New Jersey General Information Nickname: Garden State State bird: Eastern Goldfinch State flower: Purple Violet Capital: Trenton Date of admission to the Union: 18th Dec 1787 (original 13 States; date of ratification of the Constitution) Population: 8,414,350 (2000) Population density: 372.5/sq km 2000 total overseas arrivals/US ranking: 909,000/9 Time: Eastern (GMT - 5). Daylight Saving Time is observed. The State: New Jersey, one of the Mid-Atlantic States, is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and the Delaware River to the west. Small in size, the State nonetheless features hundreds of miles of rolling countryside and natural parkland set amidst mountains, lakes and forests. In increasing numbers, tourists from around the world are discovering that New Jersey is more than just a gateway to the United States – it is America in miniature, with an abundance of tourist attractions to suit every taste. These include beautiful beaches, exciting nightlife and many award-winning cultural attractions. While sections of the State such as Atlantic City and the Jersey Shore are world-renowned, there is also a wealth of lesser-known historic landmarks, national parks and cultural events on offer. Travel - International AIR: International airports: Atlantic City International Airport (ACY) (website: www.acairport.com) is 16km (10 miles) from Atlantic City. A regular shuttle service runs to Atlantic City (cost: US$8) and taxis are available to the city for US$27. Limousine services and car hire (Avis, Budget and Hertz) are also available at the terminal. Philadelphia International Airport (PHI) is an hour’s drive from Atlantic City via the Atlantic City Expressway (see the Pennsylvania section). Newark International Airport (EWR) (website: www.newarkairport.com) is 27km (16 miles) southwest of midtown Manhattan. The airport has extensive facilities, including banks, shops and duty-free shops, restaurants, bars and coffee shops, a nursery and car hire (Avis, Budget, Dollar, Hertz and National). Taxis, buses (both local and those serving regional destinations), shuttles and limousines are available at all three terminals. NJ Transit Airlink bus no 302 departs every 20-30 minutes (0620-0150) stopping at Newark Penn Station, the downtown business district and Broad Street Station; the fare is US$4. Taxi fares to the city of Newark are determined by zone, and cost US$11-15. The Air Train Newark is a monorail service that connects the airport terminals with the Newark International Airport Station, serviced by Amtrak and NJ Transit trains, which travel to Newark Penn Station (connections to buses, trains to southern New Jersey, and the PATH rapid-transit system (website: www.pathrail.com) to Manhattan), Hoboken (connections to northern and western New Jersey) and New York Penn Station in Midtown Manhattan. For further information, contact the New Jersey Transit Information Center (tel: (973) 762 5100; website: www.njtransit.com). TRANSPORT TO NEW YORK CITY: Rail services to Manhattan are available at Newark Airport International Station and Newark Penn Station (see above). Olympia Airport Express runs frequent bus services 0600-2400 to Midtown Manhattan, stopping at the Port Authority Bus Terminal and Grand Central Terminal (both of which are served by New York Airport Service express buses running to JFK and La Guardia airports – see the New York section) and Penn Station (travel time – 30-60 minutes); the fare is US$11. Shared minibuses that stop on demand are run by Express Shuttle USA, which serves the area between 23rd and 63rd Streets (0700-2300) for US$14 per person, and SuperShuttle Manhattan, which stops anywhere south of 227th Street (24 hours) for US$15-19. Taxis to downtown and midtown Manhattan cost US$34-55, plus tolls. Inter-airport transfers: There are direct bus services from Newark to JFK on the Princeton Airporter for US$23, and to La Guardia on the ETS Air Shuttle for US$25. There is a scheduled helicopter service between the airports, and limousine service is also available. The flat-rate taxi fare from Newark to JFK is US$60 plus tolls; to La Guardia, the fare is US$50 plus tolls. Approximate flight times: See flight times from New York, as they are almost exactly the same. SEA: Circle Line Tours operates a year-round ferry service to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island from Liberty State Park in Jersey City. Hoboken Ferry Service, TNT Hydrolines and Port Imperial Ferry operate services to and from New York City. Cape May-Lewes Ferry operates a service to and from Cape May to the State of Delaware. RAIL: Penn Station in Newark serves NJ Transit trains as well as most Amtrak (tel: (800) 872 7245 (toll free); website: www.amtrak.com) services along the New York–Philadelphia–Washington corridor, including high-speed Acela trains. For train times on these routes, see the New York section; trains from Newark to New York take 15-20 minutes. Trains between Atlantic City and Philadelphia are operated by NJ Transit. ROAD: Travel from