Malibu Dog Beach is the local name for the beach portion of Malibu Beach Wildlife Management Area near the Ocean Drive bridge. Although the listing has historically used Somers Point, the official New Jersey map places the 257-acre property in Egg Harbor Township, Atlantic County. This is a protected wildlife area with seasonal access rules, not a conventional fenced municipal dog park.
Plan your visit
- Official location: Malibu Beach Wildlife Management Area on Ocean Drive/NJ Route 152 in Egg Harbor Township, between Somers Point and Longport.
- General WMA hours: New Jersey wildlife management areas are closed from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. unless a visitor is lawfully hunting, fishing or trapping.
- Dog access: Current statewide WMA rules limit dog training and exercising to September 1 through April 30 unless an area is specifically designated for year-round training. Follow the current entrance signs, seasonal fencing and any site-specific notices.
- Leash decision: The current official pages do not identify Malibu Beach WMA as an always-off-leash dog park. Keep your dog leashed and under control unless posted signs explicitly allow otherwise.
- Parking: The state warns that parking on the property is limited. Parking along either side of Ocean Drive is prohibited and vehicles may be towed.
- What to bring: Pack drinking water, waste bags, a leash and everything needed to carry out your trash.
Find the beach entrance
Use the official map and navigate to the Malibu Beach WMA parking area on Ocean Drive rather than to central Somers Point. The marked parking lies beside the WMA boundary near the bridge. Do not stop on the roadway or use the closed small triangle north of the main lot. Parking and access can change when habitat protection fencing is installed.
Wildlife-area rules change the visit
Malibu Beach is managed for fish and wildlife habitat. Stay outside fenced or signed nesting areas and give shorebirds room. State WMA rules prohibit swimming, camping, picnicking, alcohol, fires, recreational paddleboarding and drones. The official rules also describe WMAs as carry-in, carry-out properties without trash or recycling receptacles.
Fishing and hunting are legal uses of wildlife management areas, so read all entrance notices before taking a dog onto the property. Groups of 10 or more generally need a special-use permit. A dog must have the license required by state law, and handlers should maintain control around wildlife, other dogs and narrow access points.
Water, sand and changing conditions
The beach and shallow shoreline are why many visitors know this place as Longport Dog Beach. The official WMA regulations nevertheless prohibit swimming and do not establish a public bathing or dog-swimming facility. Check posted instructions before allowing water access. Bring fresh drinking water; salt water, heat, sharp shells, tides and biting insects can shorten a visit.
Seasonal habitat fencing may make the usable beach smaller or close part of the route. Never cross ropes or fencing, even if other visitors do. The state publishes updated Atlantic Coast restricted-area maps, while the permanent WMA map is best used for the property boundary and parking approach.
What park goers say
Recent visitors often praise the open beach, dog socialization and easy water-edge play. Parking is the most consistent complaint: reviewers recommend arriving early on warm weekends and warn that the small legal lot fills quickly. Other comments mention occasional dog waste, greenhead flies and the need to bring water, bags and a way to carry trash out.
Visitors also describe widespread off-leash use, but that experience does not replace the posted WMA rules. Read the signs at the entrance and keep a leash ready. Read current visitor reports and open directions before leaving.
Check official updates before leaving
Review the current New Jersey wildlife management area status page, the statewide WMA regulations and the seasonal coastal restriction maps. Posted signs and fencing control when they differ from older visitor descriptions.
Lead image: “Malibu Beach Wildlife Management Area” by Hurricanehink, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. No changes were made beyond WordPress-generated display sizes.