Interesting Things to Do and See in Asbury Park

The Stone Pony has earned its place in history as a world-renowned music venue. Established in 1974, it has hosted a wide variety of local acts and well-known national performers. If you are traveling to Asbury Park, New Jersey, it's worth your time to check the event schedule and visit this iconic destination. more History of the Stone Pony Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes brought The Stone Pony to the national spotlight in 1976 when their concert was broadcast throughout the East and West Coasts on Memorial Day. Guest appearances by Bruce Springsteen, members of the E Street Band, Ronny Spector, and Lee Dursely brought The Jukes, Asbury Park, and The Stone Pony to the national spotlight. Springsteen's rendition of "Having a Party" has become the unofficial theme song for the historic venue. The Stone Pony has secured its place in the music industry. As the club's veteran DJ Lee Mrowicki explains (2001), "In order to play at The Pony, you have to have a certain level of talent...No matter how much talent you've got, you have to be recognized by an audience and have people that support you." The Stone Pony has hosted rockers, party bands, soul singers, blues bands, reggae performers, country music bands, and everyone in between. Bruce Springsteen became a frequent local performer, joining friends and the E Street Band on stage to attract fans from around the world. Performers at The Stone Pony include the following: Elvis Costello The Ramones Blondie Meatloaf Joan Jett KISS Hootie and the Blowfish Jon Bon Jovi Weezer Maroon Five Jimmy Eat World Panic at the Disco The Jonas Brothers Snoop Dogg And many more Upcoming Acts The Stone Pony has a jam-packed calendar of events, including performances from newly-discovered and well-known performers from all music genres. Check out some of the club's upcoming events below. Sunday, August 28: Lauv: All 4 Nothing Friday, September 2: Almost Queen Saturday, September 3: Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit Wednesday, September 7: Morgan Evans What to Know Before You Visit Admission The Stone Pony has a huge backyard, taking up the size of an entire city block since 2009. This expansive outdoor area allows plenty of seaside seating for Summer Stage events. The Stone Pony is a general admission venue, so you will want to arrive early. They have first-come-first-serve bar stools throughout. Otherwise, it's standing room only. All ages are welcome to attend unless otherwise noted, and everyone attending the venue needs their own ticket. You can purchase tickets at The Stone Pony Box Office, Ticketmaster, or Blackbird Presents on Cookman Avenue. Tickets are sold at the door until the event is sold out. Parking Paid parking is available by paying a meter or downloading the Asbury Park Parking app. A few paid parking lots are located on Fourth, Second, and Lake Avenues. Car service or public transport is a great way to avoid the challenges of summer parking in the New Jersey shore area. Food and Drink Outside food and drinks are not permitted. Food service is available until the headliner takes the stage, and drinks are available at several bars throughout the venue. The legal alcohol consumption age is 21, and an ID is required to purchase alcoholic drinks. Take a Piece of the Pony Home The Stone Pony has a range of merchandise available. There is a variety of clothing in men's, women's, and children's sizes and styles. The Stone Pony logo looks great on hats, mugs, bumper stickers, and more. You can order directly from The Stone Pony website if you want to get your hands on some swag now. Visit Asbury Park, New Jersey The Stone Pony is located at 913 Ocean Ave. in beautiful Asbury Park, New Jersey. There are many ways to extend your stay if you are coming to the New Jersey Shore to enjoy a live performance. Asbury Park offers antique hunting, boutique shopping, award-winning dining, endless boardwalks, and the chance to soak in the oceanside beaches and surf. Visitors of The Stone Pony can receive a 20% discount at The Pony's partner hotel, the Holiday Inn Express Neptune. If you've always dreamed of exploring the Jersey Shore with the top-down in a rugged Jeep, visit the number one volume Jeep dealer at the Jersey Shore, The Jeep Store in Ocean Township. *Featured Image - The Stone Pony by Rick Harris is licensed by CC BY-SA 2.0.

