where the
JERSEY SHORE
begins
Q3 Highlands
Explore all that Highlands has to offer and you’ll want to return often.
A quick ferry ride away from Manhattan, Highlands feels
like an island getaway. Start your day with a bicycle ride
or short walk over the Highlands Bridge to the Gateway
National Recreation Area at Sandy Hook, a 7-mile-long
peninsula with over 1,600 acres of pristine beach and
a spectacular holly forest where over 300 species of
migratory shorebirds can be spotted.
Spend the day sunbathing and swimming on the wide
beaches or enjoy premier surf fishing. Horseshoe Cove
on the bay side of Sandy Hook offers plenty of spots
to anchor your boat and ideal conditions for kayaking,
parasailing, windsurfing and Jet Skiing. History buffs
can tour the 1764 Sandy Hook Lighthouse, the oldest
operating lighthouse in the United States, and the Fort
Hancock historic area, with Spanish-American War–era
experimental gun batteries and Cold War–era missile
sites. From Sandy Hook, head up to Twin Lights Historic
Site for a tour of the Civil War–era lighthouse and the site
where Marconi demonstrated the commercial potential of
wireless radio by broadcasting the 1899 America’s Cup
race. Tour the museum, marvel at the massive Fresnel
lens, visit the Historical Society of Highlands exhibit and
climb the steps to the top of the north tower for panoramic
views of New York City, Long Island and the Atlantic Ocean
from the highest point on the eastern seaboard south of
Maine.
44 www.sparkvisitmonmouth.com
Near Twin Lights is Monmouth County Park System’s
Hartshorne Woods—787 acres of parkland featuring 19
miles of acclaimed forest trails for hiking, mountain biking
and horseback riding plus memorable ocean views. Closer
to sea level, the 1.8-mile Bayshore section of the Henry
Hudson Trail, open to both foot and bike traffic, provides a
level waterfront passage between Highlands and Atlantic
Highlands. Pick up the trail at Popamora Park in Highlands
or the Atlantic Highlands Municipal Harbor.
Stay at a charming bed & breakfast inn or one of our many
waterfront cottages, and spend a day exploring Highlands’
quaint downtown packed with restaurants, waterfront tiki
bars, unique shops, old-fashioned ice cream parlor and
vibrant nightlife. Time your visit in any season to enjoy one
of Highlands’ year-round family-fun community events—all
with free admission and free parking. Start the year with
the Beef & Brew Pre-Superbowl Bash in January, Chili
Cook-Off in February and the Highlands Guinness Run in
March, all leading up to the St. Patrick’s Parade, featuring
over 100 marching units, bands and floats.
The start of summer brings a cornucopia of fun to the
place where the Jersey Shore begins. For the craft beer
lover, there is Brew by the Bay Craft Beer Festival on the
scenic waterfront in May. Browse the eclectic collections
of artisans and crafters at the juried Seaport Craft Show
on Memorial Day weekend. Sample chefs’ favorites at
Photo by Ken Braswell, ShoreGrafx
/www.sparkvisitmonmouth.com
