Once a ritzy, very popular resort, Asbury Park went into a decline in the late 20th century and was filled with abandoned art-deco buildings and vacant lots overgrown with weeds. Fortunately, there are signs that the city is coming back to life: The Paramount Theater and the attached art-deco Convention Hall, both right on the boardwalk, have reopened for concerts and shows. Cookman Avenue is now dotted with shops, and the Stone Pony, where Bruce Springsteen played in his early days, still attracts crowds. 35 mi/55 km southeast of Newark.