A family-friendly area bustling with life, Ocean Township, New Jersey, is home to plenty of fun weekend activities for you and your loved ones to enjoy together. From adrenaline-pumping adventures to peaceful retreats, we have gathered some local must-visit spots for you to add to the family calendar. Here is our list of the most popular family activities near Ocean Township, New Jersey. more Hike at Shark River Park If you hope to install a love of nature and a passion for exercise in your little ones, consider scheduling a family hike at Monmouth County’s Shark River Park. The area’s original community gathering space, the park spans a whopping 991 acres of land. It is one of the best spots to admire local plant life, with lush, skyscraping trees and peaceful ponds. There are over 8 miles of trails to explore, each surrounded by woods and water. There is also a playground where kids can run off any excess energy, and there are plenty of scenic spots to stop for a snack or picnic. Fishing fans might enjoy setting up camp at the Shark River, which is home to catfish, largemouth bass, and yellow perch. Note that a fishing license is required for anyone over 16. The park is open from 7 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. in the early summer. Closing time moves to 9 p.m. in the late summer and 8:30 p.m a few weeks later. For the most current hours, visit the Monmouth County Park System’s website. Pedal a Swan Boat Around Wesley Lake If you want to spend an afternoon on the water without getting wet, bring the family to Asbury Park’s sparkling Wesley Lake to rent a pedal boat. They are shaped like larger-than-life animals, so kids will likely get a kick out of the design. You can choose to ride a swan, flamingo, dragon, or blue heron. You will power the boat with your feet, so it is a sneaky way for you to exercise. Consider peddling around sunset for beautiful views and milder weather. The park requires you to strap yourself in with an adjustable life vest to keep you safe while soaking in the sun. You can purchase a half-hour ride in a pedal boat for $25. Each boat seats two adults and one child or one adult and two children. If you have a big family, consider splitting up and racing each other for some friendly competition. The lake is open for peddling from 2:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. on weekdays and from 11:30 a.m. until dusk on weekends. The launching spot is just a short walk from the beach, boardwalk, and a host of restaurants, so you can celebrate afterward with a beachside stroll or a delicious meal. Escape Together at Solve It Sherlock For clever families eager to test their wits, Neptune's escape room destination, Solve It Sherlock, offers mind-bending challenges the family can solve together. The facility offers five different rooms you can escape from by solving a series of progressively complex clues. An escape room is much fun that kids won't even realize they are building critical skills like logical reasoning, problem-solving, and collaboration. There are all-ages rooms like Pirates of the Golden Skull, a seafaring game, and Legends of the Pines, starring a mythical beast. There are also rooms more suitable for older kids who want a bit of a challenge and don't mind some spooky themes. For example, you can battle a zombie outbreak with the Quarantine room. You could put a historical spin on things with The Magician's Secret, set during the 1837 World Fair, or Sacred Stones, which places you in the middle of the Mayan empire. Solve It Sherlock is open from 2:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 12 a.m. on Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Sunday. Scare Yourselves Silly at Paranormal Books & Curiosities If you have older kids up for a spellbinding thrill, put on a brave face and head to Paranormal Books & Curiosities for a haunting afternoon. On the first floor, you can peruse many books about the eerie and strange, from ghosts and monsters to science and history. You can learn about the most bizarre parts of New Jersey's past and present with the latest issue of Weird NJ. The bookstore also hosts regular events like seances and ghost hunting lessons. However, they are not for the faint of heart. Upstairs, the building houses the Paranormal Museum, which is available only for private tours, so your family can bond with an incredibly frightening experience. Your guided tour features one-on-one time with artifacts like spooky dolls, interpretation of cryptids, and items from the Salem Witch Trials and the Civil War. Young children might feel uncomfortable, so they should stay home. The content is most suitable for tweens and teens. The museum prioritizes your safety and comfort, so you can always take a break if you get disturbed. Take a Swing at Bluegrass Mini Golf A beloved local spot for little ones to try out their athletic skills, Bluegrass Mini Golf offers an evening of slightly athletic fun for the whole family. There are two 18-hole courses, each geared to a different skill level. The name harkens to Kentucky, the horseracing capital of the country, and you will see odes to horseracing all over the courses. Given that the course is situated on Monmouth Park Racetrack, the equestrian-inspired theme is fitting. Locals rave about the cleanly manicured greens, glittering blue ponds, and seasonal flowers decorating the course. Bluegrass Mini Golf has even been featured in the New York Times. The courses are open daily from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Admission costs $10 for adults and $8 for kids under 12. Toddlers under the age of four get in for free. This concludes our recommendations for popular family activities in the Ocean Township area. Contact us if you know of an excellent spot for family bonding that was not on this list. If you need a new Jeep that is sporty and spacious enough for all of your family's adventures, we can help. Make a plan to visit The Jeep Store in Ocean Township, New Jersey, to learn more about our new and used Jeep vehicles. *Featured Image - Photo by Juliane Liebermann on Unsplash.

If you're looking for interesting and unique places in Asbury Park, New Jersey, you'll be happy to find that there are plenty to keep you busy. Spend the weekend checking out these great places that are sure to entertain people of all ages. Silverball Museum Arcade For a day of fun and challenging games, head to the Silverball Museum Arcade on the Asbury Park Boardwalk. This unique attraction features the Pinball Hall of Fame and there are 600 games in circulation at the various locations. Test your skills with a number of classic pinball and arcade games, such as Space Mission, Friendship 7, Discs of Tron, and Street Fighter II. After working up an appetite playing games, stop by the Silverball Café for a slice of pizza, a hot dog, snacks, drinks, and ice cream. Silverball Museum is located at 1000 Ocean Ave. and is open Sunday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday from 11 a.m. to 1 a.m., and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 a.m. Full- and half-day passes are available, depending on how long you want to play. more Township of Ocean Historical Museum The Township of Ocean Historical Museum features the Eden Woolley House, which is the only remaining Woolley House in Ocean Township. The house was built in the 1700s and was originally a one-and-a-half story building. It was located at the corner of Route 35 and Deal Road. In 1835, Eden Woolley inherited the house and added on to it a Greek Revival style. In 2005, the house was moved to Joe Palaia Park. The house is now a repository of history dating back 250 years and features permanent and traveling exhibits, as well as photography and artwork galleries. Take a tour to learn more about the area's rich history or attend a lecture for a more in-depth look. The Township of Ocean Historical Museum is located at 703 Deal Rd. in Ocean, about 35 miles south of Asbury Park. The museum is open Tuesday through Thursday from 1 to 4 p.m., Thursday evenings March 15 to December 15 from 7 to 9 p.m., and the first and second Sunday of each month from 1 to 4 p.m. Historic Village of Allaire The Historic Village of Allaire is a living history museum in Allaire, about 10 miles southwest of Asbury Park. It was once a factory town that produced iron and was known as Howell Iron Works. Co. The community was self-sufficient and included a blacksmith shop, bakery, boarding house, carpentry and pattern making shop, church, general store, school, and homes. Today, you can tour the village and learn more about its history by participating in hands-on activities. Step inside The Row House to see an example of the interior of the only remaining row house, which often housed 10 or more people. Stop by the General Store to browse reproductions of 18th- and 19th-century goods. You can also check out the Carriage House, Blacksmith Shop, Manager's House, and more. The Historic Village at Allaire is located at 4263 Atlantic Avenue in Allaire. The hours vary. There are so many interesting places in and around Asbury Park, that the hardest thing will be deciding what to do first. Image by goodrob13 via Flickr | CC BY 2.0 | Cropped from original