Haven on 12th, Ocean City NJOur family's shore house
12th & Haven, Ocean City NJ. Six blocks to the sand and the boardwalk. Fully renovated and furnished new in 2026. Three bedrooms, sleeps ten, a private deck, seven beach tags included.
Fall weekends open now: Labor Day, the Airshow, Fall Block Party, Thanksgiving, First Night. See fall weekends
- The unit
- 3 BR · 2 BA
- Sleeps
- 10
- To the sand
- 6 blocks
- Boardwalk
- 6 blocks
- The bay
- 2 blocks
- Beach tags
- 7 included
- Parking
- 3 cars, driveway
- Entry
- 3 flights up
Our Haven
The kitchen, dining area, and living room share one big space under a vaulted ceiling, air conditioned throughout: an island with stools for four, a table for six by the windows, and a sectional in front of the TV and the electric fireplace. Three bedrooms and two full baths are off the hallway: a king, a queen, and a bunk room with a full-over-full bunk and a twin trundle. Add the pull-out sofa and it sleeps ten.
What's here
- Beach kitA wagon, chairs, umbrella, a Cool Cabana pop-up shade and sand toys, all in the ground-floor shed so nothing sandy comes upstairs. There's a hose by the back steps for rinsing feet and gear. Seven beach tags come with the house (needed in season, Memorial Day to Labor Day).
- The deckDinner for eight under the umbrella, a bistro corner for coffee, and the gas grill. Top floor, so nobody is above you.
- A kitchen you can actually cook inPots, pans, sharp knives, mixing bowls and baking sheets. Drip coffee maker, toaster, blender, microwave and a dishwasher. Bring the food, not the gear.
- Linens, towels, and the small stuffBeds made before you walk in. Bath towels, plus separate beach towels so the good ones stay out of the sand. An iron and board in the closet, and a hair dryer in each bathroom.
- Little kids coveredTwo pack-and-plays, a high chair, Dohm white noise machines in every bedroom, a BOB running stroller, and a bin of toys and books.
- Gigabit WiFi and smart TVsMesh WiFi that reaches the whole floor and both decks. Roku TVs, 75 inches in the living room and 50 in the king and queen rooms. Sign into your own apps; they reset between stays.
- Keypad entryA fresh Yale code for every stay. Let yourself in whenever you arrive. No keys, no lockbox, nobody to meet.
- The neighborhoodA quiet residential block. Two blocks to Asbury Avenue, two to the bay, six flat blocks to the sand.
Sleeping arrangements
- Primary bedroom1 King
- Bedroom 21 Queen
- Bedroom 3Full-over-full bunk + twin trundle
- Living roomPull-out sofa
Sleeps 10: nine in real beds (a full bunk sleeps two) plus the pull-out sofa in the great room. Two full baths, one off the king room and one in the hall, so it is easiest with six to eight. The queen room opens onto its own small balcony; the king room has a desk by the window.
Everything in the house
- Wifi: High-speed internet, 1G, WiFi Mesh
- Air conditioning
- Heating
- Electric fireplace
- Self check-in: Yale keypad lock, unique code per stay
- TV: 75" Roku TV in the living room, 50" in the king and queen bedrooms
- Kitchen: Fully equipped
- Deck or patio
- Beach essentials: Wagon, chairs, umbrella, Cool Cabana, sand toys, 7 beach tags; stored in the ground-floor shed
- Smoke alarm
- Carbon monoxide alarm
- Pack-n-Play: Two
- High chair
- BOB running stroller
- Gas grill: On the deck
- Linens and towels: Bed, bath, and beach towels
- Iron and board
- Hair dryer: One in each bathroom
- Dohm white noise machines: In the bedrooms
- Outdoor hose: Rinse-off at ground level
On the way, not yet here: washer, dryer, outdoor shower, bicycles, boogie boards. We don't count them until they're in.
Ocean City, out our front door
Six flat blocks to 12th Street Beach. 12th Street lands in the middle of the boardwalk's rides and pizza, which run 6th to 14th. Most days the car stays in the driveway.
12th Street Beach has restrooms, a rinse station, a tag booth, a first aid station, and lifeguards until 5:00 in season. We write and update our own notes on the rest of town.
Our OCNJ notes
Our favorites, close by
Three per category, the way we'd tell a friend. The long list is in our OCNJ notes.
On the boards
- Manco & MancoBoardwalk pizza since 195612th & Boardwalk, six blocksStraight down our street. The Manco-vs-Prep's argument is the town sport.
- Kohr BrosFrozen custard, vanilla-orange twist12th & Boardwalk, six blocksThe walk-the-boards cone.
- Playland's Castaway CoveRides, GaleForce coaster, arcade, pay per ride10th & Boardwalk, eight blocksSummer evenings.
- Music PierConcert hall on the boards, Pops and summer concertsMoorlyn Terrace & BoardwalkCheck the concert series before you come.
