Looking for family fun this summer at the Shore? Here are some ideas

Most of our childhood memories of the Shore are filled with sandy toes and big ice cream cones.

But there is so much more for kids to do, like hunting for fossils, visiting quirky museums, and swimming in forest-shrouded lakes.

When you feel like taking a break from the beach, check out this guide to summer family fun.

More: The Asbury Park Press Summer Guide is coming

Learn something

Climb Old Barney: There's no exercise more rewarding than climbing Barnegat Lighthouse State Park's "Old Barney." The lighthouse's 217 spiraling steps lead to one of the best views of Long Beach Island: You can see Barnegat Bay, Island Beach State Park, and a portion of Long Beach Island. To learn more about the historical lighthouse, which was built in the 1800s and renovated in 2022, stop by the park's Barnegat Light Museum.

Go back in time: Visit the environmental center at Manasquan Reservoir in Howell to view fossils of sharks, mastodons and woolly mammoth teeth, plus the shells of oysters, clams, lobsters, snails and cephalopods. They also have dinosaur tracks. Fossil hunt at Marlboro's Big Brook Park, where you can take home enough small paleontological items to fill a 12-ounce can or sandwich bag, and at Middletown's Poricy Park, where you'll find marine fossils from more than 60 million years ago. Visit the New Jersey Maritime Museum in Beach Haven to see prehistoric fossils recovered from the inter-continental shelf off our coast.

Fascinating day trips: Spring and summer excursions that take you off the beaten path

Interesting museums: The Monmouth Museum in Middletown has art galleries and exhibits for kids, including the outdoor Meyer Art & Nature Area featuring a butterfly garden, wildlife area and spot for picnics. While there, don't forget to take the kids to see Stella, a large dinosaur sculpted from auto parts by the late Monmouth County sculptor Jim Gary. If you have a child who is interested in bugs, let them get up close with tarantulas and giant cockroaches at Insectropolis in Toms River.

Learn to make ice cream: Hoping to have an ice cream scooper in the family one day? Check out ice cream-making classes at The WooHoo in Beach Haven. Students will make ice cream, taste it and ask questions of The WooHoo's head ice cream maker.

Get outside

Go swimming: From the kid-filled shores of Beach Haven to the fun-packed Jenkinson's Beach in Point Pleasant Beach, there is no shortage of family-friendly beaches around. But swimming options also include lakes, which are free of currents and waves, like Lake Absegami in Bass River State Forest in Tuckerton, William J. Dudley Park in Berkeley Township, Harry Wright Lake in Manchester, and Manahawkin Lake in Stafford.

Hike and explore: Hit the trails at Berkeley Township's Island Beach State Park, Tuckerton's Bass River State Forest and throughout the Pine Barrens. Some trails have a haunted history that teens may enjoy (always be on the lookout for the Jersey Devil!). If you venture to the Pine Barrens, stop at a roadside food stand like Hot Diggidy Dog in Chatsworth, which makes a mean cranberry relish hot dog. In Monmouth County, Howell's Manasquan Reservoir Park features 1,208 acres with two trails, plus a playground and kayak and rowboat rentals; Shark River Park in Wall offers two trails of wetlands and floodplain, as well as pine and oak forest habitat; and Tatum Park in Middletown contains 366 acres of woods and fields with two trails, plus an additional garden path in Deep Cut Gardens. The park also has restrooms, playgrounds, picnic tables and two activity centers.

Learn to surf: Teach kids to ride the waves at surf camps like Long Beach Island Surf Camps and Coastline Adventures in Normandy Beach.

More: Here's the ultimate beach guide for your summer days at the Jersey Shore

Pick your own: There are plenty of pick-your-own opportunities around the Shore, from tulips and flowers at Holland Ridge Farms in Cream Ridge to fruits and vegetables at farms like Battleview Orchards in Freehold Township and Emery's Farm in Plumsted. Be sure to check ahead to see what's in season.

Take in a ball game: Grab tickets for a Jersey Shore BlueClaws game; the Shore's minor league team is based in Lakewood. The ShoreTown stadium has a mini golf course, on-field games between innings and firepit seating. Check out their schedule at milb.com/jersey-shore/schedule.

Fun with animals

Zoos, sanctuaries, and farms... oh my!: If flocks of seagulls aren't enough nature for you, visit Popcorn Park Animal Refuge in the Forked River section of Lacey, which is home to lions, primates, peacocks and llamas. Hear wolves howl at Howling Woods Farm in Jackson, and see Huacaya alpacas frolic at Out of Sight Alpacas in Waretown. If you feel like taking a road trip, head south to Cape May County Zoo to see exotic birds, snow leopards, monkeys and more.

Animals in nature: See animals in their natural habitat at Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge's reserves and trails, which wind their way through parts of Stafford, Holgate and Galloway. The main location in Galloway boasts nature trails, an 8-mile drivable trail and observation towers from which you can see piping plovers, white-rumped sandpipers, seaside sparrows, osprey, eagles and more. Or spend the day on the water with a whale-watching charter from Jersey Shore Whale Watching in Belmar or Seastreak Whale Watch in Highlands.

Gabriela L. Laracca joined the USA Today Network New Jersey in 2021 and eagerly brings her passion for cuisine and culture to our readers. Send restaurant tips to [email protected].

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Kid-friendly summer fun at the Jersey Shore, from museums to hikes