Photo by Brooke Salvanto
TUCKERTON
As one of the southernmost points of Ocean County,
Tuckerton holds an important place in New Jersey folklore.
With its strong fishing and boating heritage and its unique
placement surrounded by the bay, streams and backwaters
of the Pine Barrens, historic Tuckerton is a whimsical
labyrinth of nature, hidden treasures and community,
boasting charming shops and eateries along its quaint Main
Street. Boating, fishing and general relaxation are the draw
to this small waterfront village. Diving, clamming, crabbing
and other water sports are also easily accessible, and the
excitement of Atlantic City is just 20 miles away. With its
many marinas dotted along Tuckerton Creek, access to
Tuckerton is convenient by ocean, bay or creek.
Originally settled in 1698, Tuckerton was one of the original
ports of entry to the United States. What was probably New
Jersey’s first summer resort was on Tucker’s Island, offshore
from Little Egg Harbor, complete with private cottages and
boarding houses.
One of the town’s main attractions is the Tuckerton Seaport
& Baymen’s Museum, one of the largest grassroots maritime
museums in the United States. Located at Exit 58 on the
Garden State Parkway along the Tuckerton Creek, this one-ofa
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kind attraction brings the Jersey Shore’s maritime traditions
to life through people, exhibits and hands-on activities.
The museum’s 40-acre site includes 17 historic and
recreated buildings connected by a boardwalk, including
the reproduction of the Tucker’s Island Lighthouse, an
impressive showpiece sitting directly on Tuckerton Creek.
Stroll the boardwalk and experience maritime life of the
past and present as decoy carvers, boat builders, basket
makers and baymen entertain, educate and delight visitors
of all ages. Identify birds and plants on the wetlands nature
trail through the maritime forest. Bring the family to spend
the day exploring exhibits, and meet the people who lived,
worked and played along the Barnegat Bay.
The Museum also houses and supports the Jacques
Cousteau National Estuarine Research Reserve Interpretive
Center (JC NERR), managed by the Institute of Marine and
Coastal Sciences of Rutgers, the State University of New
Jersey. The Reserve encompasses habitats in and around
the estuary where fresh water from the Mullica River and
saltwater from the Atlantic Ocean mix in the Great Bay.
Named for the famed ocean explorer, the reserve conducts
scientific research, hosts a variety of education and
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