Erin Wright
JERSEY
CITY
Boasting one of the
most ethnically
diverse populations in the country, Jersey City is the second-largest
city in New Jersey (trailing Newark) and is part of the New York
metropolitan area yet this city along the west bank of the Hudson
has been viewed as little more than a gateway to Staten Island across
the river. Jersey City’s transportation center is located in
historic Journal Square and houses buses, trains and jitneys that can
take you to Manhattan, serving an influx of budget-conscious
professionals who work across the water. With its diverse
neighborhoods, scenic parks, museums and restaurants and revitalized
downtown district, Jersey City has earned the right to be considered
a worthwhile destination on its own.
Downtown
Once a no-man’s land
of boarded
businesses and old homes, downtown Jersey City has gradually been
transformed into a more upscale residential and shopping area. Visit
Exchange Place, the financial heart of Jersey City often referred to
as “Wall Street West” for the number of financial corporations
that have branches there.
Check out the Newport
Complex, a burrow
of retail, residential, entertainment and office facilities with
views across the Hudson of downtown Manhattan, but the most
interesting part of downtown Jersey City are the brownstone districts
west of Exchange Place. Stroll through Van Vorst and Hamilton parks,
visit any number of outdoor cafes on Grove Street, and make sure to
visit the neighborhood of Paulus Hook, where a Revolutionary War
battle was fought—and won—by the colonists.
A trip to Liberty
State Park is a must,
if only as a dry-run for a trip to the Statue of Liberty. Views of
Ellis Island, the Statue of Liberty, and Manhattan’s Financial
District are second-to-none. In good weather, families picnic in the
park’s southeastern corner, where you can also find the Statue of
Liberty Overlook and several monuments. At the north end is the
Central Railroad of New Jersey Terminal, a historic landmark. Now a
visitor’s center, peruse the exhibits or head to the “Blue Comet”
Auditorium on the first floor, where interpretative programs about
the facility are held.
The park’s biggest
draw, the Library
Science Center, is shuttered until mid-2007, but you can still snap
pictures of the center’s dome-like silver Hobersman sphere, said to
be the largest in the world.
The Heights
Speaking of views, the
Heights, which
sits atop a line of steep cliffs known as the New Jersey Palisades,
offers panoramic views of the New York City skyline as well as
neighboring Hoboken. Stroll along the Summit Avenue and Sherman Place
and gaze at the Victorian and Edwardian structures. Visit the Van
Vorst Farmhouse, said to be Jersey City’s oldest house – dating
to 1740 – at 531 Palisades Avenue.
If you get tired
navigating the hilly
area, rest up at Pershing Field, which features tennis courts,
swimming pools and ice-skating, and occasionally hosts carnivals and
circuses. Or for something completely different, head over to Leonard
Gordon Park (known to locals as Mosquito Park), and spend time with
its oversize animal sculptures.
Journal Square
The Journal Square
Transportation
Center is likely the first area with which visitors to Jersey City
become acquainted. It anchors the square, which was named after the
Jersey Journal newspaper. Along Kennedy Boulevard are two of New
Jersey’s best preserved movie theaters – the Stanley Theater and
the Loew’s Jersey Theater. The Loew’s has been in the middle of
a huge restoration effort and now showcases classic movies and live
shows. Check out what’s playing and then head north to Little
India for a buffet lunch or substantial dinner. The Stanley also has
been restored and now functions as a meeting hall for Jehovah’s
Witnesses, but tours of the former theater are offered daily.
Fans of Beaux Arts
architecture should
head to Newark Avenue and visit the William Brennan Courthouse, with
a marble interior and a stained-glass dome as its hallmarks. Those
who want a closer look can venture inside during weekday business
hours.
Don’t Leave Jersey
City Without …
-
Checking out the
sporting life at Lincoln Park on the West Side. With more than 11
baseball diamonds, six football fields, 18 tennis courts and a lake
used for, among other things, miniature yacht races and ice skating,
athletic events happen year round.
Written
by Erin Wright
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