ABOUT THE CITY
New Jersey is broadly divided into three geographic regions: North Jersey, Central Jersey, and South Jersey. This site concentrates on Northern and Central Jersey. North Jersey lies within New York City’s general sphere of influence (i.e. largely within the New York metropolitan area), and some residents commute to the city to work. Central Jersey is a largely suburban area.
New Jersey is one of the most religiously and ethnically diverse states in the country. It has the second largest Jewish population, the second largest Muslim population, the third highest Asian population and the third highest Italian-American population.
As a new resident you will have no shortage of activities; sun bathing, swimming, exploring lighthouses and shopping just to name a few. Put Ellis Island, the Statue of Liberty Battle Ship New Jersey at the top of your list.
About Northern-Central New Jersey
New Jersey ranks ninth in the nation in population and has the highest population density of any U.S. state, because of its proximity to both New York City and Philadelphia. New Jersey is a major industrial center, an important transportation corridor, and because of its long coast line, a long-established destination for summer vacationers.
New Jersey consists of 127 miles of white sand beach, scenic mountains and parkland, colonial villages, cutting-edge technology, outstanding education, great cultural attractions, world-class entertainment and stringently protected ecological resources. Home to some of America’s greatest inventors, writers and statesmen, New Jersey is a place where you can walk in George Washington’s footsteps while creating new pathways of your own; in work, family life and leisure. New Jersey has been dubbed “America the beautiful…only smaller,’ which is just one of the reasons we know you’ll feel at home here.
History
Give History a Spin
A working time machine may only exist in movies and books, but traveling the paths of New Jersey’s history just might be the next best thing.
The Rankokus Indian reservation brings Native American life to the Delaware River Region with its festivals and cultural events and Native American Indian heritage museum. From there, it is just a short hop to Trenton’s New Jersey State Museum, which houses Native American tools and silver, the handicrafts of the Cherokee, Ramapough, Nanticoke and Powhatan-Renape. In the Skylands you can view Native American life first-hand at Waterloo’s Lenape Indian Village.
Fast Facts
State Population: 8,717,925
Capital: Trenton
Largest Cities: Newark, Jersey City,and Paterson
State Slogan: Come see for yourself.
Housing Units: 3,414,739
Median Value: $170,800
Median Household Income: $56,356
Time zone: Eastern: UTC-5
Daylight Savings Time: Yes
Web site: www.state.nj.us
Northern-Central New Jersey Regions
The Gateway Region
Gateway Region, encompassing Hudson County, Essex County, Union County, Middlesex County, Bergen County, and Passaic County. As the “Gateway to Freedom” this region has become known the world over as the home of Liberty State Park and Ellis Island, the “new beginning” for millions of immigrants. The people of this historic and bustling region represent the myriad of cultures that are represented in the museums, the arts, the restaurants and the vibrancy of the cities and towns. You will always feel welcome in the Gateway Region.
Start your visit at Liberty State Park, in Jersey City, which overlooks the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island and features the Historic Central Railroad of New Jersey Terminal. There are acres of open park land to stroll along the Hudson River or have a quiet picnic.
Climate
| Month | Avg Hi | Avg Lo | Avg Precip | |||
| Jan | 38°F | 24°F | 3.98 in. | |||
| Feb | 41°F | 27°F | 2.96 in. | |||
| Mar | 50°F | 34°F | 4.21 in. | |||
| Apr | 61°F | 44°F | 3.92 in. | |||
| May | 71°F | 54°F | 4.46 in. | |||
| Jun | 80°F | 64°F | 3.40 in. | |||
| Jul | 85°F | 69°F | 4.68 in. | |||
| Aug | 83°F | 68°F | 4.02 in. | |||
| Sep | 76°F | 60°F | 4.01 in. | |||
| Oct | 65°F | 48°F | 3.16 in. | |||
| Nov | 54°F | 39°F | 3.88 in. | |||
| Dec | 43°F | 30°F | 3.57 in. |
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By Car
Toll Roads
Atlantic City Expressway
(609) 965-6060
44 miles from Atlantic City west to State Rt. 42 in Gloucester County.
