We’ve already called it: Asbury Park, New Jersey (yes, New Jersey) is going to be one of summer 2018’s hottest destinations. There are several reasons why: a beautiful beach; a boardwalk lined with buzzy food stalls, bars, and shops; a new hotel that’s just as much a destination as it is a place to stay; a bowling alley that'll turn your expectation of a middle school birthday party on its head. Here’s our guide to this shoreside town.
Get There
There are several ways you can get to Asbury from New York City. Most drive, which takes an hour and a half via the Garden State Parkway. But if you don’t have a car, NJ Transit is your best bet. Head to Penn Station, catch a North Jersey Coast Line train toward Bayhead, and get off at Asbury Park (about an hour and 45 minutes total.)
There’s also a scenic route where you can take a ferry (like Seastreak) from New York to New Jersey, and then Uber to Asbury. Catch the ferry from Wall Street or East 35th Street to Highlands, New Jersey in Monmouth County. It can take 40 minutes to an hour, depending on what time you leave and where you board. (Tickets are purchased at the port of departure, and a round-trip fare is $46 for ages 13+.) From there, an Uber to Asbury will take half an hour, with price dependent on travel time.
Checking In
If you're spending the night, book your stay at The Asbury Hotel, which feels trendy without trying too hard. Think clean wood designs and fun extras: a record library in the lobby, a turquoise bar serving inventive cocktails, a game room with a pool table and vintage pinball. Rooms are comfortable and come with all the necessary accoutrements (e.g. Malin + Goetz bath products), while the rooftop has a great bar—Salvation—and ocean views to match. The real star, however, is the Taylor ham, egg, and cheese breakfast sandwich you can pick up at The Counter downstairs. (If you spend too much time at Salvation, you’ll need it). While there’s plenty to do in town, you can have just as much fun hanging around the hotel. Grab a drink at the outdoor Beergarden (ground level), take a dip in the pool, or catch a sunrise yoga class at Baronet, the Asbury's other rooftop venue (yep, there are two). You might even catch a concert while you're there—the lobby has singer/songwriter nights every Thursday at 8 p.m., and anyone is welcome to sign up.
The Boardwalk
Bohemian boutiques, mini golf, and boozy cocktails served in fresh fruit—Asbury’s boardwalk has all of that and more. Just two blocks down 5th Avenue from the hotel, the promenade stretches all the way along the shore. It’s easy to be overwhelmed by all the food stalls: do you go for crêpes, frozen lemonade, or sausage and peppers? One of our personal favorites is MOGO Korean Fusion tacos, which you can find on the boardwalk between Asbury Avenue and 1st Avenue. The small stand’s menu is simple: Customers pick from six different taco types (beef bulgogi and shrimp are musts), with prices ranging from $4-5 per taco. Park yourself at a bench to snack, then hit the shops. Style Rocket, which is in the building adjacent to MOGO, can spot you with all the beach essentials—flip flops, bathing suits, coverups, and sunglasses—while Betty's Bombshells (near the convention hall) hawks vintage clothing and accessories.
If carrying food to-go isn't your thing, there are several sit-down places along the stretch. Pop's Garage is a sustainable, surfside Mexican restaurant near the Stone Pony with divine fish tacos and ceviche—yes, ceviche exists on the Jersey Shore—where you can order from a surprisingly exhaustive drink menu (prickly pear cocktail, anyone?). If you're gunning for a more upbeat vibe, the Anchor's Bend should be on your itinerary. A two-part component attached to the convention hall, the restaurant is on the pier, while steps lead you to a sand bar below (literally, it's called Beach Bar). The food is fresh, the music is low-key, and people are always dancing. To get the most out of your Beach Bar experience, order a rum bucket to share, which comes in a little white pail outfitted with straws—best sipped while you watch the waves.
The Beach
The beach is a mile long, so there’s plenty of room for you to spread out, even on the busiest of days. Try to stake your claim on the sand near the convention hall, which gives you close proximity to the aforementioned Beach Bar (important) and the bathrooms (even more important). The boardwalk runs through the hall, so you can head in there if you need to cool off. Pro tip: The on-site Asbury Park Roastery has a divine iced Thai Chai—say it with me, Thai Chai—with hints of coconut and cinnamon. Don’t leave without ordering one.
Beach bag essentials: Make sure you bring cash. Entry is $5 per person on the weekdays and $7 on weekdays and holidays—there are stations lining the boardwalk where you can purchase a day pass. Other necessities include your standard towel, sunscreen, sunglasses, and cover-ups. Though the Beach Bar has a laid-back dress code (read: you can get away with just your bathing suit), most other restaurants and shops won't take too kindly to you showing up in your skivvies. Keep in mind that the scene here is otherwise very hipster-chic, so if there's a sundress or hat in the back of your closet you've been dying to break out, this is the place.
New and Noteworthy
Your summer in Asbury shouldn't be complete without visiting the newly renovated Asbury Lanes—fresh off opening night on May 18—which could very well make Asbury a year-round destination, as previously reported by Traveler. There's a live music venue, a 24-hour, Americana-style diner (pork-stuffed waffles), and of course, bowling. It's a hallmark of Asbury's ongoing revitalization, and it seems like a hell of a lot of fun—we can't wait to stop by.
Nightlife
First thing's first—you can't leave Asbury Park without eating at Reyla. The downtown restaurant offers small plates with a Mediterranean twist, all served up in a monochrome, minimalist setting that feels more cosmopolitan than shoreside. Ordering dishes for the table is definitely the move, and the waitstaff can help you navigate the impressive selection of salatim and mezze. Cocktail-wise, the drink list is just as formidable as the menu—we love the "Tea Time," which combines Turkish tea-infused whiskey, Dubonnet (a wine-based aperitif), dolin dry vermouth, and a maraschino cherry, all capped off with a smoky finish (seriously, the drink arrives at the table smoking).
Want to continue the party? Tiki bar Little Buddy is a two- minute walk away. USA Today named it one of the "50 best hidden bars in the U.S." for a reason—the interior is wonderfully kitschy, with jewel-toned lights, a fish tank, and palapa-style overhangs on the seating. The drinks, unsurprisingly, draw from tropical themes; try the absinthe-spiked Shipwrecked (tequila, violet, sloe berry) if you dare. Equally awesome is the Stranger Things-themed drink (the description leads off with "Will!!!!"), which mixes grapefruit, orange, vodka, and violet.
If you want dinner and nightlife all in one spot, try Porta. The huge space has garage doors that slide up in the summer to let in the breeze, which you'll be thankful for if you're staying for dancing—lines to get in can wrap around the block. But the vibrant scene (soundtracked by DJs) is worth it, as is the food. Try the carbonara pizza, loaded with guanciale, parmigiano, parsley, and a roasted egg: the chef's kiss meme definitely applies here. For classic Asbury Park vibes, kick it old school at the Stone Pony—a Boss-approved, iconic concert venue that has an impressive lineup (including a joint show with Cake and Ben Folds) set for the summer stage.
