Things to do in Middletown, NJ

Events, food and outdoor spots in Middletown, Monmouth County, for Nov 13–15. Updated every day.

This weekend in Middletown · Nov 13–15

Friday, November 13

• Historic Portland Place Tours

  All day

  Tour this beautifully restored 18th century house with exhibits that help tell the story of the region's history and the Hartshorne family legacy in Monmouth County.…

  artsFreevia Monmouth County & Parks

• Jersey Shore Restaurant Week

  All day · Various Monmouth County Restaurants, Monmouth County, NJ

  Jersey Shore Restaurant week is back for 2026! For one full week patrons will be given an opportunity to visit any of the participating Monmouth County restaurants. At…

  foodvia Monmouth County Tourism

• Holiday Sip and Shop - Holmdel

  6:00 PM · The Barn on South Holland, 279 South Holland Road, Holmdel, NJ 07733

  An après-ski-themed holiday shopping event with local vendors, seasonal drinks, small bites, a book signing, donation-based Santa mini photo sessions, and community…

  familyvia Monmouth County Tourism

Saturday, November 14

• Jersey Shore Restaurant Week

  All day · Various Monmouth County Restaurants, Monmouth County, NJ

  Jersey Shore Restaurant week is back for 2026! For one full week patrons will be given an opportunity to visit any of the participating Monmouth County restaurants. At…

  foodvia Monmouth County Tourism

• Holiday Vendor & Craft Fair - Port Monmouth

  10:00 AM · VFW, 1 Veterans Ln, Port Monmouth, NJ 07758

  Come and do your holiday shopping with over 50 vendors and crafters. Plenty of parking and free admission. There is something for everyone on your list.

  marketFreevia Monmouth County Tourism

• Open Shoot Archery

  10:00 AM

  Improve your archery skills during this open shoot at the Thompson Park Activity Barn, Lincroft. This is NOT a beginner instructional program. If you are new to…

  communityvia Monmouth County & Parks

• Living History Event: World War II

  10:00 AM · Poricy Park - 345 Oak Hill Road Middletown NJ 07748

  World War II comes to Poricy Park! Reenactors will be at Poricy Park (main parking lot) with a variety of artifacts, vehicles, and replicas from World War II. Visitors…

  artsvia Middletown Township

• A Potpourri of Show Tunes: Broadway, Popular, Patriotic!

  2:00 PM · Community Room

  Performance by the fantastic Nancy Scharff Join us for a performance from a local, talented musician suitable for the entire family! The concert will feature a variety…

  libraryvia Middletown Library

Sunday, November 15

• Jersey Shore Restaurant Week

  All day · Various Monmouth County Restaurants, Monmouth County, NJ

  Jersey Shore Restaurant week is back for 2026! For one full week patrons will be given an opportunity to visit any of the participating Monmouth County restaurants. At…

  foodvia Monmouth County Tourism

Annual events in Middletown

• Port Monmouth Holiday Vendor & Craft FairNext: Nov 14, 2026
• Middletown DayLast held Oct 4, 2026
• Thompson Park DayLast held Oct 18, 2026
• Allergy Safe Halloween ParadeLast held Oct 29, 2026
• Middletown Veterans Day ParadeLast held Nov 8, 2026

Eat & drink in Middletown

• Haldi Chowk

  Indian · Featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives

  Creative 'deconstructed' Indian cooking such as lamb tacos, duck confit and beef kebab, featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.

• Jersey Shore Coffee Roasters Café

  Coffee · Near the Henry Hudson Trail

  Local roaster's café near the Henry Hudson Trail with indoor seating and an outdoor patio.

• Nicholas Barrel & Roost

  American · From the team behind Restaurant Nicholas

  Chef Nicholas Harary's casual successor to acclaimed Restaurant Nicholas, serving scratch-made comfort food and weekend brunch.

• Belford Bistro

  New American

  Family-owned BYOB bistro serving refined New American cuisine in a relaxed Belford dining room.

• Belford Brewing Company

  Craft Beer

  Small-batch craft brewery and taproom on Main Street in Belford, open since 2014.

