Newark travel guide

Newark, United States

By the Travel Wiki editorial team

Newark

Introduction

Newark is the largest city in New Jersey, the seat of Essex County, and one of the principal cities of the New York metropolitan area. It sits within the orbit of New York City, which shapes its role as a major urban center in the region.

Before you go

Newark is pronounced "Noo-wirk," unlike Newark, Delaware, which is pronounced "Noo-ark"; locals often shorten it to "Nork" or "Nerk." English is the main language, though the Ironbound has a significant Brazilian and Portuguese population, and the city is divided into five wards, each with its own character. Downtown retains much early 20th century architecture and an iconic skyline, and has become more residential since the millennium as former office buildings and warehouses are converted to housing, with restaurants and venues drawing visitors into the night along Halsey Street and Edison Street. The North Ward holds Branch Brook Park, with its cherry blossom trees, and the neo-Gothic Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart. The East Ward, or Ironbound, is home to a large Portuguese and Brazilian community and a "restaurant row" with eating establishments for every budget. The South Ward, once the heart of the Jewish community and home to Weequahic Park, has fallen on hard times and is where much of the city's crime is concentrated. The West Ward, including Vailsburg, is a working and middle class neighborhood.

Newark carries a somewhat undeserved reputation for high crime dating back to the 1960s riots, though crime has dropped significantly and the overall rate is at record lows not seen in decades. Car theft and carjackings are the biggest crimes, followed by home invasions. Downtown is crowded and safe during the day but empties out at night; stick to well lit open areas. The Ironbound is busy on nights and weekends and is probably the safest part of the city, behind Downtown and residential Forest Hill, and you should be fine attending events at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center, the New Jersey Symphony Hall, or the Prudential Center, which are well lit with a police presence. The North, Central, and especially South Wards have heavier crime rates, so be more guarded there. Newark Broad Street station, bustling and almost completely safe in daylight, can be very dangerous after hours and through the night when fewer people wait for trains; armed robberies are common, so wait in the lobby beneath the platform or a lit waiting booth, and do not display cell phones or iPods.

Getting there

Newark is easy to reach by air, with Newark Liberty International Airport located just south of downtown and serving as a major hub for United Airlines alongside numerous domestic and international carriers. From the airport, AirTrain Newark shuttles between the parking facilities, terminals, and the train station, where frequent New Jersey Transit service reaches downtown in about ten minutes. NJ Transit bus #62 and the limited-stop GoBus 28 also run to downtown, the latter continuing on to North Newark, and taxi service is based on a flat fee determined by destination and paid before the trip begins. Travelers flying carriers that do not serve Newark directly can use JFK International Airport or LaGuardia Airport in Queens, New York. By train, Newark Penn Station sits a few blocks from the heart of downtown in a beautiful old McKim, Mead & White building worth visiting on its own. Amtrak routes stopping there include the Acela, Cardinal, Carolinian, Crescent, Keystone, Northeast Regional, Palmetto, Pennsylvanian, Silver Meteor, Silver Star, and Vermonter, while New Jersey Transit's Northeast Corridor, North Jersey Coast Line, and Raritan Valley Line offer easy connections to New York, Philadelphia, Trenton, and other points south and west. PATH's NWK-WTC line links Penn Station with Jersey City and the World Trade Center in Lower Manhattan, with connections to Hoboken and 33rd Street in Manhattan. Newark Broad Street Station is served by New Jersey Transit's Montclair-Boonton Line, Morristown Line, and Gladstone Branch. Note that both Newark and New York have "Penn Stations," so listen carefully to avoid getting off at the wrong one. By car, Route 21 runs north-south a few blocks east of downtown, I-78 skirts the city's south edge, and Interstate 95 cuts through the city, connecting it with Trenton, Philadelphia, and New York. Newark Penn Station also serves as the city's bus terminal, with NJ Transit local and regional buses, Greyhound, and others; FlixBus stops outside the station with service from Washington, D.C., Baltimore, Philadelphia, and Boston.

Getting around

For most trips, Newark Penn Station is your anchor: it's the arrival point for Amtrak, New Jersey Transit, and PATH trains, doubles as the city's bus terminal, and is the origin of both Newark Light Rail lines. From there, downtown is compact enough to walk — Penn Station sits just a few blocks from the heart of downtown, so short hops to nearby hotels, offices, and attractions are reasonable on foot. For longer journeys, use the rail, light rail, and bus networks instead.

