SENIOR FRIENDLY OCEAN COUNTY IN THE HEART OF THE JERSEY SHORE

SENIOR FRIENDLY OCEAN COUNTY

IN THE HEART OF THE JERSEY SHORE

             Ocean County is located in the heart of the Jersey Shore.  Its three major resort areas, Point Pleasant Beach, Seaside Heights and Long Beach Island, are within an easy drive of the Garden State Parkway (from Exits 58 to 98) or from State Highways 35, 37 and 72, respectively.The flat topography makes it an inviting place for senior citizens to explore.  Included among the experiences the county has to offer are:

            Island Beach State Park, South Seaside Park

A nine-mile stretch of natural dune beaches with two bathing beaches, free changing rooms and shower facilities, guided nature walks and talks and interpretative centers.  Along the one central road there are self-guided trails.  Some stretch from the Atlantic Ocean to Barnegat Bay, which is only two blocks on this slender sliver of sand.  Kayaking is available for a fee. The park allows picnic hampers on the bathing beaches.   With a wide shoulder and no elevation, it is great for bicycling. 

            Barnegat Lighthouse State Park, Barnegat Light, Long Beach Island

What is unique about this lighthouse is that the view from the top can be seen at the bottom. So, there is no need to climb the 217 steps.  The Friends of the Lighthouse have placed camcorders atop the lighthouse offering panoramic views of Island Beach State Park, the Atlantic Ocean, Barnegat Bay and Inlet and Long Beach Island on the monitor in the Interpretative Center.  During summer Thursdays, free "Lighthouse Chats" are held at 10 am.  For those who can handle half-dozen steps, there is a tiny maritime forest across from the center where the walkway provides welcome shade from the sun.  Nearby is Mustache Bill's Diner that was honored as a James Beard American Classic and has been featured on Food Channel’s, "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives."At the Barnegat Light Museum, three blocks to the east, the original 1,000 plate Fresnel lens is on display.  Behind the museum is the charming Edith Duff Gwinn garden.  For those who are walkers, there is a nature trail that starts around 10th Street.  At that point, the 20-foot mast from the beached wreck, the Sea King, also can be viewed.  The ship itself is buried in the sand. 

            Viking Village, Barnegat Light, Long Beach Island

While this is a commercial fishing dock, it also includes the county's oldest "strip mall," a group of fishermen's shacks built in the 1920’s that now house boutique shoppes.  “Off the Hook" restaurant, serves the freshest seafood available.  A call to Southern Ocean County Chamber of Commerce at 1-800-292-6372 will reserve a spot on the free summer Friday mornings "Behind the Scenes Dock Tour."  Attendees will learn about gill netting, scalloping, long lining and what the difference between them is.  Whatever the catch is for the day - that's the topic of the day.  Afterward, a couple of blocks away will find the ReClam the Bay volunteers and the baby clams they are raising.   This also is the site for craft and antique shows and other special events, usually featuring fresh seafood.

            Bay Village, Beach Haven, Long Beach Islan

A wide variety of shops are housed adjacent to each other in a seashore village motif. The Crust & Crumb Bakery features elephant ears that were named one of the top ten beach foods in the world by conneisuer.com.  Across the driveway is Schooner's Wharf, which features a shop in the belly of a reconstructed tall ship among others.

Surflight Theatre, Beach Haven, Long Beach Island

This professional theatre is built close the sidewalk with a barrier free walk and seating is very close the entrance.  Special areas are set aside for wheel chairs and every seat has an unobstructed view.  Throughout the summer, the theatre presents Broadway musicals and in the off-season plays and concerts.  Tickets are $30 for the musicals and parking is free.

Boardwalks

Boardwalks are great for strolling, shopping, sitting, people watching and playing games of chance in the arcades to win toys for the grandchildren or electronics and collectibles for the adults. 

 Point Pleasant's Boardwalk is home to Jenkinson's Aquarium, a member of the American Zoo Association, adventure miniature golf, oceanfront dining, a Victorian ice cream parlor, free entertainment many afternoons and most nights, including concerts, movies, kiddie shows, and fireworks.  Nearby is the River Belle, a Mississippi Paddle Wheeler that does tours and on some cruises provides entertainment with and without meals. The area is homeport for a number of party and charter boats. Downtown is an antique haven with one store, Antique Emporium, featuring 100 independent dealers under one roof.  Movie producers and celebrities come here to shop.

Seaside Heights/Seaside Park Boardwalks

The two boardwalks are connected to provide 2-1/2 miles of oceanfront strolling.  Seniors can recapture memories of their youth at the antique Dentzel/Looff Carousel, which is more than 100 years old.  There are fine and fun dining spots along the boardwalk, which has two amusement piers and a public ocean fishing dock for a fee.  Depending on the night, there is free entertainment, which could be movies, concerts, fireworks, crafts or other activities. The Boulevard offers a variety of restaurants.

The Mainland

While many activities can be found on the oceanfront beaches, the mainland is close by with even more experiences to offer. 

 Lakewood BlueClaws are the award-winning A-Affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies.  They are league champions and have won multiple awards for both the team and their $20 million dollar stadium.  At Tuesday home games seniors eat free with their $7admission. 

Tuckerton Seaport is a 40-acre maritime heritage museum, which pays tribute to life of the bay, at work and at play.  New this year is a surfing museum.  The seaport hosts many festivals and changing exhibits throughout the year.

Albert Music Hall in Waretown offers Bluegrass, country and western music every Saturday night.  Talent is a mix of professional and amateur.  A night of live music, a hot dog, a bag of chips, a piece of pie and a beverage will run $10.

Laurita Winery, New Egypt in western Ocean County has wine tastings and winery tours for a fee and free vineyard tours.  Throughout the year there are admission events including jazz and country western nights, movies, wine tasting and other festivities.

Jackson Premium Outlets is close to Six Flags and I-195, and has 70 stores offering a variety of wares at discount prices.

Museums in the county are small to mid-sized and easily walked.  In addition to the Tuckerton Seaport, there are three other nautical museums - the Toms River Seaport Society which displays and tells the history of boats indigenous the area, the New Jersey Museum of Boating, Point Pleasant, which focuses on the building of boats, and the Museum of New Jersey Maritime History, Beach Haven which highlights shipwrecks off the Jersey Coast.  The Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst at Lakehurst tells the history of lighter-than-air craft and the Hindenburg tragedy that occurred at Navy Lakehurst. There also are more than a dozen community museums housed in one-room schoolhouses, Victorian Homes and old railroad stations that history buffs will enjoy.

River Lady in Toms River is an authentic reproduction of Mississippi Paddle Wheeler offering tours and cruises along the Toms River with many featuring meals with linen table service and entertainment.

For more information on these venues, information is available at the County Connection in the Ocean County Mall, by mail from the Ocean County Department of Public Affairs and Tourism PO Box 2191, Toms River, NJ 08754-2191, by phone at 1-800-722-0291, ext. 5050.