Jersey City: Finally, in the Spotlight

I’ve been living in Manhattan across the Hudson River from it for 19 years, but like most New Yorkers, I never visited Jersey City, not even once. And then I finally did. Boy, was I missing out.

Jersey City in the spotlight on TravelSquire
Night Skyline David Perry

Jersey Gloire

Poor JC. It has the history, food, architecture, culture, art and commerce of a first-class destination…except it’s sitting in the shadow of another first-class destination right across the river. Instead, Jersey City gets lumped with other dubious Jersey connections, like The Jersey Shore for example, a show starring no one from New Jersey, and where the politics are a connect-the-dots of indictments. The message is clear there though. In JC you’re guaranteed one hell of a time no matter where you go!

In case there are some dyed-in-the-wool New Yorkers who have not been paying attention, Jersey City is almost beginning to mimic parts of Manhattan. Shimmering towers dominate the waterfront, so much so that the Paulus Hook section is nicknamed “Wall Street West.” Old brownstones and mansions are getting grand refurbs, and industrial warehouses are being converted to overly priced condos (see … like in Manhattan). Jersey City is a town on the rise, but it’s not trying to be a second Big Apple.

Jersey City is in the Spotlight on TravelSquire
Newark Avenue

World City

There is a certain idiosyncrasy to Jersey City’s identity which seems to work – the architectural poeticism of Paulus Hook paired with the “benign neglect” of the disused platforms at the

Central Railroad of New Jersey Terminal. And the immigrants living here have woven a crazy quilt of cuisines: chic French cafes like Cafe Esme and L’atelier du Chocolat jostle next to Turkish fare at Rumi. Buried deep in the Irish Greenville neighborhood, Italian eatery Laico’s serves top notch calamari.

The nexus of town, where everybody goes, is Hamilton Park. While Liberty State Park, with its superlative views of the Manhattan skyline, is more famous, centrally located Hamilton acts as the focal point for the city. Bordered by grand brownstones, this gracious green space accommodates summertime Shakespeare festivals and farmer’s markets with equal aplomb. But for year-round rollicking, Newark Avenue is the heart of the city, and is kind on the wallet to boot.

Jersey City in the Spotlight on TravelSquire
Newark Ave Pedestrian Plaza City of Jersey City

Splashed with murals that are a JC hallmark, city officials wisely turned this stretch of asphalt into a pedestrian walkway, thereby opening up a thriving pub scene, from dives to high brows, that Newark Avenue showcases with unmitigated glee. You’d think that the swarm of hipsters and Millennials are the ones making the neighborhood very “in,” but savvy consumers of all sorts know that here, and the rest of Jersey City, is flat-out cheaper than anything in New York. Economy goes a long way in explaining why this town is exploding, and not just in its bars. Compared to the $10 cocktails in New York, what’s a $2 fare on the PATH train under the Hudson?

Jersey City is in the spotlight on TravelSquire
Mural just off  Newark Avenue

Look Beyond the Obvious

Jersey City is a case in point of peering beyond the obvious. When you look away from the great attractors — like, say, London, Tokyo, and Rome — a whole new landscape may appear at your doorstep, smaller perhaps and more modest, but seemingly infinite. Blot out the lights of New York City and it’s revealed that Jersey City doesn’t bask in reflected glory but shines all on its own. And it only took me two decades to notice.

The area code for Jersey City is 201.

Getting There

From New York, the PATH train (separate from the NYC Subway) is the easiest way to get to Jersey City. Even better, it stops at all the hot neighborhoods.
panynj.gov/path

Where to Stay:

The Westin Jersey City Newport: 479 Washington Boulevard, Jersey City, NJ 07301; (201) 626-2900;  marriott.com/hotels

Residence Inn by Marriot Jersey City: 80 Christopher Columbus Drive  Jersey City, NY 07302; (201) 222-5500; marriott.com/hotels

Hyatt House Jersey City: 2 Exchange Place, Jersey City, NJ 07302; (201) 469-1234;  hyatt.com/en-US/hotel

W Hoboken: While not in Jersey City, Hoboken is nevertheless on the PATH, and the “W” brand is synonymous with luxury. 225 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030; (201) 253-2400; marriott.com/hotels/travel

Where to Eat:

Cafe Esme: Modern French coffee house with killer apple pie. 485 Marin Blvd, Jersey City, NJ 07302; cafeesme.com

Laico’s: You could drive by it in a fog, and you’d be doing yourself a disservice. 67 Terhune Ave, Jersey City, NJ 07305; laicosjc.com

L’atelier du Chocolat: Best chocolate in JC. 321 Marin Blvd, Jersey City, NJ 07302; egchocolates.com

Liberty House Restaurant: Located in Liberty State Park, this is probably the highest-profile eatery in the city. 76 Audrey Zapp Dr, Jersey City, NJ 07305; www.libertyhouserestaurant.com

Rooftop at Exchange Place: With views of Manhattan, this is the power bar of Jersey City. 1 Exchange Pl, Jersey City, NJ 07302; rooftopxp.com

Rumba Cubana: A taste of the Caribbean. 35 Pavonia Ave, Jersey City, NJ 07302; rumbacubana.com

Rumi Turkish Grill: Kebabs and gyros in an airy, unpretentious space. 67 Greene St, Jersey City, NJ 07302; rumiturkishgrill.com

Satis Bistro: Want to impress a date? This place is a good start. 212 Washington St, Jersey City, NJ 07302; satisbistro.com

Torico: Best ice cream parlor in town! 20 Erie St, Jersey City, NJ 07302; toricoicecream.com

Light Horse Tavern: 199 Washington St, Jersey City, NJ 07302; lighthorsetavern.com

What to See and Do:

Ellis Island: From Jersey City, you can walk to what was the gleaming gateway to America for millions of immigrants. libertyellisfoundation.org

Empty Sky: The haunting 9/11 Memorial is oriented to where the towers used to be. nj911memorial.org

Hudson River Waterfront Walkway: Offering unmatched views of New York, the Walkway is the epitome of the riverside stroll. hudsonriverwaterfront.org

Liberty Science Center: Who says you can’t feed your brain occasionally? lsc.org

Liberty State Park: Right next to crowded Paulus Hook, you can step into this green space and enjoy a harbor breeze. state.nj.us

Mana Contemporary: This modern art collection includes a vast treasure of Warhols. 888 Newark Ave, Jersey City, NJ 07306; manacontemporary.com

Newark Avenue: Just off the Grove Street PATH Station, bars like Pet Shop and The Ashford make this a hotbed of nightlife.

Statue of Liberty: Yes, you can visit her from the Jersey side, too, and the terminal is a throwback back to another era. statueoflibertytickets.com