Even though sometimes it can feel like Jersey City is a world away, a short 30 minute trip over the Bayonne Bridge can make for a great day out. New Jersey’s second most populous city is home to world class cultural destinations, historical parks, and hidden treasures. Here are four stops to keep you coming back to Jersey City.
1. Liberty State Park
The historical Liberty State Park | via Wikipedia
Liberty State Park is a 1,212 acre park along Jersey City’s shore. It boasts beautiful vistas of New York City, the Statue of Liberty, and Ellis Island. Make use of its biking, hiking, and nature trails or play a round at Liberty National Golf Course. The park contains a Holocaust memorial, a September 11th memorial, as well as a memorial to the Black Tom Explosion, an explosion measuring the equivalent of a 5.5 on the Richter Scale.
2. Liberty Science Center
Hoberman Sphere at Liberty Science Center | via Wikipedia
Liberty Science Center is “dedicated to bringing the excitement of science to people of all ages.” The museum, which is located in Liberty State Park, houses interactive exhibits that will keep children engaged for hours. Giant aquariums, a live animal collection with 110 species, tornado and hurricane-force wind simulators, and the largest IMAX Dome in the United States will ensure you keep returning.
3. Colgate Clock
Time to brush | via Wikipedia
The Colgate Clock is remnant from Jersey City’s industrial days. It was constructed atop Colgate’s factory, in 1924 to replace an earlier clock. The 50-foot diameter clock was the largest clock in the world, when it was built, and is still the fourth largest clock in the world. In the 1980s, Colgate headquarters was razed to make room for the new Goldman Sachs Tower. Today, you can see the restored clock alongside the Hudson River, where it continues to impress visitors.
4. Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island
Statue of Liberty | via Wikipedia
Most people assume that the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island are as quintessentially New York as the Empire State Building. But according to Destination Jersey City, the Statue of Liberty is indeed located at 1 Liberty Island, Jersey City, NJ. Regardless of where Ellis Island actually is, it’s definitely worth a visit. Explore Ellis Island and learn about the immigrants who passed through its great hall. Make reservations to climb the Statue of Liberty and see the New York harbor through windows in her crown. For the curious, you can even see glimpses of the abandoned Southside Hospitals on Ellis Island.
