The Beautiful Two River area is located within the New York City Metropolitan Area and is the northernmost county along the Jersey Shore in Eastern Monmouth County, Central NJ and is one of New Jersey’s best kept secrets. It serves as a bedroom community to Manhattan as well as a second home retreat rivaling the Hamptons. It is surrounded by stunning beaches, the Navesink and Shrewsbury Rivers and includes such towns as Rumson, Fair Haven, Little Silver, Monmouth Beach, Atlantic Highlands and Red Bank. Following is more about the area as well as specific town information.
Why Do People Live Here?
EASY MANHATTAN COMMUTE
Ferry – We offer 2 high speed Ferry services into Manhattan from Atlantic Highlands, Highlands and Belford, Seastreak Ferry and New York Waterways. The high speed ferries are spacious and the most civilized way to commute into NYC and take approximately 35-45 minutes.
Train - NJ Transit trains on the North Jersey Coast stations are located in Red Bank, Little Silver and Middletown. Typical commutes are 70-85 minutes to and from Penn Station.
Bus - Academy bus is the predominant bus company into the city. Buses leave from Red Bank at exit 109 of the Parkway and take approximately 60-80 minutes to arrive at Port Authority.
Great Schools!
Public Schools - Monmouth County is home to some of the top rated public schools in the state, including High Tech High School, which has consistently ranked as the #1 High School in NJ.
Private Schools - The Two River Area has multiple private and religious school options such as Rumson Country Day School, Ranney School, St. James and Holy Cross Elementary Schools and Red Bank Catholic High School.
Quality of Life
The Two Rivers Area has much to offer from walkable small towns, vibrant beach communities to quiet, wooded rural settings.
The housing inventory runs the gamut from shingle-style Shore Colonials, beach bungalows, new construction, historic homes, condos, townhouses, adult communities, high-rises, waterfront estates to horse farms. We have a little bit of everything here!
Easy NYC commute, a quick trip to beaches, parks, shopping, excellent schools, boating, golf, tennis, hiking, restaurants, live music, theater and much more!
Parks and Recreation
Monmouth County has some of the best parks in NJ, from Sandy Hook with it’s beautiful beaches to Hartshorne and Huber woods that feature hiking trails, beautiful vistas, horseback riding and mountain biking
Public and Private Golf Clubs
There are 15 public golf courses, many of which are professional quality. The Navesink and Rumson Country Clubs are the areas premiere private golf courses.
Beaches and Beach Clubs
Monmouth County’s 27 miles of shoreline stretch from Sandy Hook in the north to the Manasquan inlet, on the border of Ocean County. There are multiple private beach clubs located only minutes away from the Two Rivers area.
Watersports
Whether you’d like to paddle out in a kayak or you’re looking to spend the day on a yacht, there are plenty of opportunities to set sail in Monmouth County at a variety of marinas, sailing clubs and public boat ramps.
Culture
No need to give up the culture the city affords. Home to iconic music venues like the Stone Pony, Count Basie Theater and Asbury Lanes and many art galleries.
Restaurants and Shopping
From Fine Dining, to Casual to Beach Bar. Award winning Nicholas Restaurant in Middletown, Undici in Rumson to Bond Street Bar in Asbury Park, we have it all covered.
Excellent shopping at The Grove in Shrewsbury, Pier Village in Long Branch and Downtown Red Bank which are home to many national retail chains as well as small boutiques.
Rumson serves as a magnet for many people from both New York and New Jersey – in part due to its natural beauty flanked by the Shrewsbury and Navesink Rivers, and bordered by the Atlantic Ocean, Adding to the unique setting that is provided by the water, the area also offers large, ancient elms and maples that provide shade in the summer and glorious leaves in the fall, as well as a collection of historic homes.
Perhaps one of the most desirable traits of Rumson is its quaintness. Rumson offers a small town feel with plenty of neighborhood parks and playgrounds plus two small downtown areas that comprise a variety of local Mom and Pop businesses including great restaurants, Crazees ice cream, The French Market, several boutiques, and Rumson Pharmacy, to only name a few. Rumson Country Club and historic Sea Bright Lawn Tennis and Cricket Club offer exclusive sports and leisure facilities.
Many of the people who call Rumson home are those who work in New York. The quiet, peaceful life provided by Rumson is a relief from the hustle and bustle of Manhattan at the shore. Rumson also boasts one of the best school systems in the state.
Fair Haven is located on the Rumson peninsula along the Navesink River. Fair Haven has a rich history that can be revisited today through the borough’s charmingly quaint historic district. It’s only minutes away from the beaches of the Jersey Shore, and is a popular destination for fishing, kayaking, swimming, and more. Fair Haven Fields is a 77-acre park that includes 37 acres devoted to sports fields and tennis courts, a 40-acre Haven Fields Natural Area – a nature preserve featuring woodlands, picturesque trails, and a pond.