New Jersey to New York City is across the George Washington Bridge or through the Lincoln and Holland Tunnels. Bridges connecting to Philadelphia are the Walt Whitman Bridge, Betsy Ross Bridge and the Benjamin Franklin Bridge. The Delaware Memorial Bridge connects New Jersey with Delaware. The New Jersey Turnpike runs north and south through the State, while the Garden State Parkway takes travellers to the shore points. Bus: Penn Station (McCarter Highway/Market Street, Newark) handles long-distance and regional buses. Greyhound (tel: (800) 229 9424 (toll free); website: www.greyhound.com) is the main long-distance carrier. Approximate driving times: From Newark to Philadelphia is 1 hour 30 minutes, to Hartford is 2 hours 30 minutes, to Albany is 3 hours 30 minutes, to Baltimore is 3 hours 30 minutes, to Boston is 4 hours 30 minutes, to Washington, DC is 4 hours 30 minutes, to Pittsburgh is 6 hours, to Portland (Maine) is 6 hours 30 minutes, to Montréal is 7 hours 30 minutes, to Buffalo is 7 hours, to Toronto is 8 hours, to Cleveland is 9 hours, to Indianapolis is 14 hours, to Chicago is 15 hours, to Miami is 26 hours 30 minutes, to Dallas is 32 hours 30 minutes, to Los Angeles is 57 hours, to San Francisco is 60 hours, and to Seattle is 60 hours. All times are based on non-stop driving at or below the applicable speed limits. Approximate bus travel times: From New Jersey to Philadelphia is 1 hour 40 minutes, to Albany is 3 hours, to Washington, DC is 4 hours 40 minutes, to Boston is 4 hours 45 minutes, to Montréal is 8 hours 30 minutes, to Buffalo is 9 hours, to Pittsburgh is 9 hours, and to Cleveland is 9 hours 30 minutes. Introduction NEWARK: The northeastern portion of New Jersey offers an eclectic mix of culture, heritage, sports and shopping. Newark is the third-oldest of the major US cities and the largest in New Jersey. It is a hub of transport connections, arts and culture, and fast city life. The Newark Museum is considered one of the nation’s most comprehensive fine arts museums, with 66 galleries of ancient and modern art, a planetarium and a mini-zoo. Branch Brook Park has more cherry blossoms than Washington, DC in the springtime, and plays host to an annual cherry blossom festival. The New Jersey Performing Arts Center is the home of the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra and features performances from international artists. EXCURSIONS: Just east of Newark lie the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. The Circle Line ferry operates services to these important historic sites from Liberty State Park in Jersey City. Liberty Science Center, located in Liberty State Park, is one of New Jersey’s leading attractions, and offers a hands-on science museum with an IMAX Dome Theater, as well as exhibits on inventions, technology, environment and health. North of Newark is Palisades Interstate Park, comprising 2500 acres of scenic roads, stunning views, picnic areas, a historic museum and nature sanctuary, and hiking and skiing trails, plus an enormous children’s fun park. The Meadowlands Sports Complex in East Rutherford, northwest of Newark, is home to professional football, basketball and ice hockey teams, as well as a world-class racetrack. The Edison National Historic Site in West Orange offers tours of Thomas Edison’s home, laboratory and library. It also displays the equipment and chemicals with which Edison invented the first incandescent lightbulb, photograph and motion picture. ATLANTIC CITY: Known as ‘America’s Favorite Playground’, it features 12 casino hotels, world-class entertainment, championship sporting events, gourmet restaurants and the famous boardwalk, which dates from 1870. Atlantic City is also home to saltwater taffy, numerous trade shows and conventions, and the annual Miss America Pageant. The Atlantic City Boardwalk is an attraction in itself, lined with dazzling casinos, amusement rides, games and shops on one side and by 10km (6 miles) of sand beach and surf on the other. The notorious Trump Plaza Hotel and Trump Taj Mahal Casino (one of the largest in the world) are to be found here. Convention Hall, an art deco architectural extravaganza, houses the world’s largest pipe organ. The Atlantic City Art Center and Historic Museum traces the city’s history as a 150-year-old seaside resort and entertainment centre, and includes photos and memorabilia from the Miss America Pageant. The Shops on Ocean One is a modern shopping mall situated on a boardwalk pier shaped like an ocean liner. EXCURSIONS: The Greater Atlantic City region also has a quieter side. The Towne of Historic Smithville, an authentic 18th-century village filled with shops, is worth a visit. Coastal wildlife is preserved at the Edwin B Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge, due north of Atlantic City in Brigantine, where the Sea Life Museum can also be found. The Gardner’s Basin area is home to the Ocean Life Center, a marine education attraction with aquariums and a ‘touch tank’. The Noyes Museum in Oceanville is known for