Ideally located in the heart of downtown Atlantic Highlands, the Blue Bay Inn is the perfect place to indulge your desires. Within two blocks, there are 12 restaurants, a movie theatre, a playhouse, upscale boutiques, spas, hair salons, artisan shops, a coffee house, and the Seastreak Ferry, which can get you to Manhattan and back in just 40 minutes.

Breathtaking ocean views are offered at the GrandLady by the Sea, a 1910 historic home. Located across from Sandy Hook in Highlands, New Jersey, you can enjoy the beaches, fine dining and spa services all within walking distance. The guest rooms have firm queen size beds, private baths, ceiling fans, central A/C, satellite TV, and refrigerators. Soak in the deep tub, enjoy your breakfast out on the gazebo, and rent bicycles to explore the area here.

Sandy Hook Cottage, located on Route 36, is an intimate, bed and breakfast offering magnificent accommodations and warm, friendly hospitality. Perfect for romantic getaways, honeymoons, birthday celebrations, anniversaries or a well-deserved, relaxing break. This offers something different as far as a place to stay, and has all the comforts of home at the quaint Jersey Shore.

The SeaScape Manor Bed and Breakfast is also in Highlands, although it’s known to be difficult to find. Nestled on a lofty bluff surrounded by large oak trees, it offers a comfortable parlor with a crackling fire as well as a tasteful array of antiques. On the main deck overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, a mouth-watering gourmet breakfast is served up each morning. Awake to the aroma of freshly ground coffee, gourmet muffins, sparkling juice, and tangy fresh fruit served on fine china and beautiful linens. Relax in your comfy queen-sized bed as you watch the sun rise over the water. Rooms include private decks, so you can enjoy the ocean breeze and the fireplace keeps you cozy on cooler nights. Rooms include cable TV, and are air-conditioned.

In Sea Bright, New Jersey, you’ll be met with clean, upscale accommodations that offer comfort and convenience. Located on Ocean Avenue, FairBanks Resort and Marina offers beautiful, clean and comfortable rooms with cable TV and refrigerators. Their restaurant facing Sandy Hook beach and Shrewsbury River serves exquisite Portuguese cuisine such as fresh seafood, wines, and authentic specialties. A private beach is included here.

There are plenty of accommodations you’ll enjoy in this area. Most of all, you’ll enjoy visiting this charming Jersey Shore area and exploring all that it has to offer!

The entire Sandy Hook area is filled with nightlife hotspots. From small bars that cater to locals to Manhattan-like lounges that offer a sleek night out, you’ll always find something to do in the evening here.

Sea Gulls’ Nest Oceanfront Deck Restaurant & Bar is located at Area D inside Sandy Hook Gateway National Recreation Area. The Nest boasts a 360- degree panoramic view of the coastal area. The open-air bar is an ideal place to enjoy food and drinks while enjoying live entertainment. A tented section for catered events or casual dining wraps around a full-service bar.

While Bobo’s 33 in Atlantic Highlands serves up Mediterranean cuisine, there’s also a lively nightlife scene here. This is a relaxing place to enjoy good food and drink that’s truly distinctive. Salle Tee’s Grille in nearby Monmouth Beach, New Jersey, is another popular destination serving up signature cocktails in a fun environment that caters to adults of all ages.

Donovan’s Reef, located in Sea Bright, provides a relaxing place to enjoy a drink. With indoor and outdoor bars, as well as plenty of live entertainment, drink specials and themed events, there is always something worthwhile going on here. This is an all-ages sort of place, so it’s perfect for just about anyone who wants to enjoy a drink on the beach.

McLoone’s Rum Runner is also a popular destination. Located in Sea Bright, New Jersey, this is an upscale restaurant that heats up at night with a sophisticated crowd, signature drinks and plenty of interesting events. This Zagat-rated venue features a popular piano bar and offers a chic place to enjoy drinks with friends.

