TheRaritan Bayshore is a region incentral sections in the state ofNew Jersey. It is the area aroundRaritan Bay fromThe Amboys toSandy Hook, inMiddlesex andMonmouth counties, including the towns ofPerth Amboy,South Amboy,Sayreville,Old Bridge,Matawan,Aberdeen,Keyport,Union Beach,Hazlet,Keansburg,Middletown,Atlantic Highlands, andHighlands. It is the northernmost part of theJersey Shore, located just south ofNew York City. AtKeansburg is a traditional amusement park while atSandy Hook are found ocean beaches. The Sadowski Parkway beach area inPerth Amboy, which lies at the mouth of theRaritan River, was deemed the "Riviera of New Jersey" by local government. In recent years many of the beaches on the Bayshore area have been rediscovered and upgraded.
In September 1609, theHalve Maen (Dutch for Half Moon), anchored along the shores of the Raritan Bay, and remained for five days to explore theestuary and establish contact with localLenape people (who later become known as theNavesink andRaritan). Four his crew were sent up theArthur Kill and toNewark Bay. Upon their return they were attacked and one of them,John Colman was fatally shot by arrow. Taken ashore to be buried, the spot was christened Coleman's Point.[1] The locationKeansburg still bears the name.[2][3]
Popular attractions in the Bayshore area include Keansburg Amusement Park and Runaway Rapids Waterpark inKeansburg,Mount Mitchill inAtlantic Highlands, andLongstreet Farm inHolmdel. There are also beaches and waterfronts in both ofThe Amboys, theLaurence Harbor section ofOld Bridge, theCliffwood Beach section ofAberdeen,Keyport,Union Beach,Keansburg, and theEast Keansburg,Port Monmouth,Belford, andLeonardo sections ofMiddletown. There are also non-commercial boardwalks inPerth Amboy andKeansburg.
Because many of the towns date back to the 17th and 18th century, as well as the important naval history in the area, there are numerous historical locations throughout the Bayshore area. Historical attractions includeFort Hancock in Sandy Hook, theTwin Lights State Historic Site in Highlands, the Strauss Mansion in Atlantic Highlands, Portland Place and the Taylor-Butler House in Middletown,Longstreet Farm in Holmdel, theBurrowes Mansion in Matawan, theThomas Warne Museum in Old Bridge, and the Kearny Cottage Museum, thePerth Amboy Ferry Slip, andProprietary House in Perth Amboy. Additionally, there are various historical markers and sites from these early time periods, especially several from theRevolutionary War and the British retreat to Sandy Hook from theBattle of Monmouth.
TheBayshore Regional Strategic Plan was an effort by nine municipalities in northernMonmouth County,New Jersey to reinvigorate the area's economy, especially along theRoute 36 corridor along theSandy Hook Bay.[4]
Municipalities participating in the effort wereAberdeen,Atlantic Highlands,Hazlet,Highlands,Keansburg,Keyport,Matawan,Middletown andUnion Beach.[4]
In August 2006 a report was released, and Monmouth County was asked to vote to have the county planning board approve the plan the Bayshore organization has created.[5]
This plan has since been replaced by the2016 Monmouth County Master Plan, an effort to beautify, maintain, and revitalize Monmouth County.[6] The new master plan combined four separate regional plans within the county to create one large master plan, fully taking into consideration what each plan had to offer.[4]
Sandy Hook Bay is a triangular arm of theRaritan Bay, along the coast of northernNew Jersey in theUnited States. It is formed along the south side of theLower New York Bay bySandy Hook, a spit of land that protects the bay from the openAtlantic Ocean. The bay provides a shelteredmarina for pleasure craft, as well as a harbor for theUnited States Coast Guard. It is fed by theShrewsbury Riverestuary. It is bounded on the west side by theNaval Weapons Station Earle pier.
TheHenry Hudson Trail is a bicycling and hikingrail trail which runs parallel to the southernshore ofRaritan Bay and connects the Bayshore communities to inland sections of Monmouth County. The trail starts inFreehold Borough and ends atHighlands, with missing links in Atlantic Highlands, Aberdeen/Matawan, andMarlboro.
The Bayshore area is mostly flat areas of beach, with the exception of the hills between theNavesink River and theSandy Hook Bay.Mount Mitchill, a 266-foot (81 m) hill inAtlantic Highlands, is the highest.[7] To the east ofMount Mitchill are theTwin Lights Lighthouse ofHighlands, with unobstructed views ofSandy Hook and theNew York City skyline.Hartshorne Woods Park is also located in theMonmouth Hills to the south on the banks of theNavesink River.
TheGateway National Recreation Area Sandy Hook Unit on thebarrier peninsula includes two park sites:
TheNew Jersey Coastal Heritage Trail Route[9] andCheesequake State Park are also here.
Ferries toNew York City andExchange Place travel across theLower New York Bay and enter the harbor atThe Narrows, a trip that take approximately 40 minutes.
SeaStreak routes connect the towns ofAtlantic Highlands andHighlands to theEast River atPier 11 at Wall Street andEast 34th Street Ferry Landing inNew York City. TheBelfordferry slip Raritan Bayshore terminal with service toPaulus Hook Ferry Terminal inJersey City andWall Street-Pier 11 andWest Midtown Ferry Terminal inNew York City.[10]
FromMemorial Day weekend throughLabor Day weekend, service is also provided to the public beaches inSandy Hook a few times each day bySeaStreak.
NJ Transit'sNorth Jersey Coast Line crosses theRaritan River onRiver Draw betweenPerth Amboy andSouth Amboy continuing south toAberdeen-Matawan,Hazlet, andMiddletown.
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