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Smarty Jones
Citizen
Username: Birdstone
Post Number: 933
Registered: 10-2005
| | Posted on Friday, July 14, 2006 - 9:40 am: | 
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We're looking for nice beach, EASY parking, etc. etc. No need for boardwalk or anything, just looking for the most convenient/cheapest Morning Hop this weekend for a 9 AM - Noon Beach getaway for the family. |
mim
Citizen
Username: Mim
Post Number: 635
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Friday, July 14, 2006 - 9:44 am: |
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Seven Presidents in Long Branch is quite close, an hour tops if traffic is light. No boardwalk, just a hotdog stand and the beach. |
Lucy
Supporter
Username: Lucy
Post Number: 4683
Registered: 5-2005
| | Posted on Friday, July 14, 2006 - 9:49 am: |
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Not that far and beyond easy to park! |
Smarty Jones
Citizen
Username: Birdstone
Post Number: 934
Registered: 10-2005
| | Posted on Friday, July 14, 2006 - 10:00 am: |
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How would going to Seven Presidents compare vs. going to Sandy Hook?
What does 'easy to park' entail? I'm completely unfamiliar with the town/beach, but it's sounding perfect.... |
Projects Dude
Citizen
Username: Quakes
Post Number: 173
Registered: 3-2004
| | Posted on Friday, July 14, 2006 - 10:04 am: |
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Spring Lake is nice. It's a pretty long stretch of beach that's very family-friendly. They charge you to get on the beach which helps to keep the rifraff away. |
Hank Zona
Supporter
Username: Hankzona
Post Number: 5897
Registered: 3-2002
| | Posted on Friday, July 14, 2006 - 12:28 pm: |
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no rifraff? I'll skip that beach then. |
Keywest
Citizen
Username: Keywest
Post Number: 159
Registered: 2-2004
| | Posted on Friday, July 14, 2006 - 12:48 pm: |
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I love Ocean Grove. Tried Sandy Hook with our 2yo, but the walk out to the beach was unbearably long and hot. Ocean Grove you drive up, park (get there early), buy beach passes and plunk on the sand...and there is a boardwalk as well. The hour it took to trek with a toddler, gear.... on Sandy Hook to the beach would have been better spent driving the extra distance to Ocean Grove. |
jet
Citizen
Username: Jet
Post Number: 1162
Registered: 7-2001
| | Posted on Friday, July 14, 2006 - 12:55 pm: |
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Ocean Grove is actually a shorter drive than Sandy Hook. |
Smarty Jones
Citizen
Username: Birdstone
Post Number: 937
Registered: 10-2005
| | Posted on Friday, July 14, 2006 - 1:04 pm: |
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What is the parking situation at Ocean Grove? Is it obvious? How about Bathroom facilities/ refreshments? |
jet
Citizen
Username: Jet
Post Number: 1163
Registered: 7-2001
| | Posted on Friday, July 14, 2006 - 1:24 pm: |
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Parking will be difficult in OG tommorow AM . The next town south is Bradley Beach there are meterd spots along the beach , they cost 25 cents per 15 min , hence there are spots early . There is a change machine along the Bwalk , there is also a childrens play area & a minature golf place. Food & Bathrooms are also there. The next town south is Avon - by- the- sea parking is free in the town , there are facilities there also , better beach for kids go near the inlet , the jetty provides a natual pool for kids . Both of these places are 52 to 55 miles from Mwood take GSP to Exit 100B to route 33E till it ends @ route 71 go left for OG go right for Bradley or Avon , have fun . |
Hank Zona
Supporter
Username: Hankzona
Post Number: 5899
Registered: 3-2002
| | Posted on Friday, July 14, 2006 - 1:56 pm: |
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one more suggestion...Seawatch Beach in Manasquan. Its a small beach tucked away near the Coast Guard Tower. There is a small diner/food shack and facilities...a private parking lot right behind the diner ($20 on weekends/half that on a weekday), municipal parking lots a block away in either direction ($10 on the weekend) and if you are the beach early enough, you have a very good chance of finding free on street parking, even on the weekend. Another nice thing about the beach is that there is a good sized sandbar, so depending on the tide, the kids can safely go a good distance out (and you with them). Then on the way out of town, you can stop at the East Main St. Trattoria, opened by a former Maplewoodian and Village Trattoria employee, or hit the Manasquan outlets (or hop over to Belmar and eat out on the deck overlooking the inlet at Klein's..one of the best no frills seafood places in NJ). |
BGS
Supporter
Username: Bgs
Post Number: 1142
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Friday, July 14, 2006 - 1:56 pm: |
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OG is going to be jammed all weekend...it is the Victorian Homes tour on Saturday and on Sunday it is the choir festival when Methodists and such from all over the country converge on the Grove for a joint musical offering...
