Here are some highlights of my trip and general things to know about a road trip or vacation to Jersey City:
1) Basically, the idea was to get as close to Manhattan as possible, with an indoor pool for the kids and a reasonably priced hotel (literally a fraction of the cost of what you'd find in the city). Two hotels in Jersey City fit the bill: Westin of Newport and Hyatt Regency. Westin was the cheaper of the two. And closer to the NJ Path station which gets you into downtown Manhattan in less than 15 minutes. And the indoor pool looked bigger. So this was a no brainer for us. But if you ever find a cheaper deal for the Hyatt, it definitely looks sexier as it is literally on the Hudson River surrounding by water and has panoramic views of Manhattan's downtown skyline.
2) To tell you the truth, I also picked Jersey City because one of me and my husband's favorite couple friends lives here and we rarely get to see them. So I figured I'd kill two birds with one stone and visit them and get a good trip out of it because otherwise, who from Long Island would ever pay two tolls to cross both the East River and the Hudson??? They proved to be wonderful tour guides who showed us a good time and took us to Prato Bakery (pictured in the gallery) which was super adorable and delicious. They also showed us Newark Avenue, a pedestrian walk way with lots of boutique stores and restaurants. We felt the true Jersey City vibe once we went out with them. It kind of felt like Miami meets Long Island City (not as congested) meets a nicer more charming version of Williamsburg.
3) For those who are Kosher, Jersey City is a plus at is about a 20 minute drive away from Teaneck, NJ and a few minutes away from Manhattan. Remember to do thorough research if you want to order or go to a restaurant on a Saturday night. Many Kosher restaurants do not open on Saturday nights, even though we went over thanksgiving weekend when sundown is much earlier than it is other seasons. Best to call in advance and see which is open and which is ready to deliver (probably via Uber). I learned this the hard way as I dragged nine families via NJ Path to the Oculus promising them that downtown Kosher Bravo Pizza (a few blocks south of Oculus on Trinity Street) was open (as they had actually told me), only to find that they were indeed FUCKIN CLOSED! For those who aren't Kosher, Jersey City is literally packed with great restaurants as is downtown Manhattan. So, no losing for you!
4) Definitely walk the Newport Boardwalk during the day if the weather is warm enough. Remember to bundle up as Jersey City is on the water and may be a bit colder than where you are from. The boardwalk is just a block away from the hotel.
5) There is a mall with Macy's, The Cheesecake Factory, Cosi, Kohls and more right next door to the hotel. My husband went inside and said it was quite nice. No high end shopping here but enough to kill a few hours with the kids. There is also a Starbucks on the water one block away from the hotel.
6) You would be an idiot to come all this way and not visit Libery State Park (with the closest views of Ellis Island and Statue of Liberty). They also have a playground for kids. Make sure to bundle up here!!!
7) You would be a bigger idiot to come all this way (sorry to all families I traveled with who didn't follow my suggestion) and not go to the Liberty Science Center, a world class children's museum. Better than any I have experience on the Island or Manhattan. Definitely something to see. Admission is rather high, but who really cares? You'll never make the voyage otherwise! Videos below and pictures in the gallery will explain it all.
8) I'm a big view person. I throw vicious tantrums when the front desk doesn't hook me up with a good room. Normal people are not like this. But if you are anything like me, make sure to request a room on a high floor with a city view, and flirt a little bit with whoever is behind the front desk.
9) The NJ Path is literally a block away from the hotel. You pay $2.50 each way per adult to get into downtown Manhattan that is three stops away (including one easy transfer). The train will get you into the Oculus, which itself is a site to see. Be sure to travel west of the Oculus to see the 9/11 memorial (really mesmerizing at night), the beautiful Freedom Tower, and Brookfield Place for high end shopping (even though Oculus itself is a great mall!) Stores in Brookfield Place include Gucci, Bottega Vonneta, Saks Fifth Avenue, Louis Vitton and more. Also, there is an ice skating rink outside that is a must with the children in the winter. Beautiful views of the Hudson (try to get here during sundown) and Christmas decorations as well! And pretty affordable for ice skating in the city. My biggest regret was not skating when we came here.
Definitely view the gallery above and videos below for a better idea. Please add your feedback in the comments section and follow me on Instagram and Facebook for live adventures. And don't forget to share with your friends if you appreciate this page.