New Jersey

New Jersey is the most densely populated state in the U.S. and is often seen as nothing more than a corridor between New York and Philadelphia. But if you take a trip to New Jersey, you'll find about 125 miles of Atlantic coastline, the quiet pine forests of the Pine Barrens, Victorian seaside resorts and the best view of the Manhattan skyline. The nickname "Garden State" isn't just irony.

Landscape and Location

The state lies between the Hudson River to the east and the Delaware River to the west. In the northwest rise the Kittatinny Mountains, where the Delaware has carved a spectacular gorge at the Delaware Water Gap; the Appalachian Trail runs through here as well. The center and south are flat, with farms growing tomatoes, blueberries and cranberries. The Pine Barrens, a vast area of pine forest and swamp on sandy soil, feel so empty that it's hard to believe you're only an hour's drive from major cities. Along the coast, barrier islands lined with beach towns stretch one after another.

Cities: Newark, Jersey City and More

Jersey City sits directly across from Lower Manhattan; from Liberty State Park the skyscrapers seem close enough to touch, and ferries run to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, most of which, incidentally, belongs to New Jersey. Neighboring Hoboken is the birthplace of Frank Sinatra. Newark, the largest city, is home to the New Jersey Performing Arts Center and the Ironbound neighborhood with its Portuguese and Brazilian restaurants. Paterson was one of the first planned industrial cities in the U.S., powered by the Great Falls of the Passaic River. Elizabeth, Edison and Woodbridge are densely populated communities in the metro area, and Toms River is the center of Ocean County on the coast. The capital, Trenton, on the Delaware, is surprisingly small.

Sights in New Jersey

Atlantic City thrives on its casinos and the oldest boardwalk in the world, opened in 1870; the board game Monopoly borrowed its street names from the city. Cape May at the southern tip is one of the oldest summer resorts in the U.S. and is known for its colorful Victorian wooden houses. Other destinations along the Jersey Shore include Asbury Park, where Bruce Springsteen got his start, as well as the Barnegat Lighthouse and Long Beach Island. In West Orange and Menlo Park near Edison, laboratories and museums recall Thomas Edison, who developed the light bulb and the phonograph here. Among the more unusual New Jersey destinations is the university town of Princeton with its Gothic colleges.

History and Culture

The Lenape originally lived here. The area later belonged to the colonies of New Netherland and New Sweden before falling to England in 1664. During the Revolutionary War, George Washington crossed the Delaware on Christmas night 1776 and surprised the Hessian troops at Trenton, a turning point of the war. In 1783, Princeton briefly served as the seat of the Continental Congress. In the 19th century the state became an industrial center; today pharmaceutical companies, logistics and New York commuters dominate. The culture is diverse: Italian, Indian, Latin American and Portuguese communities shape many towns.

Food and Drink

New Jersey is diner country, with more of these around-the-clock restaurants than anywhere else in the U.S. For breakfast, you order a sandwich with Taylor ham, though in the south of the state it's called "pork roll." In Trenton, they bake tomato pie, a pizza with the sauce on top. Saltwater taffy, a soft candy, is a staple of every boardwalk, and in summer the tomatoes and blueberries from the south are in high demand. The Ironbound in Newark is known for grilled meats and seafood.

Getting There and Best Time to Visit

Newark Liberty Airport (EWR) is one of the three major New York airports and has numerous direct flights to Europe. NJ Transit and Amtrak connect Newark, Trenton and many suburbs with New York and Philadelphia; the best way to get to Atlantic City and Cape May is by car. The best time to visit the coast is June through September, though weekends in midsummer are crowded. Early fall still offers warm water and fewer crowds, and October brings colorful forests in the northwest.