New Jersey

Understand

History

Geography

New Jersey's geography varies across the state. Much of the northern half of the state is made up of the easternmost hills of the Appalachian Mountains and other small ridge lines. Between these ridges lie the fertile river valleys that give New Jersey its "Garden State" nickname. High Point, near the borders of New York and Pennsylvania in Sussex County, is the highest mountain in the state at 1,803 ft.

The southern half of the state is part of the Atlantic Plain, and as such is very flat. Much less developed, this area is covered in large part by the Pine Barrens. The Jersey Shore stretches along the coastline, and for much of its length is made up of narrow, long barrier islands.

New Jersey is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and by the states of New York to the north and northeast, Pennsylvania to the west, and Delaware to the southwest. The northeastern parts of New Jersey are suburbs of New York City, just across the Hudson River, and the southwestern parts are suburbs of Philadelphia, just across the Delaware River.

Climate

New Jersey has four distinct seasons.

Winter in the state is usually marked by cold temperatures and frequent snowstorms that can drop anywhere from a dusting to 2 ft. It is not unheard of in the worst winters for temperatures to drop below freezing for long stretches, especially in January and February. This varies from year to year, however, and in some years winter may feature relatively mild temperatures and only one or two snowstorms.

Spring in New Jersey starts out cold and often damp, with rainstorms common in March. By late April and early May, temperatures begin to rise and trees and flowers bloom throughout the state.

Summer features brilliant sun, with occasional heat waves. Humidity is often high, but the months are punctuated by spells of lower humidity that bring everyone outside to enjoy the weather.

Leaves start to turn color in September and nor'easters (large subtropical rainstorms that travel up the coast) begin to occur, continuing through October. By late October, most of the leaves have fallen, and winter sets in throughout November.

New Jersey today

New Jersey is the most densely populated state and as such has a diverse population, rich culture, and many assets, including abundant natural resources and various Fortune 500 companies.

New Jersey's big cities are centers of government and commerce. Though parts of the larger cities have become run down with deindustrialization since the 1970s, they still have a lot to offer. Princeton, Hoboken and New Brunswick in particular are great cities and inhabited by the middle to upper class. Most New Jerseyans of middle class, however, prefer to live in the suburbs, which exploded in the state in the post-war era of the 1950s and 1960s. Rich folks cluster in certain old, established towns and rural enclaves like Alpine, Mendham, and Millburn. More than a third of the state, including the Pine Barrens, is rural and sparsely populated, with little or no public transportation.

There is a strong New York influence in the North, Central and northern Shore (Monmouth and Ocean) regions of the state and a Philadelphia influence in the South, including Atlantic and Cape May counties. All major local TV and radio stations that serve New Jersey are located in those cities. New Jersey also serves as a bedroom community for many people who work in New York City or Philadelphia. Accordingly, strong regional affiliations within the state are split among those lines, and distinct cultural differences can be seen between "North Jersey" and "South Jersey". 75% of the state's residents live within the New York City media market serving the northern portion of the state (Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Morris, Passaic, Sussex, Warren, Middlesex, Union, Somerset, Hunterdon, Monmouth and Ocean Counties), with the remaining 25% living within the Philadelphia market (including in Mercer County).

Tourist information

• Visit New Jersey website

Regions

For the purpose of this guide, New Jersey is divided into four regions:

Cities

• Trenton – The state capital and home of The College of New Jersey (TCNJ)
• Atlantic City – A famed 1800s oceanfront resort town reborn as a gambling center in the late 1970s
• Camden – Rough with vast stretches of poverty, the city is also home to the USS New Jersey, better known as Battleship New Jersey, and Adventure Aquarium.
• Hoboken – A reborn former industrial city on the Hudson River with plenty of bars, restaurants, music and awesome views of Manhattan. Hoboken is also the original home of Carlo's Bakery.
• Jersey City – New Jersey's second largest city, its financial sector complements Wall Street across the river and ferries for the Statue of Liberty leave from Liberty State Park.
• Newark – New Jersey's largest city has notable cultural centers of art and music, the New Jersey Devils hockey team, and fantastic cuisines from around the globe.
• New Brunswick – Home to the original and largest campus of Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, a public research university founded in 1766.
• Paterson – Site of the huge Great Falls of the Passaic River, second only to Niagara Falls among waterfalls east of the Mississippi by volume of water, and a National Historical Park whose namesake waterfall powered factories and made the city the cradle of the Industrial Revolution
• Princeton – Home of the Ivy-League Princeton University, and the many hip bars, restaurants, cafes, bookstores, and music venues that come with a "college town".

