At 7 a.m. on a weekday in mid-October, How You Brewin at 8 Long Beach Boulevard is already open, and it stays open until 6 p.m. every day of the week. Farther up the address numbers, the scale at Surf City Bait & Tackle is weighing fish for a tournament that runs through November 29. At 712, Wally's serves breakfast until 2 p.m. Next door, 713 Long Beach Boulevard is the address for the first-ever Halloween race, which raises money for the borough's volunteer fire company and EMS.
Those four addresses carry most of Surf City's fall. Once the summer calendar winds down, what keeps going in town sits on one stretch of the Boulevard. For the next six weeks, a few addresses set the schedule.
Number 8: The Earliest Door on the Boulevard
How You Brewin's Surf City coffeehouse posts daily hours of 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Those hours make it one of the few places in town with a set schedule from morning to evening. A September 2026 guide to LBI's off-season from LBI Locals names it the go-to spot on the island for coffee or a place to work, and lists it as open all year.
The same guide also lists Scojo's, Northside and Kyuramen among the Surf City restaurants still open in winter. The guide also points out that off-season schedules change. For those three, the list confirms they're open in winter but doesn't give hours, so call ahead before a weeknight dinner plan.
Number 317: A Scale That Runs Until November 29
The 72nd Annual Long Beach Island Surf Fishing Classic opened August 29 and runs through November 29, 2026. That stretches it across the whole quiet season on the island. TAPinto reported in August that prizes for this year's Classic total more than $25,000.
The island has three official weigh-in stations, and Surf City Bait & Tackle at 317 Long Beach Boulevard is the one inside the borough. The others are Fisherman's Headquarters at 280 W. 9th St. in Ship Bottom and Jingles Bait & Tackle at 1214 Long Beach Blvd. in Beach Haven.
The rules are worth reading before the first cast of the season:
- Anglers have to register before fishing for or weighing a catch.
- Entry costs $40 for adults and $20 for anglers 17 and under, according to the official tournament page.
- Online registration adds a $2 fee for adults and $1 for juniors. Paying cash at a participating tackle shop avoids the fee.
- Each angler can fish two bait rods and one plugging rod. Kites, drones, kayaks, paddleboards and cannons can't be used to deliver bait.
- Striped bass have to fall in a 28 to 31 inch slot. Bluefish must be at least 16 inches, fluke 18 and tautog 15.
The live results page showed Day 45 as of October 11. That puts the tournament just under halfway through. Fall fish were already on the board, including tautog weighed at 3.20 and 2.58 pounds. The Week Three winners included an 8.15-pound striped bass, a 5.35-pound bluefish and a 3.04-pound fluke. The leaderboard changes from week to week, so these are a snapshot, not final standings.
The Surf Master award follows its own rules. It's a catch-and-release striped bass division with a 36-inch minimum, and a photo replaces the weigh-in. The Fisherman reported a 52-inch striper caught and released during the separate 78th World Series of Surf Fishing, which the Long Beach Island Fishing Club presents. That fish was leading the Classic's Surf Master division at the time. Anyone fishing the last weeks is chasing that 52 inches.
Numbers 712 and 713: Breakfast Next to the Start Line
Wally's at 712 Long Beach Boulevard says it is open all year, every day from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., with breakfast until 2 p.m. In a month when many places on the island cut back their hours, a published daily schedule is rare.
On Sunday, October 25, the address next door turns into a race. The inaugural LBI Halloween Hustle 5K benefits Surf City Volunteer Fire Company #1 and EMS. It starts and finishes on the 100 block of N. 7th Street near the fire company, and the event address is 713 Long Beach Blvd. The 5K course carries official USATF certification, and the race page calls it fast and flat.
Here is the morning in order:
- 8:30 a.m. The 5K run/walk starts on N. 7th Street.
- 9:00 a.m. Registration closes for both events.
- After the 5K awards. The costume contest is part of the morning, and the 5K awards presentation comes before the kids' race.
- About 9:45 a.m. The Little Monsters Dash starts. It's a short sprint for younger runners, everyone gets a ribbon, and participants of any age can join.
The 5K costs $35 and the Little Monsters Dash costs $10. Costumes are encouraged but not required, and organizers ask that they suit an audience of all ages. One deadline has already passed. The race FAQ set October 11 as the last day to guarantee a T-shirt size, so late registrants may not get their size. The SandPaper's event listing has the course, start time and registration link.
The beneficiary is what ties this race to the rest of the Boulevard. Surf City's volunteer fire company and EMS work all year, and the race brings the town together at their door in a month with few other events.
Where the Week Spills Past the Borough Line
Halloween weekend on the island stretches past Surf City, with nearby events spread across the week:
| Date | Event | Where | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sat., Oct. 17 | 7th Annual LBI Witchy Paddle | Sunset Park | 9 a.m. to noon |
| Fri., Oct. 23 | Ship Bottom Trunk or Treat | Ship Bottom Municipal Ramp, West 10th Street | 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. |
| Fri., Oct. 23 | St. Francis Trunk or Treat | St. Francis parking lot | 6 to 8 p.m. |
| Sat., Oct. 24 | Long Beach Township Harvest Hayride | Venue not yet listed | Time not yet listed |
| Sun., Oct. 25 | LBI Halloween Hustle 5K and Little Monsters Dash | 100 block of N. 7th Street, Surf City | 8:30 a.m. |
The two Trunk or Treats on October 23 overlap by half an hour. Ship Bottom's runs until 6:30 p.m. and St. Francis starts at 6. Ship Bottom's official events calendar has the ramp details. The Southern Ocean County Chamber community calendar lists the Witchy Paddle, the St. Francis event and the Hustle. The Harvest Hayride appears in Welcome to LBI's fall roundup without a time or venue yet, so check for updates before planning around it. The chamber calendar also suggests confirming event status before heading out, since listings can change late in the season.
The Stretch After Halloween
The race leaves the calendar on October 25, but most of the Boulevard stays as it is. How You Brewin's daily 7 a.m. opening and Wally's all-year schedule don't change with the date. The scale at 317 keeps weighing fish until the Classic ends on November 29. Between October 12 and that closing day, the tournament has 48 days left.
For anyone in town between now and November 29, that leaves coffee at 8, breakfast at 712, and a weigh-in scale at 317.
A Surf City house within walking distance of these addresses has a fall calendar of its own. If you're thinking about how your Surf City property fits the fall and winter, whether as a second home, a shoulder-season rental or a future sale, Coastal Living Real Estate Group can show you how the off-season affects its value. Request a Complimentary Coastal Market Evaluation.
