Monk- are you looking for a house or an apartment? Keep in mind if you are going to be up or down the Parkway 20 miles or so, you will have issues with summer traffic on Friday and sometimes on Mondays.
Going towards the beach, Brick may be your best option. You could live near the Metedeconk River off of Princeton Ave or Hooper Ave, and have a manageable commute, and be within 10-15 minutes of some nice beaches. Would also put you within decent driving distance to some good towns along the shore for bars and restaurants. Brick has plenty of those. You probably know that along Route 70 from Brick to Lakehurst, there are lots of retirement communities and the associated traffic driving issues.
Jackson is a good option, but it will be quieter and less bars, restaurants and entertainment options.