Planning a beach getaway doesn’t have to be a huge expense. Just $300 can get you a fully loaded, two-night getaway for you and a friend. Long Beach Island motels have deals and off-season rates, so start planning a getaway that won’t hurt your wallet!

Cheap Stays at Long Beach Island Motels

There are so many options when it comes to where to stay in Long Beach Island, NJ, especially in the summer months. If you’re looking for a simple, nice place to stay that’s under budget, look no further! With clean and basic accommodations and easy access to the beach, bay, and shops, The Mariner Inn is the best choice of the cheaper Long Beach Island motels.

The Mariner Inn is located on the ocean side of Bay Avenue, just 2 1/2 short blocks from the beach. Convenience stores and eateries are all within walking distance, too. You’ll have no shortage of entertainment options because The Mariner is located in Beach Haven, the most happening section of Long Beach Island.

Booking Long Beach Island Motels

Off-season months are a great time to book your budget-friendly stay at Long Beach Island motels. Booking a room at a place like the Mariner Inn, for example, is easy- and it’s always an opportunity for incredible deals!

Here are some tips on booking at Mariner Inn to stay within your $300 budget:

• Street Side rooms have the lowest nightly rate. The rooms have balconies facing either west to Bay Avenue or north to 33rd Street.
• Visit in the spring. Stay midweek, between April 1st and May 26th for $75/ night, and get out of town just before the Memorial Day rush. Super cheap!
• Visit in the fall. Stay midweek, between September 12th and October 16th, for only $85/night. Still easily affordable.
• Visit on a weekend, between April 15th and June 7th. Stay on a Friday and Saturday night during this time and get $10 off each night. Rates start at $90/ night during that time period.
• Ask about senior discounts on select weekends throughout the year.

Budget Eats in Long Beach Island

To stay within your $300 budget, you’ll need to be smart about planning your meals.

Breakfast

Grab a half-dozen box of handmade donuts from Marvel’s Bakery just three blocks north from Mariner Inn Motel and brew some coffee in your room. Enjoy a lazy breakfast in your bathrobe with a nice breeze from your balcony. No tips or taxes to deal with!

Lunch

Get out and enjoy the beauty of Long Beach Island for lunch. Buy sandwich-making supplies from the grocery store and pack a picnic lunch. Your room should have a fridge to keep your groceries fresh. Between gazebos, park benches, docks, fishing piers, and miles of beach, the island is full of lunch spots that are totally picnic-worthy!

Dinner

Since you’ve been modest on breakfast and lunch, you can splurge a little more for dinner (about $30/person). And you’ll want to, since Long Beach Island has the best seafood restaurants on the Jersey Shore like Ship Bottom Shellfish.

When you book your stay at Mariner Inn Motel, ask about the Sand Dollars package. With Sand Dollars, $45 turns into $50 and $90 turns into $100 on food and drink at Spray Beach Hotel’s Restaurant, Beach Bar & Lounge, and Beach Hut Bar just 9 blocks away at Mariner’s sister hotel. $50 can get you two dinners (apps, dessert, drinks, not included). The menu has a variety of seafood platters (most famous for King Crab Legs), locally sourced fish sandwiches, burgers from the grill, healthy wraps, pasta entrees, and kid-friendly meals. You can’t go wrong.

More tips for having Dinner on a Budget

• Get seated before 6pm at most restaurants for the Early Bird Specials.
• Just want some light apps and an adult beverage? Happy Hour at most places runs from 4pm- 7pm.
• Ask at the motel’s front desk for access to a coupon book or recommendations on restaurant specials.
• Check Long Beach Island’s local newspaper, The SandPaper, for info, ads, and coupons for the island’s best eats.
• Don’t be too shy to ask about restaurants that offer discounts for veterans, students, or travel clubs, which may apply to you.

Cheap Things to Do in Long Beach Island

Whether you prefer an adventurous getaway or a relaxed one, you’ll find things to do in Long Beach Island that are well within your $300 vacation budget.

Free things to do

It all starts with enjoying the beach. Long Beach Island’s clean and safe beaches are open rain or shine. You can lounge and people-watch, build sandcastles and ruin them, or be sporty with a barefoot run or some beach yoga. Mariner Inn lends complimentary LBI beach badges to their guests during their stay, so you don’t have to worry about the cost of beach tags in your budget.

When you’re tired of the sand but not the sun, head back to your hotel for a swim in the pool and later take a dip in the hot tub.

Really Cheap things to do

For just $3 per person, you can get your workout in and experience the best views of Long Beach Island by climbing the 217 steps of the Barnegat Lighthouse, which is also a historical monument of the island.

Regardless of the time of year, there’s tons of charming locally owned shops opened along Long Beach Island. A great place for shopping local and window-shopping is the Bay Village and Schooner’s Wharf shopping hub.

Long Beach Island hosts a few big festivals throughout the year. Keep an eye on the Beach Haven and Ship Bottom Facebook pages for event updates, as they are the most happening parts of the Island. Some are free, and some have a tiny entrance fee.

If you’re over doing touristy things like museums, then look at our post about how to experience Long Beach Island like a local.

Spend under $300 at Long Beach Island Motels

Sounds too good to be true? It’s not. Thanks to the deals and accommodations at Long Beach Island motels like Mariner Inn, such a trip is possible. With a $300 budget vacation plan, you’ll be able to afford several trips to Long Beach Island throughout the year. Budget or not, you deserve to get away and there’s no better way than booking a stay at Long Beach Island motels.