the
JERSEY SHORE
begins
Q3 Highlands
Explore all that Highlands has to offer and you’ll want to return often.
Aquick ferry ride away from Manhattan, Highlands
feels like an island getaway. Start your day
with a bicycle ride or short walk over the
newly constructed 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 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.
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 one of Highlands’ charming bed & breakfast
inns and spend a day exploring downtown’s original
“summer bungalow” colonies, unique shops, waterfront
restaurants and nightspots. Time your visit in any
season to enjoy one of Highlands’ year-round familyfun
community events—all with free admission and
free parking. Start the year with the Beef & Brew Prewhere
Photo by K. Braswell, ShoreGrafx
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