Traveling to NY? Consider NJ!!

I recently attended a conference in Jersey City, NJ for work. Of course, when I was told that I had to go to the conference, I thought, New Jersey??? Does it have to be in New Jersey? What is there to do in New Jersey and why would they have picked that location? However, once I started looking into the details of the trip, I started to become surprised at the location. When I actually got there, I was quite impressed with New Jersey and its accessibility to New York city.

First, lets make sure we're all on the same page with the physical locations. Jersey City, NJ is located on the west side of the Hudson River. Manhattan is located on the east side of the same river. You know all of those skyline views that you see of Manhattan and New York City? You can bet that many of those are taken from Jersey City.

So why was I impressed? First, the hotel was a very nice hotel that was located right on the river. We stayed at the Hyatt Regency Jersey City on the Hudson. This hotel was very nice with a wonderful view of Manhattan. It was actually too nice for me and had the company not paid for it, I wouldn't have stayed there. While very nice, it was very expensive too. The only parking available was either valet parking at $35/night or I could park in a public lot about 4 blocks away. Really, the public lot wasn't much of an option since I had my family with me and luggage for everyone. The hotel has a restaurant located in it that would serve breakfast for a measly $40/person. Like I said, too expensive if the company wasn't picking it up, but a very nice place.

Jersey City is a smaller city without all of the hustle and bustle of New York city. It has plenty of dining options that were within walking distance. Another nice place right near by is the town of Hoboken. Hoboken is a small college town that offers lots of options for dining. We had to drive over to Hoboken, but once there we parked and were able to walk the main strip (Washington St.) for shopping and dining. Public transportation is also available.

Jersey City is also home to Liberty Park. Unfortunately, I didn't get a chance to make it to the park before leaving town. You can find out information about Liberty State Park here. Liberty Park is located directly behind the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. Liberty Science Center is also located at the park and has some good reviews.

One of the best things about Jersey City is the accessibility into New York city. The PATH train runs throughout Jersey City and will take you under the Hudson river and into New York at either Penn station or the World Trade Center site. The cost of the PATH train is $1.50 per trip, making it a great deal. One of the PATH train stations was located right outside of our hotel, so for $1.50, I could leave the hotel and be in downtown Manhattan in about 20 mins. with no hassle. This was great. Our family took the train over on one day to the World Trade Center site. We then walked around for most of the day, did some shopping, got lunch and dinner, picked up ice cream for the kids and then rode the train back to the hotel. Here is the link for the PATH train system.

One of the other great things about Jersey City was the view of New York city. When you are in New York, the only view you have in any direction is the doors and windows of the skyscrapers that are right next to you. When you are in Jersey City, along the Hudson you have the absolute best view of the New York city skyline. And you have it without hundreds of people rushing and pushing past you.

Although I never would have considered staying in New Jersey for a trip to New York, the next time I go, I don't think I'll consider anything but staying in New Jersey. If you like this idea, my only suggestion is to try to find a hotel that is within walking distance of one of the PATH train stations. This will make your stay much easier and accessible.