With beautiful brownstone, pre-Civil war housing combined with one of the fastest developing apartments and office buildings all nestled together, Jersey City is an incredible place to live. According to NJ.com, the city on the other side of the Hudson River has experienced significant population growth in the past ten years. 

One of Jersey City’s best-kept secrets is its lively and ever-growing Historic Downtown area. With fascinating neighborhoods and a wide range of attractions, there are plenty of things you can do, see, and learn. We’ve created the ultimate guide of Jersey City’s Historic Downtown, so you can get the most of your experience. 

Neighborhoods

Historic Downtown is made up of several smaller mini-neighborhoods, each with unique characteristics. The Grove Street area, with easy access from the PATH station, is the center of the downtown activity with everything from arts, restaurants, and a bustling nightlife. Along the waterfront, you’ll find the redeveloped Exchange Place and scatter throughout are the charming brownstone blocks of Van Vorst Park, Harsimus Cove, Hamilton Park, and Paulus Hook. 

Urban Play Space

For such a dense Downtown area, the variety of parks is impressively wide-ranging. With sweeping views of Manhattan skyline, Ellis Island, and the Statue of Liberty, Liberty State Park draws over four million visitors a year to experience the many of the park’s attractions. It is also home to the “Empty Sky” 9/11 Memorial, the historic Central Railroad of New Jersey Terminal, Nature Interpretive Center, and Liberty Science Center. It has plenty of playgrounds, picnic area, bike and jogging paths, gardens, and a restaurant with an incredible you’ll never be bored visiting Liberty State Park. 

Hamilton Park is the biggest park in downtown Jersey City. Surrounded by nineteenth-century row houses, Hamilton Park includes tennis and basketball courts, children’s water park and two dog runs. Typically, during the summer months, the park hosts farmer's markets, concerts and fairs, and a summer film series. 

The Commute

Residents of the Historic Downtown area are never far from transportation options. The 24-hour PATH train is a 30-minute commute to Midtown and has easy connections with New York City’s MTA Subway systems. For a more scenic commute, the NY Waterway ferries carry commuters across the Hudson River with only a 15-minute commute to Midtown. The Holland Tunnel also provides easy and quick access to Manhattan, with a five-minute commute without traffic! The Hudson-Bergen Light Rail is an excellent way to get around Jersey City itself and connects to nearby towns in Hudson County including Hoboken and Weehawken. Bike share programs provide another way to get around Jersey City. CitiBike has bike stations in New York City and Jersey City, Jersey Bike Share provides access to Bayonne, Guttenberg, Hoboken, North Bergen, Port Imperial, Weehawken, and West New York.

Melting Pot

A melting pot of cultures and people, Jersey City was one of the first destinations for many immigrants entering through nearby Ellis Island. Today, downtown Jersey City reflects flavors and influences of the international populations that now call this city home. In order to get the full experience of Historic Downtown is by tasting the vast array of food options. Everything from Cuban to Koren to Indian, you’ll have to bring your appetite! 

Historical Sites

They call it Historic Downtown for a reason! If you’re looking to explore outside of the historic landmarks of Liberty State Park, there are plenty of attractions to visit. When The Colgate Clock was built in 1924, it was considered to be the largest clock in the world. Just about a year ago, it was updated with 3,500 Star-rated LED bulbs and a new motor. Take a walk down Wayne Street in the Van Vorst Park neighborhood and you’ll find the Barrow Mansion. The mansion has undergone various transformations throughout the years since 1837 and remains an important destination in Jersey City’s culture. 

Make sure to visit Jersey City's Historic Downtown website for updates and news on the city’s re-opening. What is your favorite attraction of Historic Downtown? Let us know!