ASBURY PARK NEW JERSEY: A NEW REVITALIZATION!!!
If you have not been to Asbury Park in the past month or year, you have to come see what this once dilapidated, run down city has done to start a new birth of revitalization to this beach resort town. What was once a family orientated New Jersey ocean resort, had become a run down, drug infested corrupt town, and is now digging its way out of the sewer and starting a revitalization that is welcome from near and far.
On a recent visit to the Central Jersey Shore, my wife and I wondered over to Asbury Park after receiving a recommendation from an Ocean Grove business that we would be pleasantly surprised by what we found. Our comment was: “Is it safe to go over there”, and the response was “YES”. So we walked over and found a Boardwalk with stores and restaurants and it actually made us smile at what we were seeing. The last time we have visited this area was two years ago, and we would have never thought to walk over to Asbury Park. We now found ourselves wandering with excitement as to what we might find.
We spent most of the morning meandering along the boardwalk with its shops of unique items, and looking at the restaurant menus for the perfect place to have lunch. Although it was spring, the sun was out and there were many people strolling along the boardwalk and sitting on the beach. The temperature was perfect and we thoroughly enjoyed the relaxed time.
After eating a wonderful lunch at McLoone’s Asbury Grille, we went downtown in Asbury Park, and again to our surprise, the shops and restaurants were plentiful, and the town was crowded with shoppers and people looking for a place to dine. We found many shops that caught our interest and spent the afternoon amongst the young and old enjoying the newness of this old town with its historical buildings and history that was being preserved.
We found out that Asbury Park offered one Saturday a month an evening out with bands and DJ’s in town and the shopping and restaurants were all hopping with customers. So we decided to come back in the evening and enjoy this Town that was once considered dead.
New housing condominium units and much new construction is taking place in the revitalization of Asbury Park. This town has come a long, long way from the past, but still has a way to go. There are still some concerns in some areas, but overall we felt very safe and welcomed what Asbury Park had to offer.
