Jersey Shore Day Trip from NYC — Asbury Park, Cape May & the Shore

The Jersey Shore runs 130 miles from Sandy Hook at the northern tip to Cape May Point at the bottom of New Jersey. Each beach town has a distinct identity: Asbury Park is a historically significant music city undergoing a dramatic creative revival; Cape May is a National Historic Landmark city with more Victorian architecture than anywhere else in the country; Island Beach State Park preserves 10 miles of wild barrier beach.

Asbury Park

Asbury Park's revival over the last 15 years has been extraordinary. The boardwalk and beachfront have been rebuilt. The Stone Pony, the legendary music venue where Bruce Springsteen built his reputation, is open and booking shows. The Convention Hall complex at the north end of the boardwalk has been restored. The restaurant and bar scene along Cookman Avenue is one of the best on the Jersey Shore.

Cape May

Cape May is a National Historic Landmark city — the entire town center is protected based on its concentration of intact Victorian architecture from the 1860s through 1900s. Congress Hall, a yellow-painted hotel standing since 1816, anchors one end of the historic district. The birding at Cape May Point State Park is among the best in North America during migration season.

Seaside Heights & Island Beach

Seaside Heights is the quintessential Jersey Shore boardwalk town — amusement rides, funnel cake, the iconic Casino Pier. Two miles south, Island Beach State Park is the antithesis: 10 miles of undeveloped barrier beach with no commercial development. The contrast between the two is itself a Shore experience.

Getting There

By car to Asbury Park: Garden State Parkway south to Exit 102, approximately 55 miles, 1 hour 15 minutes. To Cape May: continue on the Parkway to Exit 0, approximately 155 miles, 2.5 to 3 hours. By train: NJ Transit's North Jersey Coast Line from Penn Station to Asbury Park in about 1 hour 45 minutes.

Where to Stay

Search all hotels in Asbury Park, New Jersey on Expedia →