Discover the Irish Riviera in New Jersey

New Jersey has a large percentage of residents of Irish heritage. Visit the scenic town most commonly known as “The Irish Riviera.” Or visit all of the towns that people designate with this name.

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Where is “The Irish Riviera” of New Jersey?

The town most commonly associated with the name of “The Irish Riviera” is Spring Lake. Some people also consider the nearby towns of Sea Girt and Belmar to be part of “The Irish Riviera” as well.

Why is Spring Lake the town most commonly known as “The Irish Riviera”?

The term first started in the 20th century. According to the Spring Lake Historical Society the term was first advertised at the time Richard Carroll was managing the Allaire Hotel after purchasing it in 1969.

Others attribute the name “The Irish Riviera” to have been coined by Martin Maloney. Martin had first moved to the US when he was 12 and worked in the coal mines of Pennsylvania. Later he became a metal worker, gas fitter and plumber. He created a street lamp with a more efficient gas burner. This led to business ventures such as doing street lighting for the Centennial Expo in 1876. He grouped twenty different electrical companies together into the Philadelphia Electric Company (PECO) in 1902. He was a summer resident that later resided in Spring Lake full time. He built an estate in Spring Lake he named Ballingarry (the name of the town where he was born in Ireland). He is known for building St. Catharine’s Church in memory of his daughter in Spring Lake, NJ. The first foundation stone was laid on West Lake and Essex Avenue on St. Patrick’s Day in 1901. It was built to resemble St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican.

Another reason for the nickname was since many people of Irish descent would vacation or settle down in the towns listed above during the 20th century. People said the area reminded them of the Irish coastline.

In a 2000 census Spring Lake had the highest number of people of Irish heritage in the United States at 39.4%.

How was Spring Lake first formed?

In the 1870’s Reverend Alfonso Willets of Philadelphia found Fresh Creek Pond. He got investors to form the Spring Lake Beach Improvement Company. On April 29, 1875 the Osborn farm was sold to the Spring Lake Beach Improvement Company in order to make the Spring Lake Beach Resort. It became a beach resort town. The name of the town was changed to Spring Lake in the 1900’s once deluxe hotels and grand homes were built.

Why is there such a large population of people in New Jersey of Irish heritage?

Migration to New Jersey in the 18th century was largely due to economic hardships and religious persecution. In the 19th century there was a large influx of people due to the Irish Potato Famine from 1845 to 1852. New Jersey was a popular destination due to its growth through industrialization.

Many people in the United States also have Irish ancestry as can be seen by this map from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Things to See in Spring Lake

There are many places to visit in Spring Lake. It is a town with a beach and boardwalk as well as a lake and downtown area. These are the places we visited so far during the day that we spent there. We had visited on a weekday and were easily able to find street parking.

Spring Lake and Divine Park

The lake is the main attraction of the town so be sure to stop here. It is in the midst of Divine Park. It is beautiful with wooden bridges crisscrossing over the top of the water. This would be a great spot to get photos taken.

As we walked around the lake we saw giant holly trees on its banks. There were also enormous houses, many of them with Victorian architecture. We also saw multiple churches as well.

We also saw tennis courts that were available to use. There was also a playground as well. The path around the lake was easy to walk.

St. Catharine Catholic Church

St. Catharine Church

Go here to learn more about the St. Catharine-St. Margaret Parish.

The church is located on West Lake Drive. It features a copper dome and was built in the Classical Revival architectural style. The architect was Horace Trumbauer. He was a Philadelphia architect who was well-known for his work on the team of architects that built the Philadelphia Museum of Art. He also built many buildings for universities and other buildings such as the Keswick Theater in Glenside.

Gonippo Raggi painted most of the murals inside of the church. He also worked with Thomas A. O’Shaughnessy on three of them. The stained glass was imported from Munich.

Third Avenue

We parked on this street and this seemed to be the main drag of the town. When we were leaving we saw a map and learned there were also businesses on Morris Avenue as well. This is a well maintained street with numerous shops selling unique items such as Village Tweed.

Irish Centre

This was a store filled with things related to Ireland. Does anyone you know have an Irish last name? Learn the meaning behind their name and bring them a fun present from here. They also sell other items as well such as warm apparel.

St. Stephen’s Green Publick House

This is a restaurant in Spring Lake that serves Irish fare. It looks like an authentic Irish pub. I was impressed how their restrooms even said Mná and Fir on their doors.

We really enjoyed eating their Irish Kettle chips and Celtic Steak bites. They were very tasty. The chips were a huge portion so we were very full. Our parking was easy in a parking lot right outside. I look forward to returning again for their $10.95 lunch specials on weekdays.