OG beaches are closed until noon on Sundays so that everyone can go to church first.
It is a wonderful place but if you have never been there, this is not the weekend to do it...
Avon is wonderful for families and children...read jet's post...it is the best...
Ciao!
BGS |
Nohero
Supporter
Username: Nohero
Post Number: 5622
Registered: 10-1999
| | Posted on Friday, July 14, 2006 - 3:23 pm: |
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If you are willing to go a little further, you should try Island Beach State Park.
You go down to exit 82 on the Parkway, then east on Route 37 to Seaside, and south a few miles to the park entrance.
There's a website with park info here - http://www.state.nj.us/dep/parksandforests/parks/island.html
Basically, it's just beach, with sand dunes. There are two large parking areas, and two large bathroom/changing room buildings.
When the kids were little, we would just hop in the car first thing on Saturday morning, drive about an hour to the parkway exit, grab some breakfast at one of the various places along the highway heading to Seaside, and then hit the beach.
The changing room buildings make this really easy to do with kids. If you're planning to leave the beach in the early afternoon, you can shower, change into fresh clothes, and maybe even stop off at the Seaside boardwalk before heading back north. |
soresident
Citizen
Username: Soresident
Post Number: 402
Registered: 10-2001
| | Posted on Friday, July 14, 2006 - 6:23 pm: |
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Re: Seven President's "easy to park" question. There are two large lots right there in front of beach, you pay as you enter at a security-type booth (sorry, don't remember how much). There's a stand to get limited food, drinks, ice cream, picnic tables and some shade. There are bathroom/dressing rooms combos. Outside shower to rinse off sand. Swings plus on both sides of the central stand/facilities. |
Smarty Jones
Citizen
Username: Birdstone
Post Number: 940
Registered: 10-2005
| | Posted on Friday, July 14, 2006 - 7:42 pm: |
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OK...change of plans...rather than an early morning run, we've decided to do a 4 PM - 7 PM evening run.....anybody have a sense how traffic/crowds will be at that time of day? |
John Caffrey
Citizen
Username: Jerseyjack
Post Number: 368
Registered: 11-2005
| | Posted on Friday, July 14, 2006 - 8:29 pm: |
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Traffic will be a disaster on the parkway due to casino jaunts.
Consider either Turnpike to exit 9
Ex 9 to rt 18, south. This becomes rt 9 south and get off at Long Branch.
(OR
Catch rt 35 at tht rt 1 intersection in woodbridge and take it south.
That gets you Spring lake or several other ocean front communities that were mentioned in above posts.
JC
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Tom Reingold
Supporter
Username: Noglider
Post Number: 15018
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Friday, July 14, 2006 - 9:23 pm: |
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I think Sandy Hook would be better if you're headed there in the afternoon. Take the GSP to exit 117 and take Rt 36 from there. Follow the brown signs. The ride on 36 is long and annoying, but there shouldn't be much traffic. (Famous last words.)
Sandy Hook is a national park, so no boardwalk, no stupid carnival atmosphere, or anything. And you can go to the bay if you or your kids prefer.
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Boomie
Citizen
Username: Boomie
Post Number: 403
Registered: 7-2005
| | Posted on Friday, July 14, 2006 - 10:38 pm: |
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SANDY HOOK! Immaculately clean, great facilities, $10 per carload to park and only 50 mins away. |
Smarty Jones
Citizen
Username: Birdstone
Post Number: 941
Registered: 10-2005
| | Posted on Sunday, July 16, 2006 - 8:31 am: |
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Can you believe we're still undecided?? Leaning toward Sandy hook this time around and going to do 7 presidents when we have an early morning opportunity.....Tom/anyone, is there backway (non GSP) route to Sandy Hook? Does Sandy Hook have any snack bar options and restrooms?
Anyone have experience with the evening crowds there? |
Tom Reingold
Supporter
Username: Noglider
Post Number: 15058
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, July 16, 2006 - 8:39 am: |
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There's a back way, but I'm not sure it will save you a lot. I wouldn't fear traffic this afternoon heading south.
Find a way to catch Rt 35 in Perth Amboy. You do have a map, don't you? Take that to Hazlet and then catch Rt 36.
Sandy Hook has six beaches, alphabetized, from A to G, and skipping E. I don't remember the names, but watch for the pattern. Some of them have snack bars. I think C does, but you'll figure it out. They all have restrooms but some are a longer walk from the beach than others.
Gunnison Beach (beach G) has a "clothing optional" section with a warning sign. You may want to go there if your kids are under seven or eight. Above that, and they won't want to go.
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