Things to do / Travel Guide
Address:Island Beach State Park, New Jersey
Explore a ten mile barrier island between the Atlantic and historic Barnegat Bay, one of the state's last significant remnants of a barrier island ecosystem that once existed along the coast! Today, Island Beach State Park has white sandy beaches open for swimming, sunbathing, fishing and picnicking along with miles of sand dunes which serve as habitat to maritime flora and fauna, reminiscent of how they were thousands of years ago. Families can explore thicket, wetlands, maritime forest and tidal marshes and see the state's largest osprey colony, plus peregrine falcons, shorebirds, waterfowl, wading birds and migrating songbirds. Nature-loving kids have the opportunity to enroll in summer programs like Tour the Beach, where they can search for shells and learn about marine habitats, or Seine the Bay, where they can use a seine net to catch a variety of local marine life. Island Beach does have modern bathhouses and lifeguards (from mid-June through Labor Day), plus bike paths and trails to enjoy and two refreshment pavilions for snacks and fast food. Visitors are welcome to picnic on the beach; grills may be used south of the designated bathing area, a minimum of 50 feet east of the dunes. Do note that parking spaces are limited during the summer, so arrive early on hot, summer days for maximum beach time fun!