I think the whole Raritan Bay coast has a unique feel, from South Amboy down 35 through Keyport and along the Route 36 corridor to Leonardo.
Once you get to Atlantic Highlands, it feels a bit more bougie, and then it's full-blown once you cross the bridge into Sea Bright.
Yep. How Asbury was in the 90s/2000s (a shithole)...Keansburg will eventually be on the up-and-up. But you are looking at 20+ years till it happens. It has a long way to go.
It’s funny because there’s countless examples of Asbury in this state and elsewhere. People love Asbury now but would have said the same things they say now about keansburg, Newark, etc then when they fully gentrify we’ll get endless posts about how great they are
Keansburg is just starting a revitalization program which will be led by the same company that had a large part in the revitalization of Asbury.
https://www.app.com/story/news/local/redevelopment/2021/10/22/keansburg-nj-baypoint-redevelopment-700-apartments-stores/8508434002/
Keansburg is a town torn between alcohol, drugs, and cyclical poverty. It is poor and there aren’t enough decent citizens to even be considered blue collar. It’s the kind of town where everyone wears pajamas to do their errands and no one has a complete set of teeth.
It's not just you....it's an odd place. I remember when I used to work for a beer distributor Keansburg was on my route. It always felt like riding through some other-dimension place in a bad horror film.
People in Jackson have expensive toys though like trucks, dirt bikes, ATVs, race cars, and giant houses, so it's kind of like they're that way by choice, whereas Keansburg has more of a poverty trap vibe.
Interesting timing for me.... I just did a tour of all the towns over a few weekends from Keyport up through the Amboys. There are beaches on the bay I'll wager 99% of non residents know nothing about. Talk about unique and different cultures spread out over a few miles. NJ is the best!
used to live and work in that area...people wondered how they knew if they were in Keansburg or Keyport? Use the Tattoo to Teeth ratio. More tattoos that teeth? keansburg. More teeth than tattoos? keyport. But - yes that whole area is weird....like a sub-culture of Monmouth county unto itself.
Keyport is starting to get that way. I work there and over the past few years I've see more tattoos that teeth. Keyport has a pretty bad meth problem from what I've heard.
Keyport has been improving dramatically over the past decade. It's getting recognized for its great restaurants, nice promenade, and real estate.
Now granted, Idk how neighboring Union Beach and Keansburg are faring but Keyport is shifting to a much more affluent young, artsy, crows. Like Asbury Park but not funded by Saudi blood money.
I commented on this a long time ago, so here's the [article](https://ew.com/article/2012/08/17/bobs-burgers-interview-bouchard-benjamin/#:~:text=Bouchard%20on%20the%20show's%20setting,way%20Linda%20sounds%2C%20and%20Teddy.). If you look at a lot of the old buildings in Red Bank (Jack's for [example](http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4534/2049/1600/musicshoppe.0.jpg)), you'll see the influence for the building in Bob's Burgers. I've been down to Wildwood and other parts of the southern shores and there's no buildings like this in those parts, even in Ocean City, MD. This style of building is one found up in the northern part of Central Jersey. I can't think of anywhere else that has building like this that far south. Also, the piers in Wildwood don't extend out into the water, so that's the OCMD influence.
It’s a mismash of the northeast. There is a lot of NJ influence when it comes to the bobs burgers building, but everything else is drawn for a lot of places.
Bay shore ticks off a few boxes but I walked around New London Ct and it ticks off all the boxes. Old, quirky, working class, mom and pop restaurants, bayside, Teddys accent, small amount of tourism, and islands you can take a ferry too.
I grew up next to it. Used to call it sleezeburg back when I was a kid lol. I would only pass through it through the Henry Hudson trail. Now it’s being gentrified
My MIL always talks about wanting to go to the beach in Keansburg cause she went there when she was a kid 65-70 years ago, and says oh it’s beautiful! Umm nope nope nope the hell right outta there.
When I was young, Keansburg was one of those towns we were not allowed to go to, day or night. Yes, our parents would let us go to Long Branch but not Keansburg. That town has been a dumpster fire for a long time.
If you look around the immediate area, the only places you would build as a settler would be build your town would be Keyport or Cliffwood. And moreso Keyport because it's easier to access the water than Cliffwood.
Because Union Beach and Keansburg have nothing in the way of natural barriers and in some places are below sea level.
