This center was adorable. I went on a play date with my daughter and her 5 friends , ages 10 months…read moreto 4 years old and it was perfect for them. When you enter you add a donation & go on your way. All the rooms are themed. It was a small center we were in and out within 30 min but they had a blast. As we were leaving there was a field trip from a school coming in. The kids looked about 10 years old. They quickly visited the center then headed for the canoes. I will definitely visit again before summer ends.

Beautiful, relaxing, quiet get away spot…read more There is something to be said about Jersey and the beautiful parks, reservoirs, acres and acres of trees and paths you can enjoy anytime of the year. Manasquan Reservoir is definitely my go to place for my weekly exercise, walking my pup and in general getting "lost" in my thoughts while I sit on one of the many benches donated for visitors to sit and watch the ripples of the water. As you walk along the few paths you see people out for their daily jog, power walking, biking or just leisurely strolling with their dogs. (on a leash of course). Mom groups with baby strollers, kids on nature walks with their school, its seriously just a wonderful place you can visit for free. I especially like that it is about 7 miles around from beginning to end and has lots of spots to rest and catch your breath. Because the summer can be warm and muggy here in NJ I try to do my walks early AM like everyone else- no joke its can get muggy nasty here..... in the fall and winter even with the cold air or light snow is not a problem I'll walk anytime. Hubby joins me on my walks and afterwards it's off to Meemon's for breakfast There are "johnny on the spot" bathrooms and I have yet to use one- but I see the staff cleaning them now and again. I just use the rest room in the visitor center- which by the way- the visitor is somewhere you should bring the kids, really informative and fun.

This park is filled with wonderful treasures! They have held so much within this park, I don't know…read morewhere to begin but I will say, there is something for everyone! They have a great field for baseball. Please note, Freehold Little League is held here so if there is a game, parking will be hard. They also have many playgrounds for kids. They seem to have themed playgrounds so that if you are meeting other parents, just say, "we'll convene at the blue or pirate ship playground" and everyone will find it. They have a fenced in skateboard ramps for tweens and up which I personally think is a fabulous idea. The ramps are spaced and curved only for skateboards. Longboards should definitely stay only on the paved paths where they belong. Speaking of trails, their trails are mixed between paved and dirt. You can safely go on a light walking trail here either solo or as you are walking your dogs. They also provide a few stations with plastic bags for the owners to clean up after their dogs. They also have basketball courts, dog runs, picnic areas, a spray ground on hot summer's days and my favorite, a sports field with obstacle courses. Perfect for the bigger kids with lots of energy and to build coordination. I went in March where things are just somewhat starting to bloom. I can only imagine the splendor in late June where everything will be fully bloomed and the grass will be lush. I look forward to revisiting this park, especially when it's Freehold Township Day where there will be plenty of fireworks, rides and the Vets car show!

FREEHOLD: Take your dog for a walk on the fitness trail that loops around the park for about 3…read moremiles and alternates between pavement and dirt with views of baseball and soccer fields and plenty of greenery. The path is mostly flat with a mix of sunny and shady areas with water fountains to cool down. Also, check out the baseball field on the east side of the park that is popular for some off-leash play in a fenced area (be sure to make sure all gates are shut).

This is my family's favorite spot for a leisure stroll. We'd almost always come for a walk when the…read moreweather is nice, especially after a big meal. It allows for all sorts of activities in a compact 71 acre space. This is also a great spot to view the fall foliage. There are 2 entrances. The main entrance is off Pond Rd. There is a side entrance off Robertsville Rd but that parking lot can accommodate only about half a dozen cars. A typical walk is a round trip from between the 2 entrances and you'll rack up about 2 miles. There is an excursion trail around the outside boundaries of the park beginning at the Robertsville entrance. With that you can make up 3 miles which was what I used to do when I was training for the varsity cross-country team. The pond is good for boating and fishing and is stocked with trout every year. The playground is right by the pond and is a great photo spot for your kids. There is a stage and a nice-sized pavilion in front of it. Perfect for a summer concert or play. There are benches and picnic tables throughout. In my most recent visit (Oct'21) I was pleasantly surprised to find that they've added a large number of brand new benches and picnic tables made with recycled material. Also, the parking lot at the main entrance has been redone and doubled the capacity. For these surprises I'm bumping the rating up to 5 stars. PS. If you're into mountain biking, I'll let you in on a local secret. There is a technical course adjacent to the southeast side of the park and you can access it at the end of Brookwood Dr.

Definitely not the best maintained park in the area but still a hidden gem. Tucked away just behind…read morethe hustle and bustle on route 9 lies this picturesque little park. There is something for everyone to enjoy here. Bring your canoes or kayaks. There is a boat launch near the entrance. You can fish here, the lake is stocked with fish. We have yet to catch anything but plants and a snapping turtle. There is a nice trail along the lake to walk or bike. There is a little playground too but this is probably the worst maintained area of the park. There are no bathrooms here but there are porta potties. Every time I've been here when it's warm the ice cream truck has come in here. Other than that there are no concession stands. Just pack a lunch and enjoy at one of the picnic tables.

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.

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.

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 !

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.