As most of us know, living in or visiting our beautiful Jersey Shore area – is one of the best places to be in summer. There are so many great outdoor activities for those of all ages. Even better, many of these things to do are free! Keep reading to discover no or low-cost family fun in Monmouth and Ocean Counties, that you can still partake in all summer long.

Free Outdoor Movies

• Movies on the Roof at the Asbury Hotel at 210 Fifth Avenue in Asbury Park
• Beachwood Recreation Commission is offering free Movies in the Park at Mayo Park (518 Bayside Avenue) on Friday nights through October 2022.
• Movies on the Beach in Belmar on Thursday nights at 7^th Avenue Beach
• Family Movie Night in Downtown Freehold on Wednesday nights at the Hall of Records
• Movies at Sunset on the Bay in Lavallette at the First Aid Building (1207 Bay Blvd.)
• Movies on the Beach in Pleasant at Jenkinson’s Boardwalk (300 Ocean Ave.)

Great Play & Spraygrounds

• Dorbrook Recreation Area in Colts Neck (Route 537) has a sprayground in addition to its great playground.
• Maclearie Park in Belmar, located by the Belmar Marina on Rt. 35
• Tony’s Place in Long Branch, which is part of Seven Presidents Oceanfront Park (221 Ocean Ave.)
• Shark River Park in Wall has a playground, as well as lots of trails and picnic areas.
• Asbury Park Splash Park is located on the boardwalk at 950 Ocean Ave.
• Manchester Splashpad located at Pine Lake Park and playground.
• Veterans Memorial Park in Aberdeen, features a spray park and a playground.

Downtown Red Bank

Red Bank is a great place to spend the day walking around! There is much to see and do from the Navesink River area, Count Basie and Two River Theater Companies, lots of shopping, restaurants, art, and music. There is also free parking every Sunday! Plan how you’d like to spend your fun-filled day trip to Red Bank by visiting https://www.redbank.org/

Tour a Lighthouse

• Sea Girt Lighthouse is located at Ocean Avenue and Beacon Blvd.
• Barnegat Lighthouse at the northern tip of Long Beach Island in Ocean County

Walk the Boardwalk

Take a relaxing evening stroll down any Jersey Shore beach town’s boardwalk. Don’t forget to indulge in some ice cream depending on which one you decide to visit, or pick up some salt water taffy! You can also never go wrong with simply sitting on a boardwalk bench and taking in the peaceful sound of the ocean waves – any day of the week.

Pick Your Own Fruits & Veggies

• If you haven’t been to Hallock’s U-Pick Farm in New Egypt (38 Fischer Rd.), be sure to make time to check it out this summer! You’ll get to pick your own vegetables and fruit, or visit their plentiful farm stand. Learn more about what you can pick and what’s in season here.
• Happy Day Farm in Manalapan (106 Iron Ore Rd.), is another great spot to pick your own flowers, lavender, berries, and more.

Free Fireworks

• Seaside Heights – Every Wednesday night at 9:30pm on the boardwalk
• Pleasant Beach – Every Thursday night at dusk at Jenkinson’s Boardwalk

Backyard Campfire and Treats

Spend a low-key evening at home in your own backyard and setup a small firepit and toast some s’mores with the family. Be sure to also check out the stars in the night sky while you’re there!

Go on a Local Hike

• Hartshorne Woods on the Navesink in the Highlands (1402 Portland Rd.) – A hilly 794-acre site that overlooks the river, and also includes a nice historic district to visit and a beautiful park.
• Cheesequake State Park in Matawan is a great place to hike, and there is also a lake for swimming, along with many other things to do outdoors.

Butterfly Gardens

• The Aberdeen Township Butterfly Garden is located outside of the Municipal Building
• Cattus Island County Park in Toms River – Check out 20 different plants that attract different butterfly species at 1170 Cattus Island Blvd.
• Jakes Branch Butterfly Garden in Forked River – This SHIP (Soil Health Improvement Project) Butterfly Garden (714 Lacey Rd.) is comprised of native perennial plants that thrive in moderately sunny areas and most soil types, including the sandy soil found in Ocean County.

We hope you enjoy the remaining weeks of summer with family and friends, with the many free or inexpensive things to do in our gorgeous area of New Jersey!

Article Source: NJFamily.com