Welcome to The Sandbox at Seastreak

A casual beach bar with stunning views, awesome cocktails, & delicious food.

An amazing setting to relax and unwind

With a waterfront setting as nice as this, you’ll feel like every day’s a vacation day. Come on down and dip your toes in the sand, or in the water if you’re game. Our multiple ideally-distanced picnic tables make it easy to enjoy our open-air beach vibes. And, you’ll love warming up next to our fire pits on cool autumn evenings.

Open through October 2023

Saturdays - Sundays at 10am
Mondays - Fridays at 12pm
Holidays 10 am

Seastreak Beach

325 Shore Drive
Highlands, NJ 07732

Food & Drinks

Great eats to tempt your tastebuds

We’ve recruited some top-notch gourmet food trucks to serve up the best in local and regional cuisine. From coal-fired pizzas, to fresh Maine lobster rolls, to boardwalk-style Italian sausages…we have it all! Check out our rotating Food Truck Lineup below.

Signature cocktails to please your palate

Our master mixologists are standing by to craft the perfect libation just for you! We’ve crafted a unique menu filled with delicious cocktails, each named after a different Seastreak ferry. A full selection of hand-picked local and domestic beers, wines, seltzers and cocktails is also available.

Music & Events

Live Music

The Sandbox has partnered with some of the best bands of the Jersey Shore and beyond to provide live music Tuesdays – Sundays. Whether its classic rock, reggae, or psychedelic jam bands – we have you covered!

Special Events

The Sandbox hosts a variety of ticketed events throughout the summer and fall. In the past, we have hosted Dunesday with Brian Kirk & The Jirks, Tramps Like Us, and Oktoberfest with The Alders Band. See list below of available events – this will be updated as new events are scheduled, so check back often!

Cabanas

Reserve a cabana to take the worry out of finding available seating on the beach!

The Sandbox offers a wide variety of first-come, first-serve seating options. These options include Adirondack chairs near the stage, picnic tables in the sand, and beach chairs around the fire pits. It’s not uncommon for these seats to fill up with patrons, so anyone thinking of bringing a group is encouraged to reserve a cabana – the only section of the beach that is available for reservations.

Interested in hosting a party or event at the Sandbox?

The cabanas are perfect for events like birthday parties, anniversaries, engagement parties, etc.

With each cabana reservation, guests will receive two picnic tables in a covered area. Each picnic table can seat up to eight guests. Parties that have more than 20 guests should book multiple cabanas. Cabanas can be reserved for the times listed below.

**Cabana rentals are a space reservation only!**
Your guests will still need to pay the fees required to access the beach on that particular day. This includes Friday, weekend, and holiday beach fees as well as special event fees.

Cabana Hours

Open all week during the summer
Open Thu-Sun in the fall (starting 9/28/23)

Mon - Thu

4pm - 10pm

Fri, Sat, Sun, & Holidays

12pm - 4:30pm
5pm - 11pm

Schedule

Show Calendar
Ticketed Event
Cover Charge at Door
Free

Cover Charges

Fridays: $5 after 4pm
Saturdays: $5 all day 
Sundays: $5 all day
*Children 5 and Under Free*
Cover charges subject to change. 
Food trucks and bands subject to change. 

There are no events the week of March 25 - 31, 2024

Click on another week in the calendar.

Getting Here from NYC

Get to the beach bar of your dreams in 40 minutes directly from NYC via the Seastreak high-speed ferry! Choose to depart from Pier 11, East 35th Street, Brookfield Place, West 39th Street or Jersey City. The Sandbox is located just steps from Seastreak’s Highlands, NJ terminal.

Hours of Operation

Monday-Thursday
12pm - 10pm
Friday
12pm - 11pm
Saturday
10am - 11pm
Sunday
10am - 10pm
Holidays
10am - 11pm

FAQs

General FAQs

Yes, outside food is permitted! No outside hard coolers, yeti cups, or water bottles are allowed. Small soft coolers are permitted. Beverages from our food trucks, and juice boxes for children are permitted inside.

Swimming is swim at your own risk. There is no lifeguard on duty. There is no swimming permitted after dark.

Sorry, paddle boards are not allowed.

We do allow some games to be brought Fridays-Sundays including cornhole and kan jam. We do not allow ladder toss. You would have to set up in the back area- when you arrive the front gate attendant would be able to let you know the permitted area. We do ask that you remain respectful of other guests and we may ask you to pack the games away if it becomes unsafe at any time.

On ticketed event days, the regular beach fee will be charged from when the Sandbox opens until 2 hours prior to the start of the ticketed event. Beginning 2 hours prior to the start of the ticketed event, you must pay the ticketed event rate in order to enter the Sandbox. You can enter the Sandbox with a ticketed event ticket at any time prior to the start of the event. For example, if you have tickets for the Tramps Like Us show which begins at 7 pm, you would be able to use that ticket in order to enter the Sandbox when the Sandbox opens that day at 12 noon.

Yes, you are free to bring your own beach chairs to the Sandbox!

Cabana Information

Yes, you and your guests will still need to pay the cover fee in order to enter the beach. If there is a ticketed event, you and your guests would need to pay the ticketed event rate.

Please send us an email at [email protected] with your order number and we will be able to help you correct that!

No, all cabana reservations are non-refundable but we do allow you to change the date you have booked a cabana- please send us an email at [email protected] with your order number and the date you would like to switch to!

Yes, you would just have to see the front gate attendant when you arrive and you can pre-pay for the number of guests you will be having. When your guests arrive they would just have to give your party's name and would not be charged the cover fee, until the number of pre-paid tickets runs out.

If the Sandbox remains open, your cabana reservation is not refundable but you can email us at [email protected] to switch to another date if you would wish. If the Sandbox is closed your cabana reservation will be refunded unless you email us to switch to another date.

No, a cabana reservation is just for the space. There is no waiter/waitress service.

Cabanas can fit 20 people per reservation. If you have more than 20 guests we would recommend purchasing multiple cabanas!

Yes! You are free to bring any decoration you may wish but please note that you are responsible for cleaning the area after you are finished, and the area should be as clean as when you arrived. Please also be mindful that sometimes it can be quite windy at the Sandbox which may affect any decorations you bring.

Yes, outside food is permitted! No outside hard coolers, yeti cups, or water bottles are allowed. Small soft coolers are permitted. Beverages from our food trucks, and juice boxes for children are permitted inside.
We would not allow any food carts operated by an outside vendor. We have many food trucks at the Sandbox- please reach out to one of them directly if you would like to arrange a catering option for your group/event.