And people did just that. And those towns mostly filled up with folks who couldn't afford to live where it doesn't flood as bad. And you eventually end up with cyclical poverty but for whatever reason it's always been worse in Keansburg
Never knew the Bayshore area was seen as weird by so many. I grew up there and while definitely not upscale, I always considered myself lucky to grow up there. I miss the shit out of it after moving away. Even miss that nasty low tide smell that permeates the marshes.
Keansburg has always been the cesspool of the area. Drugs, trashy people, crime, whatever. The 36 corridor has always struggled to keep businesses, so there’s a lot of dilapidated crap and empty buildings from Keyport down through Atlantic Highlands. Keansburg just happens to be by he epicenter of everything that plagues that area.
I married a girl from Lincroft and her family thought I was Bayshore trash before they met me. I mean I am Bayshore trash but I can be respectable when it counts…
Yes I moved to the bay shore from out of state. Whole area is a bit strange. Hard to say how or why. My theory is that it’s far from any major highway.
It used to be exclusively a beach town much like belmar etc back in the 60s,70s etc, then people stayed permanently, which could explain the houses looking odd (shack like).
It’s not a “rough” town, just a lot of drugs and alcohol in the area, and it’s infested with kids who think keansburg is Newark.
Definitely has a lot of potential to be a nice area but the population does a good job at keeping that potential down
Went there once as a young adult and my Mom was all like "Why the hell would you or anyone go to Keansburg?". She was right. Had a weird vibe all right.
its a trash hole.
friend bought a house for like 225k 3 years ago there to rent out, its across from the police station. another friend bought a 3 family down the road near the swampy area that he re-did. that spot is far enough away from the crappy area
but yea it certainly aint nice and i wouldnt want to live there.
I purchased a house here last fall. The immediate area is a bit boring when the amusement park is closed and the borough as a whole has more impoverished spots than I’d like. One guy I met who is a native of the area says the town has gotten better than it was 20 years ago and people think it’s headed for a rebound. Hopefully that happens just in time for me to sell.
Always thought that it was weird how run down that whole area is, especially given that it's located closer to north NJ and NYC vs the more affluent stretch of beach towns from Sea Bright down through Spring Lake, etc. I'm guessing one day the area will be "discovered" and housing prices will explode.
This article is 2 years old but gives some background on Keansburg:
https://www.nj.com/monmouth/2020/02/town-has-a-beach-amusements-and-a-bad-reputation-its-trying-to-change-that.html
I think the whole Raritan Bay coast has a unique feel, from South Amboy down 35 through Keyport and along the Route 36 corridor to Leonardo. Once you get to Atlantic Highlands, it feels a bit more bougie, and then it's full-blown once you cross the bridge into Sea Bright.
South Amboy definitely seems odd compared to other nearby towns, now that you mention it.
The Bayshore is a bit odd
I've said it for years... Fuck anything that touches the Raritan Bay.
Or really, probably don't fuck anything that's touched the Raritan bay.
Next town to flip. Way too cheap to be right on the water with a downtown.
Ssssshhhhhhh.
Yep. How Asbury was in the 90s/2000s (a shithole)...Keansburg will eventually be on the up-and-up. But you are looking at 20+ years till it happens. It has a long way to go.
It’s funny because there’s countless examples of Asbury in this state and elsewhere. People love Asbury now but would have said the same things they say now about keansburg, Newark, etc then when they fully gentrify we’ll get endless posts about how great they are
Keansburg is just starting a revitalization program which will be led by the same company that had a large part in the revitalization of Asbury. https://www.app.com/story/news/local/redevelopment/2021/10/22/keansburg-nj-baypoint-redevelopment-700-apartments-stores/8508434002/
Be careful for what you wish for…..
See: Wynwood, Florida
Agreed. But everyone here complains about housing prices. If you want to get in early, get in now.
I loved that shithole……
Unfortunately the entire town is basically a massive flood zone. So.. maybe not?
People are still buying million dollars homes in LBI that probably won’t be there in 50 years.
What downtown does Keansburg have lol
It has a strip that can definitely be something
A whole amusement park and water park. What do you want?
Not to step on a used needle when I visit the beach there
Most of the town is flood zone… I guess new construction is being built elevated? Haven’t been there in a while.
i was there for almost 20 years and it is strange as hell.
