Weekend Guide to New Jersey

I must admit I was somewhat surprised at how many really cool things there are to do in the New Jersey area that hugs the Hudson River. For one, you have the best views of Manhattan (night and day), as well as historic memorials, beautifully developed waterfront walks and parks and superior access to the Statue of Liberty.

Here are a few tips on things to do in New Jersey along the Hudson River, starting from the north in Hoboken and heading south through Jersey City:

Hudson River Waterfront Walkway, Hoboken

This city takes great pride in its famous son, Frank Sinatra. Here, Sinatra Drive leads you along the waterfront. And that’s where the Manhattan views are magnificent, night or day. Plus, the 9/11 Memorial for the City of Hoboken in Pier A Park is quietly gracious and very moving.

Exchange Place, Jersey City

This is a bustling waterfront area with more great Manhattan views, just a couple of blocks north of Paulus Hook where ferries arrive from across the river.

Jersey City 9/11 Memorial

On the river walkway at the intersection with Grand Street is a memorial for Jersey City citizens who lost their lives in the 9/11 attacks. It is a twisted beam from the building bedecked with flowers and remembrances. Stand behind it and face the water toward Manhattan and the site of the attacks on the World Trade Center.

Makeshift Memorial by J. Seward Johnson, Jersey City

Right next to the 9/11 memorial is a statue that catches your eye and draws you over. Done by New Jersey sculptor J. Seward Johnson, the bronze of a sitting man had been at the World Trade Center site. Once pulled from the rubble, it became a collecting point for remembrances. Johnson bronzed them all and welded them back onto the statue for a permanent memorial.

Colgate Clock, Jersey City

Keep going down the riverfront while enjoying the views to find the Colgate Clock, built in 1908. It is precisely what it says – a huge, 50-feet diameter clock face facing Manhattan at the site of the former Colgate-Palmolive headquarters. The company moved some 35 years ago, but the area has a sentimental attachment. You can sit below it to enjoy river and city views. And, yes, it still tells accurate time.

Morris Canal and Park, Jersey City

Around the bend from the clock, you’ll come across part of the historic old Morris Canal, commissioned in 1824 to carry coal from Pennsylvania to markets along the Eastern seaboard. Running through six counties, the canal avoided destruction and is now being transformed into trails and parks. Here, where it ended at the river, there is a tiny finger of a park jutting into the Hudson, which is a very local retreat offering more spectacular views of the river and the Manhattan skyline.

Liberty State Park, Jersey City

An expansive green oasis of 1,200 acres, the park is considered a gem in the Garden State that hugs the river for even more views. There are any number of things to do in the park, including a visit to the Liberty Science Center, with the largest planetarium in the Western Hemisphere after its overhaul in 2018. From here, you can catch ferries to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island from the renovated terminal of the Central Railroad of New Jersey at the waterfront – usually easier than from Manhattan. You are also much closer to the Statue of Liberty from here than in Manhattan so enjoy those views.

The railroad terminal building isn’t however just for buying tickets. The Central Railroad is an historic site itself. Its tracks and platforms closed in 1967, but the area is now on both the State and National Registers of Historic Places. Despite being fenced off and a bit crumbly, one can envision the immigrants coming from Ellis Island, moving through the halls and along the platforms to board trains to the rest of their lives. Head into the terminal for more history – and a ranger area with all kinds of information about New Jersey.

The grand cap on all of the waterfront and its views of Manhattan is the Empty Sky 9/11 Memorial. Moving and spectacular in its simplicity, the memorial honors New Jersey victims of the 9/11 attacks. Two 30-foot walls of brushed steel run parallel to each other but perpendicular to Manhattan, facing the site of the attack. A 12-foot path runs between the towers with victim’s names engraved randomly on them. The light reflecting at all times of day is beautiful, but with the park open 24 hours, try a sunrise or sunset visit to reflect as you take in the views of Manhattan.

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Hi Travel Tales, Michael Hodgson and Therese Iknoian, are husband-and-wife senior travel experts. The two are veteran journalists, award-winning writers and photographers with a lifetime of globetrotting behind them. Together, the pair offers readers a glance at popular destinations and uncommon places. From mountain trails and remote islands to urban neighborhoods and small villages, their backgrounds blend together to create a compelling travel blog that not only sparks inspiration but educates the reader about the world around us all. Stay connected to Hi Travel Tales by visiting their blog.