Everyone knows the Jersey Shore is the place to be in the summer. But something everyone forgets is that those beloved shore towns still exist in the winter, as do many small businesses that make these neighborhoods lively during the warmer months. The winter is a fun time for locals to make a reservation at a restaurant that is always crowded during peak season or try out an indoor activity that is fun yet sometimes overlooked. Keep reading for a guide to spending a winter day at the Jersey Shore.

Asbury Park

• See a show at The Stone Pony, an anchor venue for the Jersey Shore music scene that has hosted national acts since 1974.
• Visit House of Independents, a versatile entertainment space featuring fun events such as live music, themed dance parties, and comedy shows.
• Bowl at Asbury Lanes, a vintage bowling alley and concert venue.
• Listen to live music at Soundbooth at The Asbury Hotel, a boutique hotel steps away from the beach.
• Take a cookie-baking or decorating workshop at Sweet Dani B, an interactive kitchen studio and cooking class studio.
• Try an immersive glass experience at Hot Sand.
• Play a pinball game at Silverball Retro Arcade, located directly on Asbury Park's boardwalk and is BYO.
• Go boutique shopping: check out the downtown Asbury Park shops, or keep warm at The Shoppes at the Arcade, the town's indoor shopping mall.
• Attend a themed book club meeting at Asbury Book Cooperative. 
• Visit the lounge at Catsbury Park, New Jersey's first cat cafe, which helps at-risk cats gain a new lease on life. 
• Take your dog on Asbury Park's boardwalk, or have your pup play with other local dogs at AP's dog beach; both are open to pets from September 15th through May 15th.
• Explore new restaurants with Taste of Asbury Food Tours.
• Mark your calendar to join the annual Asbury Park Santa Run + receive your own Santa suit with registration along with chip-timed results, a closed course in Asbury Park, and access to after-parties all over town.

Read More: 18 Alcohol-Free Activities to Try at the Jersey Shore

Atlantic Highlands

• Visit the Strauss Mansion, a 21-room Victorian Mansion with exhibits on local history.
• Take the Seastreak Ferry into Manhattan for the day.
• Go on a brewery tour of Carton Brewing Company.
• Experience First Avenue Playhouse, a dessert theatre that serves sweets with a show.

Avon-by-the-Sea

• Shop for macaroons at The Macaroon Shop, an Avon-by-the-Sea bakery beloved by locals since 1930.
• Stop by Meaberrie Market for breakfast, brunch, or lunch, and then browse its market for a curated selection of vintage and new homewares.

Belmar

• Experience an all-you-can-eat experience at Flames Brazilian Steakhouse.
• Take a candle-making workshop at Midnight Candle Company.
• Warm up at a hot yoga class at either Metta Yoga or Heatwave Hot Yoga, both studios located in downtown Belmar.

Bradley Beach

• Get a bar pie at Vic's Italian Restaurant, a staple to the Jersey Shore since 1947.
• Satisfy all those comfort-food breakfast cravings at The Buttered Biscuit, a cozy cafe serving biscuits known for being addicting.
• Get the ultimate BYOB brunch experience at Hatch 44  — a cafe with an aesthetic fitting for the start of a girls' day.
• Stay overnight at The James Bradley, a stylish boutique hotel with elevated rooms and private accommodations.

Long Branch

• Taste mead at Beach Bee Meadery.
• Explore Pier Village, an oceanfront shopping center with shops, retail, dining, live public events, and year-round activities.
• Test your problem-solving skills at Escape the Puzzle, an entertainment venue with themed rooms where visitors can unlock clues and solve puzzles to escape.
• Go to Whitechapel Projects, a versatile venue dedicated to incorporating art into everyday life through food, drink, performances, events, or other types of artistic expression.
• Relax during a luxury spa experience at Wave Resort + Spa — an oceanfront leisure retreat. 
• Take a pottery class at Blue Skies Pottery.

Manasquan

• Grab handmade mozzarella or a gourmet sandwich from Joe Leone's Centro Market.
• Get vegan and gluten-free baked goods from Papa Ganache.
• Play darts, listen to live music, or watch sports at Leggetts Sand Bar, a staple to the Jersey Shore bar scene. 
• See a show at Algonquin Arts Theatre, a local non-profit theatre hosting plays, concerts, comedians, and musicals.
• Go ice fishing at Manasquan Reservoir.

Ocean Grove

• Appreciate art at Main Avenue Galleria, an art gallery with classes, events, and art collectibles for viewing.
• Take in the nautical decor and BYOB to Seagrass Restaurant, a seafood restaurant open all year long in Ocean Grove.

Point Pleasant

• Visit Jenkinson's Aquarium to see exhibits such as Atlantic and Pacific sharks, coral reefs, penguins, and seals.
• Go to the annual indoor Holiday and Lights Spectacular, Sea of Lights, located inside the Jenkinson Pavilion and the Jenkinson Aquarium. This festive event features holiday entertainment and visits from Santa.
• Get competitive at Jenkinson's South Arcade or Jenkinson's Pavilion Arcade.
• Scout out antiques at Point Pleasant Antique Emporium or Canvas House Antiques + Design Center. 
• Spend the night laughing at Uncle Vinnie's Comedy Club, a casual comedy club with a line-up of professional comedians and a dinner and show menu.

Sea Bright

• Get Italian food at Anjelica's Restaurant. 
• Go to happy hour at The Rum Runner, a seafood restaurant with a pretty riverfront deck.

Sea Girt

• Get breakfast at Ray's Cafe, a hidden gem serving Sea Girt for over thirty years.
• Make it a date night at Scarborough Fair, a 19th-century farmhouse made into a special occasion restaurant.
• Receive a psychic reading at The Psychic Gallery.

See More: 12 Ways to Make New Friends in Montclair + Essex County

Seaside Heights

• Participate in the annual Polar Bear Plunge, which helps support the New Jersey Special Olympics.
• Try the pizza at Maruca's Tomato Pies, a Jersey Shore classic known for its signature tomato sauce swirl.
• Go to Lucky Leo's, a family-owned entertainment center open year-round in Seaside Heights since 1953.

Spring Lake

• Get your sugar fix at Third Avenue Chocolates, a homemade candy store that has been in business for over thirty years.
• Eat inside a grand Victorian hotel across the ocean at Amelia's by the Sea.
• Check out Bare Wires, a surf shop open year-round.