Fair Haven has a thriving economy, with businesses of all sizes operating in the downtown area. With only 1 ¼ square miles, Fair Haven is best known for its small-town, friendly charm where you will see students walking or riding their bikes to school, and going home or into town during lunch. Fair Haven has a great community spirit and is the kind of place where people choose to stay for many generations.
Little Silver’s is located along the Shrewsbury River on the Rumson peninsula.. It is a popular destination for water sports and nature adventures as well as boating and fishing. Little Silver has a thriving downtown, excellent schools, a strong community spirit and welcoming residents. Most residents commute to NYC or other parts of New Jersey for work. The NJ Transit Train Station in town was built in 1890 by noted architect Henry Hobson Richardson and has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Sickles Market on Harrison Avenue has been a favorite destination among Monmouth County locals since 1908.
This family-owned and operated farmer’s market offers fresh produce, plants, gifts and novelties, gourmet food, and more. The 330-year-old preserved Parker Homestead is possibly the oldest home in New Jersey and one of the oldest in the country.It includes the home and three barns built by Peter Parker and is sprawled on 10 acres of land. The town center features excellent restaurants like Graze Restaurant, Felicia’s Kitchen, and Edie’s Luncheonette, as well as various shops and grocery stores.
Red Bank is a diverse urban cultural mecca of 1.75 square miles. Red Bank’s bustling business district is the community center, and is home to various financial and investment firms, shops, boutiques, restaurants, galleries, theaters, and more. The Navesink River is the hub for outdoor activities. The scenic Riverside Gardens Park and Marine Park, both located by the river, host regular events such as concerts, free movies, fitness activities, and more. such as street fairs, sidewalk sales, the annual Oysterfest, Riverfest, outdoor jazz concerts and movies in the park.
The proximity of major highways also allows easy access to the city and other destinations. Red Bank has two professional theaters staging world-class productions year round: the historic Count Basie Theater and The Two River Theater Company. Red Bank is home to a number of restaurants and bars offering a wide array of food and drinks. For shopping, you will find everything you want at the downtown area, including some unique finds.
Red Bank is also home to Riverview Medical Center, a NJ Transit train station, two hotels, several marinas, a sailing club and numerous parks. Red Bank has a wide variety of residences, from apartments to condos to riverfront homes that satisfy all price ranges and lifestyles.
The one-square-mile borough of Monmouth Beach is sandwiched between the Shrewsbury River to the west and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. The charming business district along Beach Rd, consists of about a dozen stores and restaurants. Monmouth Beach has an illustrious past and about 50 century-old houses remain, including one built by the architect Stanford White.
Two of the borough's three condominium high-rises -- the 161-unit Admiralty and the Shores, with 120 units are on the ocean, and the third, the 220-unit Channel Club, is on the river adjacent to the 150-slip Channel Club Marina.
Nearly all of Monmouth Beach's mile-long oceanfront is open to the public without charge, aside from the private Monmouth Beach Bath and Tennis Club. The borough runs a protected beach called the Bathing Pavilion, which includes a bathhouse and swimming pool.
The borough's other major public recreational area is the three-acre Griffin Park. It has a baseball diamond, two soccer fields, six tennis courts, a roller hockey rink, four basketball courts, a jogging path and a gazebo.
Atlantic Highlands, often referred to as the "Jewel of the Bayshore", is one of New Jersey's most unique small towns. Many of Atlantic Highlands' Victorian homes have been preserved and restored, adding to the charm of small-town living and providing interesting walking tours in the historic district.
This charming town on the Jersey Shore overlooks Sandy Hook Bay, Manhattan and the Atlantic Ocean. The town's hills include the highest point on the East Coast south of Maine. In addition to its great location and rich history, Atlantic Highlands is home to delightful restaurants, theaters and one-of-a-kind shops.
Enjoy nature and stunning views by taking a hike on one of Atlantic Highlands' nature trails. The Henry Hudson Trail, a 10 foot wide, 24 mile trail that covers much of Monmouth County is a tree-lined trail that hugs the bay and is a great place to get in some walking or biking.
The Municipal harbor is the home to many chartered party and fishing boats, as well as the Seastreak Ferry that provides transportation to NYC in as little as 35 minutes and makes Atlantic Highlands a commuters dream!
Kelly Zaccaro is a well respected, top producing agent in Monmouth County NJ. She was the #1 Agent for Heritage House Sotheby's International Realty in both 2019 and 2020 with over $53M in sales in 2020