Somers Point Beach — officially William Morrow Beach — is something genuinely different from every other listing in this guide. It’s a bay beach, not an ocean beach: a calm, sheltered waterfront on Great Egg Harbor Bay that offers free lifeguarded swimming, a fishing pier, a children’s playground, and some of the most spectacular sunset views on the South Jersey coast. The difference in water character is immediate — no crashing surf, no riptides, warm and gentle bay water that families with young children immediately appreciate.
The beach sits at the foot of Bay Avenue, Somers Point’s legendary half-mile waterfront restaurant and bar strip. Gregory’s Restaurant & Bar has anchored the strip since 1946, serving fresh seafood on outdoor decks where the sunset over Great Egg Harbor Bay rivals anything on the Shore. The Crab Trap, The Anchor Inn, Charlie’s Bar, and Caroline’s By The Bay fill out a strip that functions as Ocean City’s mainland entertainment district — Ocean City being a dry town five minutes across the 9th Street Bridge, making Somers Point’s Bay Avenue the defacto answer to a question every Ocean City visitor eventually asks.
And then there are the concerts. The Legacy Concerts on the Beach series — held free at the beach every Friday at 7pm from June through September — has been named Best in Nation by USA Today’s readers poll two of the last three years. The 2026 lineup brings 13 concerts including George Porter Jr. from New Orleans, Mitch Ryder, John Cafferty & Beaver Brown, Deep Blue Something, and the Melody Trucks Band. Bring a beach chair. That’s the only requirement.
Legacy Concerts on the Beach — 2026 Schedule
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Free Friday Concerts — Every Friday at 7pm, June–September
William Morrow Beach · Bring a beach chair · No tickets · No cost · Named Best in Nation — USA Today 2 of last 3 years
Jun 20
Tom Hambridge — Grammy Award-winning songwriter/producer · blues and roots
Jun 27
Bonerama — Straight from New Orleans, trombone-fueled funk and rock
Jul 4
Independence Day concert — details TBA. One of the most popular nights of the series
Jul 11
Regional favorites — check somerspointbeachconcerts.com for full billing
Jul 17
John Cafferty & Beaver Brown + Dead Reckoning Rolling Stones tribute · Jersey Shore rock roots
Jul 24
George Porter Jr. (Meters) + Papa John Gros — straight from New Orleans, two legends
Jul 31
Mitch Ryder (17 hits) + The Tony Mart Allstars — 3-hour concert event
Aug 7
Glenn Burtnik (Styx/ELO) + The Weeklings Beatles Tribute
Aug 14
Melody Trucks Band — Vaylor Trucks, Southern rock & roots
Aug 21
Billy Walton — Jersey Shore rock & soul guitar hero
Aug 28
Deep Blue Something — “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” and the full 90s alt-rock catalog
⚽ World Cup + Concert Alignment: The Friday night concert series runs through July 19 — covering the entire FIFA World Cup group stage and Round of 16 window. A strong formula: watch your match in Atlantic City in the afternoon, drive 15 minutes to Somers Point, set up a beach chair on the bay, and catch a free concert at sunset over Great Egg Harbor Bay. No tickets. No queues. No cost.
Bay Avenue — The Waterfront Strip
Gregory’s Restaurant & Bar
Est. 1946 · Bay Avenue waterfront
The anchor of the strip for 80 years. Fresh seafood, outdoor decks, sunset views over Great Egg Harbor Bay. A South Jersey institution.
The Crab Trap
Bay Avenue · Casual seafood
No-frills steamed crabs and classic Shore seafood. Outdoor bar with harbor views. The go-to for crabs on the bay.
The Anchor Inn
Bay Avenue · Live music weekends
Books live music on summer weekends. A lively waterfront bar with a loyal local following.
Caroline’s By The Bay
Bay Avenue · Bay views
Relaxed atmosphere with live music and bay views. Great spot for drinks and seafood watching the boats come in.
Charlie’s Bar
Bay Avenue · Neighborhood tavern
The local’s local — neighborhood pub that’s been serving year-round residents and summer visitors for generations.
Ocean City — 5 Minutes Away
Dry town across the 9th St Bridge
Ocean City is alcohol-free. Somers Point’s Bay Avenue exists, in part, to answer that. Cross the bridge for the beach; come back for dinner and drinks.
Beach & Bay Activities
🏊
Bay Swimming
Calm, protected bay water — no surf, no rip currents. Lifeguarded in season. Ideal for young children and non-swimmers who find ocean swimming intimidating.
🎣
Fishing Pier & Bay Fishing
On-site fishing pier at the beach. Six NJDEP-registered public fishing access sites in Somers Point. Back-bay fishing for flounder, weakfish, and crabbing without needing an ocean boat.
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Crabbing
Great Egg Harbor Bay is excellent crabbing territory. Multiple access points along the bayfront. The annual Assault on Patcong Creek crabbing tournament draws regional participants.
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Kayaking & Paddleboarding
Multiple marina operators rent kayaks and paddleboards for exploring Great Egg Harbor Bay. Calm bay conditions make this accessible for all experience levels.
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Sunset Cruises & Charters
Sunset cruises depart from the Somers Point commercial docks. Fishing charters available for inshore bay species. The bay at sunset, with the skyline behind you, is the defining Somers Point view.
🏛️
Somers Mansion — Est. 1695
One of the oldest surviving homes in Atlantic County — a 1695 colonial-era mansion open for guided tours. Named for the Somers family, including naval hero Richard Somers. A rare piece of pre-Revolutionary American history.
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Bayfront Bike Path
The Somers Point Bikeway runs along the bayfront — improved with new wayfinding, bike racks, and repair stands via a recent CMAQ grant. A peaceful ride with constant bay views.
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JFK Park & Beach Amenities
John F. Kennedy Park offers open green space, playground, and waterfront views adjacent to the beach. The beach itself has restrooms, outdoor showers, and a children’s playground on-site.
🍽️ #2 Food Town in NJ: Somers Point was ranked 2nd on NJ.com’s list of the 25 greatest New Jersey food towns no one knows about. Between Bay Avenue’s seafood institutions, the waterfront bars, and a local dining scene that punches well above what most visitors expect from a small shore town, food is a genuine reason to make the 15-minute drive from Atlantic City — even if you never set foot on the beach.
💚 Free Bay Beach
🎵 13 Free Concerts Summer 2026
🏆 Best in Nation — USA Today
🦀 Bay Ave Waterfront Dining
🌊 Calm Bay Water
🎣 Back Bay Fishing
🛶 Kayak & Paddleboard
🏛️ Somers Mansion 1695
📍 15 Min from Atlantic City
#2 NJ Food Town
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