Awesome park that's kept incredibly clean! The splash pad for the kids is well-maintained, free to…read moreuse, and open seasonally. There's a small playset with a fun rope-climbing area, plus a short walking path along the bay where you'll often see people crabbing off the dock. The park has plenty of picnic space with barbecue grills, as well as clean public restrooms. It's also an amazing spot to catch both the sunrise and sunset!

A small but experience-packed park. It's right on the water (views, but no swimming) with a…read moresheltered pavilion, grills, fishing, crab cleaning stations ( yes, you can crab here), bring your corn hole bags to try out the granite "boards", a mini spray park and unique playground experiences. A very different park.

Amazing park! Children's park, boat launch ramp, and fishing peer. The people there are very…read morefriendly and the views are amazing

Mantoloking Bridge Pier Park and Fishing Pier is a haven for outdoor enthusiasts. With ample…read moreparking available, accessing the park is hassle-free. The fishing pier offers breathtaking views and a serene atmosphere, perfect for a relaxing day out. Whether you're an avid angler or simply seeking tranquility by the water, this park delivers an unforgettable experience. With its convenient location and picturesque setting, Mantoloking Bridge Pier Park is a gem worth visiting time and time again. Crabbing here always yields results and to the North is Point pleasant and to the South Toms River/Seaside so if you want to hit the shore and dine driving is easy, access from Rt. 35 or off 70 From Brick, a nice way to spend an afternoon and there are restrooms on site.

Trixies is your one stop marina crabbing is great the employees are fantastic and Bob the owner…read moreis the best you're treated like family literally the best in the area

Nice place. Not fancy or expensive, but nice. Old school jersey shore, where folks are friendly and…read morewatch out for each other. My friend kept his cat here and it was always a pleasant place to visit.

Love this place! Different entrances, beautiful scenery and wildlife, very well maintained. Great…read moretrails, nice place to be in touch with nature & our dog loves it as much as we do. Warning--it's very wet after snow & rain.

My favorite place to walk through. So peaceful and well maintained. Occasional water views and easy…read moreto follow trails.

I'm generally not an advocate of hiking in the rain (or really whenever anything is falling from…read morethe sky), but this is definitely the place to do it if you're going to. The Millennial Chum and I made our Pine Barrens hiking debut here this past Saturday, which was rainy and hovering in the high 40s. Our itinerary was very straight-forward - it was an 8.5-mile hike along the white trail (my ye olde pre-Sandy NJ hiking book identifies it as the Penns Hill Trail, but the website for Wells Mills cites it as the Macri trail; regardless, it's the white one), which is basically one giant loop circling Wells Mills Lake, though it veers much further west than that at several points. Our book claimed this would take four to five hours, which we thought was a ridiculous overestimate and was - we did this in a little over three hours, though we're both in good shape and really didn't stop. We were both enormously impressed by the facilities and trail markings here. The Nature Center at the beginning of the hike looks and is pretty spiffy, with a toasty, clean bathroom and helpful kiosks with maps to grab (handheld maps are not a given in this day and age). They DID run out of hand soap, but I think any of us would take a warm, functioning indoor plumbing situation over what we usually have to deal with. There was one time late in the hike when we stopped to peer around for the next marking, but we literally found it about five seconds later. Given that a lot of the trails overlap, turn and often cut into or across non-hiking fire trails, I thought they did a great job denoting the specific routes. I expected the entire hike to be flat, which is my general/uninformed impression of the Pine Barrens, but it actually had a few ups and downs over dune-like, woody hills, especially in the first two miles. Nothing crazy, and while we stopped for a few water breaks at the top of those mounds, we never felt obligated to pause to catch our breaths. I'm at a point in 2023 where I'm gauging the strenuousness of an activity based on what my Fitbit says, and it claimed I had no zone moments, which is essentially high cardio activity. So take that for what you will. Regardless, I think this is also a selling point, as I've actually been reluctant to hike around here due to the lack of terrain; definitely adds some character. The viewpoint situation was not my favorite. On a rainy day like this, you're treated to an X-files-esque view of a lake right at the beginning, complete with Vancouver-like pine trees (if you know, you know), but this is not a hike where you're going to end up looking out over anything; even the tops of the hills are in the middle of the woods, so you're just looking at the same trees you were looking at when you were at the bottom, just...higher. The other downside (depending on your perspective) is that this is probably the best kind of weather for the Pine Barrens in many ways, but it's hazardous. This hike has many boardwalks throughout the damper/swampier areas, but they get very slippery when it's rainy. I don't believe either of us legit lost our footing but we both hollered, 'Careful!' a lot. I'd recommend some tread on the hindpaws. I suspect due mostly to the weather, the wildlife and canine chum situations were terrible. We saw a pooch in the parking lot getting ready for a walk, but never encountered one during the entire 8.5 miles (and only saw a miserable-looking boy scout troop and two other people). Hopefully others have better luck. There was also a bright pink port-a-potty about halfway through right where the trail brushes up against the scout reservation, so if nature calls and you're trying to avoid direct body contact with pine needles dot dot dot. A lot of the hiking intangibles are here, so it's hard not to recommend this for just about anyone, regardless of skill level. It's not the kind of hike I'd do for a real workout, but to just get some fresh air and steps in? It's a nice change of pace if you're in the area.

