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Lakewood is a large township in Ocean County, New Jersey, about an hour south of New York City and a short drive from the Jersey Shore. Once an iron-making settlement in the Pine Barrens, it became a fashionable winter resort in the late 1800s, when wealthy New Yorkers came for the mild, pine-scented air and stayed in grand hotels around Lake Carasaljo.
The Gilded Age left a remarkable legacy. Financier George Jay Gould built Georgian Court, a lavish estate with Italian, sunken and Japanese gardens that is now Georgian Court University and a National Historic Landmark. John D. Rockefeller summered on an estate that became Ocean County Park. Today Lakewood is also known as one of the largest Orthodox Jewish communities in the country.
Visitors walk the paths around Lake Carasaljo, picnic in Ocean County Park and Lake Shenandoah County Park, and catch a Jersey Shore BlueClaws baseball game at ShoreTown Ballpark. The historic Strand Theater hosts shows downtown, and the beaches of Point Pleasant and Seaside Heights are about 20 minutes away.
The former estate of George Jay Gould, now a university campus and National Historic Landmark, with a grand mansion, a formal Italian garden, a sunken garden with a marble stairway and lagoon, and a Japanese garden. Visitors may stroll the grounds; check the campus website for access and events.
A long, narrow lake in the heart of Lakewood, named after the daughters of iron-works owner Joseph Brick, with paved paths, benches and bridges along both shores. It is popular for walking, jogging and feeding ducks. Start near Georgian Court for the prettiest views.
A large county park on the former winter estate of John D. Rockefeller, with tall pines, a lake for fishing, picnic groves, playing fields and walking trails. Its wide lawns are good for games and family outings. Arrive early on summer weekends, when the picnic areas fill up quickly.
A quiet Ocean County park around a lake just east of Lake Carasaljo, with a fishing pier, shady picnic spots and woodland trails through Pine Barrens forest of pitch pine and oak. It is a calm place for birdwatching and an easy walk. Bring insect repellent in summer.
The home of the Jersey Shore BlueClaws, the High-A affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies, with a grass berm, a playground and fireworks nights through the summer. Tickets are affordable and the seats are close to the field. Check the promotions calendar for theme nights.
A restored 1922 theater on Clifton Avenue in downtown Lakewood, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, whose ornate auditorium now hosts concerts, comedy and touring shows. It is one of the few surviving theaters from Lakewood's resort era. Check the calendar, as shows are irregular.
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Photo: Zeete, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
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Photo: Zeete, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
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Photo: Boston Public Library, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Boston Public Library, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Boston Public Library, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Boston Public Library, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
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Photo: Daderot., Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Boston Public Library, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Boston Public Library, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
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Photo: Apc106, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
