A six-mile long barrier peninsula that averages a half mile in width, Sandy Hook encloses the southern entrance of lower New York bay south of New York City. The Dutch named it “Sant Hoek” meaning a “sandy spit of land.” Owned by the federal government and used as a military site, it is a unit of the Gateway National Recreation Area, and operated as a National Park managed by the National Park Service.
The first recorded sighting by Europeans of the 6-mile stretch of ocean and bay beaches was by Henry Hudson in the early 1600’s on his famous voyage of exploration. This beautiful 1,665 acre barrier peninsula offers wonderful views of the Manhattan skyline, and it is recommended that who want to spend extra time on Sandy Hook stay in Highlands on the hill across the bay, where visitors will find lodging, seafood restaurants, nightlife, historically important attractions, and other outdoor – and indoor – activities.
Manhattanites can take a 40-minute ferry ride from the Wall Street area of the Big Apple to the Sandy Hook/Highlands and enjoy the ocean and the beauty of Sandy Hook followed by a wonder dinner and beverages in Highlands.
Home to a lighthouse and a military base, Sandy Hook also boasts some of the best ocean beaches on the eastern seaboard. The eastern shore consists of three public beaches: North Beach, Gunnison Beach and South Beach. The southern area has public beaches, fishing areas and a seafood restaurant operated by a concessionaire. The peninsula’s ocean-facing beaches are considered to be among the finest beaches in New Jersey.
Sandy Hook offers surfing, swimming, sunbathing, a holly forest, and the opportunity to observe in 300+ species of migratory birds – depending on the season. The highest point on the entire eastern seaboard, the Highlands, is just across the bay from Sandy Hook, and visitors will find seafood restaurants, outdoor activities, nightlife, and the Twin Lights Lighthouse of Navesink, the first twin lighthouse to be built in the U.S. in the Highlands.
In its long history the area provided a convenient anchorage for ships before they entered Upper New York harbor. The Sandy Hook Proving Ground was used for years ( post Civil War to 1919) by the U.S. Army until the facility was relocated to Aberdeen, Maryland. The Sandy Hook Nike (missiles) station is one of the very few such stations that are still intact. Guided tours of this facility provide visitors with a look at Nike missiles, their firing platforms, and a radar station with 60’s-era computers.
Sandy Hook Lighthouse is on the Fort Hancock grounds, along with the Marine Academy of Science and Technology (MAST), a magnet high school that is part of the Monmouth County Vocational School District.
Most of Sandy Hook is owned by the federal government and managed by the National Park Service as the Sandy Hook Unit of Gateway National Recreation Area. Some of the Fort Hancock buildings and equipment are off-limits to the public because of deterioration and safety concerns, as is an outpost of the U.S. Coast Guard that is administered by the Department of Homeland Security.
Sandy Hook - Gateway National Recreation Area
Fee: The daily fee is $10 per car, and the full season fee is $50, but it costs $25 for adults 65 or older.
Beach Season: Open Memorial Day through Labor Day.
Restrooms and Showers: Restrooms are located at Beach Areas B, C, D and E, at Gunnison and North beaches, and at Fort Hancock. Showers are located in the beach parking area.
Parking: Parking is available in lots at each of the beach sites. Lots fill quickly on weekends; visitors are advised to arrive by 10:30 a.m.
Lifeguards: Lifeguards are on duty from 10 a.m. to 6:00 pm.
Access for Visitors with Disabilities: The boardwalk leading to the beach is accessible and beach wheelchairs are available. For beach wheelchairs, contact the Visitor Center at (732) 872-5900.
Food: Food and non-alcoholic beverages are permitted. Visitors are to take all trash out of Sandy Hook when they leave. Grilling and glass containers are prohibited.
Additional Info:
Windsurfing is permitted on South Beach Area C.
Hiking trails begin at the Sandy Hook
Visitor Center and at the north end of Nine Gun Battery Field.
Walking ocean beaches is permitted except in shorebird nesting areas, which are closed during spring and summer.
The Sandy Hook Lighthouse, which has been in use for 243 years, is the country’s oldest.
For more information, call (732) 872-5970 or visit
www.nps.gov/archive/gate/shu/shu_home.htm.
Contact:
Visitor Center (by mail)
Public Affairs Office
Gateway National Recreation Area
210 New York Avenue
Staten Island, New York 10305
Sandy Hook Unit: (732) 872-5970
