My family and I adore Asbury Park, NJ, a quirky and fun beach town on the New Jersey shore. We like to hang out on the beach, explore its shops, and get something to eat, often dining at Mogo Korean Fusion Tacos, where I often get a bulgogi bowl filled with savory beef, kimchi, and rice. But yesterday, we did something we haven’t tried before — we went to the Asbury Park Dog Beach with our Shih Tzu pup, Mochi. We had the best time!
As we approached the dog beach from its parking lot, my pup was excited, pulling on the leash to get to the ocean — his nose was likely telling him that there were lots of other doggies nearby! The beach itself is wide, clean and beautiful, and is located just behind Deal Lake, where the towns of Asbury Park and Deal meet. Once we got on the beach, there were dogs everywhere, splashing in the surf, rolling in the sand, and playing with other pups. It make me so happy to see all the dogs living their best life!
We brought a beach blanket, and if wanted to, there was plenty of room for us to spread out a blanket and relax. But we mostly stood by the shoreline, and our pup stuck with us for the most part. But often, other dogs would approach my pup, and they would sniff and greet each other, their tails wagging. All the other dogs and owners were friendly and courteous. We spotted so many kinds of dogs — including two pugs, a Saint Bernard, pit bulls, and three Australian shepherds. My daughter really connected with one pit bull in particular, who kept stopping by for a pat and a rub. We got to the beach around 6 p.m., when it opens, and stayed for about an hour or two.
Afterward, we watched the sun set over Deal Lake. We then drove north to look at the beautiful beach homes in Deal — we saw beautiful old Victorians, classic shingle-style beach homes, and huge contemporary mansions behind vast gates and lawns. They sometimes looked more like museums or college campuses than homes! On the way back to Asbury Park, my husband stopped at the Windmill to get one of his favorite NJ shore delicacies — a Windmill hot dog! This takeout restaurant, known for its hot dogs, burgers, and fries, is famously shaped like a windmill.
Night on the town in Asbury Park
After our drive, we headed back to Asbury Park and had a delicious dinner at one of Mogo’s sidewalk tables. It was already about 9 p.m. by then, and the town was hopping. There was a nearby anime and KPop rave happening in Asbury Park, so there were all sorts of people walking around with amazing costumes, and all the local restaurants and bars were overflowing. After dinner, we stopped by the Art629 Gallery — they actually let our pup in, and there was already another pup lounging in a dog bed in the shop. I loved all the giant and vibrant paintings displayed. We also stopped by the Baked Bear, where we got a cookie and a bowl of dark chocolate ice cream. We got home close to midnight, so I am quite tired today!
I am looking forward our next trip to the Asbury Park Dog Beach — since dogs aren’t allowed on the boardwalk or the rest of the beach in Asbury Park in the summer season through early September, it’s great to have somewhere we we can enjoy it with him! It’s open from 6 p.m to 8:30 am. daily, so it’s necessary to get there in the evening or early in the morning to fully enjoy it.
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