Allenhurst Beach Club

It feels kind of weird writing a review for this place since I grew up here, but I'll give it a shot. You have two parts to ABC- the beach club itself, and the beach. The beach club itself is limited to a fixed number of people, and the majority of members are either from Allenhurst or one of the local towns nearby. I think that the fixed number provides a pretty well-knit community, and the people running it/working there are pretty good about maintaining/upgrading facilities as needed. Parking can be a hassle, but I think people fret way too much about that... if you leave your cooler and other non-valuables near the front to go find a space, I kind of doubt someone's going to carry it off in broad daylight. Also, Mr. C's is a great restaurant located right on the property, so it's really convenient if you want a good lunch and didn't bring one yourself. So, for the beach, you don't need to be a member to use it. The beach has public restrooms, showers, and a lot of space to use. My only complaint is that it can add up quickly, at $10 per adult. However, each adult can bring two children with them free of charge, so you're paying about $3.33 per person if you maximize that benefit. If you're looking for a publicly-available and accessible beach that's more reasonably-priced for long-term use, and you can't get a membership at the Allenhurst Beach Club, I would recommend a place that offers seasonal passes for $55-$75 like Belmar. Allenhurst IS a way cleaner and quieter beach with a bit of everything available and no party bars nearby, so it's definitely more family-friendly and you get what you pay for. Surfing can be tough because you'd have to use either the beach north of Allenhurst (past the jetty) or the beaches towards Loch Arbor- both outside of ABC. It's out of consideration for swimmers' safety. Overall, Allenhurst hasn't changed a whole lot since I was a little kid besides people growing up and new generations coming in, but I like it like that. Hope it stays that way.