Sandy Hook Beach-All Natural

Nature lover's enjoy the pristine setting of Sandy Hook -the nude beach is just a bonus!

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Seven miles of spectacular ocean and bay beaches make up the region called Sandy Hook. .

Not only are these beaches perfect for surf casting, swimming, and relaxing on the sand, but nature lovers enjoy hiking through almost primeval holly forest.

And then, of course, there is Gunnison Beach.

Long one of the secrets of the New Jersey beach scene, Gunnison Beach, at the upper end of the Sandy Hook peninsula, is the only nudist beach in New Jersey, and said to be the largest one on the Atlantic Coast, probably existing since the Second World War.

Gunnison is clearly marked and it is set off from the main part of the beach activities. You won't be subjected to oceans of flesh unless you want to be.

The lore is that the soldiers at Fort Hancock, (which is still on the peninsula although not active) preferred to swim in the altogether. When the beach became public, the parks department decided to honor this tradition by allowing a section to remain a nudist beach.

Though the Highlands and "the Hook" are great places to spend a seaside vacation, it is possible to visit them from Manhattan in less than one hour. There is an excellent ferry service that runs from East 34th Street to the Highlands. You can see the skyline of Manhattan from almost anywhere on the beach.

Sandy Hook is actually a state park, and as such, has no attractions such as rides or arcades, or even for that matter, restaurants or lodging. (There is one restaurant, Seagull's Nest, in the State Park). But quaint and tiny Highlands, right across the bay, offers a number of Bed and Breakfasts as well as motels. Sea Bright, a busier town just south of Sandy Hook has a number of excellent accommodations and restaurants.

One of the nicest ways to get around and very much in keeping with the ecological tone of the area, is on two wheels. There are a number of shops, and some of the B&Bs in Highlands, that rent bicycles. For, besides the windswept beaches and sunburned bodies, there are a lot of wonderful sites to see.

Fort Hancock was established during the war of 1812 and was an important harbor defense for New York, Long Island, and New Jersey during the Second World War. The Fort Hancock museum affords the visitor a fascinating experience of a mortar battery ready to defend New York City.

Sandy Hook also has the oldest working lighthouse in the country, built in 1764. Originally, it was 500 feet from the water, but shifting currents forced the sand to surround it so that it is now a mile and a half from the water. Official tours of the lighthouse are available during the months of April through December.

Sun, sand, sports, nudes, lighthouses and army forts, plus a view of Manhattan. What other beach offers all of this?