LAKEWOOD: is such an interesting town. It is congested like NYC, but you still get the feel of…read moresuburbia. We have been very curious about Lake Carasaljo and decided to take a ride and see what we could find at this park. We parked in one of the lots off of South Lake Drive and found an opening into the woods. There is a very narrow, but easy dirt path that winds through the woods, with the bustle of Lakewood not too far away. It was very pretty and peaceful. We didn't go too far and turned around to head back to walk around the path near the road.

Lake Riviera Park and the lake are well taken care of, but my complaint is by the shoreline on the…read moreadjacent lake behind the retention pond. It is littered with beer cans, empty cases, litter and broken glass. I am an avid fisherman and an environmentalist and conservationist, and I have picked up over ten Home Depot buckets worth of garbage. Would be fantastic if attention would be given to this matter by the Parks and Recreation Department. Thank you

Came here because I wanted to eat my breakfast! Such a beautiful relaxing park!…read more It has two playgrounds which look very new and in Greta condition! It has benches , picnic tables and a nice little path around the park. It also has a basketball court with 4 basketball hoops! Along with a nice lake with plenty of space to play in the sand ! Definitely a nice hidden park !

Windward Beach park is a jewel for Brick. It is set on land on the Metadeconk river and located off…read morePrinceton Avenue. There is a small beach with sand on the river plus grassy land, a playground, bathrooms, parking and much more. Events are sometimes held here but there are plenty of beach goers, walkers and players making it their daily routine . The parking is plentiful. The bathrooms are like camping restrooms but definitely welcomed if you spend time there. There is soap but you air dry your hands no paper towels. The beach part has sand and wonderful views of the water and the river's other side. Plenty of room to lay out and catch some rays. This sliver of recreational fun is a go to for those with kids, those who exercise or just those who appreciate the sun & being in nature

It has always been free in the past. It's a lovely little beach, and there is a great playground…read morethat I found opened! There was quite a bit of glass in the water also there were tons of jellyfish. Nice little pier for fishing is free, but they charged eight dollars for adults,To go on the beach,Kids were free!We have been to some musical shows they are that are amazing.

BRICK: Herbertsville Park is a great spot to take a walk with your leashed and friendly pup!…read more There is a nature trail that starts on a paved path and then goes into the woods for a nice walk under the trees. We estimate it's about 1 mile out and back. The park's amenities includes a softball field, basketball courts, two playgrounds, benches, and a parking area.

I am a local of this area and went to Allaire for the Duck Derby this past weekend. I must say: I…read moreloved it!!! The blacksmith shop was so interesting and the employee was super knowledgeable when I asked question. I felt really welcomed and I learned a lot. The event itself was fun and well organized. I enjoyed bringing my dog, the free glitter tattoos, and the atmosphere. I loved watching the ducks race down the creek, it was so fun!

Been there a couple of times taking the grandkids on the train ride and explored the little town…read morewith bakery and blacksmith and a couple of buildings carriage House ,school house, residence house, church and gift shop .Pack a lunch for a picnic or barbecue using one of the grills with picnic tables or walk one of the trails.

Since I go walking with a group on most Sundays, we heard that Riverwood Park has trails. It's an…read moreold park, which has a lot of history in Toms River. It's located right in busy Toms River. So, we checked it out. The front part of the park has athletic fields and an indoor covered dome for kids' athletic events. We saw lots of kids going in for that. We walked to the back of the park and saw the trailhead. The trails could be more clearly blazed. There was a map, but it was hard to follow. Still, we really enjoyed how the trails followed along the headwaters of the Toms River, where it looks more like a creek. There are lots of picnic tables at picturesque bends of the river. It seems as if you might be able to camp there, too, as campsites were marked, but we don't know for sure. There's no fee to enter or use the facilities. It's a fairly nice park, but there are better ones. I would recommend Cattus Island Park first.

My grandchildren love this playground!! Plenty of room to run…read moreand lots of equipment to keep them occupied. Swings for big and little kids. A separate area for younger children with smaller slides and climbing equipment. Not to mention actual bathrooms in a nearby building!!

