Biking at the beach is extremely popular, on average the high temperature in July is a breezy 8 degrees cooler than in Philadelphia. But not every community is bicycle-friendly, especially on weekends. This summer we’ll be highlighting the best low-stress bike rides on the Jersey Shore and Delaware Beaches. All the ride start points can be reached car-free using public transportation, but the long travel times will probably compel you to make it an overnight stay. This ride however using NJ TRANSIT’s Atlantic City Line is an easy day trip that is cheaper than gas, tolls and parking.
Atlantic City to Ocean City – 27 Miles
The ride starts off in Atlantic City and Ventnor as a classic boardwalk ride and bikes are allowed on the boardwalk until noon. Off the boardwalk, Atlantic City is a stressful place to bike. Bike infrastructure is scarce and drivers on Atlantic and Pacific Avenues are super-aggressive, even by NJ standards. In the afternoon Arctic Ave is an okay option to return to the train station but the City needs to do better.
Once you get off the boardwalk in Ventnor you have a very good bike lane on Atlantic Ave all the way to Margate and Longport. Highlights include the Ventnor Pier, Longport Dog Beach and Lucy the Elephant.
“Lucy” in Margate has reopened for tours.
Ocean City is a bike-friendly town with bike lanes up and down the island and boardwalk hours are posted here. The path on the Route 52 Causeway from Somers Point is one of New Jersey’s best bicycle and pedestrian facilities. Haven Avenue is a bicycle boulevard that limits car access and has a 15-mile-per-hour speed limit.
Map and Cue Sheet
Getting there on NJ TRANSIT – The Best! Take the AC Line from 30th St. Bikes are allowed on all trains. The maximum number of bikes allowed on this train is 6 to 8 (2 per car). The scheduled trip time is about 1 hour and 40 minutes from 30th St Station. For one-way rides, you can return to Atlantic City using the 507 or 509 buses from the Ocean City Transit Center or Somers Point. All bus and train fares can be purchased on the NJ TRANSIT Mobile App.
Bring a bungee cord to secure your bike on the train