its large collection of American fine and folk art. The region is also home to one of the oldest vineyards in the USA – the Renault Winery (which also features the Glass Museum) in Egg Harbor. DELAWARE RIVER REGION: This area of pristine wilderness is richly steeped in history and natural beauty. American history buffs can visit battlefields and barracks that tell the story of New Jersey’s important role in the birth of the USA. Arts and culture can be experienced at the many museums and theatres in the region. Trenton is home to the second-oldest State House in continuous use in the USA. Other attractions include the Trenton Battle Monument and Trenton City Museum. Evening entertainment ranges from a Trenton Thunder minor league baseball game (during the summer) to a night at the theatre in Princeton. The Old Barracks Museum on Barracks Street is the site of the famous day-after-Christmas battle during the Revolutionary War and includes restored soldiers’ quarters, 18th-century period rooms and antiques. The New Jersey State Planetarium and Museum, which examines New Jersey history back to 500 BC, and William Trent House are also worth visiting. Princeton, 18km (11 miles) north of Trenton, is a charming, historic town, home of the world-renowned Princeton University. The town offers excellent art exhibitions and music, as well as dance and theatre performances, exclusive shops and restaurants. Walking tours take visitors to Princeton University and the battlefield where Washington’s army defeated the British in 1777. Other attractions include Einstein’s House (he was a Princeton University lecturer), Princeton University Art Museum, Bainbridge House, Clarke House on the Princeton Battlefield, and Drumthwacket, a stately Greek-revival Southern-style mansion that is now the Governor’s official residence. Camden, a town 43km (27 miles) south of Trenton in the Delaware River region, has Walt Whitman’s House and the New Jersey State Aquarium, which combines entertainment, science and cutting-edge technology with 6000 fish of 300 species. Next door is the 25,000-seat Tweeter Center, which presents a wide range of headliner entertainment. New to the Camden Waterfront is the USS New Jersey Museum, aboard one of the most decorated battleships in US naval history. Historic Salem, 53km (33 miles) south of Camden on Route 45, has sixty 18th-century buildings along Market Street, museums, exhibits and the 500-year-old Salem Oak, near the court house. The Cowtown Rodeo, in nearby Pilesgrove, is the oldest rodeo on the east coast and has competitions every Saturday from May to September and a large flea market every Tuesday and Saturday. Camping, canoeing, swimming, fishing, horseriding and hiking can be enjoyed in a venture out to the Pine Barrens, the largest wilderness area east of the Mississippi River. Designated the New Jersey Pinelands National Reserve in 1978, it was the first national reserve to be created in the USA, and was recognised by UNESCO as a Biosphere Reserve in 1983. SHORE REGION: Home to rock stars Bruce Springsteen and Jon Bon Jovi, the Shore Region boasts white sandy beaches, rolling farmland, quaint seaside resort towns and historic sites. Dotting the shore are exciting towns like Seaside Heights and Point Pleasant, which are home to boardwalk amusement rides and games, while quieter towns like Spring Lake and Ocean Grove offer charming bed & breakfast inns. Exciting amusement rides and the world’s largest safari park are located at Six Flags Great Adventure and Wild Safari in Jackson, along with the Hurricane Harbor waterpark. Allaire State Park in Farmingdale is a restored 18th-century bog-iron mining village offering period shops, bakeries and churches, as well as the Pinecreek Railroad train, craft and antique shows and square-dancing at weekends. On Long Beach Island, the Barnegat Lighthouse and Museum has maritime exhibits and gardens. More local heritage is on show at Tuckerton Seaport, a working maritime village. EXCURSIONS: Cruises can be taken aboard the River Belle or River Queen, large stern-wheelers that ply the waters off Point Pleasant Beach, where deep-sea fishing boats are also available. Party cruises can be taken aboard the Sandy Hook Lady, an authentic paddle-wheel steamer which runs from the Atlantic Highlands harbour and offers a scenic ride along the historic Shrewsbury River. SKYLANDS REGION: Some of the most beautiful and unspoiled land in the northeastern USA is found in the Skylands Region of northwestern New Jersey. During the winter, resorts such as Mountain Creek offer skiing and snowboarding for all skill levels; while in summer, camping, hiking and watersports can be enjoyed at numerous State and National Parks, such as the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. Revolutionary War historic sites, wineries, museums, antique stores and bed & breakfast inns are scattered throughout the region. The Clinton Historical Museum and Spruce Run Reservoir in Clinton are accompanied by quaint shops and charming restaurants. Waterloo