Top 10 List

We all chose the Toms River area to raise our children. Whether you were born and raised here or you’re a transplant like so many, lets celebrate the top 10 reasons why the Toms River area is so great for families.

10. Choices! There are over 30 Preschools in Toms River and a plethora of choices for extracurricular activities. Your child will never be bored! (Shameless plug - check out our Guide!)

9. Entertainment! Movie theaters, The Strand Theater, skating rinks, play & party centers, Grunin Center for the Arts, bowling ally’s, Novins Planetarium, and more...we have all of these things right in our backyard!

8. Summer Fun! There’s a reason why the Toms River area is a vacation destination! Weekly fireworks, marine life workshops, crabbing, boating, seining, the boardwalk, beach camping, movies under the stars - you name it, we’ve got it! And psssst, most of it is free!

7. Festivals and Markets! Our area is known for its awesome festivals - Chili Fest, Soulsational, Summer in the Street (RIP Ice Cream Festival), Harvest Arts Fest, Cruisin’ Downtown, Boat Shows, Art Fairs, Sailfest, Ocean County Fair, Ren Faire, Farmers Markets and more!

6. The Ocean County Library System! Our libraries are amazing, and I’m not just speaking about the Toms River Branch. Each town has it’s own library and they all have FREE programs for kids every day! They’re a great way to entertain the kids, make some fun crafts and make new friends (Mom and Kid!).

5. The Ocean County Parks and Recreation System! Our area is so diverse and our park system really knows how to showcase it! Go for a hike at Cattus Island, you’ll find yourself deep in the pines one moment and standing on the edge of a beach the next. Take advantage of all the wonderful children’s programs offered by OC Parks & Rec - wonderful themed classes for kids, mommy and me and holiday fun!

4. The beach! How many kids in NJ can wake up in the morning and be at the beach within 15 minutes? How about locals summer...It doesn’t matter where in the Toms River area you live, the summer crowds are everywhere. Is there anything more satisfying than hopping in the car the first weekend after school starts and bringing your kids to play on an empty beach?

3. Restaurants, restaurants, restaurants! We’re all exhausted at the end of the day. It’s so easy to bring the family out to eat without worrying about your kids staring at the family in the booth behind you. There are so many family friendly restaurants in our area that offer Kids Eat Free nights and Character Dining nights. A night at The Four Seasons Diner, Perkins or IHOP can make you the coolest parents on the planet!

2. Playgrounds! Do you know how many playgrounds we have? Right around 20! And they’re all awesome! No Rusty slides or broken monkey bars. Check out our Top Playground List from last year.

And the Number One reason why the Toms River area is great for families...

1. Toms River is the Biggest Small Town there ever was. Everyone is connected one way or another. When tragedy strikes, we all feel it. When joy happens, we all celebrate. Together, the communities of Toms River make the best friends and family around!

Tell us why you love living in the Toms River area in the comments below.

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Toms River Macaroni Kid is a website and Free Weekly E-Newsletter full of resources for local parents. Be sure to check out our event calendar bursting with events for kids, festivals, storytimes, school programs and more. We cover the greater Toms River Area including Lakewood, Manchester, Brick, Mantoloking, Lavallette, Normandy Shores, Ortley Beach, Seaside Heights, Seaside Park, Bayville and Berkeley New Jersey. Toms River Macaroni Kid is your number one source for children’s event listings!