• Burger Kraze

  Burgers / Korean

  Casual burger joint pairing smash burgers with Korean-style corn dogs and milkshakes.

• Casa Calaveras

  Mexican

  Mexican restaurant and bar on Route 35 with happy hour and a covered outdoor patio.

• Charlie's of Lincroft

  American

  American restaurant and bar in Lincroft with lunch, dinner, Sunday brunch, cocktails and a wine list.

Outdoors in Middletown

• Bayshore Waterfront Park

  A 229-acre bayfront park with a mile of beach, a fishing pier, NYC skyline views and the 1700s Seabrook-Wilson House.

• Deep Cut Gardens

  A 54-acre free public garden with a 180-bush rose garden, koi pond, greenhouse and display gardens for home gardeners.

• Hartshorne Woods Park

  An 831-acre hilly forest above the Navesink River with some of the most challenging hiking and mountain-bike trails on the coast.

• Huber Woods Park

  A 390-acre hilltop park over the Navesink River with 8.5 miles of trails, an Environmental Center and a reptile house.

• Sandy Hook Beaches (Gateway National Recreation Area)

  Ocean and bay beaches on a national park barrier spit with Manhattan skyline views and historic Fort Hancock.

• Tatum Park

  366 acres of rolling hills, fields and woods with 6.5 miles of trails and a playground.

• Thompson Park

  The Park System's 667-acre headquarters park with a 4.9-mile paved loop, playground, lake, Theater Barn and arts center.

• Thompson Park Off-Leash Dog Area

  A fenced 1.5-acre off-leash area with separate large-dog and small-dog (35 lbs or less) sections.

Explore in Middletown

• Monmouth Museum

  An art, science and natural-history museum on the Brookdale campus with rotating exhibits and hands-on kids' galleries.

About Middletown

Monmouth County's most populous municipality, stretching from Raritan Bay to the Navesink River and including villages such as Leonardo, Belford, Port Monmouth, Lincroft and Navesink.

Middletown town info

• Town hall

  Middletown Township Hall

  732-615-2000

  1 Kings Hwy, Middletown, NJ 07748
  Website

• Police (non-emergency)

  Middletown Police Department (non-emergency)

  732-615-2100 · 24/7

  1 Kings Hwy, Middletown, NJ 07748
  Emergencies: call 911.
  Website

• Public works

  Middletown Public Works & Engineering

  732-615-2090 · Offices Mon-Fri 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM; Recycling Center Thu-Mon 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM

  52 Kanes Lane, Middletown, NJ 07748
  Website

• Trash & recycling

  Township collects garbage twice a week in carts: North Zone Mondays & Thursdays, South Zone Tuesdays & Fridays. Single-stream recycling goes loose in the blue township cart (no bags). Use Recycle Coach for your zone and recycling dates. No collection on New Year's, Thanksgiving or Christmas.

  Bulk pickup: Schedule bulk pickup online (up to 4 items, 75 lb and 6 ft max each; mattresses must be wrapped in plastic). Metal, appliances, electronics and foam go to the Recycling Center at 52 Kanes Lane.

  Middletown Garbage, Recycling & Bulk (DPW): 732-615-2090
  Town trash & recycling page

Paint, chemicals and other household hazardous waste go to the county facility in Tinton Falls (free for Monmouth County residents). Numbers come from official town sites; call ahead to confirm hours.

Middletown on the blog

• Things to Do in Middletown, NJ: October 2026 Local GuideThursday, October 29
• This Week in Monmouth County: Events Nov 9–15, 2026Monday, November 9
• The Weekend Edition: Things to Do in Monmouth County, Nov 6–8, 2026Friday, November 6

Middletown news

What the county’s outlets are reporting from Middletown, newest first, each headline linked to the outlet that wrote it. Read Middletown news →

Quick answers

Holiday season: see Thanksgiving events, holiday events across Monmouth County and tree lightings by town, including Middletown’s if it’s listed.

Looking further afield? See all Monmouth County events this weekend or the best of Monmouth County.