Skip to content

The Nightlife Town

Where the Shore stays up.

Methodology

Composite

Blends three signals: our editorial nightlifeScore (50%) — what 141 Miles editors say about a town's after-dark scene, the count of nightlife-anchored places per town (30%) — bars, breweries, music venues, and walkabilityScore (20%) — because a great nightlife town means not needing a car between drinks. Higher overall score = stronger nightlife destination. Towns without an editorial nightlifeScore are excluded.

#175.0

Asbury Park

Asbury Park is the Shore's music-and-nightlife town, the one that pulls a different crowd than the family beaches nearby.

Visit Asbury Park

56 more towns ranked

  1. #2Atlantic City"The World's Famous Playground" — Atlantic City, also known as the Las Vegas of the East and Monopoly City, is the East Coast's gaming and resort capital, drawing more than 27 million visitors a year.70.0
  2. #3Red BankOne of the Shore region's most prominent downtowns, known for restaurants, theaters, nightlife, shopping, and NJ Transit rail access.60.5
  3. #4Sea Isle CityA barrier-island town known for beaches, a concrete promenade, bayfront restaurants, fishing culture, and a lively summer bar scene.60.5
  4. #5WildwoodThe loudest and most amusement-driven of the Wildwoods, known for free beaches, a large boardwalk, Morey's Piers, waterparks, tram cars, motels, and summer events.58.5
  5. #6Seaside HeightsSeaside Heights is the Shore's loud, neon boardwalk town, the one most outsiders picture when they think Jersey Shore.57.0
  6. #7BelmarBelmar is the busy, youth-heavy beach town on the south side of the Shark River inlet, the loud middle between quieter Avon and Spring Lake.55.0
  7. #8North WildwoodThe northern section of the Wildwoods, known for free beaches, the inlet, the seawall, Hereford Inlet Lighthouse, and a strong bar and restaurant scene around Olde New Jersey Avenue.52.0
  8. #9Point Pleasant BeachPoint Pleasant Beach is the quintessential family-friendly anchor of the northern Jersey Shore, home to Jenkinson's, the family name now synonymous with the town's boardwalk empire.49.5
  9. #10Cape MayCape May is the Shore's Victorian town: a National Historic Landmark at the southern tip of New Jersey, known for blocks of preserved nineteenth-century houses, a walkable downtown on the Washington Street Mall, and wide Atlantic beaches.48.5
  10. #11Long BranchLong Branch is an oceanfront city in Monmouth County and one of the more developed beachfronts on the northern Shore.48.5
  11. #12Beach HavenA charming town on Long Beach Island, Beach Haven offers plenty to those who want family attractions combined with costal beauty.43.5
  12. #13ManasquanA beach town at the southern end of Monmouth County, bordered by the Manasquan Inlet and known for surfing, fishing, and a strong local identity.43.5
  13. #14Sea BrightA narrow barrier-island town between the ocean and the Shrewsbury River, known for beach clubs, waterfront restaurants, and one of the most compact geographies on the Shore.41.5
  14. #15Bradley BeachBradley Beach is the small, family-first stretch of the Monmouth coast between Avon and Ocean Grove, known less for any single attraction than for being calmer than the towns around it.40.5
  15. #16Toms RiverToms River is the seat of Ocean County and one of the largest, most sprawling townships on the Shore, set on the mainland where the river meets Barnegat Bay.37.5
  16. #17Atlantic HighlandsAtlantic Highlands is a bayshore borough in northern Monmouth County, on hills overlooking Sandy Hook Bay and the distant Manhattan skyline.37.0
  17. #18HighlandsA small bayshore borough at the entrance to Sandy Hook Bay with a working-waterfront identity and strong boating culture.37.0
  18. #19Ortley BeachOrtley Beach is Toms River's beach: a small, residential, rental-heavy strip of the barrier island between Seaside Heights and Lavallette.35.0
  19. #20AvalonThe northern half of Seven Mile Island, known for quiet beaches, high-end homes, polished retail, and a restrained resort atmosphere.34.5
  20. #21KeyportA small waterfront borough on Raritan Bay known for its marina, restaurants, fishing culture, and walkable downtown.34.0
  21. #22MargateA Downbeach town known for Lucy the Elephant, residential beach blocks, restaurants, and a strong summer-home culture.33.5
  22. #23Ship BottomThe gateway town to Long Beach Island, where traffic from the Route 72 causeway first reaches the beach.33.5
  23. #24Ocean GroveA historic seaside community founded as a Methodist camp meeting town in the late 19th century.32.5
  24. #25Surf CityA central LBI borough with a balanced mix of residential blocks, small businesses, beach access, and casual restaurants.32.0
  25. #26LavalletteLavallette is the quiet borough between the Shore's louder towns: a small, walkable beach community on the Barnegat Peninsula, surrounded by Toms River's sections and a short drive north of Seaside Heights.30.5
