Fun in the sun at local beach hotspots

Samantha Villa, Staff Writer

It’s forecast to be a scorching one this summer, so what better way to spend it than at the beautiful beaches of Middletown or Sea Bright? Middletown, New Jersey is township made up of 58 square miles, which backs up to the Sandy Hook Bay. You can choose between Leonardo Beach or Ideal Beach, or Bayshore Waterfront Park for the kids! The admission and parking costs are free and the fun is unlimited! Leonardo Beach doesn’t have a boardwalk and most of the beach-goers here are local residents. Ideal beach, however, has a playground for the young ones and bathrooms with showers for the adults. Both beaches are located directly on the Sandy Hook and Raritan Bay. Bayshore Waterfront Park is found in the Port Monmouth section, and it’s managed by the Monmouth County Park System, so it’s mostly functional for fishermen.

Sea Bright is home to Municipal Beach and Anchorage Beach. Municipal Beach is open for the weekends from Memorial Day until June, and then daily until Labor Day. Anchorage Beach has a restroom facility, and it is “A municipal beach of the Borough of Sea Bright. It is guarded on the same schedule as the main municipal beach.” You need a wristband to be admitted for the day, which is $8, or you can get a season badge, which costs $100. Those 65 and older, though, can get a season badge for $35. Finally, there is no cost for active military members and their immediate family. Parking on the street is free, but parking in the municipal lot costs $1 per hour.