Sandy hook beach: A perfect getaway in Summers for the people of NJ

For the people living in New Jersey, going to the beautiful beaches of NJ is a must getaway for weekends. Living near-by Jersey shore, how can someone avoid the sand and the water? But for those living in north NJ (like me), it is not always easy to plan a trip all the way down to the south Jersey beaches like Long Beach Island.

So Sandyhook beach is a good option for us

The seven-mile stretch of spectacular ocean and bay beaches are excellent for surf casting, swimming, and relaxing on the sand. For the bike and hike lovers, there are number of trails to enjoy and explore, where they can find 300+ species of migratory birds and lovely forest.

You got your sun, sand and surf. What more can you ask for? Sandy Hook is huge with multiple beaches on both, the ocean and bayside of the peninsula. If you drive all the way up, you can bump into some old war barracks as well as the active fort for the United States Coast Guard. There's fishing areas, trails to run/bike on, sunbathing beaches and New Jersey's only nude beach (it’s true although I missed it due to time constraints)

You can spend your day here indulging in many interesting activities and few of them are:

1.) History tour

If you plan to visit Sandyhook beach and interested in nature walk and history tours, we recommend you to take a walk around Fort Hancock historic walk. The Sandy Hook Lighthouse, Keepers' Quarters and Barn are open seven days a week.

2.) Beaches

Sandyhook has multiple beaches on both, the ocean and bayside. Your pets are allowed on the bayside beaches, but they must be leashed everytime. Lifeguards are available only on the ocean side beaches from 10am to 6pm from Memorial Day through Labor Day.

3.) Fishing

Surf fishing is permitted at all the beaches except when the lifeguards are not at duty or the area of the beach is closed due to one or the other reason. Salt water fishing in NJ requires permit from the state of New Jersey. Registration is free.

4.) Biking

The seven mile long stretch can be covered with bike as well. Bring your own bike or you can rent a bike and enjoy the complete path on your bike starting from the entrance till the Fort Hancock. Please stay on your side of the yellow line while biking.

5.) Boating and Kayaking

Non-motorized boats can be launched from beach C and Horseshoe cove. Windsurfing and kite-boating can be done smoothly on the bay across from the beach C. Kayak and Standup Paddleboard rentals are available at Beach C Bayside.

6.) Camping and Picnic

Overnight tent camping is available at Sandyhook. You can visit their site for booking info. The North Beach Observation Deck has tables and a view of New York Harbor. Guardian Park has picnic tables, shelters and grills. Grilling is only permitted at Guardian Park in Fort Hancock.

Tickets and fare

Although there is no entrance fee to Sandy Hook, there is a $15.00 per car parking fee. If you come often enough, its worth purchasing a season pass for $75.

Connectivity

Sandyhook beach is easily accessible by ferry from Manhattan to New Jersey. You can easily reach there by car as well.

Food

There are food trucks and beverage machines available on the ocean shore beaches. No food, restrooms and parking is available on the bayside beaches. You can also bring your own food here.

Stay

If you want to experience the skyline of the New York and indulge into authentic seafood and nightlife, you should stay at the Highland. Number of good hotels are available there. You can also try Airbnb for homelike stay.

Explorerlens Gyan

1.) If you are planning to go on weekends, please reach there early in the morning else the parking slots may get full and you have to go back (doors may close). We recommend going on the weekdays since it is less crowded in those days.

2.) Bring you own food, picnic tables, beach towel and some games to play at the beach if you plan to spend the complete day there. Don’t forget to keep you sunscreen and hats as well.

3.)There are number of beaches to explore (including nude beach) so plan your trip accordingly. We recommend to explore the complete area in two days to have a relaxed and fun trip.