Oceanport

A small waterfront community with a warm, friendly atmosphere even during the coldest months, Oceanport, NJ has it all—great schools, beautiful parks and easy waterfront access, just to start. When it comes down to it, though, the welcoming, tight-knit community is the true reason that many residents move to Oceanport, and it’s certainly the reason they stay.

“I’ve had folks from New York tell us it’s like Mayberry, USA,” said Realtor Thomas Tvrdik of RE/MAX. “We have a sense of community here, a lot of friendly faces. We have kids running around here, playing in the parks. We have a generational community here. Lots of people stay. They don’t want to leave.”

According to Tvrdik, this sense of community goes far beyond simply knowing your neighbor and going about your daily life. “The support one gets when in need is absolutely amazing, when the community just comes out to help one another.”

The community also comes together for big yearly celebrations like the Summer’s End Festival, which is a huge party featuring bouncy houses, face painting, fire truck rides, live music and more, all finished off with fireworks. It’s an essential part of the year for many Oceanport residents, and each festival becomes a treasured memory for the children who grow up in the borough.

Oceanport puts just as much love and care into its schools as it gives to one another, making them highly rated. Wolf Hill Elementary School is a National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence with a tuition-based preschool program. Both Wolf Hill Elementary and Maple Place Middle School have involved parent teacher organizations that sponsor many events for students throughout the year.

Nature and the water are also integral to life in Oceanport. The neighborhood is surrounded by water on three sides and has a river cutting through it, creating space for many waterfront properties and giving all of its residents easy access to a wealth of water-based activities close to home. Residents can fish or launch boats and kayaks at Blackberry Bay Park, but they can also enjoy more land-based activities like soccer, baseball and tennis. Oceanport’s other parks provide places for residents to enjoy the outdoors even as the seasons change, including the sprawling Wolf Hill Recreation Area with its sports fields, 18-hole disc golf course and massive off-leash dog park. “[W]hen you come here, it’s like you’re in heaven, basically. You can sit back and unwind, it’s beautiful. Beautiful seasons,” Tvrdik said. “We really get to enjoy all four seasons.”

When you’re looking for a little more excitement, you can head to Monmouth Park, a huge horse racing track that hosts races on the weekends and special events like the Food Truck Festival. Or check out one of the restaurants in town, like Enzo’s Pizza and Subs. Oceanport is also just minutes away from major transportation hubs, including the Seastreak ferry to New York City, making it easy to take a day trip somewhere more fast-paced.

Because so few people want to leave Oceanport, homes are in high demand and short supply. If you want to move here, you’ll need to be prepared to pounce the moment you see a home you like. “Priced right, a home in Oceanport doesn’t last long,” said Tvrdik. “You have a lot of folks that want to move to Oceanport.” And the right price in Oceanport can run you anywhere from $500,000 to at least $3 million.

Once you’ve settled into Oceanport, you’ll likely find that the warmth of your community is just as much of a home as your new house itself. “Just get ready for an experience that you never thought you would have and don’t plan on leaving any time soon, because once you get here you will love it.”

Written By

Christina Norwood

Video By

Mallory Nolte