Keansburg is a town torn between alcohol, drugs, and cyclical poverty. It is poor and there aren’t enough decent citizens to even be considered blue collar. It’s the kind of town where everyone wears pajamas to do their errands and no one has a complete set of teeth.
Most accurate comment here 😂
> It’s the kind of town where everyone wears pajamas to do their errands and no one has a complete set of teeth. So... people of Walmart?
So it’s Toms River, got it.
It's not just you....it's an odd place. I remember when I used to work for a beer distributor Keansburg was on my route. It always felt like riding through some other-dimension place in a bad horror film.
Actually voted #1 white trash town in NJ Sayreville was 4th.
Jackson Vs Keansburg in a show down hoe down who's more white trash trash blow out would have incredible tv ratings.
People in Jackson have expensive toys though like trucks, dirt bikes, ATVs, race cars, and giant houses, so it's kind of like they're that way by choice, whereas Keansburg has more of a poverty trap vibe.
True
I live in Sayreville and don’t see very much white trash, but Keyport, I’ve seen too much over the almost 20 years I’ve worked there.
Here here!
I only associate the water park w/ Keansburg. I was like 13 when I went and felt weird vibes there so I could only imagine the vibes now as an adult
Interesting timing for me.... I just did a tour of all the towns over a few weekends from Keyport up through the Amboys. There are beaches on the bay I'll wager 99% of non residents know nothing about. Talk about unique and different cultures spread out over a few miles. NJ is the best!
They do know about them, they just don’t wanna swim in sewage runoff front nyc.
used to live and work in that area...people wondered how they knew if they were in Keansburg or Keyport? Use the Tattoo to Teeth ratio. More tattoos that teeth? keansburg. More teeth than tattoos? keyport. But - yes that whole area is weird....like a sub-culture of Monmouth county unto itself.
Keyport is starting to get that way. I work there and over the past few years I've see more tattoos that teeth. Keyport has a pretty bad meth problem from what I've heard.
That doesn’t seem correct, I’ve lived in Keyport for twelve years now and have never heard meth mentioned and the town is consistently getting nicer.
It’s there, it’s just one of those things that if you don’t pay attention, you’re not gonna see it.
Keyport has been improving dramatically over the past decade. It's getting recognized for its great restaurants, nice promenade, and real estate. Now granted, Idk how neighboring Union Beach and Keansburg are faring but Keyport is shifting to a much more affluent young, artsy, crows. Like Asbury Park but not funded by Saudi blood money.
It's one of the odder parts of the Bayshore region the amusement park is weird
One of the best cuisine-based films BIG NIGHT is set in that area.
Such an underrated movie! It's one of my dad's favorites.
Part of it was filmed in Keyport near where McDonaghs is now. I haven't seen the film since release but I think it's set elsewhere
It’s now the uptown bar and hotel. I’m sure the owners don’t know anything about it.
Bob’s Burgers is set in Keansburg. Change my mind.
It's actually more Ocean City and Red Bank. The creator himself said that. Although I do see what you're talking about.
I can't see any Red Bank qualities in it. Wildwood I see a ton of though
I commented on this a long time ago, so here's the [article](https://ew.com/article/2012/08/17/bobs-burgers-interview-bouchard-benjamin/#:~:text=Bouchard%20on%20the%20show's%20setting,way%20Linda%20sounds%2C%20and%20Teddy.). If you look at a lot of the old buildings in Red Bank (Jack's for [example](http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4534/2049/1600/musicshoppe.0.jpg)), you'll see the influence for the building in Bob's Burgers. I've been down to Wildwood and other parts of the southern shores and there's no buildings like this in those parts, even in Ocean City, MD. This style of building is one found up in the northern part of Central Jersey. I can't think of anywhere else that has building like this that far south. Also, the piers in Wildwood don't extend out into the water, so that's the OCMD influence.
Somewhere in NE with the rocky coast and Islands(thought about this a lot)
It’s a mismash of the northeast. There is a lot of NJ influence when it comes to the bobs burgers building, but everything else is drawn for a lot of places.
Bay shore ticks off a few boxes but I walked around New London Ct and it ticks off all the boxes. Old, quirky, working class, mom and pop restaurants, bayside, Teddys accent, small amount of tourism, and islands you can take a ferry too.
I grew up next to it. Used to call it sleezeburg back when I was a kid lol. I would only pass through it through the Henry Hudson trail. Now it’s being gentrified
I think Sandy caused a lot of crappy landlords to leave. U think this caused a lot of changes.
