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Want to explore New Jersey? Consider Atlantic City as a jumping-off point. Known as A.C., this historic coastal resort is famous for its casinos, boardwalk, and iconic Steel Pier.
Steel Pier dates back to 1898 and remains one of Atlantic City's most popular tourist attractions. Essentially a carnival-style amusement park, the pier features among its rides an enormous Ferris Wheel that affords passengers a jaw-dropping view of the city and the Jersey Shore.
Several historic and cultural attractions are to be found within the vicinity of Atlantic City. The Absecon Lighthouse is the tallest lighthouse in New Jersey and dates back to 1856. It overlooks Absecon Inlet, a narrow strait on the southeastern coast of the state.
Make sure to visit Cape May. The entire city is designated the Cape May Historic District, a National Historic Landmark due to its concentration of beautifully-preserved Victorian buildings.
Shining another light over the Jersey Shore is the Cape May Point Lighthouse, built in 1859 and still casting a bright beam over the tip of the Cape May peninsula, which incidentally is renowned for its superb beaches.
Still in Cape May is the engaging Emlen Physick Estate Museum. Previously owned by one Dr. Emlen Physick Jr. (1855-1916), the property is today preserved as another fine example of Victorian-era architecture. Guided tours are offered year-round.
Set on Upper New York Bay, Liberty State Park is crisscrossed by several footpaths and provides access to a designated nature reserve. The skyscraper views across the water are truly inspiring. From the park, ferries travel to both Ellis Island and the Immigration Museum and Liberty Island, site of the Statue of Liberty.
Liberty State Park impresses with two very important monuments. The Empty Sky memorial consists of two 64-m-long (210 ft) steel walls with the names of those victims of the tragic events of 9/11 who had ties to New Jersey. A fragment of one of the towers is placed at the foot of the structure.
The park's other equally sobering monument is known as Liberation—a sculpture depicting an American World War II soldier assisting a camp survivor and dedicated to the Holocaust.
Straddling the border of New Jersey and Pennsylvania is the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. Set along the middle section of the Delaware River, this protected national park serves as a outdoor pursuits destination as well as region noted for its variety of wildlife.
Millbrook Village, part of the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, is a recreated community of the 1800s that's located near Hardwick. Inside the many authentic-looking buildings are displays of traditional crafts.
New Jersey is where the small town of Princeton is located. The destination is world renowned for its university, established in 1756. Princeton has graduated over 70 Nobel laureates, among them Albert Einstein, and numerous living industry and media tycoons and foreign heads of state.
Nearby Princeton Battlefield State Park marks the site of the Battle of Princeton of 1777, which resulted in George Washington's victory over the British in the American Revolutionary War. The Clarke House Museum still stands as the hospital used by troops from both sides of the conflict.
Anyone with an interest in naval history should make a point of boarding the USS New Jersey, the US Navy's most decorated vessel. Decommissioned in 1991, the battleship is now a floating museum. You can even opt to overnight on board in cabin lodgings. It's advised to book a month ahead due to high demand.
Looking for some great family entertainment? Pop over to Camden and the Adventure Aquarium, home to more than 8,500 marine animals, including ever-popular sharks.
The freshwater and marine habitats also support animals like this pair of hippos. In fact, the Adventure Aquarium is the only aquarium in the United States with a Nile hippopotamus exhibit.
Get close and personal with more animal life at the Cape May County Park & Zoo. Exotic African wildlife species, including zebra, can be admired here.
Thomas Edison (1847–1931) is credited with several ground-breaking inventions, including the electric light bulb, the phonograph, and the motion picture camera. His home, Glenmont in West Orange (pictured), is now an excellent museum.
Edison's home was also his laboratory, and a guided tour of the premises sheds further light on his work and the processes involved.
One of New Jersey's more unusual visitor attractions is the Grounds for Sculpture museum and park in the town of Hamilton. Here you can admire over 200 large-scale works of art replicating scenes from famous paintings as well as original creations such as the 'Depression Bread Line' (pictured), by George Segal.
New Jersey is all about having fun, and located on the shoreline of the resort town of Wildwood, not far from Cape May, is the family-friendly Morey's Piers amusement and water park.
The Liberty Science Center in Jersey City affords visitors an amazing educative experience. Spend time browsing the interactive displays, which all relate to science and technology, and then look out for this fantastic dog-like robot that has a knack for retrieving shopping bags.
New Jersey's most famous son is Frank Sinatra, born in 1915 in Hoboken. His childhood home burned down in the '60s (though you can still see a blue Hollywood-style star in the sidewalk out in front of the site). Instead, the Hoboken Historical Museum pays tribute to "Ol Blue Eyes" with its own special exhibit.
Liberty Island and part of Ellis Island are located in New York, but closer to the Jersey Shore. The abandoned Ellis Island Immigration Hospital—the first public health hospital in the US— stands within Jersey City limits and can be explored on a guided tour as part of a wider visit to the statue and Ellis Island museum.
Jersey City is certainly worth a detour for the excellent Liberty Science Center and a haunting reminder of the busiest immigrant inspection station ever operated in the United States.
An architectural gem can be admired in Jersey City in the form of a late 1920's movie palace that was one of the five Loew's Wonder Theatres, a series of flagship movie palaces in the New York City area. It's currently slated for refurbishment, which is expected to begin in 2022.
The final scene in the series was filmed here, one which still baffles audiences 20 years later. The booth where Tony, his wife Carmela, and son "A.J" were sitting is preserved as a visitor attraction. It's pictured in 2013 shortly after the death of James Gandolfini, who portrayed the New Jersey-based Italian-American mobster.
Sources: (NJ 9/11 Memorial) (Courier Post) (The Sopranos Locations)
See also: Amazing movie locations you can visit
Are you a fan of 'The Sopranos'? This hit television series was filmed in and around New Jersey using all sorts of authentic locations. One of these was Holstein's Ice Cream Parlor in Bloomfield.
Be sure to check what's on at Boardwalk Hall. Opened in 1929, this huge arena is one of the few buildings still standing from the resort's heyday. Still in use, it's home to the Miss America Pageant but hosts numerous shows and sporting events.
The first boardwalk built in Atlantic City was back in 1870. The famous promenade stretches for 6 km (4 mi) along the seafront and is where most of the city's sightseeing opportunities are found.
Famous acts who've played the Boardwalk Hall include Judy Garland and, in 1964, the Beatles. The audience for that concert (pictured) went wild with excitement.
New Jersey is one of the smallest states in the US. But what it lacks in size it makes up for in a wealth of big-deal visitor attractions and top tourist draws. From the boardwalk of Atlantic City to the historic Cape May peninsula, there's always something new to see in the Garden State.
Thinking of visiting? Then click through for ideas of where to go and what to see.
Why New Jersey is a sure bet
Today is National New Jersey Day!
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New Jersey is one of the smallest states in the US. But what it lacks in size it makes up for in a wealth of big-deal visitor attractions and top tourist draws. From the boardwalk of Atlantic City to the historic Cape May peninsula, there's always something new to see in the Garden State.
Thinking of visiting? Then click through for ideas of where to go and what to see.