Other destinations

• Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area — Camping, hiking and rafting in a large valley on the Delaware River
• High Point State Park — The highest point in the state, with a tower and beautiful views of the states of New Jersey, Pennsylvania and New York
• Island Beach State Park — 10 mi stretch of undeveloped barrier island, the last in the state
• Lake Hopatcong — New Jersey's largest lake provides boating and swimming for families and singles.
• The Pine Barrens — A natural pine forest that covers about a third of the state
• Sandy Hook — Peninsula in Monmouth County
• Six Flags Great Adventure — Massive amusement park and safari, with neighboring waterpark
• Sterling Mine — Former mine offering tours through caverns of fluorescent rock
• Thomas Edison National Historical Park — National park preserves famous inventor Thomas Edison's home and laboratory complexla of Monmouth County

Get in

By plane

There are several airports in and near New Jersey, including:

• Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) in Newark, which is by far New Jersey's largest airport. EWR is a major cargo hub for FedEx and a major passenger hub for United Airlines. It has three passenger terminals, lettered A, B, and C. The terminals are connected by a monorail that extends to the airport's train station, providing access across the state and beyond via NJ Transit or Amtrak.
• John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) in the New York City borough of Queens. The busiest international air gateway to the United States and North America, and one of the busiest in the world, with over 90 airlines operating from it. "JFK" serves as the base of operations for JetBlue and is a major international hub for American Airlines and Delta Air Lines.
• LaGuardia Airport (LGA) in Queens. The smallest of the three New York Airports. Like JFK, the two largest airlines at LaGuardia are Delta and American. Unlike JFK, however, LaGuardia mainly serves regional destinations, with most international routes coming from Canada.
• Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) in the Delaware Valley region of Pennsylvania. A major hub for American Airlines, which flies from airports throughout the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, Latin America, Europe, and the Middle East.
• Atlantic City International Airport (ACY) near Atlantic City. A joint civil-military airport accessible via Exit 9 on the Atlantic City Expressway, which offers flights from select Southern cities, mainly in Florida.
• Trenton–Mercer Airport (TTN) near Trenton. One of the lesser-used airports, but it has service from select Southern and Midwestern cities via Frontier Airlines.
• Lehigh Valley International Airport (ABE) in Allentown, which is within close driving proximity to Warren County, New Jersey other and northwestern New Jersey locations.

By bus

Numerous bus companies serve New Jersey, with the typical long-distance intercity bus lines offering limited stops between New York and Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington, DC. Some of the same companies also offer express service direct from New York or Philadelphia to Atlantic City. Commuter buses operate from New York and Philadelphia to locations in northern and central New Jersey not served by the long-distance carriers. Unlike in other states, fares on the intercity bus lines are not much more expensive than a commuter bus and are sometimes less expensive than rail travel:

Intercity buses

• Megabus Goes north from Secaucus to Boston and south to Baltimore and Washington DC on one route. From Princeton and New Brunswick to New York City on another route. They don't sell tickets for travel just between Princeton and New Brunswick on that route. And a third route from Ridgewood to Albany NY.

Commuter buses

• Community Coach scheduled service from Morris and Essex Counties to New York City.
• Olympia Trails operate local bus service Orange, Newark, and Elizabeth, NJ as the Orange Newark Elizabeth Bus (ONE/Independent Bus) and the Newark Airport Express between Newark Liberty International Airport and mid-town Manhattan and JFK International Airport. They also operate some Megabus routes from New York City to Boston, Washington, Baltimore, Albany, Ridgewood NJ and Toronto.
• Rockland Coaches operates commuter bus service between New York City and points in Bergen County, NJ and Rockland County, NY. They also provide local bus service within and between both locales.
• Suburban Trails offers commuter, casino, and charter services in Mercer, Middlesex, and Somerset Counties, NJ.

