We love our kids—but let’s be honest, sometimes mama needs a break! This Mother’s Day month, plan a day with your besties for some much-needed R&R in one of New Jersey’s favorite Shore towns. It’s even been named one of the top 20 spots in the country for a mom escape by both Cosmopolitan and SIXT.
Asbury Park placed 19th on a list of 20 “momcation” spots in the U.S. by SIXT, and No. 20 out of 35 girls’ trip destinations in the country by Cosmo. We love Asbury Park for its cute Grand Arcade shops, gorgeous beaches, art galleries, restaurants and endless things to do along the boardwalk and in the city.
Start your day with a top tier caffeine fix at Asbury Park Roastery or have some next level pancakes or avo toast at Toast City Diner. Asbury is known for being a city that’s home to innovative spots and the new Jewish-Italian fusion restaurant Judy’s, and its neighboring speakeasy-like bar, Harry’s, are just one example. The bar and restaurant are open to the public, although part of the St. Laurent hotel (you can book a night or two there, too).
Sign up for a food tour and taste a variety of authentic dishes throughout the city. Save room for dessert at Coney Waffle.
No trip to Asbury is complete without a show at the iconic Stone Pony or House of Independents. Get your old school game on at the Silverball Retro Arcade, try glassblowing at Hot Sand, or catch a movie at Showroom Cinema.
A shoreline walk at sunrise is always good for the soul, or enjoy some quiet time at Sunset Lake Memorial Park. Asbury Park Pedal Boats rents swan-shaped pedal boats you can take out on Wesley Lake.
Relaxation is the goal at Artemis Ethos Holistic Beauty Soul Spa Salon, which offers the most glorious scalp massages. Kur Wellness Studios has a yoga studio and Ayurvedic therapies.
There are lots of cute shops selling Jersey Shore-themed clothes and accessories at the Grand Arcade, and if you’re visiting on Mother’s Day weekend, you’ll catch the extra pop-up shops of the Spring Bazaar.
Book a room at the Berkeley Oceanfront Hotel or Asbury Ocean Club for a full getaway experience.
How did Asbury rank so high on a national list? To determine the rankings, the analysis by SIXT looked at Google Trends searches for Mother’s Day, worldwide, over the past month; as well as Cosmo’s list of the top girls’ trip ideas. Analysts looked at the number of premium resorts and spas in each area, plus TikTok views from the most popular video highlighting the destination (as of March 24). Although Asbury does not have any all-inclusive resorts, it does have five spa and wellness retreats, and there have been 413,000 TikTok views.
The Top 20 Momcation Destinations in the U.S., According to SIXT:
- Sedona, Arizona
- Bar Harbor, Maine
- Pagosa Springs, Colorado
- Napa Valley, California
- Jackson Hole, Wyoming
- Vail, Colorado
- Lake Tahoe, California
- Big Sky, Montana
- Sun Valley, Idaho
- Park City, Utah
- Newport, Rhode Island
- Charleston, South Carolina
- Montauk, New York
- Asheville, North Carolina
- St. Michaels, Maryland
- Austin, Texas
- Nashville, Tennessee
- Santa Barbara, California
- Asbury Park, New Jersey
- Las Vegas, Nevada
The 35 Best Girls’ Trip Destinations, According to Cosmopolitan:
- Newport, Rhode Island
- Lake Tahoe, California
- St. Michaels, Maryland
- Park City, Utah
- Napa Valley, California
- Nashville, Tennessee
- Outer Banks, North Carolina
- Las Vegas, Nevada
- Big Sky, Montana
- Pagosa Springs, California
- Montauk, New York
- Santa Barbara, California
- Vail, Colorado
- Woodstock, Vermont
- Carmel-by-the-Sea, California
- New York, New York
- Bar Harbor, Maine
- Ojai, California
- Sedona, Arizona
- Asbury Park, New Jersey
- Austin, Texas
- Willamette Valley, Oregon
- Charleston, South Carolina
- Sun Valley, Idaho
- New Orleans, Louisiana
- Palm Springs, California
- Asheville, North Carolina
- Nantucket, Massachusetts
- Jackson Hole, Wyoming
- Telluride, Colorado
- Portland, Maine
- Santa Fe, New Mexico
- Solvang, California
- Mackinac Island, Michigan
- Aspen, Colorado
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Read More:
The Best Things to Do in Asbury Park
Our Guide to All Things Mother’s Day: Brunch, Activities, Gifts & More
Planning a Mom’s Night Out? These Two NJ Towns Ranked the Most Fun
This Jersey Shore Beach Town Is a Hot Spot During The Offseason, Too
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