Nice areas within 30 min. of Eatontown (Long Branch, Asbury Park: renting, condo, townhouse)

[cyoungintx]

I am 52, single, no kids moving to New Jersey to work in Eatontown. I know nothing of the area and will be coming up this week to look. I am from Austin, TX and have lived in a house in an upscale neighborhood in the burbs for the past 10 years. I have learned I don't want to be in a kid-friendly burbs area where the focus is on all the mom's who know all the mom's because their kids go to school together. However, I don't want to be in an eclectic, trendy area with the 20-30 year olds either. I would like an area that is clean, scenic, safe, but there are some restaurants, shopping nearby. I don't care about the beach in the least. If I could, I would live in New Hope, PA because that is what I'm looking for but it's too far to commute and probably too pricey (and touristy). Does this exist within 30 minutes of Eatontown? I expect this time around I would be renting for awhile and then purchasing a townhouse or condo in the $300,000 range. I do travel into Manhattan quite a bit versus Philadelphia so if it was near the parkway that would be a bonus.

[CarrieM]

Eatontown itself is a very nice area. I was very happy with it for the three years I was there. Ocean Township is close by. Ocean Grove is nice, might be a bit pricier than what you are looking for, but in atmosphere would be similar to New Hope. Red Bank as well, but it does tend to be a younger crowd.

Look at the shore towns of Sea Bright, Bradley Beach, Avon. Problem with all of them will be the traffic in the summer. But the other nine months they are lovely areas.

[Mightyqueen801]

Originally Posted by cyoungintx

I am 52, single, no kids moving to New Jersey to work in Eatontown. I know nothing of the area and will be coming up this week to look. I am from Austin, TX and have lived in a house in an upscale neighborhood in the burbs for the past 10 years. I have learned I don't want to be in a kid-friendly burbs area where the focus is on all the mom's who know all the mom's because their kids go to school together. However, I don't want to be in an eclectic, trendy area with the 20-30 year olds either. I would like an area that is clean, scenic, safe, but there are some restaurants, shopping nearby. I don't care about the beach in the least. If I could, I would live in New Hope, PA because that is what I'm looking for but it's too far to commute and probably too pricey (and touristy). Does this exist within 30 minutes of Eatontown? I expect this time around I would be renting for awhile and then purchasing a townhouse or condo in the $300,000 range. I do travel into Manhattan quite a bit versus Philadelphia so if it was near the parkway that would be a bonus.

I am 52, divorced with one grown kid, and I feel your pain. I moved down to Eatontown after raising my daughter in one of those kid-friendly burb towns in North Jersey, and I like it much better here. I take the train to NYC every day, but the Parkway is only a few minutes away. Only difference is I love the ocean in all seasons. Monmouth County also has beautiful parks with trails, etc.

I lived in a condo complex with a mix of people culturally and of various family types. There are some families with kids but also single people of all ages. Seems to be a nice mix of working people--guy next door is a mailman, woman next to him is a teacher, the man next to me on the other side is a sushi chef.

Red Bank is up the street, with a real theater and restaurants, etc. Since I moved there I've also met someone involved in a theater group that performs at the Paramount in nearby Asbury Park, too.

Even if you don't like the beach much, be aware that in the summer there are free concerts in the area on the beach (and other locations, as well) that range from things like Eagles tribute groups to jazz and blues, and no, it's not all "fetuses" going to these things, either.

Long Branch is another town that offers some culture. There's a little park in the West End section there that has free blues concerts on Sunday nights in the summer, and a nice little area with some shops and restaurants, including a new agey-type store that sells books/candles, etc., and holds classes on herbal medicines, native American practices, shamanism, etc.

None of these things are exactly New Hope, but a lot of the same elements are available in the area, and New Hope isn't New Hope anymore anyway either.

[ebbe]

I think of Eatontown as having a lot of commercially zoned areas. Very easy access to the parkway. You could also try Shrewsbury and Red Bank, both are close to GSP access and have shopping, especially Red Bank. Red Bank has a train station as well.

[TheGambler]

Red Bank.