  26. #27Stone HarborThe southern half of Seven Mile Island, known for beaches, a walkable shopping district, nature areas, and a quieter upscale atmosphere.29.0
  27. #28Seaside ParkIf you find yourself in Seaside Heights, you're probably looking to do one of a couple of things, depending on whether you have kids in tow or not.27.0
  28. #29Ventnor CityA residential beach city just south of Atlantic City, sharing the same barrier island but with a quieter pace.27.0
  29. #30Ocean CityOcean City is the Shore's big family resort: a dry town built around a long boardwalk, amusement rides, downtown shopping on Asbury Avenue, and wide beaches.26.0
  30. #31OceanportA small borough along the Shrewsbury River known for Monmouth Park Racetrack, waterfront neighborhoods, and the ongoing redevelopment of Fort Monmouth.26.0
  31. #32Harvey CedarsA small LBI borough with a residential, family-oriented atmosphere and limited commercial development.25.0
  32. #33Sea GirtSea Girt is a small, affluent, almost entirely residential beach borough in Monmouth County, between Spring Lake and Manasquan.25.0
  33. #34Spring LakeA quiet residential beach town known for its long noncommercial boardwalk, Victorian homes, and slower pace.24.0
  34. #35Avon-by-the-SeaAvon-by-the-Sea is one of the North Shore's small, quiet residential beach towns, a borough of under two thousand people set between Sylvan Lake and the Shark River inlet.23.5
  35. #36BrigantineMinutes form Atlantic City, but miles away in terms of pace, Brigantine is renowned for its chill vibes and sparsely packed beaches, an ideal destination for families and those looking for slower pace in Atlantic City.23.0
  36. #37Lower TownshipThe Cape May area is sprawling, much befitting an area that shares a name with a County.22.5
  37. #38KeansburgA Bayshore borough on Raritan Bay known for its boardwalk, amusement rides, fishing pier, and working-class beach-town history.22.0
  38. #39Wildwood CrestWildwood Crest is the southernmost of the three main Wildwoods.22.0
  39. #40Spring Lake HeightsA residential borough just west of Spring Lake and Sea Girt, known for quiet neighborhoods, local businesses, and proximity to the beach communities nearby.21.5
  40. #41Barnegat LightBarnegat Light is the quiet northern tip of Long Beach Island, a borough built around Old Barney, the inlet, and a working fishing fleet.20.0
  41. #42Monmouth BeachA primarily residential beach borough between Sea Bright and Long Branch, with a quieter pace centered around the ocean, river, and private beach clubs.20.0
  42. #43West Cape MayWest Cape May is a small borough on Cape Island, just inland of Cape May City.20.0
  43. #44AberdeenA large suburban township in western Monmouth County with commuter rail access, shopping corridors, and residential neighborhoods stretching toward the Bayshore region.19.5
  44. #45HazletA suburban township in northern Monmouth County with strong transportation access to both the Bayshore and New York City.18.0
  45. #46West WildwoodA small bayside borough west of Wildwood, separated from the oceanfront towns by back-bay water and reached by bridge.18.0
  46. #47Bay HeadBay Head is the quiet, old-money end of the northern Shore, a small residential borough where the appeal is what it doesn't have.17.0
  47. #48HolmdelAn affluent inland Monmouth County township known for parks, large residential neighborhoods, Bell Works, and the PNC Bank Arts Center.16.0
  48. #49AllenhurstA compact residential borough with historic homes, quiet beach blocks, and a strong preservation-minded identity.15.0
  49. #50Fair HavenA small residential borough along the Navesink River known for boating, tree-lined streets, and a quiet downtown atmosphere.15.0
  50. #51LongportThe quiet southern end of Absecon Island, with limited commercial activity, wide beaches, and a heavily residential feel.15.0
  51. #52Loch ArbourOne of New Jersey's smallest municipalities, tucked between Allenhurst and Deal Lake.14.5
  52. #53Cape May PointA small borough at the southwestern tip of Cape May County, known for quiet streets, birding, state park access, and views around the lighthouse and Delaware Bay.13.0
  53. #54DealDeal is a small, affluent beachfront borough in Monmouth County, between Long Branch and Asbury Park.13.0
  54. #55RumsonAn affluent riverfront borough between the Navesink and Shrewsbury rivers known for large homes, boating culture, and quiet residential streets.12.5
  55. #56MantolokingMantoloking is a small, intensely private barrier-island borough on the Barnegat Peninsula, sitting between Bay Head and the Brick Township beaches with the ocean on one side and Barnegat Bay on the other.11.0
  56. #57Island Beach State ParkA protected barrier-island landscape south of Seaside Park, known for undeveloped beaches, dunes, surf fishing, birding, and bay-side access.9.0

Other indexes

← All indexes