Sea Bright is a borough on the Jersey Shore in Monmouth County, New Jersey, occupying a narrow, roughly five-mile strip of barrier beach between the Atlantic Ocean on the east and the Shrewsbury River on the west. The 2020 census counted 1,449 residents, a figure that swells considerably in the summer. The borough's geography defines it: most of the community lies within a few blocks of the ocean, and the Shrewsbury River's sheltered waters run along its inland side. The area's history reaches back to the colonial era, when the land was part of a larger tract known as Wardell's Beach; Sea Bright was later carved out of what had been shared with neighboring Monmouth Beach, taking its name from a local hotel. Its first public school opened in 1874. Because the borough is so exposed, it has weathered repeated coastal storms, including Superstorm Sandy, and much of its housing has been rebuilt and elevated to modern flood standards. At the northern tip, Sea Bright meets Sandy Hook, a National Park Service unit of Gateway National Recreation Area with ocean beaches, the Sandy Hook Lighthouse, and the former Fort Hancock. This adjacency makes Sea Bright a launching point for one of the most popular coastal destinations in the New York metro region. To the south, Route 36 connects the borough to Monmouth Beach, Long Branch, and the rest of the shore. Sea Bright is a small municipality with its own government and police, seven public beach access ways, and a mix of year-round residents and seasonal homeowners. Commuters reach New York City by car or via the Highlands ferry terminals and the rail lines just inland. The result is a place that feels like a beach town first, with the practical connections of the greater metro area close at hand.