Essex County, New Jersey travel guide: things to do, food & where to stay

Overview

Essex County is in the Gateway region in the northeastern part of New Jersey. There are various attractions in Essex County, such as the Newark Museum of Art, New Jersey Historical Society, Montclair Art Museum, Turtle Back Zoo, Thomas Edison National Historical Park, and Grover Cleveland Birthplace.

Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage

Plan your trip

Best time to visit & weather

Most comfortable: May–Oct. Summer highs reach about 86°F; winter lows dip to about 29°F. Cold months (Jan) can bring snow and ice; check road conditions. Wettest: Aug and Jul. (climate data from nearby New York City)

Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).

Getting there

From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
EWR Newark Liberty International Airport, Newark — 8 mi away (major hub). Directions
TEB Teterboro Airport, Teterboro — 11 mi away. Directions

Full “Get in” guide ↓

Sample 3-day trip

Day 1: Newark — Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart, The Newark Museum of Art, Aljira: A Center for Contemporary Art.
Day 2: The Oranges — Thomas Edison National Historical Park, Eagle Rock Reservation, Branch Brook Park.
Day 3: Millburn — South Mountain Reservation, Cora Hartshorn Arboretum and Bird Sanctuary, The Cul-de-sacs.

Built from the best-covered destinations in this region; open each for its own day plan.