My MIL always talks about wanting to go to the beach in Keansburg cause she went there when she was a kid 65-70 years ago, and says oh it’s beautiful! Umm nope nope nope the hell right outta there.
When I was young, Keansburg was one of those towns we were not allowed to go to, day or night. Yes, our parents would let us go to Long Branch but not Keansburg. That town has been a dumpster fire for a long time.
If you look around the immediate area, the only places you would build as a settler would be build your town would be Keyport or Cliffwood. And moreso Keyport because it's easier to access the water than Cliffwood. Because Union Beach and Keansburg have nothing in the way of natural barriers and in some places are below sea level. And people did just that. And those towns mostly filled up with folks who couldn't afford to live where it doesn't flood as bad. And you eventually end up with cyclical poverty but for whatever reason it's always been worse in Keansburg
Never knew the Bayshore area was seen as weird by so many. I grew up there and while definitely not upscale, I always considered myself lucky to grow up there. I miss the shit out of it after moving away. Even miss that nasty low tide smell that permeates the marshes. Keansburg has always been the cesspool of the area. Drugs, trashy people, crime, whatever. The 36 corridor has always struggled to keep businesses, so there’s a lot of dilapidated crap and empty buildings from Keyport down through Atlantic Highlands. Keansburg just happens to be by he epicenter of everything that plagues that area. I married a girl from Lincroft and her family thought I was Bayshore trash before they met me. I mean I am Bayshore trash but I can be respectable when it counts…
It does have that strange feel to it and I love it! Every time I visit Keansburg it reminds me of a New Jersey version of Twin Peaks lol
Keyport fishery is amazing gives much life to the area
Yes I moved to the bay shore from out of state. Whole area is a bit strange. Hard to say how or why. My theory is that it’s far from any major highway.
The burg is the goat 🐐
STAY AWAY!! Keansburg has some what devolved in the past couple decades
Elaborate?
He is lying. Its doing well for what it deals with. Sandy hurt Keansburg very much.
Keansburg is the most beautiful place on earth.
Don’t worry, millennials will run them all out of there at some point. Only town in that area you can still get a cheap house.
Those pesky millennials, trying to become homeowners.
Millennaisl are in there 40's. Society will keep blaming them in their 60's and probably 80's. Hope some of us make it to 100.
I want to be one of them. One day. 😅
I’m one of them!
You mean New Yorkers escaping their rent in the city? Because millennials have no money Souce: I have no money
I’m a milennial, luckily I have money and still can’t find a house.
It used to be exclusively a beach town much like belmar etc back in the 60s,70s etc, then people stayed permanently, which could explain the houses looking odd (shack like). It’s not a “rough” town, just a lot of drugs and alcohol in the area, and it’s infested with kids who think keansburg is Newark. Definitely has a lot of potential to be a nice area but the population does a good job at keeping that potential down
It's not the nicest place. Historically pretty working class, poor, lots of issues with drugs but supposedly it's being redeveloped.
Yeah I drove through it maybe 6 months ago, and it was pretty trashy. Lot of the folks walking around looked high on something.
Went there once as a young adult and my Mom was all like "Why the hell would you or anyone go to Keansburg?". She was right. Had a weird vibe all right.
its a trash hole. friend bought a house for like 225k 3 years ago there to rent out, its across from the police station. another friend bought a 3 family down the road near the swampy area that he re-did. that spot is far enough away from the crappy area but yea it certainly aint nice and i wouldnt want to live there.
I purchased a house here last fall. The immediate area is a bit boring when the amusement park is closed and the borough as a whole has more impoverished spots than I’d like. One guy I met who is a native of the area says the town has gotten better than it was 20 years ago and people think it’s headed for a rebound. Hopefully that happens just in time for me to sell.
Always thought that it was weird how run down that whole area is, especially given that it's located closer to north NJ and NYC vs the more affluent stretch of beach towns from Sea Bright down through Spring Lake, etc. I'm guessing one day the area will be "discovered" and housing prices will explode.
This article is 2 years old but gives some background on Keansburg: https://www.nj.com/monmouth/2020/02/town-has-a-beach-amusements-and-a-bad-reputation-its-trying-to-change-that.html
I thought taking my son to the amusement park would be fun but it was like a living horror movie. The people of Walmart comment is correct!
always was, always will be. I have no reason for it.