Last updated August 17, 2026

The Best Tours & Places to Visit in New Jersey

New Jersey packs 130 miles of Atlantic beach towns, the country's original boardwalk city, and a front-row view of the Statue of Liberty into the most densely populated state in the country. The Jersey Shore draws crowds to Cape May, Wildwood, and Atlantic City every summer, while Liberty State Park in Jersey City offers some of the closest, least crowded access to Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty anywhere in the region. Away from the coast, Princeton's Ivy League campus, the Pine Barrens, and Six Flags Great Adventure round out a state that is far more varied than its highway rest stops suggest.

Top Attractions, Tours and Tickets in New Jersey

The Statue of Liberty & Liberty State Park

Liberty State Park in Jersey City is the New Jersey-side departure point for ferries to both Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty, and it is consistently the shorter, less crowded option compared to boarding from Battery Park in Manhattan. The park itself sits along the Hudson River with unobstructed views of the Manhattan skyline, Liberty Island, and Ellis Island, plus the restored Central Railroad of New Jersey Terminal. A ferry ticket departing from the New Jersey side includes access to both islands, an audio tour, and typically a bundled stop at the 9/11 Memorial & Museum on the return trip into Manhattan.

The Jersey Shore & Beach Towns

New Jersey's 130-mile Atlantic coastline is lined with boardwalk towns, from the Victorian gingerbread houses of Cape May at the southern tip to the retro motels of Wildwood and the amusement piers of Point Pleasant and Seaside Heights. Cape May, the country's oldest seaside resort, sits where the Delaware Bay meets the Atlantic, making its waters a reliable spot for whale and dolphin sightings from spring through fall. Asbury Park, further north, has become a music and arts hub built around its historic boardwalk and Convention Hall.

Atlantic City

Atlantic City put the American boardwalk on the map, and its original wooden Boardwalk, opened in 1870, still runs past casino resorts like the Borgata, Hard Rock, and Ocean Casino Resort. Steel Pier keeps the town's amusement-pier heritage alive with rides jutting out over the ocean, and the Absecon Lighthouse covers the city's history beyond the casino floor. A narrated cruise along the oceanfront skyline is one of the easiest ways to see the whole Boardwalk from the water.

Liberty Science Center & Jersey City

Liberty Science Center, set inside Liberty State Park on the Jersey City side of the Hudson, is a 300,000-square-foot science museum with the Western Hemisphere's largest planetarium, a live animal collection, and hands-on exhibits covering everything from hurricanes to space. Jersey City itself has grown a skyline of its own, with the Newport and Exchange Place waterfront districts offering some of the closest Manhattan views available from the New Jersey side, along with a fast-growing restaurant and nightlife scene.

Six Flags Great Adventure & Family Attractions

Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson is the largest theme park in the Northeast, combining a full-scale amusement park, Hurricane Harbor water park, and Six Flags Wild Safari, a drive-through safari park with free-roaming animals, all on one property. Coasters like Nitro, El Toro, and the Jersey Devil Coaster are consistently ranked among the best in the country. Families looking for a quieter day can also head to Storybook Land near Atlantic City or Jenkinson's Boardwalk and Aquarium in Point Pleasant Beach.

Princeton & Historic College Towns

Princeton is home to Princeton University's Gothic and Colonial-era campus, anchored by Nassau Hall, which briefly served as the U.S. Capitol in 1783. The town's walkable downtown, Palmer Square, and the Princeton University Art Museum round out a full day trip. Nearby, Trenton, New Jersey's capital since 1790, sits on the Delaware River near the site of Washington's famous Christmas crossing, and Morristown's Revolutionary War encampment grounds are preserved as a national historical park.

The Pine Barrens & Outdoor New Jersey

Despite its density elsewhere, more than a million acres of southern New Jersey are covered by the Pine Barrens, part of the Pinelands National Reserve, the country's first national reserve and one of the largest stretches of undeveloped land on the East Coast between Boston and Richmond. The Mullica and Wading Rivers wind through the pines and are popular for canoeing and kayaking. In the north, the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area straddles the New Jersey-Pennsylvania border with hiking trails, waterfalls, and river views along the Kittatinny Ridge.

