With very little time left in the school year, some people have already planned what they are doing this summer. To have fun during these months off of school here are some interesting beaches in New Jersey beyond the typical Seaside Heights you might visit.

Manasquan Beach (Manasquan, NJ): After Manasquan beach was hit hard by Hurricane Sandy in 2012, it has recovered but lost some iconic spots on the beach, such as the small food stand that was demolished by Sandy and the only thing left standing of it was a sink and an air vent. It is only a one hour and 22 minute drive via the Garden State Parkway.

Island Beach State Park (Berkeley Township, Ocean County, Park NJ): This is a long beach that allows for playing on the sand or in the water doing swimming, surfing, kayaking, and more. It is only one hour and 55 minutes via the Garden State Parkway.

Belmar Beach (Belmar, NJ): This beach has a long boardwalk loaded with food stands and has been voted #1 beach in central New Jersey and top 10 in all of New Jersey. It is only one hour and 20 minutes via the Garden State Parkway.

Wildwood (Wildwood, Cape May County, NJ): Wildwood is known for its 3-mile long boardwalk loaded with arcades, rides, and eateries. Voted one of the best beaches in New Jersey, it has two water parks, three piers filled with rides and a collection of fun houses, mazes, and arcades. It may be two hours and 38 minutes away but it is a great spot for a weekend  vacation. The area has dozens hotels and motels so accommodations can easily be met. It is also known for its iconic tramcars and 156 feet tall Ferris wheel.

Point Pleasant Beach and Jenkinson’s Boardwalk (Point Pleasant, Ocean County, NJ): Jenkinson’s boardwalk has a more child-oriented theme. There are rides at the far end of the pier and there is a small collection of adult and young-adult oriented rides. There is a small train that goes around one side of the ride section of the boardwalk. There are several arcades that line up along the one side of the boardwalk and the other side has a splendid view of the beach. It is only one hour and 22 minutes away via the Garden State Parkway. (This was the destination for the Junior class trip.)

Seaside Park Beach (Seaside Park, NJ): This beach was destroyed during Sandy and part of the rebuilt boardwalk was destroyed by a fire. Now, there are new and improved rides. It is only an hour and a half away via the Garden State Parkway.

Seven Presidents Oceanfront Park (Long Branch, NJ): This beach front is a simple beach with a playground and several hotels in the area. It also has a park and is maintained by the Monmouth County Park System. It is only an hour and 15 minutes away via the Garden State Parkway.