Gorgeous, hidden, great scenic overview. Ample parking, seconds off RT36. Worth a detour!read more

While it is not a destination, it is surely worth a stop when in the area. For some it has far…read moregreater significance than it does for others. Located right off of highway Route 36 and about a mile from the Historic Twin Lighthouse, Mount Mitchell affords fantastic views of the bay, Atlantic Ocean, Manhattan, Freedom Tower, Verrazano Bridge, Statin Island and Brooklyn. Bring your binoculars or use the coin operated viewing machines. The best photo opportunities require a 500+ mm lens. It's a small park with manicured grounds, paving and a small but nice playground with apparatus to keep the kids entertained. There is a well done 9/11 memorial to those who lost their lives in the twin towers that day. The memorial includes the various towns and the names and ages of those who died that day. There is a time line on the pavers which indicates when the first tower was hit, the second tower, the Pentagon and the plane crash in Pa. .Information plaques can be read concerning the area and Mt. Mitchill. It's only 500 feet off of Route 36 and well worth the 15 minute stop. Locals consider it a romantic spot.

Lovely riverside park with lots of fun activities for kids, great spot to watch the boats go by on…read morethe river, and enjoy a sandwich from Brennan's or a cone from Crazees.

Get an ice cream cone at Crazee's and walk along the Navesink River at this park in the center of…read moreRumson. While not a large park it does have a couple of tennis courts and a playground. This park was also the location of a pivot scene in Kevin Smith's Chasing Amy. I remember how excited I got when I watched the movie and recognized the park. I am not sure if the swing set is still there because there is a high probability that the playground has been upgraded.

Beautiful park! Great for people of all ages and abilities. There are multiple trails for bikers,…read morejoggers, people with strollers, walkers and kiddos. Deeper into the park there is a lake where people bring canoes! I love that this park has so many layers. Even when there are many people there, using the playground, hanging out at the lake, hiking, etc., it feels like you're all alone because there are so many spots for people to be! It never feels crowded like other parks which make me feel like there was no point in going (I go to escape crowds!). It can get a little swampy after the rain, so wear suitable shoes. I slid down a hill once and my shoes saved the day. Lots of winding trails and water views, so bring a camera!

Named after the social welfare reformer Geraldine Thompson (who was an influential woman in NJ…read morepolitics and history way back in the day when Republicans actually believed that the government should be proactive in ameliorating social ills), this park features a beautiful restored estate home, beautifully maintained landscaping, and numerous activities for the public. This park is simply elegant and an oasis away from the world. Thompson had a long career of political activism and public service on behalf of prison reform, public health and juvenile justice in New Jersey, and was a generous benefactor of psychiatric services and college scholarships for the needy. Geraldine Thompson was active for many years in the state's Republican Party, and, in 1923, became the first female New Jersey delegate to a Republican National Convention. She shared a great many social welfare interests with her lifelong friend, Eleanor Roosevelt. During her later life she played an influential role in preserving Island Beach as a state park, and promoted the conservation of wildlife habitat. This park is a truly fitting monument to this woman's memory, and it is thankfully a treasure which the public can utilize for recreation and the elevation of everyday life.

Came here twice with a friend who has been here before. It is a nice park with plenty of parking…read moreand trails. They also have a clean restroom and water fountains. I've been here twice already. We did the short trail that had some steep hills. It was about 2 miles and we decided to do another round. I love it! Depending on where you go, you can see right across to Seabright Beach and the strip of perfectly lined homes. A beautiful view. Everyone is friendly, though I do not feel comfortable coming here by myself. Must be the native NYC part of me. I do recommend this park.

Plenty of trails of varying difficulty-but something for everyone. Everyone on a walk has a…read morefriendly greeting, and I've yet to see an unleashed dog-a big plus!

Park is an amazing place and always go there every time when visit my friends. Great clean peaceful…read moreplace either for family and friends time together or if you want to walk/rest on your own.

I love Great Kills Park - they have a nice view of the ocean. They have a bathroom - include an eco…read morefriendly outhouse thing. It's a great place to take a long walk on the shore or pivot to the other side and stare at the marina.

