Barnegat

Life on the Jersey Shore in Barnegat Township is one of “waterfront dining, marinas, fishing and clamming,” says Realtor Casey Quinn with RE/MAX at Barnegat Bay. Quinn grew up in Forked River, several miles to the north, and knows the area well. The coast is lined with protected wetlands, and many locals walk or boat out to dig for clams, have lunch and hang out on the sandbars. “Boaters are drawn to Barnegat because you can get almost anything you need on a boat during the summer,” Quinn says. “Plus, Barnegat Inlet is across the bay for access to the ocean.”<br><br>The township attracts many people looking for a more leisurely lifestyle. In fact, nearly 40% of the homes in Barnegat are part of 55-plus communities. Dwellings range from mobile homes in Pinewood Estates, a senior community, that start at $60,000 to single-family Cape Cods, colonials and ranch-style houses that can sell for between $300,000 and $700,000 depending on the number of bedrooms and square footage. You’ll even find five-bedroom waterfront homes with incredible bay views for over $1 million. The construction of new condos and waterfront apartments starting at $300,000 and single-family houses priced from $500,000 to $750,000 is happening throughout the township.<br><br>The schools that serve Barnegat all received above-average grades from Niche. At Cecil S. Collins Elementary, which received a B-plus, students can participate in before- and after-school activities, such as the art club, board game club, intramurals and safety patrol. Students at Russel O. Brackman Middle, a B-minus school, won a real media contest for videos they produced to prevent substance abuse among adolescents. Students at Barnegat High, which scored a C-plus, can choose from a new recording arts pathway that introduces them to music theory, keyboarding, composition and more in a newly built recording studio on campus.<br><br>The tidewater marshes that dominate the Jersey Shore open to a small harbor in Barnegat, where the municipal dock is located, and a handful of marinas, such as Bob’s Bay Marina, a family-owned and operated establishment for over 35 years. Boaters and fishers choose Bob’s for its full-service mechanic, bait and crabbing gear, gas pump, clubhouse and cleaning station. Cloverdale Farm County Park, another recreational spot farther inland, is a former cranberry farm. This natural area features cranberry bogs, wildflowers and undisturbed woodland, a welcome escape from everyday life. The township also has several unnamed parks, such as the one at Bowline Street and Bildge Avenue, with basketball courts and a children's playground, and athletic parks like Lower Shore Road Park, with a football field and two baseball fields. If you’re a walker or biker, the Barnegat Branch Trail follows the tracks of the former Central Railroad of New Jersey and runs 7.6 miles from Barnegat Township to Forked River through the sandy soils of the Pine Barrens. If you’re looking for a hiking adventure, Well Mills County Park is the largest park in Ocean County, with over 900 acres of pine and oak forests. Its three-story nature center is a great place for information, and each October, the Pine Barrens Jamboree is held at the park, featuring music, vittles and handmade crafts.<br><br>You’ll find an ACME market off West Bay Road for everyday needs. Most stores and retailers, including pharmacies, are off West Bay on either side of the Garden State Parkway, which cuts across the township. While several restaurants are along this strip, you’ll want to visit the marina area for a bite to eat at Sun Harbor Seafood and Grill. Customers come by boat, car, bike or foot to enjoy the fresh local seafood and panoramic views. For a day’s excursion, drive to the Historic Cedar Bridge Tavern, believed to be the oldest intact bar in the United States. Dating back to 1740, Cedar Bridge was the site of the Siege of Yorktown, the last conflict of the American Revolutionary War. <br><br>“Some people joke that their boats are worth more than their homes,” Quinn says. In Barnegat, where life on the water is prized just as much as a well-manicured lawn or two-car garage, that saying couldn’t be truer.