Garden State Parkway
(732) 442-8600
173 miles runs north and south along the state’s eastern seaboard from Cape May north and ultimately connects to the New York State Thruway.
New York State Thruway
New Jersey Turnpike
(732) 247-0900
137 miles runs from the Delaware Memorial Bridge in southern New Jersey to the George Washington Bridge in Bergen County.
EZ-PASS
(888) 288-6865
EZ-Pass is an electronic toll collection system which takes cash, coins and toll tickets out of the toll collection process. Instead, drivers prepay tolls and attach a small electronic device to their vehicles. Tolls are automatically calculated and deducted from the prepaid accounts as EZ-Pass customers pass through the toll lanes. May be used on toll roads of the NJ Turnpike, Garden State Parkway, the Atlantic City Expressway, and all Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and Delaware crossings.
Public Transportation
Trains
New Jersey Transit
Northern NJ (800) 772-2222
Southern NJ (800) 582-5946
Out of State (973) 762-5100
PATCO
(Port Authority Transit Corporation)
(856) 772-6900
High-speed line between Southern New Jersey and Philadelphia.
ATH
(Port Authority Trans Hudson)
(800) 234-7284
Service from the Newark metropolitan area to lower Manhattan.
SEPTA
(South Eastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority)
(215) 580-7800
Service between Trenton, West Trenton, Lindenwold and Philadelphia and surrounding areas.
Metro-North Railroad
(800) METRO
MTA Metro-North Railroad, the second largest commuter railroad in the United States, provides approximately 250,000 customer trips each weekday and some 73,000,000 trips per year. Total square mileage of the service territory is approximately 2,701 miles.
Air Transportation
JFK Int’l Airport
(718) 244-4444
www.panynj.com
AirTrain JFK-Connecting rail service between the airport and New York City Transit (NYCT) and Long Island Rail Road. For those who are driving the airport is accessible via the Belt Parkway. Parking information in available on the airport’s Website or call (718) 244-4080, or (800) AIRRIDE.
Newark Liberty Int’l Airport
(973) 961-6000
www.panynj.com
AirTrain Newark-connecting rail service between Newark Liberty International Airport and New Jersey Transit and Amtrak trains. The airport is accessible via the New Jersey Turnpike, Interstate 78 and Routes 1, 9 and 22. For parking information call 888-EWR-INFO and enter 22 or (800) AIR-RIDE.
Philadelphia Int’l Airport
(215) 937-6800
www.philadelphia-phl.com
Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) provides high-speed rail service to downtown Philadelphia from the airport. For more information call (215) 580-7800. Ground level parking in terminals has been discontinued due to the recent FAA security requirements. Short Term and Long Term Parking is available in the garages and the Economy Lot. For more information call (215) 683-9840. For those driving, the airport has easy access from and to Interstate 95.
Voter Registration
Voter Registration
To register in New Jersey you must be:
• United States citizen,
• 18 years old by the next election,
• A resident of the county for 30 days before the election.
Applications for registration can be obtained from the Division of Elections, the Commissioners of Registration office in the County where you live or from your Municipal Clerk. Registration forms are also available in various State agencies and at Division of Motor Vehicle offices and can be obtained while transacting agency business. You can also print a registration application and after entering required data, mail it to the Commissioners of Registration office in the county where you reside.