By train

[http://www.amtrak.com Amtrak]

Operates a single route through New Jersey with stops in Newark Penn Station, Newark Liberty International Airport, Iselin Metropark, New Brunswick, Princeton Jct and Trenton on the Northeast Regional and the Keystone Service. The Acela Train stops only in Newark Penn Station and Iselin Metropark while the Vermonter stops only in Newark Penn Station, Iselin-Metropark and Trenton. The other Amtrak trains going further south past Washington DC (Crescent, Carolinian, Silver Service/Palmetto, etc) and west towards Pittsburgh (Pennsylvanian) stop only in Newark Penn Station and Trenton.

[http://www.njtransit.com NJ Transit]

Operates rail service from New York City to Bay Head (North Jersey Coast Line), Gladstone (Gladstone Branch), Hackettstown (Morristown Line and Montclair-Boonton Line), High Bridge (Raritan Valley Line), Port Jervis (Bergen County/Main/Port Jervis Line), Spring Valley (Pascack Valley Line) and Trenton (Northeast Corridor Line) on multiple routes in several directions in northern and central New Jersey and from Philadelphia to Atlantic City in southern New Jersey. The <nowiki>Northeast Corridor</nowiki> line runs the same route as the Amtrak trains between New York and Trenton only with more stops including a stop at the Newark Liberty International Airport.

Other regional rail lines running into New Jersey are:

By boat

NY Waterway and Seastreak provide ferry service from Manhattan to New Jersey ports. NY Waterway crosses the Hudson River to nearby Hoboken, Weehawken, and Jersey City, and Seastreak serves the towns of Highlands and Atlantic Highlands, across the New York Bay near Sandy Hook.

The Cape May-Lewes Ferry provides service from Cape May, NJ to Lewes, Delaware, carrying both people and automobiles.

By car

The New Jersey Turnpike ("The Turnpike") is a segment of Interstate 95 and a toll road that runs north-south for the length of the state. Interstates 80 and 78 provide good access from the west. The Garden State Parkway ("The Parkway") is in many ways the backbone of the state, connecting many major cities in the north to the Jersey Shore region in the south. Interstate 287 is a roughly C-shaped interstate that acts as a beltway around New York City and loops all the way from Staten Island west into Bridgewater, north through Morristown and Parsippany, and up to Mahwah and New York State, and offers very convenient junctions at I-80 and I-78. Interstate 280 is a short but heavily-traveled interstate that extends out of I-80 and runs through Montclair, the Oranges, and Newark before finally ending at the Turnpike.

Most crossings of the Delaware River and all crossings into New York are tolled one-way leaving New Jersey - only the small, privately-owned Dingman's Ferry Bridge up in Sussex County charges a toll on vehicles entering the state. Prices range from $1 to $5 for Delaware River bridges, up to $15 for New York City crossings. Interstate 295 connects Trenton to Delaware and Philadelphia, and runs parallel to the New Jersey Turnpike for most of its length, providing a toll-free alternative for local traffic.

By thumb

Believe it or not, it is possible to hitchhike out of the New York Metro area. If you are trying to go long distances, your best bet is to take NJ Transit far enough to put you well into the suburbs, preferably to a stop that puts you near (i.e. within walking distance of) a major highway, such as an Interstate. From there, get to an on-ramp and put out your thumb. New Jersey state laws on hitchhiking are, however, notoriously ambiguous, and you may be hassled by local police, so use common sense and discretion.

If you're trying to go west into Pennsylvania, a good tip is to take NJ Transit to Mt. Olive, a 5-minute walk from I-80, which generally carries a good amount of long-distance traffic going west.

By bicycle or foot

The George Washington Bridge, connecting New Jersey and Manhattan over the Hudson River, is crossable by bicycle or foot, and there are walkable bridges across the Delaware River as well, such as the Benjamin Franklin Bridge from Philadelphia. Alternatively, you can cross the land border with Rockland County, New York on the northern side.

Get around

Absolutely no smoking or vaping is allowed in any transportation facility including those that are outdoors. Violators are subject to fines or even arrest by transit police.

By train

There are numerous companies operating trains within New Jersey:

By bus

Information on New Jersey can be found here.

The following operate intrastate routes:

In addition to the above there are numerous other private companies operating local buses within specific counties and commuter routes from those counties to New York City.