Village, in Stanhope, is a restored 18th-century village of colonial craft shops and homes, and hosts a summer series of jazz and bluegrass festivals. Morristown National Historic Park was the site of George Washington’s winter encampments and the Ford Mansion, now a museum. Battle re-enactments take place throughout the year. The 30-acre Land of Make Believe, in Hope, fulfils childhood fantasies, as do the life-size animated characters in the Fairy Tale Forest, in Oak Ridge. Hiking, canoeing, fishing and river rafting on the Delaware River can be organised during the summer, and ice-skating, tobogganing, snowmobiling, skiing and ice fishing are available during the winter. The Frelinghuysen Arboretum, in Morris Township, offers 125 acres of self-guided trails, including a Braille Trail. Liberty Village Premium Outlets in Flemington is a high-quality shopping complex with Early American-style architecture and landscaping. Also in Flemington is the Black River and Western Railroad, where visitors can take a one-hour ride on a steam- or diesel-powered train. SOUTHERN SHORE REGION: Located along the southeastern tip of New Jersey on the Atlantic Ocean is a region for those who enjoy seaside culture and heritage, boardwalk amusements, fishing and birdwatching. The Wildwoods and Ocean City boardwalks buzz with excitement, in contrast to the quieter retreats of Stone Harbor and Avalon. Cape May, a National Historic Landmark, is a popular Victorian seaside town with many bed & breakfast inns, trolley tours and the superb Cape May County Zoo. Wheaton Village, in Millville, is the world’s largest museum of American glass, with a 7000-item collection ranging from paperweights to Tiffany masterpieces. Cold Spring Village is a recreation of an old farm village, with period shops and restaurants. Visitors can stroll through 25 different gardens at Leaming’s Run Gardens and Colonial Farm in Swainton. Social Profile Food & Drink: New Jersey offers everything from gourmet cuisine to ‘home-cooking’ country food, in settings ranging from restaurants to diners. In addition to the staple US fare of steaks, seafood and hamburgers, cuisines from around the world can be found throughout New Jersey. Theatre & Concerts: There are numerous theatres scattered throughout New Jersey that offer productions ranging from Shakespeare to contemporary works. Concerts and special performances by the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra and famous entertainers are held throughout the year at a variety of venues including Newark’s New Jersey Performing Arts Center, the symphony’s new home; Continental Airlines Arena at the Meadowlands Sports Complex; Atlantic City Casino Showrooms; and the PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel. The Paper Mill Playhouse, the official State theatre of New Jersey, shows musicals and plays year round, as does the George Street Playhouse in New Brunswick. In Trenton, the Sovereign Bank Arena and the War Memorial Theater host concerts and other events. Nightlife: Atlantic City’s nightclubs are open until the small hours and there is round-the-clock gambling available at the casinos. Some of the oceanfront towns have clubs and entertainment centres with a lively atmosphere along the boardwalks into the evenings. Shopping: Shopping in New Jersey appeals to all tastes and budgets. Jersey Gardens Mall in Elizabeth is the State’s largest outlet shopping mall, while upmarket shopping malls feature the famous department stores of Macy’s, Bloomingdales and Saks Fifth Avenue. Bargains on brand-name merchandise can be found at the Secaucus Outlet Center in Secaucus. Liberty Village and Turntable Junction outlet centres in Flemington offer equally attractive deals. Antique stores fill small New Jersey towns like Chester, Haddonfield and Mullica Hill, while outdoor flea markets offer an eclectic array of jewellery, clothing, housewares, furniture and more. There is no sales tax on clothing in New Jersey. Special Events: Dozens of festivals and events are celebrated throughout the State each year, including the annual Miss America Pageant in Atlantic City. The following is a list of some of the major events in New Jersey for 2003: Feb 8-9 10th Annual Black Heritage Celebration, Atlantic City. Mar 16 18th Annual St Patrick’s Day Parade, Atlantic City. Apr 5-9 33rd Annual Monmouth Festival of the Arts, Tinton Falls. May 10-11 Princeton International Regatta, West Windsor. Jun 19-Jul 6 All New State Fair Meadowlands, East Rutherford. Jul 11-13 Anglesea Blues Festival, North Wildwood. Aug 1-10 Sussex County Farm and House Show/State Fair Augusta. Sep Miss America Pageant, Atlantic City. Oct 18-19 Atlantique City Fall Festival, Atlantic City. Dec 1-26 14th Annual Festival of Trees, New Brunswick. Climate The State’s temperature ranges from a July average of 23°C (74°F) to -1°C (30°F) in January, with a more pronounced difference between north and south in the winter. There is moderate rainfall throughout the year. Copyright © 2003 Columbus Publishing Ltd.