UpdatedSun, May 23, 2021 at 11:53 am ET Reply(1) If you're headed to the beach for the summer of 2021, take a look at what rules and restrictions still apply due to the coronavirus pandemic. (Karen Wall/Patch) The summer of 2020 was unlike any in memory for most of us, even when folks headed to the beach for a respite from the pandemic. There were restrictions on beach capacity, swimming bans in some places and shortened hours. With the number of people who have been vaccinated against COVID-19 increasing — New Jersey has been aiming to have 70 percent of its population vaccinated by summer — and the numbers of new daily cases and hospitalizations falling, Gov. Phil Murphy has been easing restrictions on a number of activities, including outdoor gatherings. As of Monday, the outdoor gatherings limit rises to 500 people.