Day Trips From Seaside Heights for Families, Couples and Groups

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Seaside Heights sits in the middle of the Jersey Shore, so some of the best things to do near Seaside Heights are a short drive off the island. Within about an hour you can climb a lighthouse, ride a narrow-gauge train, watch sharks and penguins, catch a minor league game or walk a street of Victorian cottages.

This guide sorts the best day trips by who you are traveling with, with rough drive times so you can plan around beach days.

Jersey Shore day trips from Seaside Heights at a glance

Drive times are approximate from central Seaside Heights outside peak traffic. On summer weekends, Route 37 and the Garden State Parkway can add a lot of time, so leave early.

Island Beach State Park is closer than any of these, just south of Seaside Park. We covered it in its own guide: Visiting Island Beach State Park: A Guide From Seaside Park.

Day trips from Seaside Heights for families

The best family day trips near Seaside Heights mix something hands-on with a short drive, so nobody melts down in the car. These are the ones we suggest most often to guests traveling with kids.

Jenkinson's Aquarium, Point Pleasant Beach

Jenkinson's Aquarium has sat on the Point Pleasant Beach boardwalk since 1991. Kids can see Atlantic and Pacific sharks, African penguins, seals and alligators, and there is a supervised touch pool upstairs with local sea life like horseshoe crabs and sea stars. It is open year-round, which makes it a reliable plan for a rainy or overly hot afternoon.

Make a full day of it with the Jenkinson's boardwalk rides and an early seafood dinner. Our list of favorite Point Pleasant seafood restaurants is a good place to start.

Allaire State Park and the Pine Creek Railroad, Wall Township

Allaire State Park is home to Allaire Village, a restored 19th-century iron-making town once known as the Howell Works. Kids can stroll past the general store, blacksmith shop and bakery, and costumed guides often run demonstrations. The Pine Creek Railroad, run by the New Jersey Museum of Transportation, offers narrow-gauge train rides on weekends from early April through late fall.

The park also has trails along the Manasquan River, so pack a picnic and plan for half a day or more.

Cattus Island County Park, Toms River

Cattus Island is the easiest nature trip from Seaside Heights, about 15 minutes over the bridge. The 530-acre county park has roughly seven miles of marked trails, boardwalks over the salt marsh and osprey nesting platforms. The Cooper Environmental Center has live native reptiles and fish, and there is a short wheelchair-accessible loop for strollers and little legs.

If your crew likes walking, add a few stops from our top walking trails near Seaside Heights.

Jersey Shore BlueClaws, Lakewood

The Jersey Shore BlueClaws are the High-A affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies and play at ShoreTown Ballpark in Lakewood. A summer evening game is an easy, affordable outing, with carnival-style games on the concourse and grass berms where kids can spread out.

Check the schedule before your trip, since home games are spread through the season.

Six Flags Great Adventure, Jackson

Six Flags Great Adventure is about 30 road miles inland, roughly a 45-minute drive. It is the big-ticket family day, with roller coasters for teens and the Wild Safari for younger kids. Go on a weekday if you can, and arrive at opening.

For more ideas closer to home, see our kid-friendly spots in Seaside Heights and Ortley Beach.

Day trips from Seaside Heights for couples

Couples usually want a slower day: good views, a walkable town and somewhere nice to eat. These three trips deliver that without a long drive.

Ocean Grove and Asbury Park

Ocean Grove was founded in 1869 as a Methodist camp meeting town, and it still has one of the largest collections of Victorian homes in the country. Walk Ocean Pathway to the Great Auditorium, finished in 1894, and look for the canvas-topped cottages of Tent City around it. The Ocean Grove boardwalk has no shops or stands, so it stays quiet even in July.

Asbury Park is next door and a completely different mood. Stroll the boardwalk past Convention Hall, browse the shops, then stay for dinner and live music. Bradley Beach is just south of Ocean Grove, and our Bradley Beach guide covers where to eat and park.

Barnegat Lighthouse State Park, Long Beach Island

Barnegat Lighthouse, known locally as Old Barney, stands at the north tip of Long Beach Island. Climb its 217 steps for views over Island Beach State Park, Barnegat Bay and the Atlantic. Back on the ground, walk the Maritime Forest Trail or the long concrete walkway along the jetty.

Swimming is not allowed in the park, so treat it as a sightseeing stop and finish the day on an LBI beach or at a bayside restaurant.

It looks close on a map, but there is no bridge across Barnegat Inlet from Island Beach. You drive back over Route 37 and down to Route 72, which takes about an hour.

Double Trouble State Park, Bayville

Double Trouble is a quiet Pine Barrens escape about 25 minutes from Seaside Heights. The historic village still has its sawmill and cranberry sorting and packing house, and a 1.9-mile nature trail loops around the old cranberry bogs. Cedar Creek, which runs through the park, is a favorite for an easy kayak or canoe paddle through tea-colored water.

