Four Seasons at South Knolls

Four Seasons at South Knolls is a gated 55+ community in Jackson Township, New Jersey, set on wooded grounds in the heart of Ocean County with 24-hour guarded security and 936 single-family homes. K. Hovnanian launched the community in 2003 and sold out its final Four Seasons homes in 2014; Orleans Homes has since continued development with a smaller enclave called Wildflowers at South Knolls, which adds roughly 53 single-family homes with four floor plans ranging from about 1,448 to over 1,900 square feet. Combined with the original K. Hovnanian ranches and ranch-with-loft models (1,542 to 2,557 sq ft, two to three bedrooms, two-car garages), the community now offers a mix of resale and newer construction at mid-market price points for the Jersey Shore region. The social and recreational hub is the 24,000-square-foot clubhouse, which houses a glass-enclosed indoor pool, spa, and sauna; a full fitness center with cardio and strength equipment plus an aerobics and dance studio; a ballroom; a library; billiards and card rooms; an arts and crafts studio; and hobby and meeting rooms. Outdoors there are two additional swimming pools, tennis and pickleball courts, bocce, shuffleboard, a putting green, and a practice driving range for golfers, along with several landscaped ponds and fountains that give the community its park-like character. Residents run an active slate of clubs — billiards, book club, bridge, bunco, canasta, Mah Jongg, meditation, poker, Scrabble, creative writing, scrapbooking, and crafts among them — and the clubhouse consistently hosts trips, dances, BBQs, and outside entertainment. The overall feel is a close-knit, socially active Northeast retirement community where residents have repeatedly praised the well-kept grounds and an HOA board that is responsive to homeowner input. The location is a major part of the appeal: Jackson sits inland from the Jersey Shore but is only about 20 minutes from Point Pleasant's beaches and boardwalk, with access to I-195, Route 9, the Garden State Parkway, and the New Jersey Turnpike making day trips simple. New York City is roughly 60 miles north and Philadelphia about 30 miles west, so residents can remain close to family and the cultural life of both cities without the long-distance move to a Sun Belt retirement state. Ocean County itself is a noted golf destination with dozens of public and private courses within 20 miles, and Atlantic City's casinos are under 75 minutes away. Shopping at the Freehold Raceway Mall and Jackson Premium Outlets, dining in downtown Freehold and Toms River, and healthcare through nearby pharmacies and regional hospitals round out a suburban setting that gives residents a lot of lifestyle options without leaving the Mid-Atlantic.