From Central Jersey Shore to where?

I live by the central Jersey Shore (around Point Pleasant, or, infamously, Seaside)...my boyfriend and I are trying to plan a trip of about 6 hours to some kind of forest or state park, where we can camp, swim, etc. We kind of want to go away from the beach, west, since we see the ocean all year long, and maybe head towards a lake or river. We were thinking maybe West Virginia. We don't have a whole lot of money and our cars are both not that reliable so we can't do a super long trip. However we'd be willing to make some detours if the sights are worth it, rather than driving on a parkway or turnpike. We're both in our early 20's so it'd be cool if we could go somewhere that's kind of young, though it's not a priority by any means. Any ideas? Thanks!

Welcome aboard the RoadTrip America Forums!

First off, I don't think that you can realistically expect to get to West Virginia in 6 hours. Although some mapping software packages might indicate that you could get to the northeastern panhandle in that time, those programs assume that you can travel at or above the speed limit for your entire trip - no stopping for gas, food or restrooms; no slowing down for traffic (good luck with that through Baltimore and Washington) or toll booths; etc. But fortunately there are several options a lot closer to home. The one that I think best fits what you have described is the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. Another good choice, even closer to home and that I've personally canoed and camped in is Wharton State Forest in the Pine Barrens. Other possibilities include the Catskills in New York and Shenandoah National Park in Virginia.

AZBuck

I'd suggest that you check out the Pennsylvania state park system. There is some beautiful country in north central and northeast PA.

As part of the water gap national park area there is the Appalachian Trail as you cross into the state. The first exit off of I-80 in PA will get you to that national park. From where you are the trip couldn't be more than 3 hours away.

The Catskills are a good roadtrip destination from central Jersey. There's camping and a lot of cool little towns to explore (I like New Paltz and Saugerties, in particular). It gets crowded in the summer, though. I'd also suggest southern Vermont--it's on the edge of your driving limit (it takes me 6 hours to drive there from central NJ), but it's completely different from the Jersey shore. Great small towns, farmland, mountains, and local swimming-holes. Brattleboro is a hip college town that's fun to hang out in.