offers a relaxing atmosphere to sip frozen cocktails and catch acoustic live performances, and if you are looking for especially unique options try their parking-lot bar, mixed-drink truck, and tiny Kit-Kat Club bar.
Sunset Pier Restaurant and Juice Bar
Townsend’s Inlet is as far south as you can go before Sea Isle becomes Avalon, and nestled in the southern tip of Sea Isle is a lovely dining and drinking experience.
Sunset Pier (86th Street and Bay) is the perfect place to get a meal and a couple of drinks while sitting on their expansive deck.
As the name suggests, Sunset Pier is situated off the coast of Townsend’s Inlet on the bay side, offering the most pristine views of the sunset every night.
It’s one of the things to do in Sea Isle City that you really won’t want to miss!
Sea Isle Parasail
Parasailing is a necessary to-do for any thrill-seekers coming to Sea Isle City.
Sea Isle Parasail (86th Street and Bay) is located next to Sunset Pier at Townsend’s Inlet.
This company has been operating in Sea Isle for nearly 30 years and is still the go-to option for parasailing adventures.
Everyone operating the boat is a US Coast Guard-certified captain with years of experience.
Townsend’s Inlet Waterfront Park
At the southernmost tip of Sea Isle, Townsend’s Inlet Waterfront Park boasts lush green space and wildlife that is a refreshing piece of authentic nature.
While most of the island is occupied with homes or businesses, as it is a very popular and relatively small island, this permanently-protected park is a preserved green oasis.
The newly-constructed pavilion and walkways will provide guests with a relaxing tour of this authentic natural space, a glimpse of a time before anyone ever stepped foot on the Jersey Shore.
Final Words
How many of these Sea Isle City activities and attractions have you checked out? Tell us in the comments below!
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