The Garden State and Its Shore
New Jersey is a state on the north-east coast of the United States, known for the Jersey Shore, its boardwalks, and the Garden State's farm stands and orchards. It lies between New York City and Philadelphia, yet it has a very distinct personality: over a hundred miles of Atlantic coastline, quiet pine forests, rolling farmland and a scatter of historic college towns. Locals take pride in everything from summer tomatoes and blueberries to diners that stay open late and a long tradition of seaside holidays.
The shore is the great draw. Asbury Park, associated with Bruce Springsteen and the Stone Pony, has become a lively spot for music, murals and beachfront dining. Further south, Cape May is a Victorian seaside town with painted houses, gardens and a long tradition of birdwatching. Atlantic City, home of America's first boardwalk, opened in 1870, offers entertainment on a grand scale. A tourist board can showcase a different shore mood for every kind of traveller.
Princeton, Pine Barrens and Water Gap
Inland, the state rewards curiosity. Princeton combines a handsome university campus with leafy streets, bookshops and independent restaurants, while Hoboken and Jersey City give striking skyline views across the Hudson to Manhattan. In the south, the Pine Barrens spread across a vast area of quiet forest and cranberry bogs, a very different New Jersey from the coastal towns.
To the north-west, the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area offers hiking, paddling and waterfalls in a ridge-lined river gorge, and High Point gives views across three states. Wineries, farm markets and craft breweries add flavour to weekend drives, and the wider region links neatly to Philadelphia across the Delaware River. A hotel group can package a seaside stay with a day trip to Princeton or the mountains.
Read the full New Jersey guide on Visit Travel Group, or see VisitNewJersey.co.uk on Visit Travel Group.