Located in Sea Bright, Elements is a swanky lounge that’s great for meeting people. It’s got a small taste of Manhattan down the Jersey Shore. The two story nightclub boasts an 18 foot waterfall and delicious sushi, in addition to great cocktails. Fantastic martinis are a favorite here, where the gorgeous décor lends a relaxing, warm atmosphere that other clubs at the Shore don’t have. Co-owner Matthew Bongiovi, (Jon Bon Jovi’s brother), pulls in a pretty good looking and quite sexy crowd at this more upscale venue.

You’ll always find something entertaining in the Sandy Hook area. And if all else fails, Red Bank is only a short drive and is brimming with even more nightlife options.

The beach is free if you take the ferry, walk or bike into town. But if you arrive by car, there’s a $10 fee to park. During the summer, the lots are filled by 10:00 a.m., so be sure to arrive early. There are six separate beaches here, each with its own facilities and lifeguards. If you like New York, check out North Beach, which offers spectacular views of the city’s harbor on a clear day. You can even see the Verrazano Bridge and the Brooklyn waterfront (all the way east to Jones Beach, in Long Island) from this spot.

For a non-family-friendly beach experience, explore the secluded Gunnison Beach. It’s the largest nude beach in the Northeast. If you’re worried about wandering in unaware, fear not. The nude beach is clearly marked and set off from the main stream of Sandy Hook activity—so you’ll only find it if you’re looking for it!

Hiking and biking makes for a great day trip. Hiking trails begin at both ends and span the length of the peninsula, with paths that take you through everything from sand dunes to salt marshes. There is also a paved, multi-use path that is ideal for rollerbladers and bicyclists, as well as hikers. This makes for a less messy trip.

Spend a day exploring the history here, because there’s a lot to see. The Fort Hancock Museum teaches visitors about Sandy Hook’s key role in the defense of New York Harbor for more than 200 years, and the Sandy Hook Lighthouse, which is the oldest surviving lighthouse in the U.S. and has stood tall since 1764!, is open to the public as well. You can climb the lighthouse stairs and marvel at the views, which on a clear day include Manhattan! You’ll also want to check out the Twin Lights National Landmark, which preserves the memory of an 1828 lighthouse that was key to helping ships safely navigate the waters off of Sandy Hook. The existing stone lighthouse was built in 1862 and in 1898, and it became America’s first electronically-powered lighthouse. Admission to the historical landmark is free and guided tours are available with advanced reservations, so it’s a good fun activity to participate in if you don’t want to spend a lot of money.

Even if you’re not an expert bird-watcher, Sandy Hook will make you want to take up the hobby, at least for the day. The National Audubon Society’s New Jersey chapter runs the Sandy Hook Bird Observatory here, which is located in the northeast corner of the peninsula (near the park’s headquarters and the Fort Hancock Museum. The exhibits and a bookstore guides will give a good sense of what species to look for. The best birding locations include Plum Island and Spermaceti Cove which are both near Sandy Hook’s southern entrance.

It’s all about the outdoors here, so spend a day at the 736-acre Hartshorne Woods Park. The park is a hotspot for bicyclists and boasts 16 miles of biking and hiking trails that offer marvelous views of the bay and the town. Don’t have a bike? You can rent them from Sandy Hook Cottage Bike Rentals.

A trip here isn’t complete without seeing the Mount Mitchill Scenic Overlook, which is home to some of the best views in town. On site, The September 11th Memorial begins with a “timeline walkway” which recaps the events in chronological order, culminating in a sweeping view towards lower Manhattan. Pay tribute to the nearly 150 Monmouth County residents who died in the attacks on the World Trade Center. There’s also another September 11th Memorial at the town’s Veteran’s Park. Two 13-foot marble statues honor the local victims.

