Windward Beach Park Crabbing with Kids | A Fun Family Day in Brick, NJ
Looking for a fun family activity in New Jersey? We recently spent almost the entire day at Windward Beach Park in Brick, NJ, and it was such a fun place to visit with our 3-year-old.
We came mainly for crabbing, but ended up enjoying the farmers market, beach, and playground too!
🦀 Crabbing at Windward Beach Park
This wasn’t our first time crabbing in New Jersey. We had previously gone crabbing in Keyport, so this time we came prepared with our own crab net.
But we ended up learning a completely different way to catch crabs!
When we walked toward the pier, there were lots of people fishing and crabbing. We happened to meet a local crabbing pro, who kindly showed us his method.
And it was surprisingly simple.
All you need is a long piece of string and a chicken leg.
Tie the chicken leg to the string, toss it into the water, and wait.
When you slowly pull the line up, the crabs grab onto the chicken and start eating the meat. Then, you use a large landing net to scoop them up.
That’s it!
And guess what? We didn’t even need the crab net we brought! 😂
We actually saw quite a few crabs that day. Unfortunately, most of them were too small, so we released them.
But our 3-year-old didn’t mind at all. He was just excited to watch the crabs and help us catch them.
Tip: If you’re planning to keep your catch, make sure to check the current New Jersey recreational crabbing regulations and size limits before you go.
🏖️ A Small Beach That’s Great for Kids
The beach at Windward Beach Park isn’t very large, but I actually think that’s part of what makes it nice for families with young children.
Our son spent a lot of time playing in the sand, and there were other families with kids enjoying the beach and crabbing area.
Near the entrance, there’s also a playground and restroom.
The playground was better than I expected, and it gave our son another place to burn off some energy between crabbing and beach time.
🥕 Don’t Miss the Farmers Market
When we arrived around 11 AM, the farmers market was open, so we walked around and looked at the vendors for a while.
I had read that parking could be difficult because of the farmers market, but we didn’t have any trouble.
There were quite a few cars when we arrived, but we were still able to find a free parking spot at the beach park.
So far, 11 AM seemed like a pretty comfortable time to arrive.
👦 Perfect for a 3-Year-Old?
For our family, absolutely!
We arrived around 11 AM and stayed until 4 PM.
Five hours with a 3-year-old is no small thing. 😂
He played at the beach, watched us catch crabs, explored the playground, and enjoyed being around all the other kids.
By the time we got home…
He was completely passed out. 😂
Honestly, that’s how I know he had a great day.
I can see kids enjoying this park well beyond the toddler years, too.
❤️ Would We Come Back?
Definitely!
We originally came for crabbing, but the combination of the beach, playground, farmers market, and pier made Windward Beach Park a really nice family day trip in New Jersey.
Our 3-year-old had SO much fun, and we’re already planning to come back next year—probably with some friends and their kids this time. 😂
And if you’re going crabbing…
Don’t forget the chicken legs! 🦀🍗
