There are beaches along the entire Atlantic coast within the Sandy Hook Unit of Gateway National Recreation Area that are accessed from designated parking lots. Once on the beach you can walk as far away from the crowds as you desire, but the National Park Service does not recommend swimming anywhere other than at the designated lifeguarded beaches due to strong currents and rip tides. For those with young children or those who don’t want to deal with waves, there are also beaches on Sandy Hook Bay.
While there is technically no fee to use the beaches at Sandy Hook, there is a fee to park at any of the beach access parking lots from Memorial Day through Labor Day weekends between the hours of 8 AM and 6 PM. Such lots will have a US FEE AREA sign at the entrance (Parking Lots B, C, D, E, G, I, J, and K). Daily and seasonal passes are available (no cash accepted). See the National Park Service’s official Gateway National Recreation Area Fees and Passes web page for the latest prices.
National Park Annual Passes are not valid for parking fees. However, active and retired military personel with an Annual Pass (military ID required) and those with Fourth Grade passes do get in for free. America the Beautiful Access and Senior passes are good for half off. Remember, fees are for parking only, so if you walk, bike, or get dropped off, there is no fee to use the beaches.
Parking Lot A, the first lot you come to after entering the park, is closed from the Friday before Memorial Day to Labor Day. When it is open, it is used mainly by those who come to Sandy Hook to walk or bike the multi-use path. There is no beach access at Lot A. There are also free parking lots located at the north end of the park at Fort Hancock that are geared for those interested in non-beach activities such as taking the Fort Hancock Walking Tour or climbing the Sandy Hook Lighthouse. During the summer, when you come to the entrance gate the attendant will assume you are going to the beach and ask for your money, but just state that you are going elsewhere or are being dropped off. If you have a bike and want to be cheap, you can park in a free parking lot and ride to the beach. Unfortunately, the free parking lots are too far from the beaches to walk unless you want some serious exercise.
Each of the beach parking lots can hold anywhere from 300 to 1,000 cars, yet on busy weekends during the summer they can still fill up. If so, the park will actually close to new arrivals, and this often happens by noon on Saturdays and Sundays during the summer. On top of those coming by vehicle, a ferry arrives from New York City every half hour, so judging the crowds by the traffic is unreliable.
There will be food trucks at most beaches at least on weekends and holidays from Memorial Day through Labor Day. Concessions at Beaches D and Parking Lot G, which serves Fort Hancock and Gunnison Beach, operate daily from the Fourth of July through Labor Day.
Except for service animals, pets are not allowed on the Atlantic Ocean beaches from March 15th through September 15th. You can bring them to the Sandy Hook Bay beaches anytime provided they are on a leash.
See the following web pages for more information on each beach and its amenities.
ATLANTIC OCEAN SWIMMING BEACHES
Gunnison Beach (nude beach)
OTHER BEACHES
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Last updated on December 4, 2024