A pirate ship-themed playground to complement some exercise on the boardwalk!

The Long Beach boardwalk is a fixture if you live in the area; although not developed with shops and restaurants in the same way as the boardwalks of New Jersey, this is the perfect place to come with the kids for bike riding or with your baby for stroller running. The boardwalk is as straight and smooth as any runner could dream of, and there’s always something powerful about running alongside the crashing surf of the Atlantic. Perhaps the only drawback to a run here is that there is no shade; if you come in the summer, aim for early morning or late afternoon to avoid the heat of the day.

If your kids are out of the stroller, then make sure to detour to Magnolia Playground, down a ramp about midway through the boardwalk’s 2.2 mile length. Everything here plays up the ocean theme, including a whimsical signpost indicating the distance to the local rec center, Austraila, and Saturn (of course).

Enjoy the welcome shade of the surfboard-adorned picnic tables under an arbor, or watch the kids climb the pirate-ship-themed play structure. The swingset features accessible, bucket, and regular swings, and there are fun extra elements like a chalkboard (bring your own chalk), a see-saw, and a tot-sized house to play in.

It’s worth noting that the only available restroom is a port-a-potty.

Too hot to play outside? The town library is only three blocks away and has a fantastic free play area. We’ve definitely been known to dip inside when the mercury climbs past 80 degrees. In short, you could easily make a day of it at Long Beach, indoors and out!