Whether you learned about him in history class or are a Broadway fanatic, chances are the name Alexander Hamilton rings a bell. He’s also the namesake of a Jersey City park and neighborhood: Hamilton Park. The five-acre park located in the heart of Jersey City has become a hot spot for outdoor activities and community gatherings. From farmer's markets and night-time movie showings to “Weiner Dog Club” meet-ups, the scene in Hamilton Park is always exciting. We decided it was time to explore deeper and find out how to have a full day of fun here while sticking to a $50 budget. We know that it’s important to HG readers to have wallet-friendly fun, so that’s why we created a budget-friendly itinerary to help readers make the most of all that Jersey City has to offer. Read on to learn how to have a $50 day in the Hamilton Park section of Jersey City.

The challenge: Eat at least 2 meals and enjoy at least 1 activity for $50 or less in Jersey City (tip + tax will be extra). We spent the day on foot to avoid transportation costs.

Breakfast: $9.25

Sunday mornings call for sleeping in and cafe treats. We started our $50 day at O Kafé located at 230 Pavonia Avenue for a light breakfast around 11AM. The sun-lit cafe was bustling with energy and conversation as locals poured in for their morning caffeine fixes. We decided to grab an iced Americano for $4.25 and the very last everything croissant with cream cheese for $5 (lucky us). After sitting outside and enjoying the sunny yet crisp morning, we met up with one of our other HG writers to kick off the day together.

Read More: How to Have a $50 Day in Jersey City

Activity 1: Free

Next we walked just three minutes to the official heart of the neighborhood: Hamilton Park. Nothing beats strolling around on a sunny day with coffee in hand, soaking up the beauty of the community. After some peaceful lounging, catch-ups, and people watching we decided to explore the park a little further. We found families gathering around the fountain, children running about, some pretty active dog parks, and even a Little Free Library where we browsed for some treasures before heading to our next stop.

Activity 2: $14

Sometimes the perfect day includes a little bit of retail therapy. We had a blast bopping around McWilliams Place peeking into the storefronts and shopping. Our first stop was Clutter located at 23 McWilliams Place which was just another three -minute walk away. We were awestruck by the gorgeous jewelry, handcrafted home goods, and other lifestyle pieces that looked like a Pinterest board dream. Next, we walked less than a minute to Word Bookstore located at 29 McWilliams Place. After scanning the shelves it was hard to decide what we would be adding into our $50 day budget – yes, there were THAT many good finds. It seemed like the perfect time to snag a gift for a friend thanks to Word’s fantastic selection of unique cards and keepsakes. We chose to purchase a card for $6 and a mini candle for $8. Now, our gift shopping is complete. We spent close to an hour looking around and enjoying all that Word had to offer.

Late Lunch: $26

After working up an appetite it was time for lunch. We took a quick three minute walk to to Ed + Mary’s on 174 Coles Street for a late lunch/early dinner. After studying the menu, a pretty interesting selection stood out to us: the Brussels Caesar for $13. You know here at HG we are big Caesar salad wrap lovers so it only made sense that we tried this creative take on a classic Caesar salad. Plus it was a fun way to get our veggies in. It was 10/10 and honestly super filling. After eating and chatting for a bit it was time for a round of drinks. We spiced things up and grabbed a margarita with Epsolon tequila and Tajin on the rim for $13. While we sipped and sat outdoors it was the perfect way to close out a $50 Sunday while basking in the sun and watching the local pups walk by. Our grand total for the day was $49.25 which was within budget.

See More: How to Spend A $50 Day in Bloomfield: Watessing Park Area Edition

HG note: Hamilton Park is filled with so many delicious eateries and small businesses left to explore after our budget ran out. We have to include some honorable mentions for your own personal $50 day including Cangiano’s Marketplace, The Hamilton Inn, Ahri’s Kitchen, Chickies, Rumba Cubana, Rustique Pizza, and Hamilton Pork to name a few. Click here for our full list of things to do in Hamilton Park.