Beaches & Boardwalks · Sandy Hook
Sandy Hook Beaches (Gateway National Recreation Area)
Bayside and oceanside beaches on the Sandy Hook peninsula in Gateway NRA, with seasonal per-vehicle parking fees and seasonal dog rules.
History & Lighthouses · Sandy Hook
Sandy Hook Lighthouse
Completed in 1764, the oldest operating lighthouse in the United States, with ranger-led tower tours at Gateway National Recreation Area.
The Sandy Hook Lighthouse was completed on June 11, 1764, and the National Park Service calls it the oldest operating lighthouse in the nation. New York merchants petitioned the colonial assembly, which paid for the land and construction through a lottery. The tower received its current third-order Fresnel lens in 1857 and was designated a National Historic Landmark on June 11, 1964.
Climbs are by ranger-led tour only. The park lists first-come, first-served tours Friday to Monday from 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., and visitors must sign up in person at the Sandy Hook Visitor Center on the day. Children must be at least 48 inches tall, and the park suggests calling ahead about tour times and seasonal closures.
The visitor center is in the Lighthouse Keepers Quarters, built in 1883, and is open Friday to Monday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sandy Hook itself is open daily from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.
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- History
Last checked 2026-10-24. Spotted something wrong? Suggest an edit
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