Wells Mills County Park is the largest county park in Ocean County. It's substantial actually. It…read moreactually feels more like a state park because the trails are longer and more involved. There's no admission fee to enter, which is great. You can just hang out closer to the main entrance by the lake. You can also go down the trails for just a little bit and come back. So, it can be what do you make of it. They have trails of all different lengths, however. The trails interconnect, so you can "cheat" and don't have to go down the full length of them. The green trail takes about an hour and a half to walk around. The white trail is windier and a little bit more scenic. The white trail also goes down much closer to the lake and through the cedar or swamp next to the lake. The yellow trail is very long. I've been on parts of it, but I've heard that it's relatively boring. One day I will want to walk the whole distance of it because it's close to 10 miles long. While most parks in Ocean County tend to be flat like a pancake, there's a little bit more elevation here. Some parts of the green and white trail would be easy to moderately difficult. But the trails are well blazed, and it's not terrible. Be careful because the trail map that I found online is old, and they have since updated it. When you come in there's a board that has a map posted. You can pick up an updated trail map there. It's also recommended that you sign in if you are going to be hiking for a distance. You don't want to get stuck in there and have the gates close on you. It's for your safety. There is a canoe launching dock on the lake, as well. When my friend comes next summer, who is a big kayaker, then I'll try it out. But I mostly go just for exercise and to go on the trails now. The park has a very safe feel, and I feel comfortable walking there. People generally say hi to you when you pass them on the trail. The only thing you need to worry about is ticks that may cause Lyme disease. So, make sure that you check for ticks, and take a shower as soon as you get home from there.

TOMS RIVER: Riverfront Landing County Park offers a gorgeous view of the Toms River (yes, it…read morereally exists!) and is a great spot to reflect at the memorials, watch boats sail by, and have a picnic on the lawn. There is no parking, so you will have to find a spot somewhere in town and walk over to the park. There is also a cool staircase across the street that goes into the police station parking lot.

Great beach! Spend the day here with friends and family. Lifeguards on duty and it is $10.00 per…read moreperson. Beach is super clean, sand is soft waves are cool. I highly recommend!

This is a great family beach!!! Far enough away from the boardwalk that it's not overrun with…read morepedestrian traffic. The season pass prices are very reasonable. Everyone is very friendly, and the beach is also kept very clean. I love being able to see my toes in the water while standing in front the ocean. :) The beach is one of my favorite places.

We have been in the area TWENTY YEARS and only stopped at this place recently! (This review is for…read morethe cafe at Dock Outfitters, by the way.) What a cute little luncheonette! We stopped by this cafe for breakfast after church on Sunday, and it did not disappoint. First thing you should know - the cafe is located upstairs from the bait and tackle shop. On the first level, there is a little counter with about four seats that you can use to eat (as well as picnic tables outside), but upstairs they have a little seating area with spectacular views of the bay. There are only about nine tables, so the place is not very big. We waited a few minutes for a table to be cleared off, which we didn't mind. They serve breakfast all day and the menu is quite solid, especially for being a little roadside eatery that's attached to a dock. It was also pleasantly surprising to see that they had specials for the day, too! The food was hot, tasty, and reasonably priced. All of the staff were super friendly, too! Not to mention...we were able to enjoy brunch overlooking the gorgeous Barnegat Bay. What more can you ask for? We'll definitely be returning here for more!

We had an awesome experience renting a pontoon boat from Dock Outfitters. From the moment we walked…read morein, the staff was incredibly friendly, welcoming, and patient. You can tell they genuinely want you to have a great day on the water. They took the time to walk us through everything, answered all our questions, and made sure we felt comfortable and confident before heading out. The boat itself was in fantastic condition. Clean, well-maintained, and clearly cared for. It ran perfectly all day, which made the whole experience relaxing instead of stressful. There's nothing better than knowing you're on a safe, reliable boat so you can just enjoy being out on the bay. One of the biggest surprises was how convenient everything was. Having the café right there is such a great touch. We grabbed coffee and breakfast before heading out and came back to food and drinks waiting for us. It made the whole day feel easy and seamless. If you're looking for a pontoon rental at the Jersey Shore, this is the place. Great people, great boats, and a really fun, laid-back vibe. We'll definitely be back.