Local Phone Numbers
| City Area Code(s) | |
| The area codes for New Jersey are: | |
| Jersey City and Hackensack | 201, 551 |
| New Brunswick, Long Branch | 732, 848 |
| Elizabeth, Summit | 908 |
| Newark, Paterson | 973, 862 |
| Emergency | |
| All Emergencies (Fire, Police, Ambulance) | 911 |
| Poison Control | (800) 764-7661 |
| Financial Services | |
| Automatic Teller Information | |
| ATM Locator | (800) 248-4286 |
| MasterCrd ATM | (800) 424-7787 |
| VISA Plus System | (800) 843-7587 |
| Lost or Stolen Credit Cards | |
| American Express | (800) 233-5432 |
| AT&T Universal Card | (800) 423-4343 |
| Diners Club | (800) 234-6377 |
| Discover Card | (800) 347-2683 |
| JCB | (800) 736-8111 |
| MasterCard | (800) 826-2181 |
| VISA | (800) 336-8472 |
| Lost or Stolen Travelers Checks | |
| American Express | (800) 221-7282 |
| Thomas Cook MasterCard | (800) 223-7373 |
| Travelers Check Customer Service | (800) 645-6556 |
| VISA | (800) 227-6811 |
| Government | |
| Internal Revenue Service | (800) 829-1040 |
| Social Security Administration | (800) 772-1213 |
| Services /Support Networks | |
| Directory Assistance | 411 |
| Crisis Pregnancy Center | (800) 395-4357 |
| Mental Health Hotline | (800) 716-9769 |
| National Runaway Switchboard | (800) 621-4000 |
| Teen Link (Various Topics) | (800) 235-9678 |
| Teen Health InfoLine | (800) 998-3600 |
| Shipping & Postal Services | |
| Airborne Express | (800) 247-2676 |
| DHL Airways | (800) 225-5345 |
| Emery Worldwide | (800) 443-6379 |
| Federal Express | (800) 463-3339 |
| UPS | (800) 742-5877 |
Atlantic City
Those two words in combination conjure up spectacular, history, daytime thrills and nighttime excitement: simply the magic is no illusion-it is real and Atlantic City’s got it all. It would be easy to spend an entire vacation going from casino to casino to sample the hospitality, the shows, the gaming and the food. Their lure is the stuff of legend. The boardwalk alone is world famous. But take a step or two off the beaten path and the odds are in your favor that a jackpot of fun and fascination awaits.
A season of dance, theatre, music and children’s programming awaits all culture enthusiasts at the Stockton Performing Arts Center in Pomona. Pay a visit to all five of the area museums, each totally unique.
Performing Arts
The New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark sets the stage for breathtaking and diverse performances by national and international stars, Broadway headliners and world famous operas. In Millburn, the renowned Paper Mill Playhouse presents
spectacular productions of great American plays and musicals. Other premier performance venues include the John Harms Center for the Arts in Englewood, The State Theatre in New Brunswick, the Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank, and the Community Theatre in Morristown. The PNC Bank Arts Center in Homdel along with the Sovereign Bank Arena in Trenton and the Tweeter Center in Camden present major headliner concerts that include jazz, blues, R&B and Rock & Roll.
Parks
For starters, the 5,726 acres of parks, golf courses and reservations in Essex County is America’s very first park system. It is actually comprised of 26 parks throughout the county with features you will find nowhere else. And, twenty of the 26 parks and reservations were designed by the renowned landscape architect, Frederick Law Olmsted, Sr. who also designed Central Park in New York City.
Sure, parks are places for activities like jogging, hiking and biking, but that is just the beginning. Add to that 68 tennis courts, three public golf courses, two community centers and a zoo. There are also summer camps, golf tournaments, live concerts and even indoor ice-skating.
Lighthouses
New Jersey’s lighthouses are majestic beacons, silent sentinels that guard time and mariners alike. It’s a testament to the craftsmanship of their construction that so many lighthouses survive today, after years of fighting the awe-inspiring forces of the sea. Each one that remains tells its own fascinating tale of bygone seafarers and the dangers they faced.
As you plan your next vacation, remember to discover New Jersey’s lighthouses. The 11 lighthouses that are accessible to the public are located in some of the most beautiful and adventurous settings you’ll ever encounter. Put them on your travel itinerary and you’ll agree that New Jersey’s lighthouses are a Must-See!
