Lakewood

Lakewood is an Ocean County township in central New Jersey, a short drive inland from the Jersey Shore. It grew first as a winter resort for wealthy New Yorkers, and some of that past survives in estate grounds and a lake at the edge of downtown. Today it is a large township and home to a large Orthodox Jewish community, which shapes the weekly rhythm, the shops and the restaurants. Visitors will find a practical town rather than a resort. Its appeal is as a calm, central base with gardens, lakes and a ballpark, and quick routes to the beach, the Pine Barrens and both New York and Philadelphia.

Georgian Court University holds the best-known sight, the Sister Mary Grace Burns Arboretum, on the former winter estate of George Jay Gould. Its formal, Italian, Japanese and sunken gardens are open to walk, with statuary, fountains and a lagoon linked to Lake Carasaljo. The lake has a trail around it that suits an easy stroll. Ocean County Park, a former Rockefeller estate, has lakes, trails and picnic lawns, and Pine Park is a large green space with fields and paths. Baseball fans can see the Jersey Shore BlueClaws at ShoreTown Ballpark from April to September, and the Strand Theater downtown hosts shows through the year.

Kosher food is a strong point, with dairy restaurants, bakeries, pizza shops, bagel counters and steakhouses around Clifton Avenue and the Route 9 corridor. Italian restaurants, American grills and diners fill out the choices. Many kosher places close early on Friday and stay closed on Saturday and on Jewish holidays, so plan meals and shopping ahead. Bars and late nights are quiet compared with the shore towns. For a livelier evening, take in a BlueClaws game or a show at the Strand, or drive to Seaside Heights or Point Pleasant Beach, which are a short trip east.

Hotels cluster along Route 9 and Route 70, which makes those corridors the practical base for drivers. Staying near Georgian Court and downtown puts the gardens and Clifton Avenue closer, though lodging there is more limited. Lakewood is built for cars, and parking is easy in most places. NJ Transit and Academy buses run to New York City, and Lakewood Terminal is the main bus stop in town. There is no Amtrak station or commuter rail line here. Newark Liberty International Airport is the main airport for the area, reached by the Garden State Parkway and the New Jersey Turnpike.

Late spring through early autumn suits Lakewood. May and June bring the gardens into bloom, summer fills the lake path and the ballpark, and September and October add cooler days and fall color. The beaches are a short drive east, which makes July and August a good time to use Lakewood as a base for the shore. Winters are cold with some snow, and the gardens are quiet. One full day covers Georgian Court, the lake and a ballgame. Two days let you add Ocean County Park and a trip to the beach. Plan around Shabbat and Jewish holidays, when many businesses close.

Lakewood sits where Route 9, Route 70 and the Garden State Parkway meet, which makes it an easy link in a Jersey Shore trip. Toms River, Seaside Heights and Point Pleasant Beach lie to the east. The Pine Barrens spread south and west, with state forests for hiking and camping. New York City is north by Parkway or bus, and Philadelphia is to the southwest along Route 70 and Interstate 295. Atlantic City lies farther south down the Parkway. A night here pairs well with a beach stay or a drive through the Pine Barrens.