Long Beach Island Guidebook & Map

32 PARKS & RECREATION AREAS Continued from page 31 BARNEGAT LIGHTHOUSE STATE PARK Route 72, Long Beach Island (732) 494-2016 www.state.nj.us/dep/parksandforests/ parks/barnlig.html A one time hideout of Captain Kidd and his pirates, this panoramic beach now offers fishing, swimming, trails, birding, and picnicking. Historic "Old Barney" light house is here, too, and you can learn the story behind the lighthouse at the Interpretive Center. Park open daily 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM. Lighthouse open daily Memorial Day - Labor Day, 10:00 AM - 4:30 PM. Lighthouse admission: ages 12 and older: $3.; children 6 to 11: $1. BAYVIEW PARK 68th Street and Long Beach Boulevard Brant Beach, (609) 361-1000 BEACH HAVEN BICENTENNIAL PARK Engleside Avenue, Beach Haven Traditional Victorian park located in the historic district of Beach Haven. Free outdoor summer concerts. BERKELEY ISLAND COUNTY PARK 399 Brennan Concourse Berkeley Township, 1-877-OC PARKS www.oceancountyparks.org Situated on a scenic peninsula jutting out into the calm waters of Barnegat Bay, Berkeley Island County Park provides one of the best views of the bay in Ocean County. Its 25 acres feature a fami- ly-oriented sandy beach with protected bay bath- ing. The 100' crabbing/fishing pier is one of the County's most popular. Bring a picnic lunch and spend the day sunning, swimming, or crabbing. Picnic area, grills, playground. The park is cur- rently closed so that redevelopment from damage caused by Superstorm Sandy can continue, with the goal of reopening in 2016. CEDAR BRIDGE TAVERN HISTORIC SITE 200 Old Halfway Road Barnegat Township, 1-877-OCPARKS www.oceancountyparks.org Historic Cedar Bridge Tavern, located on 5 acres and surrounded by Bass River State Forest, dates back to 1816; however, the history of the site reaches back much further. It is rumored that the last skirmish of the American Revolution occurred here on December 27, 1782. A ceremony com- memorating this event is held at the site each year on the Sunday closest to December 27. Due to its two hundred year history as a hub for locals and a crossroads for travelers, the tavern is list- ed on the New Jersey and National Registers of Historic Places. Currently the site is closed to the public while Ocean County works to learn more about the site, implement its historic preservation plan, protect its delicate structure, and preserve its unique story for future generations. The site will eventually be available for group tours. CLOVERDALE FARM COUNTY PARK 34 Cloverdale Road, Barnegat 1-877-OC PARKS www.oceancountyparks.org Get acquainted with this tucked away, 90-acre jewel, the newest park in the Ocean County system. A former cranberry bog and tree farm, the natural beauty of the park lends itself to a unique 1.4 mile self-guided nature trail which meanders through the farm and into undisturbed woodlands, offering an escape from every day life. Also on the grounds are original buildings from the Collins' family farm, dating back to the early 1900s. The Nature Center, opened in May 2015, contains exhibits that high- light the natural beauty and historical significance of the park and is open on Fri., Sat., Sun., and by chance during the rest of the week. Barnegat Lighthouse State Park. Kelly S. Andrews

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