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New Jersey
Curated by Our Guild Explorers · Updated August 2026
The Garden State · Capital: Trenton · The Northeast
Boardwalk beaches, Victorian Cape May and a front-row seat to New York.
Why go
What makes New Jersey worth the trip.
The Jersey Shore
Miles of boardwalk beach towns.
Cape May
One of America's finest collections of Victorian houses.
Big-city access
Minutes from Manhattan and Philadelphia.
New Jersey on the map
The capital and the places worth building a trip around. Click a marker for a quick note and hotels.
New Jersey — State Facts
A short history
Before European contact, the Lenape (Delaware) Nation farmed and fished New Jersey's rivers and coastline for thousands of years. Dutch and Swedish settlers arrived in the 1600s, followed by the English, who folded the colony into their holdings in 1664. Its position between New York and Philadelphia made it a corridor colony from the start, crisscrossed by armies during the American Revolution, when more battles were fought here than in any other colony.
New Jersey became the third state to ratify the Constitution in December 1787. The 19th and 20th centuries brought heavy industry to cities like Newark and Trenton, alongside a booming Atlantic shore resort economy anchored by Atlantic City's famous boardwalk, opened in 1870. Thomas Edison's Menlo Park laboratory, meanwhile, made the state a genuine cradle of American invention.
Today New Jersey pairs dense, diverse suburbs commuting into New York City and Philadelphia with surprising rural and coastal stretches. Pharmaceuticals, finance, and logistics anchor the economy, while the Jersey Shore's boardwalks, Cape May's Victorian streets, and the Pine Barrens' quiet forests give the small, crowded state real variety.
New Jersey earned the 'Garden State' nickname in the 1870s for its unusually productive farmland along the coastal plain, and Cape May was one of America's very first seaside resorts, drawing vacationers by steamboat as early as the 1800s.
Where to go
The signature places to build a trip around.
Trenton
New Jersey's capital on the Delaware River, rich in Revolutionary War history.
Selected hotels
Cape May
Gingerbread mansions, birdwatching and a gentle beach.
Selected hotels
Atlantic City
Boardwalk, casinos and Atlantic surf.
Selected hotels
Princeton
An Ivy League campus and pretty colonial town.
Selected hotels
Delaware Water Gap
River valley scenery in the northwest.
Selected hotels
Everyone piles onto the Seaside boardwalk in July — instead, hit Cape May in late May, when the Victorian porches are freshly painted, the birders are out at dawn for the spring migration, and you can still get a dinner reservation.
When to go
Summer for the shore; spring and autumn for the towns.
Winter (Dec–Feb)
Cold with occasional snow; a quiet season along the shore but lively in Newark and Jersey City near New York.
Spring (Mar–May)
Mild and blooming, a comfortable time to explore Princeton and Cape May before crowds arrive.
Summer (Jun–Aug)
Peak season on the Jersey Shore, with warm beaches, boardwalks, and busy resort towns.
Autumn (Sep–Nov)
Crisp air, thinning crowds, and pleasant temperatures for touring the shore towns and countryside.
New Jersey FAQ
What is the capital of New Jersey?
Trenton is the capital of New Jersey.
What is the largest city in New Jersey?
Newark is the largest city in New Jersey.
When did New Jersey become a state?
New Jersey became the 3rd U.S. state on December 18, 1787.
What is New Jersey known for?
New Jersey is known for boardwalk beaches, Victorian Cape May and a front-row seat to New York.
When is the best time to visit New Jersey?
Summer for the shore; spring and autumn for the towns.
Plan your New Jersey trip
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