Shore Thing

With a rock ’n’ roll history and a thriving dining and art scene, Asbury Park, New Jersey, is more than just a beach town.

- Jen Murphy

Asbury Park Beach; popcorn chicken, shishito peppers, wine, and an espresso martini at Lovesick; Silverball Retro Arcade.

I GREW UP about 10 miles south (or four parkway exits) from Asbury Park. In the late 1980s and early 90s, it was still known primarily as the stomping grounds of Bruce Springsteen, who titled his 1973 album Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J.

In recent years, the town has welcomed a surge of boutique hotels, indie shops, art galleries, and fantastic restaurants, many of them opened by members of the LGBTQ+ community, which is strong in Asbury. “There’s a raw, creative energy that’s hard to describe unless you’ve spent time here,” says Shaun Lagala, the hotel manager for the Asbury Collection, which has several properties in town. “It’s weird in the best way—a mix of old-school Jersey, artists, punks, surfers, and people who just don’t want to live anywhere typical.”

Major acts, including Lenny Kravitz and Alabama Shakes, come to town for the