Life’s A Beach

There’s no better place to escape daily life, clear your head and relax than at the beach. Luckily, we live a quick car ride away from pristine beaches—some with bustling boardwalks, others more suited for those seeking peace and quiet. So grab your lounge chairs, slather on that sunscreen and get outside.

ALLENHURST

Description: This beach club has perks for members (pool access, cabanas etc.), but nonmembers are given access to all beach amenities with the purchase of a daily pass, which includes bathrooms and showers. It’s a serene beach quieter than some of its neighbors, and also has an ocean-view restaurant. Don’t miss the annual Allenhurst Labor Day Weekend tradition where the ocean is dyed green—the borough has been doing this since 1943. Beach fees: For non-members, club fees are $10 daily for adults; children ages 12 and under are free. Beach parking: Free street parking Pets: No pets allowed. For more information, call 732.531.2700.

ASBURY PARK

Description: Come play on the beach with family and stroll down the streets that inspired The Boss himself. With iconic music venues, art galleries and buildings in Victorian, Gothic, Federal Revival and other styles, Asbury Park has something for everyone. Beach fees: $6 daily for adults (Monday–Friday), $9 weekends and holidays, free for 12 and under as well as active military members and veterans with military ID. Beach parking: Payable at kiosk or via ParkMobile app Pets: Dogs are allowed on the 8th Avenue Dog Beach from September through mid-May, 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. only. For more information, call 732.502.8863.

AVON-BY-THE-SEA

Description: This family-oriented town has a little bit of everything, from quaint, Victorianesque bed and breakfasts to a boardwalk with live music and street fairs. Want to do more than just sit and tan? You can surf or boat at Woodland Avenue and East End Avenue beaches. Beach fees: $10 per person for ages 12 and older. Passes must be purchased through the Viply app. Beach parking: Free street parking Pets: Pets are only allowed in the off-season, October through May. For more information, call 732.502.4510

BELMAR

Description: This family friendly beach stretches 1.2 miles and features a small boardwalk with food and refreshment vendors. Additional eateries and taverns are located less than a mile away on Main Street. Want a cute date idea or something for the kids? Check out 9th Ave. Pier for mini golf. Beach fees: $10 daily for adults, free for 13 and under, active military members and veterans. Passes must be purchased before arriving at the booth at belmarbeachbadges.com. Beach parking: Payable via ParkMobile app for beachfront; free on side streets. Pets: Prohibited on the beach until October. For more information, call 732.681.3700

BRADLEY BEACH

Description: Those looking to escape the Jersey Shore crowds will find solace at Bradley Beach, which has a serene boardwalk with shops and restaurants. Patrons can also walk, bike ride or jog along the boardwalk, and fishing is permitted at certain spots along the water. Meanwhile, tots will enjoy the amenities here too, including a bevy of playgrounds set up for the 4-and-younger set. Beach fees: $12 for adults; kids 11 and under are free. Admission is free for active military members and their spouses, and well as for veterans with proper ID. Beach parking: Parking pay stations are located throughout the town; it’s $1.50 an hour from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Pets: Dogs are only permitted on the beach, boardwalk or promenade from Oct. 1 through May 15. For more information, call 732.776.2999 ext. 3310

DEAL

Description: There are two options for beachgoers in deal; Conover Pavilion, the main public beach, or Deal Casino Beach Club, which is a private club with pool and beach access. There’s no boardwalk in town, but it’s perfect for a relaxing day at the shore if you won’t miss all the hustle and bustle. Beach fees: For Conover Pavilion, fees are $10 for weekday admission or $12 for weekends and holidays; children under 12 are free. Beach parking: Free street parking Pets: No pets allowed. For more information, call 732.531.0404

LOCH ARBOUR

Description: Loch Arbour is small, spanning just two long blocks and one-tenth of a square mile. But this quaint Jersey beach, arguably the tiniest in Monmouth County, is small but mighty, and offers great views of Asbury Park without the traffic and crowds. Stop by the Village Beach Club for refreshments, a snack and a bathroom break. Beach fees: $10 per person Monday-Thursday; $12 on Friday through Sunday and holidays. Beach parking: Most streets offer free parking, but there are a few streets near Ocean Place that require meters. Pets: 8th Avenue Dog Beach in Asbury Park is at the border of Loch Arbour, at which dogs are allowed after September. For more information, call 732.531.4740