LAKEWOOD: a beautiful park, Lake Shenandoh County Park is part of the Ocean County Parks &…read moreRecreation system. There is a dog friendly walking path/bike trail that goes around the lake with some truly stunning lookout points. Some parts of the trail have vehicles, so be careful. Zoey the maltichon was a good sport to join us for a walk on a very steamy day, and we ended up taking a short route to see a man-made waterfall and some wooded areas. If you walk around the whole lake, there is a section where you have to walk on the road (Clover St.) since the trail seems to end, but picks up again a short ways down. FYI, as of 6/10/20, "Due to construction the main bathrooms at Lake Shenandoah County Park in Lakewood will be closed for the remainder of 2020. Bathrooms are available at the Soccer Complex in the park. "Go Before You Go...""

LAKEWOOD: Brie's mission to find more fun parks is going well and that includes finding Lakewood…read morePine Park! There is a multi-use paved path that meanders through the property with views of the Lakewood Historical museum (not dog friendly), sports fields/courts, and a lot of picnic areas! This path is also used for vehicles, so be careful. A portion of the Metedeconk river flows through and it's very picturesque. In nicer weather, you can enjoy a meal at Maggie's Bar & Grill's outdoor tiki bar!

Was here recently for the Brick House Softball Tournament with my daughter. Let me start with a…read morefull disclosure statement-the fields were an absolute mess because of some significant rainfall on the friday before the tournament so we weren't able to use all of the fields we were supposed ot use, we weren't happy that the fields hadn't been prepared for play, and we even had teams drop out from the tourney because of the mess. That said, you can't fight Mother Nature and we made due with what we had. This is a VERY nice park, located in Lakewood, NJ with multiple ballfields (baseball and softball); walking trails; basketball, handball, and tennis courts; camping and picnic areas; playgrounds; and HUGE open and wooded areas. I love that in a state that gets killed for it's urban areas and dirtiness by comediens and jackasses who don't know better we have so many beautiful parks, recreational areas, forests and open areas throughout the state (for those that don't know, NJ is more than 40% forested). Off my soapbox and back to Pine Park...This park is really quite beautiful, and I was here when there were no leaves on the trees. Located adjacent to the Lakewood Country Club Golf Course the park is a wonderfully quiet area once you turn off of the main road. I will say that if you're here for softball/baseball and you don't know the park well-the signage is simply terrible or non-existent. You'll have a tough time finding the specific field you are looking for so make sure you know ahead of time that you may need to drive deep into the park to find your location. A big Thank YOU to the town of Lakewood for providing such a beautiful park to it's residents and for letting us beat up on the fields a little bit.

This is one of those parks that truly has something for everyone. Paved trails, wooded trails,…read moremountain biking trails (#allairemtbtrails on IG for pics), camping and even a historic village to explore. Unlike many state parks there is no admission fee here. Parking is free and plentiful. There are several lots to park in. I'd highly suggest looking at their website and the maps on it. This park is MASSIVE!

FARMINGDALE: The Historic Village at Allaire is such a wonderful place and has so many wonderful…read moreevents! Allaire was a factory town back in the 1800's and is now a year-round park with hiking trails, tons of events, and even shopping! Leashed dogs are allowed except for inside the buildings. We were recently at the Witches, Wizards, and Wands event hosted by New Jersey Food Truck Events and Your New Jersey and it was SO MUCH FUN and a great job was done by the Allaire staff! Brie was blessed by the bubble fairy (meadowlarkthefaerie), watched magic tricks, walked in the dog costume parade, met a bunch of witches, wizards, and even a bewitched tree, watched a juggling act, listened to music and the train, and met so many wonderful people! We even ran into Kamryn Hope, another dog who gets out and about as much as Brie! There are entrance fees charged from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day. And most events have an admission charge that goes directly to Allaire. Other events include: Flea markets Craft shows Performances Lantern Tours 4 Paws Sake Family Fun Fest And much more...