* Community Coach scheduled service from Morris and Essex Counties to New York City. * Olympia Trails operates commuter services across the Hudson between Manhattan and northern New Jersey. They also operate local services in/around Hudson County, NJ (Jersey City) under the Red & Tan Brand (may have been discontinued); in/around Essex County, NJ as the Orange Newark Elizabeth Bus (ONE Bus); between mid-town Manhattan and Plainfield, NJ as the Westfield Commuter; and the Newark Airport Express between Manhattan and the Newark Airport. They also operate select Megabus routes out of New York to Boston, Washington, Baltimore, Albany, Ridgewood NJ and Toronto. * Rockland Coaches operates commuter bus service between New York City and points in Bergen County, NJ and Rockland County, NY. They also provide local bus service within and between both locales. * Suburban Trails offers commuter, casino, and charter services in Mercer, Middlesex, and Somerset Counties, NJ.

By car

Some traffic oddities are particular to New Jersey. Left turns are not permitted at intersections on many of the major divided highways in suburban and urban areas. Instead, exit ramps for left turns and U-turns are often found after the intersection and loop around to the cross street, providing opportunities to return to the desired intersection and make a U-turn back onto the original road or continue straight on the cross street, having ultimately made a "left turn". Some three-way intersections have a designated "jug handle", a small right turn loop that exists solely to allow the left turn. For both types of turns, watch for signage that says "U and Left Turns" or "All Turns".

Also, many signals have a 'delayed' green light following a red, which allows oncoming traffic a chance to make left turns first. Many of these intersections are labeled with signs hanging from the signals, but keeping an eye on the traffic signal instead of observing oncoming traffic is essential. Traffic circles ('roundabouts') are quite common as well, and exits are not always clearly marked. Some toll bridges along the shore charge vehicles heading in one particular direction only, and will only accept cash.

State law does not allow self-service at gas stations for regular fuel - station attendants must be the ones to pump gas. Just pull up to the pump and tell the attendant "'(Dollar amount)' or 'Fill it up with', (grade), (cash/credit), please", for example, "$20, regular, cash please". You are legally allowed to pump your own diesel fuel and many truck stops will allow this; however, not all gas stations do.

Occasionally, paying with cash can be lower, usually around 5 to 10 cents/gallon cheaper. Much of the time it's due to fees credit card companies charge to businesses which get passed on to consumers; this is more likely with smaller gas stations that aren't part of a larger network. Check the posted prices to see whether the station has different prices for different means of payment. If you're filling up and paying cash, attendants will add enough gas to bring the bill to a whole dollar amount. New Jersey has relatively expensive gas in part due to its high gas tax, especially in the major urban areas; however, partly due to the close proximity to major oil refineries, prices are somewhat lower compared to nearby New York and Connecticut.

In New Jersey, if a road has a speed limit of 65 mph (~110 km/h), all fines are doubled for traffic violations. On highways of three lanes or more, the left lane is designated for passing slower traffic, and New Jersey State Police will pull you over for driving in the left lane. Also, New Jersey has a "lights on wipers on" law that requires headlights to be on when you have your windshield wipers on, as well as a hands-free law. New Jersey State Police are notoriously zealous and have a statewide reputation for being a bit showy (it is not uncommon to see patrol cars zoom through left lanes in traffic-less highways going 90-100 mph). When in doubt, play it safe and stay to the right (though there are also laws about moving out of the right lane or slowing down when passing by a stopped law enforcement vehicle on the shoulder, so keep that in the mind as well). You will find that most New Jersey drivers regularly break highway laws, usually by speeding; if you feel comfortable and judge it to be safe, feel free to go with the speed of traffic on major highways.

Toll road tips: for the Garden State Parkway, carry quarters and dollar coins for exact change only lanes, it will help you get through it fast and safe. Tolls range from fifty cents to two dollars depending on location. For the New Jersey Turnpike, if you are heading north use Interstate 295 and connect to the New Jersey Turnpike via Interstate 195 at Trenton (NJ Turnpike Exit 7A) if you desire to save a few dollars. Also, the New Jersey Turnpike is the only major road in the state to use sequential exit numbering - do not rely upon an exit number to gauge the distance between exits. Use the E-ZPass electronic toll collection system tag or a compatible tag like Illinois' I-Pass if you have one already - there's a (small) discount and you'll generally be able to avoid waiting in a line to enter or exit a toll road.

The Garden State Parkway's exit numbering system is also confusing despite some small changes. In some areas exits seem roughly consistent with the posted mileage; in others they run sequentially, without regard for miles.

