Asbury Park

Asbury Park is a popular resort and residential town on the Jersey Shore in the state of New Jersey in the United States. The town has historically been a haven for the LGBTQ+ community and as a popular place for live music fans, made famous in the 1970s by musicians such as Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band, Bon Jovi, and Southside Johnny. The community is an inclusive town, mixed with both blue-collar local workers and white-collar New York City commuters.

Understand

Asbury Park was founded as a Christian retreat in the 1800s by a man named James A. Bradley. It remained one of the most popular family resorts in the United States until 1970, when race riots burned down much of the downtown area.

Soon radicals, beatniks, hippies, and musicians moved in, making Asbury Park a very diverse place where the famous "Stone Pony" saw the first performances of Bruce Springsteen and became symbolic of failed urban re-development in the 1980s and early 90s.

In 1988, the city had about enough of its new cultures, and a plan to redevelop the entire waterfront went into affect. Most businesses were ordered to be closed, so the boardwalk, casino, hotels and amusements all closed for the redevelopment. High rise hotels and condos began construction, but were then abandoned before they could be finished, leaving the waterfront an odd mix of abandoned buildings and rotting construction.

The city declined in the 1990s, after almost all businesses failed. Crime rose, and Asbury Park had higher crime than any other town in Monmouth County.

However, in 1998, Shep Pettibone converted an abandoned hotel into a gay nightclub, drawing thousands of gay travelers to Asbury Park. Every Friday night the city became the only place on the East Coast that could rival Fire Island! Gay couples and artists began buying cheap homes, abandoned bars and nightclubs, closed storefronts downtown, and abandoned pavilions on the boardwalk, and restoring them to they way they once were.

Today, Asbury Park is popular amongst even mainstream tourists for its shopping, beaches and restaurants. Major summertime events hosted in Asbury Park include; the Gay Pride Parade, Garden State Film Festival, Asbury Park Jazz Festival, and the North 2 Shore Festival.

Asbury Park was once rated #5 in the top ten beaches of NJ.

Now the town is on the mend and is the next trendy area in central New Jersey, it can still be a little rough at night. You can go to the beach in Asbury in the middle of August and be one of maybe three families there. There is a boardwalk and a fishing pier. The beach gives an unwelcoming sort of appearance in Asbury Park, but the town is interesting enough itself.

Get in

Paramount Theatre

By car: Parkway to exit 102. Take Rt 66 / Asbury Avenue into Asbury Park. Follow Asbury Avenue directly to the beach.

By Train: From New York City, take the North Jersey Coast Line directly to Asbury Park Train Station.

• 1 Asbury Park railway station, Cookman Ave. (updated May 2019)

By Bus: NJ Transit offers bus service to Asbury Park from Philadelphia, Freehold, Long Branch, Red Bank, and Point Pleasant. See schedule for more information.

Travel time from New York is approximately 1 hr.

Travel time from Philadelphia is approximately 1 hr 15 min.

Get around

Getting around in Asbury Park is easy by foot or by bike. Bikes can be rented at the boardwalk at hourly or daily rates. A car is not necessary for visiting Asbury Park.

Most of the downtown parking spots cost up to $2/hour depending on the day of the week and season. During the summer months there are three lots near the beach that have an attendant - pay them the rate $5 or $10 to avoid feeding the meter. Off season these lots are usual free, so avoid the spaces.

Taxi service is also available at the train station and by calling ahead.

Circuit shuttle cars are available during the summer.

See

• 1 Asbury Park Casino. Although the eastern portion of this building has been demolished and the rest of it is in disrepair, there are art installations, many of them temporary. (updated Feb 2023)

Do

Asbury Park's boardwalk

Visiting art galleries, going to the beach, shopping, dining and more can all be done on foot and are within close proximity to each other. The downtown shopping district offers antiques, beach accessories, cafes, art galleries and more. The first Saturday of the month is celebrated with local discounts, events, and other promotions.

There are a smattering of shopping and restaurants on the boardwalk as well. There are two clubs, the Stone Pony and the club at the Empress Hotel. The renovation of the Paramount Hotel and Convention Center is complete.

Nearby Wesley Lake connects the beach to downtown. On the south side of the lake are fresh condominiums, beach houses, and bed and breakfasts. The north side is split between the commercial area of downtown, a small patch of new luxury housing, and a rougher neighborhood with several active construction sites.

The city's website lists current events, has a feed from the radio station WKTU, and accepts contributions from visitors.

Events

• First Saturday Asbury Park - A yearly event celebrating downtown businesses. Each month features a different theme.
• Gay Pride Weekend - Annual LGBTI festival and parade held on the first Sunday in June.
• Asbury Park Jazz Festival - A two-day outdoor jazz festival held in late June.
• Garden State Film Festival - Annual film festival showcasing upcoming independent directors and filmmakers.
• North to Shore Festival - arts festival with screenings, music, art displays.

Eat

Downtown

• Belmontes, 632 Cookman Ave. Italian cuisine. 
• Crust & Crumble, 658 Cookman Ave. Artisan style pizzas and great cupcakes. 
• Lola's European Cafe, 539 Cookman Ave, ☏ +1 732-807-3777. Italian-style gelato ice cream, panini and coffee shop. 
• Moonstruck, 517 Lake Ave. Restaurant and cocktail lounge. 
• The Speakeatery, 705 Cookman Ave. Sandwich and burger shop. 
• Taka, 660 Cookman Avenue. Fine Japanese contemporary cuisine. 

At the Boardwalk

• Tim McLoone’s Supper Club, 1200 Ocean Ave. American style with many seafood offerings. 
• Stella Marina, 1200 Ocean Ave. Italian cuisine. 

Drink

• Paradise Nightclub, 101 Asbury Avenue. Dance club with outdoor pool, sundeck, piano bar, and lobby lounge. Big gay community, but straight people can come too. 
• 1 The Stone Pony, 913 Ocean Avenue. The world-famous bar and rock music venue. (updated Apr 2018)
• Georgies, 812 Fifth Avenue. Popular neighborhood gay bar. Karaoke, live music, piano bar. (updated Jul 2023)
• Watermark, Ocean Avenue. High-class lounge with outdoor bar overlooking ocean. Inside is a cozy fireplace. 

Sleep

• 1 The Berkeley Oceanfront Hotel, 1401 Ocean Ave, ☏ +1 732-776-6700. Great historic hotel, beautiful lobby and catering halls in the lower levels. Amazing views on the beach side of the hotel. This very historic location has hosted dignitaries and world leaders. Sleep where Nixon slept! This hotel was also once owned by Johnny Cash, who had visions of turning the hotel into a casino resort. (updated May 2019)
• 2 The Empress Hotel, 101 Asbury Ave, ☏ +1 732-774-0100. A primarily gay resort hotel set above a gay disco club. Judy Garland stayed here many times, and an oceanfront suite is named in her honor. (updated May 2019)
• 3 The Asbury Hotel, 210 Fifth Ave, ☏ +1 732-774-7100. Hotel tower with a rooftop lounge. $183 (Oct 2024). 

Stay safe

The main tourist areas are much safer than the outskirts.

Go next

Other popular towns in Monmouth County:

• Red Bank
• Long Branch
• Freehold

Routes through Asbury Park

Woodbridge ← Allenhurst ←

N  S

→ Bradley Beach → Bay Head