"I'm from Joisey, you from Joisey?" New Jersey by feline01

New Jersey Travel Guide: 3,839 reviews and 7,382 photos

Sandy Hook and Atlantic Ocean - New Jersey

New Jersey has been the butt of many jokes throughout time. The page title was taken from a skit Joe Piscopo (a true New Jerseyan) did on Saturday Night Live years and years ago. Many, many famous people were molded on NJ soil including Meryl Streep, Frank Sinatra, Bruce Willis, Tom Cruise, Bruce Springsteen, Whitney Houston, Jon BonGiovi, Elisabeth Shue, Martha Stewart, Thomas Edison, etc. Lately, NJ has been famous for the HBO series, The Sopranos. Many natives are upset that their state is depicted as a mafia-infested crime haven. It doesn't bother me in the least. And this is part of the reality of NJ and many other areas on the east coast. I was reading the paper yesterday (6/11/03) and saw that next door to the the laundrymat that we wash our clothes at there was a mafia bust. The bar was the headquarters for some crime families involved in money-laundering, illegal gambling, guns etc.. Mind you, this all took place in a small suburban town less than 2 blocks from its police station.

I was born in New Jersey and lived most of my life here (except for a couple of years living in London). I have a love-hate relationship with the state. It is dirty, crowded, stinky and tacky in many parts. It is also interesting with ocean-mountains-forest-cities-culture and much to see and do all packed into a relatively small area. You can drive from the Northen tip of NJ to the southern tip in a little over 3 hours. New Jersey is often considered the garbage dump between New York City and Philadelphia. It is much more than that. I recommend everyone visit New Jersey and try to eliminate some of those prevailing stereotypes.

One might look at the above photo and think of a tropical island somewhere but it was taken at the Twin Lights Lighthouse in Highlands, NJ looking out at Sandy Hook, NJ. From Sandy Hook, you can see straight into New York Harbor. As a child, we would spend the day at the beach here and I'd be swimming in the Atlantic while looking at the World Trade Center from afar. One of countless memories that I have that involve the WTC.

Life in NJ is hard but not impossible

Wildlife survives NJ!

People who live in NJ are well aware that this rather urbanized state has a large population of squirrels, deer and even bears. What is often surprising is the unexpected wildlife that survives the tough NJ lifestyle like the dolphins off of Cape May and the Pelegrine Falcons who have been living in an office building in downtown Jersey City. Too check out live webfeed of the pelegrine falcon chicks check out: http://www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/peregrinecam/

Natural beauty in NJ

One doesn' t think of natural beauty when driving through NJ but this photo is of a field of flowers that I pass on my way each Saturday to Merrick Farms, an organic farm in Howell, NJ.

Pros and Cons

Pros:Has a heck of a lot crammed into a rather small area.
Cons:It's New Jersey.
In a nutshell:Not for the faint-hearted

Intro Updated Sep 17, 2004
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Reviews (31)

A not so bad fall, actually pretty great (for NJ) - New Jersey

The Great Falls Things to Do (5)

If you are scared of bad neighborhood, do avoid this place. It is most certainly in a bad neighborhood. But if you're a... more travel advice

Yuck, tolls! Transportation (3)

NJ roads are a joy to drive. Not only do you have to avoid becoming a victim of road rage and sit in traffic for ages,... more travel advice

Packing List What to Pack (2)

Do not bring a lot of luggage unless you want it stolen. Do not leave luggage in car. New Jersey is the land of... more travel advice

Newark Airport is confusing... - New Jersey

Newark Airport is confusing... Transportation (3)

Newark Airport is confusing and chaotic. The roads around it are being worked on so it is actually worse than ever. Do... more travel advice

Hotels (2)
See All Need a break from driving?
Restaurants (3)
See All Great Italian in a town full of pasta!
Local Customs (4)
See All Italian Ices
Favorites (3)
See All Urban Enterprise Zone

Travelogues (2)

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Comments (27)

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sansera Apr 7, 2008 at 6:49 AM

did you employ a singer by the name of Jimmy Thomas in the 80's? please reply.
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SURFIN7TH Apr 20, 2006 at 7:09 AM

Don't you love the Cape May lighthouse?! Great Page.
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penumbra Sep 19, 2005 at 4:29 PM

Have to agree with you on the tolls. I often drive the secondary highways to avoid the tolls and it turns out that I the scenery is more interesting.
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ForestqueenNYC Mar 17, 2005 at 8:28 AM

I don't live in NJ anymore,but there really are some wonderfully charming Americana towns in your state. Ridgewood and the little towns that surround it, for example, and Lambertville. Princeton is in another category, but truly beautiful.
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MandaJ320 Jan 28, 2005 at 6:44 AM

pretty Ringwood state park pics... oh btw, Jonathan is a year old now!!! :-) hope your little ones are doing great!!!
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nomorewars Oct 30, 2004 at 5:47 PM

I am a huge Italian Ice fan. I never had a problem eating a quart or two in one sitting. The further you get away from New York, the nicer NJ gets.
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jelw Oct 4, 2004 at 11:35 AM

Very nice to see someone appreciate the finer points of N.J. I am a post-tri-stater...Pa,NJ & NY. One correction though in Pa & south Jersey we always reffered to NYC as the city & Phila, Pa as "town"
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PA2AKgirl Mar 1, 2004 at 9:54 AM

Great overview of the state--I had the pleasure of living and working at Sandy Hook and really enjoyed the experience! It's not all bad! Congrats on the twins, that's so exciting!
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Pawtuxet Feb 19, 2004 at 12:45 PM

Parts of NJ are lovely ~ Madison, Morristown, Chester. . My daughter graduated Drew Univ,Madison. My son lives there w/ his NJ wife in East Hanover. Some parts awful...hated it when we were in the military.
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XenoHumph Oct 20, 2003 at 12:31 PM

Excellent tips on your home state!