NJ landmark reopens: A quick guide to visiting the Barnegat Lighthouse

It took almost a year and around $1.3 million, but Old Barney is once again open to the public. A soft re-opening happened this Saturday and a press day was held on Tuesday. If you've never been, it really is worth the trek up to the northern end of Long Beach Island to check it out.

For almost 200 years, the Barnegat Lighthouse has been guiding sea-going vessels and entertaining tourists at one of the most picturesque spots on the Jersey Shore. The state park that surrounds the lighthouse is as beautiful and scenic as the tower itself. There is a large picnic area right on the waters of the Barnegat Inlet and nature trails throughout the park.

You can make a day of it by checking out some of the rest of the tiny fishing village. One of the residents there once told me it was "a drinking town with a fishing problem." You can take a long walk to the end of the south jetty of the inlet. It's been paved in places and smoothed out to make it a fairly harmless scenic adventure.

If you don't pack a picnic lunch to have at the park, there are a few tasty options with good restaurants within walking distance of the lighthouse and park. There is Kelly's Old Barney, for casual fare right before the entrance to the parking lot of the park.

For more ambiance and bar service, Kubel's is right across the street. If you bring the kids or just want to play like one, there is one of the best mini golf places called Jen's Links right down the street. It's generally a quiet town with not all of the usual noise of a Jersey Shore town but for sure Old Barney is the star attraction.

Opinions expressed in the post above are those of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Dennis Malloy only.

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