to James Brown, Aretha Franklin and Gladys Knight and the Pips, while Frank Sinatra would swing by for impromptu sets. As Tourism Director Heather Colache explains: “Atlantic City is like Cher we reinvent ourselves every five years.” It was once famed for its boardwalk, gaming scene and nightlife – spots such as Club Harlem, a showcase for Black talent, drew acts from Cab Calloway and Sammy Davis Jr. Breakfast on a green velvet chair overlooking the sea-facing pool feels as luxurious as the slate of warm pastries and fruit.Īn hour further south, Atlantic City has a similar story. Guests are welcomed with a shot of syrupy lavender lemonade before basking in accommodations such as the dreamy Dune Terrace Loft Suite,overlooking a beach grass garden, with high ceilings, citrus-coloured throws and Scandi-style chairs. The lineup mixes newcomers alongside acts such as Stevie Nicks, who recently stayed at the swish new glass-fronted Asbury Ocean Club, where residential penthouse apartments retail at $3m. These days, the Sea, Here, Now surf and music festival swells the population each September. Nearby, the unassuming yet legendary Stone Pony music venue, where local Bruce Springsteen – celebrating the 50th anniversary of his Greetings from Asbury Park album this year – started out amid the dark interior. The opening of the James Bradley last year upped the ante a 19th-century, 17-room boutique hotel with lime-washed walls, Eames chairs and eclectic pieces.Īside from hardy locals, the LGBT+ community is largely credited for the town’s latest revival, drawn by the laid-back vibe and relatively low property prices a large rainbow mural is painted across Asbury Avenue. Smaller towns towards the northern tip such as Ocean Grove feature well-preserved clapboard homes reminiscent of the Long Island suburbs, rubbing shoulders with Bradley Beach, where author Philip Roth spent summers in the 1930s. If you want a Hamptons-style break outside of New York City, on a more modest budget, a new wave of hotels, restaurants and culture make the Jersey Shore a more affordable – and arguably more interesting – alternative, complete with timeless dunes and celebrated beaches.

The 141-mile stretch of the Atlantic coastline, in New Jersey, spans multiple towns with distinct personalities, many dramatically transformed over the years.

For others, “the Shore”, as locals affectionately call it, is a nostalgic place of salt-sprayed, sun-kissed holidays. For many, the mere mention of Jersey Shore conjures up the boozy antics of the cast of the MTV reality show of the same name.

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