While many of your friends might be headed down the shore this summer, there’s no need to have FOMO if you can’t make it. There are plenty of things to do right in Jersey City to have an excellent — and cost-effective — staycation. Luckily for you, we’ve planned it all out for you. Read on to get ideas for your next Jersey City staycation.
Picnic | Liberty State Park
Photo: Instagram via @lauramossphotography
Liberty State Park is a beautiful landmark with amazing views of the NYC skyline, Statue of Liberty, & Ellis Island. There is a ton of green space for you to set up shop for your own little picnic (checkered blanket and wicker basket optional) anywhere in the park. If you have something bigger in mind (20 people or more), you can actually reserve space. There are seven group picnic areas equipped with picnic tables and a large grill, and the use of the space is free— but you have to reserve it ahead of time. To find out more, click here. Read more about all to do in Liberty State Park here.
Reclining Liberty | Liberty State Park
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(Photo credits: @zaqlandsberg)
Reclining Liberty is a 25-foot long sculpture styled after the Statue of Liberty, and in this case, she is reclining as if she were falling asleep or bingeing Netflix. Artist Zaq Lundquist built Reclining Liberty in 2021 inside Morningside Park in Manhattan, and this spring, moved the statue to Liberty State Park.
Ice Cream Tour
With the weather warming, it’s the perfect time to go ice cream shop hopping — and luckily, Jersey City has a ton of interesting and unique ice cream shops. You can follow our guide to unique ice cream shops in Jersey City and eat your way through the ice creams of JC. Some highlights include Conez, Dahlia’s, and Downtown Yogurt.
Coffee Tour
After you’ve sampled your way through the Jersey City ice cream spots, consider trying out the many local coffee shops Jersey City has to offer. This is a great way to build up your energy for all the other staycation activities you’ll do. Lackawanna Coffee, Dames Coffee Espresso, and The Grind Shop are all awesome spots to try.
Sea the City Hot Tub Boat Tour | 84 Audrey Zapp Drive
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(Photo credits: @seathecity)
For an extra luxurious treat on your staycation, you can book a 90-minute boat tour of the Hudson in a hot tub boat. That might just be the ultimate form of relaxation. Prices start at $499, and you can check reservation options here.
Exercise Classes | Lincoln Park, 1 County Road 605
Photo: Instagram via @jessicanamit
Lincoln Park is a beautiful park that claims over 270 acres of Jersey City. The park offers a ton of activity options, be it tennis on great courts (they get crowded so you may have to be patient), a paved road for runners and bicyclists, a track, and a huge playground. In the back of the park, you will find walking paths and a great dog run. For you yogis, there are free yoga classes that you can take outside. These classes run between June and October on Sundays at 11:30AM.
The park is a bit of a trek from the closest PATH station (Journal Square), but you can get a little closer to it by taking the bus (80) or light rail (West Side Ave stop).
Newport Green Park | Washington Boulevard & 14th Street
Is that a beach you see in the middle of Jersey City? Yes, albeit small, but yes it is. Even though it doesn’t hold water against the Jersey Shore, this is a great little urban beach nestled in Newport, JC. You can park your tush in one of the Adirondack chairs (or under an umbrella), relax, and soak up the sun. Who said you had to leave town to get your beach vacation?
Mana Contemporary | 888 Newark Avenue
This art museum has five floors of art exhibitions that are sure to keep you occupied for a few hours, minimum. This is a great way to add some culture, history — and beauty, of course — to your Jersey City staycation.
Outdoor Bars
There’s nothing better than sitting outside with a drink in hand on a beautiful day. Our picks for great bars with outdoor seating/rooftops include Zeppelin Hall Beer Garden, Porta (rooftop), Rooftop XP, Smorgasbar, and Skinner’s Loft (rooftop). Of course, you can’t forget Surf City (above) which is an outdoor mega-bar that sits right on the marina — and with views of the city, sand, and fire pits — you can’t go wrong.
READ: Best Rooftop + Outdoor Bars in Hoboken + Jersey City
Food Tour on Newark Avenue
(Photo via New York Times)
Newark Avenue is densely populated with amazing restaurants ranging from Italian to Japanese and everything in between. You can start from the Grove St PATH and work your way up. We’d recommend some charcuterie at Roman Nose, then a burger at Left Bank, then you can finish it off with some ramen at Miso Ramen. With a range of delicious options, there’s no need to leave JC for your staycation.
The Statue of Liberty Cruise | Audrey Zapp Drive
You can take advantage of the history that’s in your backyard and hop on a cruise to visit Lady Liberty herself (and Ellis Island) via Statue Cruises. You can reserve your tickets online {$24 per person) and head to Liberty State Park to catch your cruise. You can check here for timetables.
White Eagle Hall | 337 Newark Avenue
White Eagle Hall is a wonderful choice for an entertainment-filled evening. It offers live music, theatre, comedy, dance, film, family shows, and more — plus, you can get food + drinks here. Enjoy live performances without having to stray too far from home.
Liberty Science Center | 222 Jersey City Boulevard
(Photo credits: @libertysciencecenter)
You can relive your childhood and visit one of the coolest places Jersey City has to offer. Some of the exhibits are geared towards kids, but there are many you can appreciate, too. It even hosts LSC After Dark parties which is a 21+ event that occurs after-hours. Best part: heading into the dome to experience the Planetarium, which was formerly the IMAX theater where films were shown, but trust us, this is just as cool. You can see ticket options here.
Empty Sky 9/11 Memorial | 1 Audrey Zapp Drive
(Photo credits: Instagram via @dcollazos)
Memorial Day is near, which is a great time to pay homage to our troops at the Empty Sky 9/11 Memorial. Two beautiful walls facing ground zero represent the towers that fell on that terrible, life-changing morning. This site is extremely humbling and one of Jersey City’s most beautiful tributes.
See More: A List of NJ Gardens to Visit this Spring + Summer
Jersey City Citibike Tour
Photo: Instagram via @citibikejc
With bike stations set up all over the city (City Hall, Harborside, and Hamilton Park, to name a few), this is the great activity for an afternoon adventure for your staycation — plus, it’s great exercise. If you have a membership, you’re all set for your ‘Tour de Jersey City.’ If you don’t have one, just click here to sign up for a package or an unlimited 24-hr pass. Once you’re all set with that, all you have to do is find an available bike nearby (use a ride code or use your member key to unlock it), take as many (30-minute) rides while your pass or membership is active, then return your bike to any station. Click here for a map of all Jersey City station locations.
Looking for more adventure in Hudson County? You can check out our Hudson County Bucket List and take your Jersey City staycation just outside Jersey City.