My girls had a blast here. The splash pad facility is so impressive. There are two huge play areas…read morewith tons of sprinklers, buckets and water tables. One area is a little bit better for smaller kids so it's nice that they have two different options. The best part about the splash pad is the reservation system. You must make a reservation online, and you have a 1.5 hour time slot. Splash pads can get packed on a hot day, so this was a great way to control the crowd. Once your time is up there's an enormous playground right next door. There is so much to see and do that you could easily spend hours here without getting bored. Overall this is a fantastic township recreation area. It's clean and well-maintained, and there are endless play options for kids.

This is one of the cleanest parks I have walked through in Monmouth County. There are trash bins…read moreeverywhere and 2.3 miles of paved trails for you and your family to enjoy. The trails are perfect for walking your furry dogs, in-line skating, cycling, easy walking and pushing strollers. There is also a repair station with a tire pump and tools found near the basketball courts. The Challenger Place has finally finished and is a designed playground for kids who are blind or visually impaired. Their sport courts include tennis and basketball courts, as well as an in-line skating rink. The athletic field is available for rental and may be used for baseball games but not for practices. I have heard they have swimming pools but I personally did not see it. Instead, I saw a spray ground (water-enhanced playground) which was to open in mid-May but given our current situation with the COVID-19 outbreak, this is doubtful for mid-May 2020 due to the pandemic restrictions. Normally, it would open mid-May through early September. I would imagine the busiest time to be there with kids is during the height of summer because summer camps are held there by the Monmouth County Park System and Challenged Youth Sports from Middletown.

Love the fact that this beach is so quiet, and, relatively clean!…read more I've come to this beach on multiple occasions now, once for a Friday company volunteer clean-up event and on a Saturday just with my family. On the 1st occasion that I came here, I was pleasantly surprised at how clean the beach actually was as we didn't have to do much work to spruce it up. Garbage is rarely found on the beach, BUT there are a lot of broken shells and little rocks laying around. It was very quiet when I arrived at 9 AM for my volunteer event, but activity did begin to immediately pick up around 10:30 - 11:00 AM as families began rolling in to the parking lot. The beach isn't huge and neither is the parking lot, but on the summer Saturday that my family and I visited, it didn't feel all that crowded still. No lifeguards are on duty here and I don't think they ever are here since it's relatively small compared to more popular beaches. The one downside of the beach is that there isn't a whole lot around either as the beach is surrounded by a residential neighborhood and stores and restaurants are far off. BUT, the best thing about this beach is that it's FREE and no fee is required to enter!!

Great beach, very clean and dog friendly. My dog is actually the cover of this page lol. Would 100%…read morerecommend this beach.

Love this park and it's hiking trails. One of the trails has fitness stations which provide a great…read moreworkout. Plenty of bbq areas with grills and benches. If you want to have a gathering, they have a spot that you can reserve. Bathrooms are very clean and orderly. Playground has been updated with newer equipment.

This is my favorite park in the area, I absolutely love it. There are legitimate hiking trails, an…read moreexercise trail, several playgrounds, tennis courts, clean bathrooms and best of all, farm animals :). You can catch some wildlife as well. When I discovered it I was shocked I didn't find this gem sooner.

This spot is magical ! The trails are well maintained, the exhibits are very well done and the…read moreattendants very knowledgeable & friendly.

Well maintained, nicely laid out trails. Perfect for a nice stroll to decompress, enjoy nature,…read moreand breathe in air off the Navesink,

My family and I had a wonderful weekend camping at Turkey Swamp. This park offers well maintained…read morehiking trails, an archery area, playgrounds, and affordable boat rentals. The campground is quiet and also well maintained. The bathrooms are spacious and clean. There is no camp store, but they do sell firewood and ice at the office. There is a Walmart in town about 10 minutes away if you need any supplies. This may become one of our regular getaways.

This is a very cute place to go fishing!…read more They have a very large dock area for fishing with tons of benches. Even if a good amount of people are here to fish there is still plenty of space to spread out. I also love that there is a large playground area and very clean bathrooms. The park ranger was extremely friendly and had bandaids for us when my 3 year old clipped her finger with a fish hook (ooof). Plenty of parking and overall a fun and easy way to take my little kids fishing for the first time.