LONG BRANCH

Description: Long Branch is a bustling shore town with a lot to offer, including the Pier Village promenade (and home to New Jersey’s biggest July 4th celebration, OceanFest), tons of beachfront restaurants and shops and two miles of boardwalk starting at Seven Presidents Beach, a 38-acre beach park for sand and surf. Beach fees: $5 on weekdays, $7 for weekends and holidays. Teens ages 14-17 are $3 every day, and kids under 13, seniors over age 62, military members, veterans and disabled individuals are always free. Beach parking: You may luck out and find free parking on a side street, but the parking lot where most beachgoers park is $10 for the day on weekends. Pier Village has free but limited parking too. Pets: No pets permitted. For more information, call 732.222.7000 Above, from left: The pier at Belmar is a popular destination for shutterbugs, especially during sunrise; Asbury Park’s boardwalk includes games, amusements, shops and plenty of food to keep everyone entertained during summer.

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MANASQUAN

Description: Mile-long Manasquan beach is a clean, well-maintained beach for the whole family. Main Beach has food and an arcade, while active types will find plenty to do (like surf or fish) at Manasquan Inlet. Beach fees: $10 for everyone ages 12 and over; veterans and active military personnel and their families are free. Beach parking: Manasquan Beach offers free on-street parking. Alternatively, there are five municipal lots that, if you’re not a season pass holder, require a nominal daily fee of $10 on weekdays or $15 for weekends and holidays. Pets: Leashed dogs are only permitted on the beach (but not on the boardwalk) in the off-season of October to April. You can, however, bring your furry friend to Fisherman’s Cove Conservation, a riverfront park with a small dog-friendly beach area. For more information, call 732.223.2514

MONMOUTH BEACH

Description: Monmouth Beach Bathing Pavilion is where you’ll find sand and sun and plenty of space to sprawl out with your beach gear. It’s clean and well-kept, but isn’t the beach for you if you’re looking for a boardwalk and/or lots of restaurants at which to grab a bite. Beach fees: $10 for a daily pass Beach parking: Street parking is free but limited; otherwise, try the free municipal lot located near the pavilion. Pets: Pets are not permitted For more information, call 732.229.2204

Above, from left: It’s easy to catch some rays (with sunscreen, of course) in Ocean Grove—just grab a seat along the boardwalk or spread out a blanket on the pristine sand; beachgoers who prefer a more quiet afternoon for sunbathing or for fishing, Spring Lake is the answer for beachgoers who prefer a quiet morning of fishing or a peaceful afternoon of sunbathing. There are plenty of pups playing in the sand in the fenced-in portion near Pitney Avenue.

OCEAN GROVE

Description: A half-mile promenade alongside Ocean Grove’s quaint beach is a nice respite from the Jersey Shore madness. Two blocks away from the boardwalk is the charming downtown, where you can grab a bite or indulge in some retail therapy. Beach fees: $8 per person; children 11 and under are free. Note that for the 2022 season, the beach won’t open until 12 p.m. on Sundays. Beach parking: You can park for free on the street or in a lot if you purchase a beach badge. Pets: Leashed dogs are only allowed in the off season, October through May. For more information, call 732.988.5533

SANDY HOOK

Description: This 7-mile-long barrier beach peninsula jutting into the Atlantic Ocean and Sandy Hook Bay is part of the National Park Services’ Gateway National Recreation Area, which encompasses 26,000 acres of parklands in parts of New Jersey and New York. It features public beaches, salt marshes, a holly forest and numerous historical landmarks. Beach fees: Free with vehicle parking Beach parking: $20 per day Pets: Prohibited on the beach until fall. For more information, call 732.872.5970

SEA BRIGHT

Description: The borough of Sea Bright has seven free public beaches along Ocean Avenue. There’s also Sea Bright Municipal Beach in the center of town, which has more bells and whistles including lifeguards, parking, restrooms and locker rentals. Municipal Beach is also walking distance to Sea Bright’s downtown area, but there’s no boardwalk—it’s more like a sitting area, with no activities or concessions. Beach fees: $8 for ages 12 and over; kids under 12 and military personnel and family members are free. Beach parking: $2 per hour every day from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Pets: Prohibited on the beach until Labor Day. For more information, call 732.842.0099

SEA GIRT

Description: Sea Girt has a white-sand beach with one mile of a boardwalk with gazebos and seating areas. It spans from the Historic Sea Girt Lighthouse to the southern end of town, which features turn-of-the-century architecture and charming restaurants and shops. Beach fees: $11.98 daily; children 11 and under are free. Admission is free after 4:30 p.m. Beach parking: Parking is free, if you’re lucky enough to snag a spot along the four-block stretch of parking along the boardwalk. Pets: Prohibited on the beach until Sept. 30. For more information, call 732.449.9335

