Why you’re wrong about New Jersey, New York’s underrated neighbour
From the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and the New Year’s Eve Times Square Ball Drop, to the Rink at Rockefeller Center – come Christmas, there are few cities which can hold a candle to New York.
And that’s all well and good, but in such spectacular popularity lies the rub: this glorious onslaught of merriment brings with it hordes of eager tourists – thronging the streets, driving up prices, elongating queues – each one desperate to experience their very own Fairytale of New York.
Now, I’m not suggesting that we should all start eschewing New York City’s festive charms – merely that they can be made a great deal more bearable when interspersed with little jaunts beyond the Five Boroughs’ yuletide frenzy. Many visitors have already cottoned on, adding the likes of the Hamptons and Catskills to their itineraries, both around two hours’ drive from Manhattan.
But who wants to spend two hours of your holiday cooped up in the car? Far better to spend just half an hour (by train, car or – nicer still – ferry) crossing the Hudson River, and escape the Christmas crowds for a day or two in neighbouring New Jersey.
Forget what you think you know about the Garden State: there’s plenty here besides Springsteen, The Sopranos and the Jersey Shore. For a start, you’ve probably already been there (Ellis Island and Liberty Island actually fall within its borders), and its famous residents have included both Albert Einstein and Thomas Edison.
Named after the Channel Island, New Jersey is chronically overlooked by tourists (ironic, since it does a magnificent bit of overlooking itself – peering across the river at Manhattan’s glittering skyline). Those who do venture over, however, discover a pick-and-mix of landscapes – from urban cool pocked with green spaces, to the state’s 130 miles of coastline and vast forests – as well as a wonderfully easygoing urban atmosphere, pleasingly devoid of other British tourists, with its own complex identity and history.
Most easily accessible from Manhattan are Jersey City and Hoboken – both in Hudson County, both overlooking that spectacular skyline, and both popular choices of residence for those commuting daily to Manhattan.
Dinky 1.25-square-mile Hoboken is the epitome of small-town charm, a delightful place to wander, simply admiring the beautiful churches and brownstones, and relaxing in the many peaceful pockets of green, such as Elysian Park and Columbus Park.
Include Washington Street in your wandering, and you’ll stumble upon some of the most unique independent businesses the city has to offer, such as Fiore’s Italian Deli, the excellent Argentinean Empanadas cafe (empanadascafeplus.com), Frank Sinatra-themed Diner, Leo’s and La Isla, a locally loved Cuban restaurant.
Jersey City, meanwhile, is an altogether different prospect. Far larger than Hoboken, it is diverse, vibrant and affectionately known as “Chilltown” – a name which it lives up to with gusto. It’s a wonderfully walkable city, so start with a stroll in Liberty State Park, from where the ferry departs for the Statue of Liberty, and for historic Ellis Island, formerly an inspection station for immigrants entering America, now a museum.
At the park’s northwestern edge are The Liberty Science Centre and Jennifer Chalsty Planetarium (both great for children), while in its northeastern corner, on the waterfront, you’ll find the moving Empty Sky Memorial, which honours the 749 people from New Jersey who lost their lives on 9/11.
For a dose of local culture, head to Newark Ave Pedestrian Plaza, where – as on Washington Street in Hoboken – you’ll find a refreshing number of independent shops and restaurants, amongst the best of which are Skinners Loft, Bangladeshi spot Korai Kitchen, and Puerto Rican and Latin American-inspired El Sabroso.
From there, it’s an easy walk – past various murals and outdoor sculptures – down to the Colgate clock, which celebrates the hard working, entrepreneurial spirit of the immigrants who made the city what it is today. And since you’re here – might as well point your camera over at that splendid Lower Manhattan skyline, laid out at the perfect angle from this ideal vantage point, ready to become the best photo you take on your trip.
That’s another thing you won’t find in New York City.
