Ocean County Parks and Recreation Programs

Ocean County Parks and Recreation Programs include outdoor activities such as hiking, biking, swimming, canoeing, kayaking, and fishing, along with access to ball fields, tennis courts, and playgrounds. The program also offers organized hikes, van tours and trips, educational classes, art classes, wellness programs, Pre-K fun, and senior exercise classes. Families can also access Virtual Nature Lessons, which are a growing collection of videos done in Ocean County Parks and hosted by Park Naturalists, and can attend special events such as the Annual Decoy and Gunning Show in Tuckerton, the Beach Ball Blast in Berkeley Township, the Pine Barrens Jamboree, The Awesome Autumn Festival, and Touch-A-Truck.

• Schedule: An online program guide provides detailed descriptions of all programs available in the parks system.

Ocean County Parks and Recreation Programs are part of a system that includes 27 parks and conservation areas and over 4,000 acres of preserved and maintained land, with additional public lands established through the Ocean County Natural Lands Trust Program. The Ocean County Natural Lands Trust Program, established in 1997, has set aside over 17,000 acres of land for public use, including over 13,000 acres where hunting is allowed. The department maintains two public golf courses, Forge Pond Golf Course and Atlantis Golf Course; Forge Pond Golf Course was ranked in the top 20 public golf courses to play in New Jersey by Golf Advisor, and Atlantis Golf Course is a longer course than Forge Pond and is described as one of the best layouts in the state by some golf enthusiasts. Ocean County Commissioner Robert S. Arace serves as Commissioner Liaison to the Ocean County Parks & Recreation Department, with Mary Jane Bavais as Director and Michael J. Fiure as County Administrator. The Ocean County Cultural & Heritage Commission, formed in 1969, runs peer-reviewed grant programs distributing nearly $2 million, provides technical support, produces nearly 50,000 copies of Out & About, and leads historic preservation efforts.

Last updated July 8, 2026.