St. Stephen’s Green is inside of an old house and it has a great atmosphere. There are friendly locals, a cozy vibe, dark wood and stone everywhere and a bagpipe hanging over the fireplace. There is often live music that can be heard here as well.

The name of the restaurant comes from St. Stephen’s Green park in Dublin that is known to be an oasis within the city. So far it is my favorite restaurant that serves Irish fare that I have found in New Jersey.

On St. Patrick’s Day it will have live music from The Snakes at noon. There will be outdoor seating with a tent and beer truck. On 3/18/25 the Irish Seisun will be performing at 6 pm. There will also be Irish food and beer. Every Tuesday is Irish night at St. Stephen’s Green Publick House. Learn about more of their upcoming events on their Facebook page.

Driftwood Coffee House

We went inside this coffee house for some caffeine after our walk around the lake. It had a great location that was right across the street from Devine Park. There was a comfy couch as well as lots of cafe stool chairs. They used fresh roasted beans from Crimson Cup. I got their signature frozen Driftwood mocha that was great! Their drink menu changes and sometimes has seasonal drinks such as the Irish Toffee Latte.

It is also a good stop to shop for Spring Lake-related items, dog leashes, reading glasses and more. They also sell some things from Early Riser Bakery and Treasure Breads. Be sure to stop in to also see the local events that are happening on their wall. This coffee house also often has a story time with activities for kids on Wednesday’s at 10 am. Be sure to check their Facebook page for upcoming events.

I also noticed that Viator offers this Spring Lake Shuffle Scavenger Hunt that starts at the Driftwood Coffee House.

Is it easy to park?

We had visited on a weekday near Christmas and were easily able to find street parking.

Is Spring Lake dog friendly?

Yes! I saw multiple people walking their dogs on the path around the lake. According to the website Bring Fido dogs are allowed at the outdoor tables for the Spring Lake pizzeria. They are also welcome at the outdoor tables of Tom Bailey’s Market or The Scone Pony. According to notices from the Spring Lake Police Department website dogs are permitted on the beach while on a leash until May 14th. From May 15th to September 30th no dogs are allowed on the beach except in the fenced in area near Pitney Avenue between sunrise and 9:00 am. Dogs are always prohibited from walking on the boardwalk. Driftwood Coffee is also a dog-friendly coffee shop.

Upcoming Free Events

These are some of the upcoming events that Spring Lake is well known for. To see a list of all upcoming events go here: Spring Lake Events List.

Irish Festival

Date: June 14, 2025 (Rain Date of June 21, 2025)

This festival will have music, dancing, shopping and more!

Spring Lake’s Annual Christmas Train Village

Dates: November 29, 2025 to December 31, 2025

Open Times: It is open from Wednesday through Sunday from 12:00 pm until 5:00 pm. Extended hours on November 29, 2025 from 12:00 pm to 7:00 pm.

Location: Duggan Hall at 313 Washington Avenue

See this free holiday train display!

Where To Stay

This map shows accommodation options as well as the locations of the places that I mentioned above. Trivago and Booking.com have multiple options for places to stay.

My Background

I am not of Irish descent but my husband is of part-Irish descent. I went to Notre Dame High School in Lawrenceville and our mascot was “The Irish.” I was in the Irish-American club with some of my friends in high school where we often ate tasty Irish potatoes.

I have visited all of the towns listed above that were associated with the name “The Irish Riviera.” Personally Spring Lake felt like it fit this description the most since there were multiple stores that sold things related to Irish heritage as well as the Irish pub there.

I recently visited Spring Lake and I look forward to visiting more places there in the future. Once I do I will add even more places to visit into this article.

Other Places To Visit Nearby

Visit some of the other towns nearby that some people also consider to be part of “The Irish Riviera”!

I went to Belmar as a kid. It was one of the beaches I enjoyed the most since it had a large beach area and some of the least number of jellyfish compared to other beaches we had visited.

Sea Girt is a great town to visit its historic towns. We like going to the beach with our kids since it is quick to access the beach from where we park. We like the picturesque small lighthouse and the small boardwalk area.

My husband and I also recently went to Manasquan. It was nice to walk near all the colorful houses. The outside portion of Leggetts Sand Bar had a fun vibe.

Sources: Spring Lake Historical Society, Trendyffrin Easttown Historical Society History Quarterly Digital Archives, Philadelphia Electric Company, New Jersey’s Irish Riviera is Home Base to New Jersey’s Irish, Spring Lake “Our Irish Riviera”, Elegant Shore Town, Stately Homes, Irish Riviera, Life Saving Station Converted into Ocean Home, St. Catharine’s Church and How Monmouth County South Shore became Irish Riviera.