Museums & Attractions
From the rolling hills of the Skylands to bustling towns along 127 miles of beautiful Atlantic coastline, New Jersey is an ideal family destination filled with endless excitement, education, entertainment and exploration opportunities.
Mountain Creek in Vernon offers a water park, hiking areas, winter skiing and the fabulous Kidz World. The Space Farms Museum and Zoo in Beemerville is another popular stop. Columbia’s Lakota Wolf Preserve has wolves, wolf pups, bobcats and foxes all in their natural habitats and Northlandz has the largest miniature railroad in the world.
Sports
One of the greatest entertainment facilities in the world, the Meadowlands Sports Complex in East Rutherford is home to both the New York Giants and the New York Jets. And that’s just the beginning. The National Basketball Association’s (NBA’s) New
Jersey Nets also have a home in the Continental Airlines Arena. You can be there, too, to watch them battle their way to the playoffs. “Ice on Fire” is the phrase you hear when hockey fans talk about the New Jersey Devils-the two-time Stanley Cup winners are out to make serious skating history this season. Giants Stadium also plays host to the New York Red Bulls Soccer Team.
Shopping
For shoppers who like to “go for the gold,” shopping is a sport. When you need malls and lots of them, there is the Delaware River Region. Market Fair in Princeton, Quakerbridge Mall and the sprawling Forrestal Village are all within minutes of one another! To find just about anything imaginable under one roof, check out the Cherry Hill Mall in Cherry Hill. And, if antiques are your passion take a trip to Haddonfield with its dozens of antique shops.
You may be someone for whom shopping is a hunt. You are after the most elusive of treasures: “the find.” You decide to head for the Skylands Region and Lambertville’s Golden Nugget Antique Flea Market, a sprawling antique jungle.
Education
Community Colleges
Community colleges exist for two major purposes. The first is to serve as a bridge from high school to college by providing courses for transfer toward a bachelor’s degree. Four out of 10 collegebound high-school graduates start their college education this way.
The second function of community colleges is to prepare students for the job market by offering entry-level career training as well as courses for adult students who want to upgrade their skills for the workplace. They often offer programs that are not available at four-year schools, like fashion design.
Liberal Arts Colleges
Liberal arts colleges offer a broad base of courses in the humanities, social sciences, and sciences. Most are private and focus mainly on undergraduate students. Classes tend to be small and personal attention is available.
Online Learning
Recent years have witnessed the rise of online degree programs, to allow the busy professional a chance to work at their own pace from the comfort of their home on the path to getting a degree. The costs to students are typically the same as for traditional classes— and financial aid is equally available—while the cost to the institution can be much less.
There are online universities ranging from legitimate distance learning systems to fly-by-night degree-mills. It’s important to research a particular institution before deciding to enroll in their system. Generally, brick-and-mortar schools that also offer online classes are the safest, though there are plenty of fully accredited online universities out there.
Nearly 3 million students are believed to be taking online classes at institutions of higher education in the United States this year. That number has been growing about 25% a year recently. Now, virtually all public higher education institutions, as well as a vast majority of private, for-profit institutions, now offer online classes. By contrast, only about half of private, nonprofit schools offer them. Online schools offer everything from Associate’s degrees to Doctoral programs with available emphases in everything from Business Administration to Criminal Justice to Nursing. Some programs require students to attend some campus classes or orientations, but many are delivered completely online. Online courses generally require a computer with a broadband connection, but are now a serious option for the busy professional.
Public vs. Private
Public colleges are usually less expensive, particularly for in-state residents. They get most of their money from the state or local government. Private colleges rely on tuition, fees, endowments, and other private sources. Private colleges are usually smaller and can offer more personalized attention and often more prestige.
Universities
Generally, a university is bigger than a college and offers more majors and research facilities. Class size often reflects institutional size and some classes may taught by graduate students.
Upper Division
Upper-division schools offer the last two years of undergraduate study, usually in specialized programs leading to a bachelor’s degree. Students then generally transfer to an upper-division college after completing an associate degree or after finishing a second year of study at a four-year college.