Only for few places I've selfishly felt writing about it will make it more popular and I might not…read moreenjoy the place all by myself - this is one among them. Just while searching for beaches in a 30 minute driving radius, we ran into this gem of a park that's so well maintained. They have ample free parking and the walk to the bay is so quick. The bay might not be the best to walk on as sand is relatively less with more gravels and getting down to it from the stairs is little difficult even for well grown adults. This could definitely be wheelchair accessible in a certain way. They also have few picnic enclosures and a memorial to one of their town's fallen soldiers. The walking pavement is neatly laid out for a calm, peaceful and relaxing walk. We went on overcast conditions and had to return to the car just before the rain caught up. Will definitely return here for summers to watch the sunset in this beautiful bay/park.

This is where I come when I just want fresh air and to enjoy the scenery of boats going by and the…read moredifferent culture if people here. Quiet to just unwind and relax

LOVE LOVE LOVE this park. It is my stress reliever. The most amazing hiking trails. It's so…read morepeaceful you don't believe you are only 45 mins away from New York City.

I love this park. I came here with my best friend to go for a nice hike. This park is very nice, if…read moreyou looking to escape from the world for a lil bit go on the different trails and enjoy nature!!

Recently visited this Beachfront Park with a group of friends in an impromptu plan. It was a…read morepleasant surprise, its a small isolated beach with a small kid's playground adjacent it. We visited the park in the afternoon, the water was calm and the beach wasn't too steep. Found few people fishing along the shore and enjoying early spring evening. The atmosphere was pleasant, very relaxing and perfect for hang out with friends and family at the beach. There is a field where one can enjoy a quick run or bike ride in the summer. Also found a small kids playground adjacent to the beach ideal for families visiting with kids. There is also a free parking lot next to the park with a community rest room. The restroom is very poorly maintained and would suggest you to not use it unless necessary. Overall I would strongly recommend you to visit the park for a relaxing pleasant evening with friends and family at the beach.

Fun local park, no bathroom, limited benches and unpaved picnic areas…read more This park was recently renovated in both the playground and basketball courts section, offering guests newer amenities and amusement. The playground area is big, with a brand artificial turf ground and is very toddler friendly. I really do love the many options for playtime at this set up, however, the slides closets to the parking lot are a big high in height. There is a baseball/softball field and a large walking and running trial that many people come to use.

Love this park. It's great walking in back trails. And the track in shitty weather so no mud…read more Doggie bags are readily available and most of the dogs I've met seem to be friendly. But it's a great place to hang out in the woods.

The ongoing pandemic has definitely taken a toll on lot of businesses and public places since a…read moreconsumer mindset to buy anything outside of essential or to visit a public place like a park or beach, has crippled down significantly. Now by living with it has become the new normal, it is commendable on how these businesses and public places continue to remain open and cater to the general public by following the safety standards. We wanted to find some place for a nice evening walk and ran into this in Google maps. It was a 30 minute drive from our place, to get here. The parking had a lot of spaces and wasn't too busy. We took a nice walk by the beach. The beach was closed by fences in a lot of places warning on the high lead content the water would contain. The roads, children play area and the side gardens were well maintained. Most of the people were weary of the pandemic and wore masks, but not everyone. The overall distance would be a good 2 mile walk that was not hard and was enjoyable to do by the bay.

Eww. I was looking for a local spot to spend some time by the beach and found this park on Google…read moremaps. It's beautiful enough when you get here, how can you go wrong with an ocean and good weather. However, the moment I saw the EPA hazard sign that you can see in the photos, it was like finding a hair in a five-star restaurant. Turned me off to this park completely and I just left. They need to clean up their act.

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!!

PORT MONMOUTH: Bayshore Waterfront Park is absolutely beautiful, peaceful, and dog friendly!…read more Bring your leashed pup all-year-round to romp on the beach with perfect views of the Raritan Bay, Sandy Hook, and the NYC skyline. There is a long pier to walk out and hear the water lapping by beside you. Enjoy the natural floral and fauna surrounding the beach. There is also a historic building on the property.

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.

Just a lovely dog park with the ocean backdrop. A dog sitter a black away couldn't ask for more.read more

This park is absolutely beautiful! There are many things to do as well such as swings, jungle gym…read morefor kids, hockey rink, and basketball court. There is also a beautiful trail for walking. My favorite part is the dog park. Many people bring their dogs here to run around and play. The park also has a beach area which is nice. This park is very peaceful and clean as well. There's also a huge grass area where you can fly kites, have a picnic, etc. Tons of parking and also bathrooms are available!!!

I love coming here to walk around or just to enjoy some fresh air on a bench. Park is kept clean. I…read morealso love to take pictures here. I have captured some great shots here

Really awesome park with plenty of parking in the area. Small restaurant next to the large pond…read morein the middle with outdoor seating. Very safe and family friendly neighborhood

Love visiting Rutgers Gardens through the seasons! If you come in fall, don't expect much in bloom,…read morebut this place is wonderful to hike and stroll through with its various paths. If you visit in spring or summer, get ready for stunning flora and fauna that is cared for by Rutgers staff and students. I adore the lilacs that's smell delicious and envelope a walkway like a natural ceiling. So amazing! Also, I adore the wide open fields and spaces that lend themselves perfectly for a picnic or spot to lay down a blanket and enjoy a nap out in the open. PS. Very romantic spot- if you're coming here for a date, you will not be disappointed!

Really this should be a 4.5 but I rounded up to five to encourage people to come. Really worth it!…read more So let me tell you the negatives first, some of which were covered by some other reviewers. First, there are ticks and you should spray before you start. Second, the directions to get off Route 1 to the gardens is confusing, even for someone from New Jersey who is used to jug handles, but you'll get there eventually. Third, you can hear the traffic from route 1 as you walk through various parts of the gardens and the adjacent woods. And fourth, some toilets are in sad shape. To me, no showstoppers but more you should be aware. Best thing is to print out a map of Rutgers Gardens and Helyar Woods first. It's good to have with you as you walk about although signs are about. This is a really a beautiful garden set out in a very approachable way. Well documented and you can use those maps so you can find and explore the Asian Hill garden, Holly Collection, the Succulent Gardens and, my favorite, the Bamboo Grove. All in all there are 23 gardens and 8 structures, most of which are research sites. The gardens are adjacent to the Helyar Woods. The woods has 7 viewpoint spots and 5 marked trails ranging in length from 0.4 MI to 1.6 MI. Within the forest is a forested wetland, a meadows, a pine grove and just plain old Forest. Most of the trees are old-growth beech, birch, maple and oak trees. It's really wonderful. Note the gardens are closed on Mondays.