Edison travel guide

Edison, United States

By the Travel Wiki editorial team

Edison

Introduction

Edison is a township in Middlesex County, in Central New Jersey, set within the Raritan Valley region. It functions as a commercial hub and as a bedroom community of New York City, placing it within the New York metropolitan area.

Your sense of the place comes from that dual role: a township with its own commercial life that also serves as a base for people tied to the larger metropolitan region around it.

Getting there

If you're flying in, Newark Liberty International Airport is the nearest option, about a 40-minute drive from Edison. By car, take the Garden State Parkway and use exits 130 or 131 for Iselin, Rahway or Metuchen.

By rail, NJ Transit's Northeast Corridor line serves the area. Which station you choose depends on where you're headed: Edison, Metuchen and Metropark are all useful stops.

Getting around

Edison is a sprawling township rather than a place with a single dense downtown, so the places you'll want to visit cluster around individual train stations and along the main roads. The Northeast Corridor line of NJ Transit is the backbone of public transport here, and three stations serve the area: Edison, Metuchen and Metropark. All three sit on the same line, so you can move between them by train rather than by road. Decide which station is closest to your destination before you book accommodation or make plans, because your choice of arrival station often determines how much you can do on foot. Treat the train as your primary fixed-route public transport option and plan the other legs of your trip around it; NJ Transit is the operator to look to for schedules and fares.

Walkability in Edison is local rather than township-wide. You can expect a walkable cluster of restaurants and attractions around the right station, but you shouldn't assume you can walk from one part of the township to another. For anything beyond the immediate station area, arrange a taxi, rideshare or car — these are also the most straightforward option if you're staying somewhere that isn't near one of the three stations. If you're arriving by air, Newark Liberty International Airport is the nearest, roughly a 40-minute drive away; by car the route runs down the Garden State Parkway, taking exits 130 or 131 for Iselin, Rahway and Metuchen. If you'd rather not drive, the same Northeast Corridor line connects the Newark Liberty area with the township's stations, making the train a practical alternative for the airport leg.

Where to stay

Edison's lodging is concentrated in the Raritan Center area, a business-park district where the Sheraton Edison Hotel Raritan Center and the Hilton Garden Inn – Edison both sit on Raritan Center Parkway. Both are aimed squarely at business travellers and offer free high-speed internet access, so they suit you if you need a reliable base for meetings in the corridor.

If you'd rather have free parking and an on-site restaurant for all three meals, the Courtyard Edison Woodbridge on Woodbridge Avenue is the more self-contained choice, though it sits away from the Raritan Center cluster.

Food & drink

Edison's food scene reflects the township's South Asian community, and Oak Tree Road is where you'll find much of it. Mithaas, whose name means "sweetness" in Hindi, serves Indian desserts, snacks and non-alcoholic drinks — the snacks are substantial enough to make a meal of, and the mango lassi is just right. The place is completely vegetarian. Nearby, Ming offers a sample of what Indians have done to Chinese cuisine; it's well patronized, so call ahead for a reservation or expect a wait. For quality Indian food off US Highway 1, Akbar is a solid choice, with a lunch buffet available.

Elsewhere in town, Harolds New York Deli is a Jewish deli known for huge sandwiches, plus a very good salad bar and desserts — a little pricey but worth it. For a quick bite, Super Duper Deli II is a good sub shop where the cold cuts usually beat the hot subs. Skylark Diner serves generally good entrees (the Lebanese Wrap is the standout) and is one of the few diners in New Jersey with a liquor license. Le Peep is a very good breakfast spot, and Ferraros Restaurant & Pizzaria ranks among the better pizzerias in Edison, with good dinners too. For Korean food, try New Keum Ho Jung in the shopping center at Old Post and Vineyard Roads. To drink, head to Elixir Bar & Grill on Woodbridge Avenue.

What to see and do

Edison's main sight is the Thomas Alva Edison Memorial Tower and Menlo Park Museum on Christie Street, built on the site of Edison's laboratory at Menlo Park. Inside, the museum displays his inventions, including the phonograph, some light bulbs and a 1929 Edison 'Light-O-Matic' Radio. Admission is free, though donations are welcome. For something outdoors, head to Roosevelt Park, which opened in 1933 and is the oldest park in Middlesex County.

Three days in Edison

Day one: Settle into your base in Edison, whether that's the Sheraton Edison Hotel Raritan Center, the Hilton Garden Inn on Raritan Center Parkway, or the Courtyard Edison Woodbridge on Woodbridge Avenue. Both the Hilton Garden Inn and the Courtyard have useful on-site options — the Bistro and a Starbucks — for an easy start. Once you're settled, head to Oak Tree Road to explore the South Asian shops and restaurants that give Edison much of its character, and plan your meals around the area's Indian cooking.

Day two: Use the Northeast Corridor to your advantage. NJ Transit stops at Metropark in Iselin and at Rahway and Metuchen, making it straightforward to reach New York City for a day of sightseeing. If you'd rather stay closer to base, explore the Raritan Valley and Central New Jersey at a slower pace, or treat yourself to a meal in Metuchen or Iselin.

Day three: Decide how to spend your final day based on your departure. Newark Liberty International Airport is close by, and the Garden State Parkway makes driving connections simple. If you have time before your flight, walk around Edison and pick up provisions for the journey, or fit in one more meal on Oak Tree Road.

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