Major Cities and Places to Visit in New Jersey

• Jersey City Tours & Tickets - New Jersey's second-largest city, sitting directly across the Hudson River from Lower Manhattan with its own growing skyline and the departure point for Statue of Liberty ferries from the New Jersey side.
• Atlantic City Tours & Tickets - New Jersey's famed casino resort town on the Jersey Shore, home to the country's original Boardwalk and a bustling beachfront entertainment district.
• Cape May Tours & Tickets - A Victorian seaside town at the southern tip of New Jersey, known for gingerbread architecture, quiet beaches, and whale-watching cruises departing right from the harbor.
• Newark Tours & Tickets - New Jersey's largest city and a major transportation hub, home to Newark Liberty International Airport, the Prudential Center, and a growing arts and restaurant scene.
• Trenton Tours & Tickets - New Jersey's state capital, seated on the Delaware River near the site of Washington's famous Christmas crossing, with a domed State House dating to 1792.
• Princeton Tours & Tickets - A leafy university town in central New Jersey, home to Princeton University's Gothic and Colonial-era campus and historic Nassau Hall.
• Hoboken Tours & Tickets - A dense, walkable city on the Hudson River waterfront directly across from Manhattan, known for its brownstone-lined streets and skyline views.
• Wildwood Tours & Tickets - A classic Jersey Shore boardwalk town with wide free beaches, retro doo-wop motels, and an old-fashioned amusement pier.

Universities, Colleges and Sports Teams in New Jersey

• Princeton University in Princeton - Ivy League research university founded in 1746, one of the nine Colonial Colleges and consistently ranked among the top universities in the country.
• Rutgers University - New Jersey's flagship public research university and a member of the Big Ten, with its main campus in New Brunswick.
• New York Giants (sports team) - NFL franchise that has played home games at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey since 2010, despite the team name.
• New York Jets (sports team) - NFL franchise sharing MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey with the Giants.
• New Jersey Devils (sports team) in Newark - NHL franchise playing home games at the Prudential Center in downtown Newark.
• New York Red Bulls (sports team) - MLS franchise playing home games at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, New Jersey, just outside Newark.

New Jersey Demographics and Population

According to the 2024 American Community Survey, New Jersey has a population of approximately 9,343,809 people across 8,729 square miles, ranking it 11th among U.S. states by population. The median household income is $103,556, and the largest racial and ethnic groups are Asian (10%), White (51%), Hispanic Latino (22.5%), and Black or African American (12.2%). The median age is 40.1 years, and the per capita income is $53,118. Approximately 9.2% of residents live below the poverty line, compared to the national rate of 12.5%. New Jersey has 3,543,944 households and a mean commute time of 31.0 minutes. New Jersey has among the highest average property taxes in the country, and its economy is anchored by pharmaceuticals, finance, and logistics tied to the Port of New York and New Jersey, along with a large share of residents commuting into New York City and Philadelphia.

When to Visit New Jersey

Winter (December through February): Cold with occasional coastal storms along the Shore, but a quieter season for Atlantic City and Liberty Science Center visits without summer beach crowds. Spring (March through May): Mild and blooming, with Cape May's Victorian gardens and cherry blossoms around the state peaking in April. Summer (June through August) is the best time to visit New Jersey. Peak Jersey Shore season from Memorial Day through Labor Day, with beach towns like Cape May, Wildwood, and Point Pleasant at their busiest and liveliest. Fall (September through November): Cooler temperatures and thinner crowds along the Shore, while apple picking and harvest festivals take over farms in the northwest hills.

Frequently Asked Questions About Touring New Jersey

Official New Jersey Resources

The following official government websites provide additional planning resources, park information, and historical records for travelers visiting New Jersey.