Day Trips With My Dog: Keyport, New Jersey

June 14, 2019 newjerseyisntboring

In May 2019 we adopted our third dog, Peppy! Peppy is a joy and an easy car companion, making it easy to take her to places all around New Jersey that are dog friendly. For our first big adventure we checked out Keyport, one of my favorite little towns in New Jersey.

My mom with Peppy on the Keyport Waterfront

Keyport, a borough in Monmouth County, is known as the “Pearl of the Bayshore” as it’s situated along the bay.

Walking along the waterfront was one of the first things we did when we got to town. The waterfront is great for boating, fishing, or strolling! There are beautiful gardens planted along the way, a gazebo, as well as a park.

Be sure to view the remains of a dock that burnt down in the 1800s. You can learn more about that dock, as well as other interesting historical facts through the Keyport Historical Society on Main St or the Keyport Ghost Tour (one of my favorite ghost tours in NJ).

Peppy, along with her Florida cousin Brandy, had fun walking on the waterfront with us! The waterfront is super dog friendly and even provides poop bags for the dogs. We met lots of new doggy friends.

Keyport occasionally hosts “Dog Nights Out” on the waterfront, including movies outside that feature dogs. It’s super cute.

At the end of the waterfront be sure to check out the gorgeous mosaic benches.

The Keyport Art Society commissioned artist Isaiah Zagar (most known for Philadelpia’s Magic Garden) to design murals on benches and trash bins by the waterfront as a way to beautify the town. The benches are intricate in design and definitely need to be visited as a photo op. You could also sit and hang…

Keyport is also known for it’s shopping and restaurant district located on West Front Street, located one block in from the waterfront. They have plenty of antique shops, independently owned shops, and great restaurants.

For lunch we grabbed food at McDonough’s, a popular Irish pub on West Front Street which happens to be dog friendly.

The dogs enjoyed some time outside…

While I enjoyed their Mango Habernaro Tacos! McDonough’s has something for everyone, and I highly recommend their burgers and wings.

Keyport is also known for having the #1 rated diner in NJ, the Broad Street Diner which was my 100th diner review. Chef Bobby Flay has visited the diner on CBS Sunday Morning for a feature on NJ Diners.

Be sure to walk around town and check out the beautiful Victorian Houses, local antique shops, bakeries and more which make Keyport a fun (and dog friendly) place to visit.

For more New Jersey adventures, be sure to follow along on Instagram, @newjerseyisntboring, and Insta Stories! Don’t forget to tag your own NJ fun with #NJisntBoring.

More Ideas of Things You Can Do this Spring/Summer: