Creamy Sandyhook Beaches

City-Kid Review:

Can we go again?

The Sandyhook beaches are gorgeous.

I could end this post there.

Thirty minutes from NYC and it feels as if  you are as far away from  as Miami.
Except more natural.
With fewer facilities.
And fewer tourists.

The whole thing is a true adventure. The boat whizzes you past Lady Liberty, Governor’s Island, the southern tip of Staten Island (which boasts her own lovely beaches) over to Jersey, where very friendly park rangers await the passengers to take you in a decommissioned school bus to your beach of choice. Now, I had never been in a yellow school bus before but I could tell from the crowd that they were having reminiscences and/or flashbacks.

The boat ride is a big part of the fun as you whizz up Manhattan’s coastline to 35th street and then down to Sandy Hook.

Sandy Hook is exactly as it says on the label – a spit or ‘hook’ of land which sticks up north out of New Jersey. It was a former navy base turned into a national park, and it is wonderful.

So, which beach to choose? There are four of them. The driver clearly announces each one and asks you for your preference as you get onto the bus.

First off, you need to know, Gunnison is a nudist beach. It is the only nudist beach in New Jersey.

North Beach sits at the top of the spit and is has a little more nature than Beaches D and E. When we went, there was more commerce around Beach D and it was definitely more crowded. The commerce comprises of food carts. Beach E has bathrooms and outdoor showers but it is much less crowded, so that was our ‘just right’ beach.

The water is great, and on the day we went had waves with just the right amount of force for City Kid to play in and have fun.

We will definitely go again.

Need to Knows:

The ferry leaves from Pier 11 Ferry Terminal at South Street Seaport or East 35th street.

The price is $46 round trip per adult. If you catch the first ferry of the day it is $30.
Children under 5-12 are free on weekdays and $11 on weekends. There is a bike fee of $5.

Ferry rides to Sandy Hook finish for the season – check the website for the final dates.

Top-Tip

Bring bug spray. There are plenty of hungry sand flies who nip you, and the bug spray keeps them at bay.

Bring a beach umbrella or canopy as there is no other way to have shade.

We brought food with us but there are a few food carts. As it is a nature park, there really are not many services other than the basic bathrooms, so bring what you need with you.

There are showers to wash off the sand at the end of the day.

What is YOUR favorite NYC and environs beach?
Any tips you can share? Please tells us below.

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