The Best Hotels to Book Near Monmouth Park Racetrack, New Jersey

Hints of the blue Atlantic Ocean, which is under a mile (1.6km) away, grace rooms at this bright and breezy Navesink River retreat. Let your rudders rest in the marina next door, strolling easily from the fine linens in your suite to the fine dining at the Pearl. Treat yourself to lobster bisque before an after-dinner drink with seafaring folk and longtime locals who are always ready to spin a yarn with you.

Across the street from the Long Branch boardwalk, this glass-fronted cruise-ship-like hotel waves you over for a little beachside bliss. Wave the kids goodbye for some tanning time on the Jersey Shore while dad hangs out with the kids in the indoor play area. Then, get pruned and pampered at the Wave Spa before meeting the fam back on the oceanfront pool deck. Book a family day out at the nearby Monmouth Park horse racetrack, 3mi (5km) away.

When you’re not soaking up the wine list and the waterfront setting at this 19th-century Redbank landmark, you’ll be diving into jumbo lump crab cakes, pan-seared diver scallops and a chicken pot pie so savory that you’ll leave little room for dessert. Ask the waiter to box up the warm apple cobbler so you can enjoy it in your Navesink suite with more river views.

Outdoor fun is always within reach of these crisp white rooms with a mid-century modern vibe. No need to check the forecast – you can see what the weather has in store through the floor-to-ceiling windows surrounding the impressive indoor pool. Fill your days wandering along Whale Pond Brook, playing disc golf at Joe Palaia Park, or hitting the links at Hollywood Golf Club, under five minutes south.

As you sip a Mai Tai at the tiki bar at Sea Bright’s private beach, it’s hard to believe you’re only an hour from the Big Apple. This low-rise 1960’s seaside escape with a wave-shaped pool is just as relaxing on the inside, with its beachy decor and comfortable beds less than a minute’s walk from the sand. Don’t relax so much you miss the Twin Lights State Historic Site and Hartshorne Woods Park, 2mi (3.2km) away.

You can make it from Homewood Suites by Hilton to Monmouth Park Racetrack in 10 minutes flat, and the Asbury Park Boardwalk is equally close, though you won’t want to venture far on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. The complimentary evening social is only 10 seconds from your one- or two-bed suite; another few ticks of the clock, and you’ll be feeling good beside the outdoor pool without a worry in the world.

This sand-colored surprise gives your kids the road trip break they (and you) have been desperately needing. It all starts with the chocolate chip cookie at check-in, which will perk them up almost as much as the rumors of an outdoor pool. The King Presidential Suite adds a feature fireplace, banishing moans over the drive home. We bet they won’t mind jumping back in the car for a quick drive across the street to Deepwoods Kids’ Park or Monster Mini Golf.