SPRING LAKE

Description: Two miles of oceanfront and pristine waters await you at Spring Lake. It’s a modest beach (and boardwalk), ideal for those seeking some peace and quiet. The beaches at the North End Pavilion and South End Pavilion have restrooms, outdoor showers and food concessions available to all visitors. Beach fees: $10 for a daily pass; kids 12 and under are free. Beach parking: Free along Ocean Avenue Pets: Prohibited on the beach until Sept. 30 except in the fenced area near Pitney Avenue. For more information, call 732.449.0800

ALL DECKED

OUT A Summit family sought to make their outdoor structure more spacious without sacrificing a beloved backyard—or a certain tree.

Text by Donna Rolando Design by Distinctively Outdoors Photography by Michael Einreinhof, Arclight Images

Designers answered the challenge of a large tree with a twotier structure that at least doubles the old deck’s outdoor living space. The couple lived here five years before embarking on this deck do-over.

Top left: Perfect for day or night, the new deck offers stylish seating clusters, like this natural teak arrangement. Bottom left: The cable railing system blurs the connection between deck and yard and comes with cap lighting homeowner Matthew is “super glad we did.” Right: French doors open to the upper deck, but the outdoor living area is accessible from both sides of the property.

An earth-friendly Summit family never gave up the green grass as they pursued an outdoor redesign, updating their clumsy old deck to make it an entertainment mecca.

Their new, two-tier structure is big enough for the entire gang, with multiple modern seating clusters and a holiday-size table, but it doesn’t compromise a cherished backyard. And that was key, because while decks are a snap for parties, this family felt there was no substitute for grass, especially with the little ones.

“It was, hands down, one of the best investments we’ve made,” says homeowner Matthew. “Our previous deck was in rough shape and relatively unusable. Now we are out there all the time hosting guests. It’s transformed our backyard.”

With this design by Distinctively Outdoors in Parsippany–Troy Hills, put into effect during COVID and completed in late 2020, Matthew and his wife Joanna always feel close to their two school-age children, even when they’re playing in the yard. That’s because of an elegant cable railing system from Deckorators that doesn’t obstruct the view and offers built-in cap lighting for nighttime use.

“That was the one thing they really wanted, to see through to their backyard,” says Laura Coyne, designer/general manager of Distinctively Outdoors.

Of course, any project has its challenges, and for this new deck it was a rather large tree. A chainsaw was out of the question. Yet building around the tree would sacrifice gathering space, Coyne says. The solution? “We changed the whole flow of their outside space, and we made it work.” So, while the tree reined in the top deck, it had no impact whatsoever on the larger deck a few stairs down—a combo that at least doubled their space.

This was much more than a deck replacement. The couple was thinking about the future when they called on Distinctively Outdoors to design a space that spans the entire width of the colonial. This deck does not include an outdoor kitchen, although Distinctively Outdoors has done many that have that feature. For the present, the couple wanted to focus on creating an outdoor gathering area. But, Coyne says, the deck was built so as to accommodate barbecue features in the future. “Everything starts with the right design,” says Coyne.

For oneness with the environment, the couple chose khaya, a walnut brown, from Deckorators Voyage composite decking, which designers bordered in black like a picture frame. As other finishing touches, Deckorators Pro contractor Mercury Decks enclosed the staircases and below the deck, while avoiding potentially unsightly seams in the decking.

The designers staged the furniture, and it was an instant hit, a mixture of teak sofas on the lower level and Savannah brown wicker seating above, with Dune-colored performance cushions that can withstand both the elements and the kids.

One of today’s sought-after materials is weathered cement, which gives a variety of tables on this deck a sleek but sturdy look. In contrast to stone, comfort is king with the companion handwoven-wicker chairs, Coyne adds. Weathered cement extends its charm to a pedestal table and a waterfall-edge console paired with versatile poufs that serve as a table or chair.

The teak seating cluster on the lower level abounds in natural beauty “from the oldest part of the tree,” Coyne says.

Before Distinctively Outdoors stepped in, the family wrestled with a basic deck that didn’t suit outdoor living. Now,, get-togethers are the joy they should be. “It worked perfectly,” says Matthew. “We preserved everything that we intended but still gave the backyard a fresh, modern look.”