Do I like bugs? No. Do I have any interest in touching bugs? Nope. Was this place surprisingly…read moreamazing? Yes. Touching a tarantula...a live freakin' tarantula was not on my summer bingo card but the smoke from Canada changed that really quick. With kiddos at home that are just "sooo bored", a quick Google search of indoor activities lead me to a Insectropolis. There's plenty to look at and learn at this little...dare I say, hidden bug gem. Do you know the difference between poisonous and venomous bugs? I do, thanks to Noah, the young man that did a stellar presentation. Did you know that you've likely eaten bugs without knowing it? Mmm lobster rolls. Check it out. You won't be disappointed.

Lots of bugs!!! Was a great place to check out the local bug community. Had live bugs to pet and a…read moreprogram to let you know about different kinds of insects millipedes, cockroaches, & tarantula. Very knowledgeable staff to answer your questions.

Ive long been a fan of John F Peto's work. I was glad to be able to finally stop by. The docent…read morewas informative and charming. The staff were super friendly and the small house-museum has some remarkable pieces of art to blend in with the location of where they were created. It's a great stop if you are in the area. Learn more about this great story and support them with a ticket sale!

John F. Peto (1854-1907) was raised in Philadelphia, where he studied and exhibited art. He…read morespecialized in still-life trompe l'oeil ("fool the eye") paintings of ordinary objects. Near Toms River, NJ, a Methodist Camp Meeting Association was established in Island Heights in 1879. Peto's aunts would stay there during the summer. Peto visited them and played cornet in the local band. Peto married and decided to settle with his wife Christine in Island Heights in 1889, building a home and studio at 102 Cedar Avenue. His only child, daughter Helen, was born in 1893. He continued to paint, working in relative obscurity, until dying at age 54 of kidney disease. Then, his wife, daughter, and eventually granddaughter ran the house as a bed and breakfast. The house fell into a state of disrepair. However, a beautiful restoration of the house, studio, and gardens was completed in 2011. It is open to the public Saturday and Sunday afternoons from 1 to 4 pm. The admission is $10. for adults, which is really a small donation to maintain this historic artist's house. A volunteer docent takes visitors through the house. Our guide, Harry, was excellent: very knowledgeable about the house, Peto, the community, and art in general. The house features artwork by Peto, original palettes, historic photographs, period furniture, and artifacts original to the house. While touring the rooms, one gets to see a special exhibition (eg. summer 2017 watercolors and oils by Grabach and Gasser, underappreciated realist painters from Newark both of whom died in 1981). The tour ends in the studio, the heart of this home. Then, one may view a video about Peto and this house. The gardens are lovely too and there are music programs scheduled there during the summer. Check their website for changing exhibitions and programs. This place is a treat. GO!

A wonderful community art center located at Ocean county college with a theater for performances &…read moreart galleries for paintings. Great addition to the art community, very nicely appointed Center for the arts. Four generations of my family have put on an art show together which includes painted bird carvings from my grandfather, watercolors and oil paintings from my father, pen and ink illustrations from my sister, and pen and ink illustrations from my niece. The staff at the art center is so incredibly friendly and helpful and spent hours helping us put the show together and display all of this art. It's easy to park and walk right into this art center if you are a senior citizen. There's an elevator to take you to the top floor, and the theater is a large size for performances with comfortable seating. Very impressive community arts center located at Ocean county college!

Intimate theatre on the grounds of Ocean County College in Toms River…read more Only 460 seats: 260 downstairs and 200 in balcony. So everyone has a great view. Lighting and sound system are good. They get some good shows: Joan Osborne 10/14/17, Arlo Guthrie 11/9/17, etc. Tickets are reasonably priced and parking is free and near the theatre.

Back again for a terrific performance of MISERY. Having read the book, seen the movie and discussed…read moreit with Kathy Bates, I can definitely say that the performance was top shelf. I was impressed with the set(s) and the way in which they were able to effectively convey you through the story. There were only three individuals involved in the play (unless you count the two individuals tasked with rotating the set) and they did a great job. While Lex Friedman and Mike D'Altrui gave their all to their parts, Pamela Wilterdink was the absolute star of the show! The theatre itself is quite nice - small and clean with a nice concession stand. The popcorn was very tasty and a nice touch.

Great Shows. Kind Staff. Nice Facilities. Highly Recommend! It is right in the heart of Manasquan…read morewith plenty of free parking.

Doing a random search online yesterday, an article about the Hindenburg's history caught my…read moreattention. The Lakehurst Historical Society is operated out at an old converted church built by Irish Railroad workers. It's considered the oldest Roman Catholic Church in Ocean County where the stations of the cross are still present. My partner and I got a chance to meet several staff. One of them was Bill Schmidt who conducted the talk about the Hindenburg air ship disaster and was excellent. He gave us the detailed account about the airship, its crew and passengers. A one-way ticket from Frankfurt, Germany to Lakehurst, NJ back in 1936 took 2 1/2 days at the cost $400. This would be a great start for those history buffs especially on the air ships.

Popped in to learn something about the Hindenburg disaster and happened across an entertaining and…read moreinformative lecture presented by Bill.

Ambiance is great featuring the history of pine lands music…read more The acts we saw were very good. The admission fee is modest. The one big problem is the food. It's very inexpensive but you get what you pay for. Quality was not even up to mediocre. I would rather pay a few bucks extra and receive something edible.

This is a weekly live country/ folk music venue with several local musicians performing per show.read more

InfoAge is an interesting museum covering multiple aspects of technology with an intersection of…read moremilitary and railroad history. It's a unique place. VCF East is held at the museum annually, which was the reason for my visit.

Awesome museum. A must see if you visit the area and like…read morescience-radio- astronomy-local history. Very dedicated volunteers. A

Friday night was my first time at Jersey Shore Paint Party. It was a great experience and I can't…read morewait to go back for another craft night. Michelle was our host and she was very nice and willing to help. When you walk in you pick your seats and start collecting your supplies (colored sea glass for the tree). The one thing that could use improvement is explain everything upfront since everyone works at a different pace. Also, explain how the decorations are affixed. I glued down my lights but didn't realize there were beads that can be strung on them. That's why explaining upfront would help any confusion. Overall, it was a great time and a BYOB event.

Visiting my brother stationed here for Thanksgiving. My bf and I booked a glass blowing class here…read morelast minute. Would recommend to all ages, wish we would've brought my grandparents! The instructor, Michelle, was super helpful and insightful. Clear directions. We left with lots of ornaments and good memories. Thank you again!