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Sandy Hook, Highlands, NJ

Photo: Szeremeta, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.

Sport & OutdoorOutdoor AdventureFamily FavoriteFree

Sandy Hook

128 South Hartshorne Dr · Highlands, NJ

Why you should go…

Sandy Hook is a barrier spit about six miles long at the southern entrance of Lower New York Bay, run by the National Park Service as part of Gateway National Recreation Area. You can spend the day on oceanside or bayside beaches, then head to Fort Hancock, a former Army post open to visitors. The Sandy Hook Lighthouse, built in 1764, is the oldest working lighthouse in the United States and offers tours. There is no entrance fee, though beach parking carries a daily charge in summer.

  • #beach
  • #lighthouse
  • #national recreation area
  • #historic fort

Good to know

General sport & outdoor guidance

Habits that pay off across this whole category, not rules for this one venue. Always check the official site for the specifics.

  • Weather calls the shots

    Check the forecast the morning of and keep an indoor backup in your pocket for the day it turns.

  • Shoes, water, sun cover

    The three things that decide whether you last the whole outing or cut it short after an hour.

  • Parking and launches fill early

    On a nice weekend, lots and trailheads are often full by mid-morning.

  • Daylight shrinks in shoulder season

    Spring and fall visits need an earlier start than the same trip in July.

What's around here?

The closest stops to Sandy Hook, ordered by straight-line distance. A few more like it, plus some different kinds of fun so you can build a full day.

  • Attractions
    Iconic

    Coney Island

    Free

    Stroll a 2.7-mile oceanfront boardwalk, ride the Cyclone and Wonder Wheel, and eat a hot dog at the original Nathan's.

    7.7 mi awaySwitch it up: Attractions

  • Attractions
    Iconic

    Luna Park

    $25–$50

    Ride the landmark Cyclone wooden coaster, the Thunderbolt and other rides and games beside the Coney Island boardwalk.

    7.8 mi awaySwitch it up: Attractions

  • Attractions
    Family Favorite

    New York Aquarium

    $25–$50

    Walk through a 14-acre Coney Island aquarium with a shark exhibit, the Aquatheater and an invertebrate gallery called Spineless.

    7.9 mi awaySwitch it up: Attractions

  • Sport & Outdoor
    Free

    Prospect Park

    Free

    Roam Olmsted and Vaux's Brooklyn park, from the 90-acre Long Meadow to a wooded ravine and the 60-acre Prospect Lake.

    14 mi awayMore like this

  • Sport & Outdoor
    Family Favorite

    Brooklyn Botanic Garden

    Under $25

    Stroll 52 acres of themed gardens, from a Japanese hill-and-pond garden to a bonsai museum and conservatory.

    14 mi awayMore like this

  • Sport & Outdoor
    Outdoor Adventure

    Governors Island

    Under $25

    Ride a short ferry to a car-free harbor island with two old forts, lawns, hammocks, public art and skyline views.

    16 mi awayMore like this