Love Asbury Park! And experiencing the wonderful art murals…read moreby Wooden Walls Public Art Project ! Came to see the new and old mural! So great that there is now pizza box recycling containers on the boardwalk! As well as AED!

IT'S THAT TIME OF YEAR... JERSEY SHORE SEASON, BABY!!! Beach days are back and so is heavier…read moretraffic on the Garden State Parkway ;) I kicked off the summer at one of my favorite beaches in Jersey, Asbury Park. This vibrant beach city is known for its thriving art scene, LGBTQ+-inclusive culture, and historic rock-and-roll music venues. I'm a seasoned beach gal, so here's everything you need to know to make the most of your visit: PARKING: Paid parking is in full effect 7 days a week from 9AM-2AM, so don't bother looking for free parking unless you want to park blocks from the waterfront. There are plenty of spots near the beach, but on weekends you have to arrive EXTRA early to snag one. Your options are... -Metered street parking (hourly) -Lots with a flat rate for the day (way more $$$) -Bangs Avenue Garage (hourly) ADMISSION: Daily passes are $7 (weekdays) and $10 (weekends/holidays) per person. You can buy a daily pass or seasonal badge online or in person at ticket booths on the boardwalk. It's FREE for... -Children 12 and under -Active military and their dependents -Veterans -Anyone who comes after 5pm (weekdays) & 6pm (weekends/holidays) BEACH & AMENITIES: The beach is very clean, the sand is soft, and the water has gotten so much clearer and bluer over the years. The only downside is the crowds. It gets packed on weekends, so you may not have as much space as you'd like. I always bring my own chair and cooler and have a grand time sunbathing! Other perks... -Umbrella and chair rentals -Public bathrooms, beach showers, and water bottle filling stations -Free beach playgrounds -Designated fishing & surfing areas -Dog beach BOARDWALK: One perk of Asbury Park is that the beach is SUPER close to the boardwalk. It's only 1 mile long, so it's completely walkable. There's so much art here, so don't forget to check out the stunning Wooden Walls murals. I swear I always discover a new installation every time I visit. FOOD/ENTERTAINMENT/NIGHTLIFE: There's a lot to do here! Food options range from grab-and-go spots to fancier sit-down restaurants: -Jersey Shore grub (funnel cakes, fries, pizza) -MOGO -Porta -The Robinson Ale House -Tim McLoone's Supper Club -Stella Marina Bar The nightlife here is filled with live music, beach bars, and rooftops like... -The Stone Pony (Hellooooo, Bruce Springsteen and Bon Jovi) -Wonder Bar -Asbury Lanes (bowling alley that doubles as a concert venue) -Watermark -Silverball Museum Arcade -Convention Hall (hosts concerts & events) And that's why Asbury Park is such an incredible beach city. People can talk all the smack they want about Jersey, but I still deeply love all 141 miles of our beautiful shoreline.

Where Darien Beachgoing Gets Practical…read more Pear Tree Point is the more, shall we say, functional, of the two Darien public beaches. Weed Beach, located across a bay from Stamford, has something of a mystical quality to it. It is where high schoolers go in the summertime to smoke out (yes, the name is a coincidence), where the passionate but slightly off-tune sounds of local bands fill humid night air. Weed Beach has woodlands to wander through, a hidden playground through a clearing of trees, paddle tennis courts that I think only ghosts use, and lots and lots of weeds, making every step into the water squishy and unsure. But Pear Tree Point is the beach where you get things done. It's got boat docks attached, so it's the starting point for many a "booze cruise", a favorite pasttime of the Darienite. Families love Pear Tree Point, probably because it's shaped in such a way that it's easy for the kids to stay in view; there's nowhere to disappear to. So children go about producing their childlike things: sandcastles, trenches for the water to flow through, holes to bury themselves in. Pear Tree Point has a gazebo at its center, perched on top of rocks. It's perfect for eating a hamburger and fries from the concession stand during the day, and for making out at night. Pear Tree Point is situated along Long Neck Point, location of some of the fanciest houses in this very, very fancy part of the world. If you're the kind of person who likes to gawk at luxurious homes a la Newport, Rhode Island, then it's worth a slow drive down Long Neck Point road until you get to the end, which is a former girls' school now converted, I think, into residences. The atmosphere is rarefied, elegant, and oh-so-preppy. Pear Tree Point, like all the beaches in southern Fairfield County, has a kind of rough sand, and the water's generally cold. Tahiti it is not. The sun, like so many phenomena in the New York area, is either too dim or too scorching. It takes a certain toughness to enjoy beachgoing in the northeastern part of the United States. But after a day being there, you feel as if you have accompilshed something, and accomplishment, after all, is the highest personal value among most Darienites who bring the never-stop-achieving ethos of New York City back to their town.

Pear tree point is lovely. A beautiful beach to go to during the sunset. Large amount of parking…read moreand can either be quiet or busy depending on when you go. The snack bar "uncles by the shore" is owned by uncles deli which is situated on the post road in Darien and closes around 3pm I believe which is pretty annoying. One star off for their gross bathrooms. This beach is smaller than weed beach and does not have a pavilion like weed beach but has a cute gazebo and plenty of space. If you're lucky enough to even get in.