Stay safe

New Jersey is a fairly safe place to visit. Suburban and countryside areas are very safe along with most Jersey Shore towns. Cities are mostly safe but do exercise common travel sense. Some neighborhoods of Camden, Newark, Atlantic City, Jersey City, and Trenton are crime prone but it is unlikely that you will visit these areas. As in most US cities, when out at night, stay in well lit and well trafficked areas and you will be fine.

New Jersey has the highest density of car ownership in the United States so expect crowded highways and the occasional irate driver. Many major highways are under construction for expansion purposes, resulting in delays. Traffic tends to move well above the speed limit on the New Jersey Turnpike, The Garden State Parkway, or other highways and you can expect to be tail-gated when driving in the left lane. Best to stick in the middle or right lane if you don't like that sort of thing. The watchword is, drive defensively.

Under no circumstances whatsoever are you to import firearms into the state. New Jersey does not recognize any out-of-state gun licenses and there are no gun offenses that are graded below a felony. Police are known to enforce these laws vigorously, and if caught with a firearm you will be prosecuted, even if you are just a hunter traveling through.

Also, it is illegal to import fireworks into the state unless they are mandated by a municipality for special occasions to be attended by the public at a park or on the shore (i.e. Independence Day). However, you'll find that this is worked around quite easily - it is impossible to cross the border into Pennsylvania and not see signs for on-the-border fireworks shops.

Although the media and other sources portray residents as "rude" and "loud," most natives are proud of their state and are more than willing to help a tourist with directions and other tips. Don't hesitate to ask for assistance. Some areas - especially the famed Jersey Shore - are very used to tourists.

Since the 1980s, New Jersey has seen an increase in its once-nearly-extirpated population of black bears. These critters are most common in the forests of the northwestern counties but have been expanding their territory southwards. Though they can potentially be dangerous if they attack, the vast majority of the time they're just looking for food. Attacks on humans are incredibly rare, but to minimize your chances of an encounter you should handle and dispose of your garbage carefully so the smell won't attract hungry bears.

Respect

Culture, accent, and local dialect vary depending on what part of the state you visit. Although NJ is small, the north and south are very different. For example, a large sandwich in the northern region is called a "sub" and in the south the same sandwich is referred to as a "hoagie." The north identifies with New York culture while the south has a strong connection to Philadelphia. This loyalty extends to professional sports teams too. Ignoring these small differences may come off as very rude.

New Jersey natives, particularly among the large Italian-American community, are very aware of stereotypes fueled by popular television shows such as Jersey Shore and The Sopranos, and can be rather sensitive about how outsiders perceive them. Don't assume everyone from New Jersey is rude, loud, uneducated, etc. Making blanket statements and disparaging references of the "New Joizey" accent, "guidos" (working class Italian-Americans), or anything somewhat negative about New Jersey can be rude and will most likely be met with hostility and resentment from locals. On the contrary, most people in New Jersey are remarkably polite and extremely friendly often in a sarcastic but well-intentioned way. Do note that there are marginal differences between reactions from older, more conservative generations of New Jersey residents and younger, more diverse, and more liberal generations. Generally, urban centers like Newark, Paterson, Trenton, Atlantic City, and the areas surrounding New York and Philadelphia tend to be more Democratic, while white, rich areas, or low-income areas like Sussex County, Cape May County, and Ocean County will lean more Republican. However, if you are unfamiliar with the American political climate, it's best to let it be.

Life in New Jersey moves at a fast pace! A lot of the bustling and quickness stems from NJ being a densely populated state, squished between two massive metropolitan areas. "Taking it slowly," which is common in other areas of the country, may be met with impatience or even anger, and commonly road rage. However, if you are looking for a slower pace in New Jersey, the shore towns and the southern end of the state (south of Atlantic City and many towns east of the Garden State Parkway) can be more relaxed as it is more seasonal and more of a vacation area.

Go next

• New York — One of the benefits of visiting New Jersey is that you're very close to New York City, which lies just across the Hudson River. Further afield is upstate New York, a generally rural and very beautiful area with a distinct culture.
• Pennsylvania — Philadelphia is just across the Delaware River. Both Interstate 80 and Interstate 78 will take you through Northeastern Pennsylvania to the Poconos and the Lehigh Valley respectively, where there are many things to do year round.
• Delaware — New Jersey's southern neighbor was the first state to ratify the Constitution (hence its nickname of the "First State") and offers an urban experience in its northern parts while providing a rural experience to the south.