Hankins Park

If you’re going to the beach in Lavallette anyway, it’s worth knowing about this little bayfront spot. The playground is simple — swings and a climbing structure — but the setting does a lot of the heavy lifting, with bay views that are genuinely hard to beat, especially around sunset. Benches make it easy for parents to actually sit and relax while kids do their thing. It stays clean, which if you’ve been to other Jersey Shore parks you know isn’t always a given. Good for the 2-12 crowd, and honestly a solid way to end a beach day.