USA Asbury Park Carousel and Steam Plant (New Jersey)

This spot captures the beautiful silhouette of the historic Asbury Park Casino complex and the old Heating Plant. Designed by Warren and Wetmore (the same architects responsible for Grand Central Terminal in NYC) and built in 1929, these structures are iconic remnants of Asbury Park’s golden era.

The view looks across Wesley Lake, which separates Asbury Park from Ocean Grove. The building on the left with the intricate copper roof is the Carousel House, while the towering structure on the right is the old steam plant that once powered the complex. Despite being closed to the public, the ornate limestone and brickwork make for a striking subject, especially when contrasted against a colorful Jersey Shore sunrise.

Best Time to Shoot:
Sunrise is the ideal time. Since the boardwalk faces east, you get beautiful backlighting or side-lighting, and the sky often lights up in pinks and purples behind the architecture. Blue Hour is also fantastic here for mixing the warm streetlights with the cool ambient light.

Reflections:
To get the mirror-like reflection seen in the photo, shoot from the edge of Wesley Lake (or the footbridges). The water is much calmer here than the ocean.

Gear:
A tripod is essential if you want to do a long exposure to smooth out the water ripples. A standard zoom (24-70mm) or a wide-angle lens works best to capture the full span of the buildings.

Composition:
Try framing the shot to include both the rotunda of the Carousel House and the verticality of the Steam Plant tower for balance.

Parking:
There is ample street parking along Lake Avenue in Asbury Park right by the footbridge or on the Ocean Grove side. Note that parking is metered in Asbury Park after 9am (check the signs for seasonal rules).

Accessibility:
The area is fully paved and easily accessible by foot from the boardwalk.