Mornings
- Fractured PruneHot doughnuts, dipped and topped to order12th & Asbury, two blocksMornings only. The line moves.
- Mallon's Sticky BunsThe Ocean City sticky bun, since 198814th & Bay, four blocksCash only, by the half dozen or dozen, 7am to 3pm.
- Cathy's 14th Street BakeryCream doughnuts, cider doughnuts, croissants14th Street, four blocksMornings, closed Mondays, cash only.
- Dead End BakehouseHand-rolled bagels, sourdough, Elixr coffee1050 Bay, three blocksOpen 7am to 2pm daily, year-round. Go to Bay Ave, not the boardwalk counter.
Downtown and around
- Blue Cactus Taco ShopCali-Mex tacos and all-day La Colombe coffee928 Haven, three blocks up our streetPatio and parking out front. Our neighborhood default.
- Bakeria 1010Neapolitan sourdough pizza and Italian baked goods955 Asbury, five blocksSourdough starter from Naples. Focaccia and paninis too.
- Circle LiquorsThe BYO stop on the way inSomers Point, before the 9th St bridgeOcean City is dry. Stop here first.
A note from us
Hi, we're the Bakers
Jenn and Colin, our daughter, and Lucy, our seven-year-old golden retriever. Jenn is from Delaware, Colin is from South Jersey, and we both grew up going to the Jersey Shore. We live in South Jersey now, about an hour from the 9th Street bridge.
We furnished this place ourselves and Jenn runs it. Our daughter's beach is 12th Street, Lucy's walk is the bay two blocks over, and Night in Venice, the July boat parade, looks best from the deck. If anything isn't right during your stay, you're one text from us.
We can't wait to have you on Haven Ave.
Jenn, Colin, and Lucy
Things people ask us
Who sleeps where?
Six people: the king room, the queen room, and two kids in the bunk room. Eight: add the second full bunk and the twin trundle in the bunk room (a full bunk sleeps two). Ten: add the pull-out sofa, which is in the open great room. Two full baths, one off the king room and one in the hall.
We're more than 10. Is there a second unit?
The first floor is a separate home with its own owners, who rent it at times. If you're traveling as two households, email us your dates and we'll pass them along. The two homes are booked and priced separately.
How far is it from the beach?
Six flat blocks down 12th Street, about 10 to 15 minutes with a loaded wagon. The wagon, chairs, umbrella and Cool Cabana live in the ground-floor shed, and seven beach tags come with the house (needed in season, Memorial Day to Labor Day).
Is it really newly renovated?
Yes. The whole top floor was renovated top to bottom in 2026, just before we bought it. We furnished it from scratch. Everything from the kitchen to the beds is new, and we host it ourselves, so if anything is off you are one message from us.
Is Ocean City really a dry town?
Yes. No alcohol is sold on the island, which is part of why it stays so family-focused. Most people stop at Circle Liquors in Somers Point, at the circle before the 9th Street bridge, and bring what they like. Directions come with your check-in note.
How do we get in?
We send a keypad code the week before you arrive, with a check-in note covering parking, the beach routes, and the house. No keys, no lockbox. Check-in is 4pm. It is three flights of exterior stairs up to the door, all but one covered, with railings; no elevator.
Can we bring our dog?
One well-behaved dog per stay, approved at booking: $150 for a week, $75 for shorter stays, waived on Dog Days weekend. No cats. A few breeds are excluded by our insurer; tell us the breed and we confirm within the day. Ocean City beaches are dog-free May 1 to Sept 30 and the boardwalk year-round; October to April, leashed dogs are welcome on the sand.
Is there a washer and dryer?
Not yet. In-unit laundry is being added, and this answer changes the day it is in. Until then, bath and beach towels are supplied in quantity, and we can point you to the nearest laundromat in the check-in note.
What should we bring?
Food, sunscreen, and your own clothes. We supply bed and bath linens, beach towels, the beach kit, a stocked kitchen, and a starter set of paper goods and soap. Ocean City is dry, so stop for wine or beer in Somers Point on the way in.
How long can we stay?
Late May through the week after Labor Day: Saturday to Saturday, the way Ocean City rents. The rest of the year: weekends of two or three nights, holiday stays, or any two nights or more.
How do we pay, and what if we cancel?
We'll only ever ask for payment by card, through our own booking link. If anyone claiming to be us asks you to send money by Zelle, Venmo, or a wire, it isn't us. Summer weeks: 25% holds the week, the balance is due 60 days out; cancel 60 or more days out for a full refund less $150. Shorter stays are paid at booking and refundable up to 14 days out. Full terms are on the Weeks & rates page and in the rental agreement.
Where does the beach gear live, and where do sandy kids rinse off?
The cart, chairs, umbrella, and Cool Cabana are in the outdoor storage shed at ground level, so you load up at the bottom of the stairs and roll. An outdoor hose is there for sandy feet and boards; an outdoor shower is on the way.