Planning a whole getaway for two? Our romantic getaway guide to Seaside Heights has ideas for the days you stay in town.

Day trips from Seaside Heights for groups

For friend trips, reunions and multi-family stays, the best day trips are ones where everyone finds something to do and the logistics stay simple. Carpool, pick one meeting spot and keep the plan loose.

A night out in Asbury Park

Asbury Park is the go-to for groups who want music and nightlife beyond the Seaside Heights boardwalk. The Stone Pony is the famous name, and the boardwalk and downtown have plenty of restaurants and bars that can handle a big table. Book dinner ahead on summer weekends and assign a driver, or split rideshares for the trip home.

Point Pleasant Beach for fishing and the boardwalk

Point Pleasant Beach works well for a mixed group. The anglers can book a morning on a fishing boat while everyone else hits the beach, the aquarium or the Jenkinson's boardwalk, then the whole group meets up for dinner. Our fall fishing season guide covers what is biting and when.

A BlueClaws game in Lakewood

A minor league game is one of the easiest group outings at the shore. ShoreTown Ballpark has about 6,500 seats plus berm space and picnic areas around the concourse, so a large group can sit together without much planning. Ask the team about group options if you are bringing ten or more.

Tuckerton Seaport

Tuckerton Seaport is a 40-acre maritime village on Tuckerton Creek, about 45 minutes south. Groups can climb its lighthouse, browse the New Jersey Surf Museum and see the "Life on the Edge" exhibit on the Barnegat Bay estuary. Opening days are limited outside peak summer, so confirm hours before you go. If your group includes surfers, pair it with our best surf spots at the Jersey Shore.

Six Flags Great Adventure

For teenagers and adult friend groups, Six Flags is still the classic full-day trip. Split into ride groups and agree on a lunch meetup so nobody spends the day waiting on each other.

Traveling with a big crew? See our guide to spacious Jersey Shore house rentals for reunions.

Tips for planning a day trip from Seaside Heights

A little planning keeps a day trip from eating into your beach time.

• Beat the bridge traffic. Route 37 is the main way on and off the island. Leave before 9 a.m. or after the afternoon beach crowd heads home, especially on Saturdays.
• Pick your beach days first. Save day trips for cloudy, windy or very hot days, and keep the sunniest days for the sand. Our guide to planning the perfect week at the Jersey Shore shows how to balance the two.
• Check hours before you go. Lighthouse climbs, train rides and museum days often change with the season and the weather.
• Budget for beach badges. If you plan to swim in another town, most Jersey Shore beaches require their own beach badge in season.
• Know where you will park when you get back. Our guide to parking in Seaside Heights without getting ticketed saves you a hunt for a spot at night.
• Think about the shoulder season. Several of these trips, like the aquarium, the parks and Ocean Grove, are just as good in spring and fall. See our off-season Jersey Shore guide for quieter dates.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the best day trips from Seaside Heights?

Popular day trips from Seaside Heights include Jenkinson's Aquarium in Point Pleasant Beach, Allaire State Park, Cattus Island County Park, Ocean Grove and Asbury Park, Barnegat Lighthouse on Long Beach Island and Six Flags Great Adventure. Most are within about 45 minutes by car.

What is there to do near Seaside Heights on a rainy day?

Jenkinson's Aquarium is open year-round and is the classic rainy-day pick. The Cooper Environmental Center at Cattus Island and the indoor exhibits at Tuckerton Seaport are good options too.

How far is Six Flags Great Adventure from Seaside Heights?

Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson is about 30 miles from Seaside Heights, roughly a 45-minute drive without heavy traffic.

Can you drive from Island Beach State Park to Barnegat Lighthouse?

No. Barnegat Inlet separates Island Beach from Long Beach Island, and there is no bridge between them. From Seaside Heights you drive inland on Route 37, then south to Route 72 and onto LBI, which takes about an hour.

What day trips near Seaside Heights are good for kids?

Families with kids tend to love Jenkinson's Aquarium, the Pine Creek Railroad at Allaire State Park, a BlueClaws baseball game in Lakewood and the trails at Cattus Island.

Make Seaside Heights your home base

The reason these day trips work so well is location. Seaside Heights sits between Monmouth County to the north and Long Beach Island to the south, with the Pine Barrens just inland. You get the beach and boardwalk at your door, and most of the Jersey Shore within an easy drive.

That is also why where you stay matters. A rental with a full kitchen, parking and room for everyone makes it easy to pack a cooler in the morning, spend the day out and come home to your own space instead of a cramped hotel room.

Breezy Beach Stays manages vacation homes in Seaside Heights, Seaside Park, Lavallette and Ortley Beach and Belmar, run by a local team that knows these towns. You can browse every home and book direct on our site, and our guide to why booking direct makes sense explains the difference.

Planning a family reunion or a big group trip and not sure which home fits? Contact our team and we will help you find the right place for your dates.