Sandy Hook is a barrier spit island, which is approximately 7 miles long and one-half of a mile wide. It is separated from the mainland by the Shrewsbury River. On its western side, the peninsula encloses Sandy Hook Bay, which is an arm of Raritan Bay. The community of Highlands overlooks the southern part of the hook.

Sandy Hook is owned by the federal government. Most of it is managed by the National Park Service as the Sandy Hook Unit of Gateway National Recreation Area. The eastern shoreline includes public beaches such as North Beach, Gunnison Beach, and South Beach. The southern part of the spit consists of public beaches, fishing areas, and a restaurant. Sandy Hook’s Gunnison Beach is one of the largest clothing-optional beaches on the East Coast, and is well kown for this reason. At the end of the peninsula is the now-defunct Fort Hancock.

Sandy Hook is a famous hub throughout history for ships before they went into the Upper New York Harbor. After the Civil War in 1919, the Sandy Hook Proving Ground was used by the U.S. Army until it was moved to Aberdeen, Maryland. It was later the site of a Nike missile defense installation. The Sandy Hook Nike station is one of a very few stations that are still intact. Almost all of the fort’s gun batteries are off limits to the public due to their hazardous conditions. The Battery Gunnison is currently being restored by volunteers and also has two M-1900 six-inch cannon installed. These weapons were put there in 1976. Visitors can take a guided tour and look at actual Nike missiles, t he firing platforms and rdar stations.

The historical Sandy Hook Lighthouse is located within the fort grounds, as is the Marine Academy of Science and Technology (MAST), a technology-centered high school. When you head north of Fort Hancock, there is an outpost of the United States Coast Guard. This area of Sandy Hook is administered by the Department of Homeland Security and it is off-limits to the general public.

While there is a parking fee in Sandy Hook during the summer, the park is open year-round. There are several nearby hotels and bed and breakfasts nearby in Atlantic Highlands and Long Branch.

Sandy Hook is a wonderful place to visit with your family. There are plenty of historical sights and all the splendor of the Jersey Shore.

The Bay Avenue Trattoria, located in Highlands, is similar to the trattorias of Italy with its quaint setting and colorful accents. With a blend of Italian and American cuisine, this restaurant serves up lunch, dinner and dessert—and also includes complete take-out and catering. Prices are reasonable here and the food feels like it came straight over off the boat.

Doris and Ed’s has plenty of seafood on the menu, Owner/operator Jim Filip and Executive Chef Russell Dare create masterpieces in the kitchen, the wine cellar and among the tables. With the Manhattan skyline sparkling across Sandy Hook Bay, this restaurant has been awarded countless dining awards and reviews, which have helped it to earn a positive reputation. Pan-Seared Wild Alaskan King Salmon and Crisp Black Sea Bass on Tomato-Basil Coulis are just some of the famous dishes here.

For a relaxing meal, head over to Beacon on the Bay. This cozy restaurant offers indoor and outdoor dining, as well as entertainment on the weeekends and a lively bar. Beacon on the Bay is the sister restaurant to the Beacon Street Grille in Neptune. With a strong attention to detail and delicious Continental fare, the Beacon on the Bay is an exceptional restaurant with stunningly scenic details—enjoy a view of Manhattan’s skyline and dine in style.

Head down to Sea Bright and stop over to McLoone’s Rum Runner. Located on Ocean Avenue, this eatery serves up lunch, dinner and brunch. On the weekends, check out the notable piano bar. Prices are on the more expensive side, but dishes such as Saffron Mushrooms and Clams and Tequila Tilapia are well worth the trip.

The Copper Canyon serves up Southwestern American cuisine in the heart of Atlantic Highlands. Although lunch and dinner are on the menu, tequilas are huge here. Choose from more than 20 types of tequila. Dinner includes enticing gourmet quesadillas to fish enchiladas.

With so many coastal restaurants to explore, you’ll always find somewhere to eat in Sandy Hook. There are upscale restaurants and charming eateries that make for a satisfactory expeirence no matter which meal you’re ready for.