Where to stay

Downtown Newark has the widest choice of places to stay, from budget options to mid-range chains. For a cheap and convenient base, the Newark YMCA on Washington Park is described as courteous and clean. The Hotel Riveria on Clinton Avenue offers an at-your-own-risk bargain in an up-and-coming historic district. Mid-range travellers can choose the Comfort Suites on McCarter Hwy, the Courtyard Newark Downtown adjacent to the Prudential Center, or the DoubleTree by Hilton Newark Penn Station in Gateway Center, which is within walking distance of local attractions and connected by skywalk to the train station, giving easy connections to Manhattan and the airport. The Robert Treat Hotel on Park Place runs free guest shuttles to both Newark Penn Station and Newark Airport; rooms at the back have views of Manhattan, while those at the front look out over Military Park and Broad Street, with NJPAC across the street. The TRYP Hotel on Park Street is a boutique option near NJPAC and Military Park. Two further mid-range choices sit just across the river in Harrison: the Element Harrison Newark, next to the Harrison PATH station, and the Hampton Inn & Suites on Passaic Ave.

If you need to be near the airport, a cluster of hotels serves Newark Liberty International Airport. Some are inexpensive, but be aware that reaching them can involve multiple transfers using hotel shuttles and the NJT #62 bus to Penn Station, and service is sporadic, so journeys of one to two hours each way are sometimes possible. Hotels on Route 1 & 9 South/Frontage Road have NJT #40 bus service between the airport and Downtown/Newark Penn on an hourly basis. Options include the Courtyard Newark Liberty International Airport, Best Western Newark Airport West, Fairfield Inn & Suites Newark Liberty International Airport, Holiday Inn on Frontage Rd, the Newark Liberty International Airport Marriott, which is within walking distance of the terminals, and SpringHill Suites Newark Liberty International Airport.

Food & drink

Newark has three downtown restaurant rows: around the Prudential Center, along Halsey Street, and Ferry Street in the Ironbound. The Ironbound is the one to head for if you want Portuguese, Brazilian and Latino cooking, and Ferry Street itself is lined with places to eat. For a classic diner meal, Central Restaurant sits at the corner of Central Avenue and Halsey. On Ferry Street you'll find Ferry Street Barbeque, Verde's Bakery, and Sol-Mar Marisqueira & Restaurant, a Portuguese spot known for large portions, delicious fish, and some of the best sangria in the neighbourhood. Sabor Latino Restaurant, on Wilson Avenue in the Ironbound, serves Latin food. Elsewhere in the city, Boi Na Brasa and Brasilia Grille fly the Brazilian flag, while The Yard, by the WBGO studios in Military Park, does plain and designer burgers at lunch and dinner, and Krugs Tavern offers a bar menu.

If you're after a splurge, the Portuguese and Spanish kitchens are where to spend: Fornos of Spain and Spanish Tavern on and near Ferry Street, Fernandes Steak House on Fleming Avenue, and Don Pepe on McCarter Highway. Lit21 is another mid-range option on McCarter Highway. For drinks, there's a liquor store in Penn Station where you can buy individual bottles of beer, including microbrews, and Blitz Sports Bar on Wilson Avenue in the Ironbound keeps late hours.

What to see and do

Start with the city's art and history. The Newark Museum of Art holds dozens of galleries of art and science along with a planetarium, sculpture garden, and the restored Ballantine House, an 1885 mansion that is a National Historic Landmark. Smaller contemporary spaces include Aljira, City Without Walls, and Gallery Aferro, while the New Jersey Historical Society covers the region's past. North of downtown, the French Gothic Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart faces Branch Brook Park and hosts concerts in addition to serving as the mother church of the archdiocese. Outdoors, large murals have turned building facades into canvases, particularly in the Ironbound and South Ward; the World Cup Corner mural celebrates global football culture, and the Heal The World mural uses bright colors and puzzle imagery to highlight neurodiversity.

For green space, Branch Brook Park's meadows and woodland are known for their cherry trees, which blossom in April and draw crowds to the Cherry Blossom Festival. Military Park downtown began as a militia training green and holds a farmers market on summer Thursdays, while Weequahic Park offers a golf course and a large lake. The Prudential Center hosts the New Jersey Devils and college basketball, and the New Jersey Performing Arts Center and Newark Symphony Hall stage concerts and performances. The city's jazz and gospel tradition lives on at venues such as The Priory and at churches including Greater Abyssinian Baptist, New Hope Baptist, and Newark Gospel Tabernacle. Festivals fill the calendar through the year, among them the Brazilian and Portugal Day celebrations in the Ironbound, the Geraldine Dodge Poetry Festival, the Lincoln Park Music Festival, GospelFest, the Newark Black Film Festival, and Open Doors, a city-wide studio and gallery tour.

Three days in Newark

Day one: Start in Downtown, where Halsey Street and Edison Street give you a feel for the city's commercial core. Continue to the New Jersey Performing Arts Center and New Jersey Symphony Hall, and take in the Gothic Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart. Round off the day with dinner in the Ironbound, where Brazilian and Portuguese kitchens set the tone.

Day two: Head north to Branch Brook Park and the North Ward, then explore Forest Hill. In the evening, catch an event at the Prudential Center, or simply wander the streets of the Ironbound for a second look at its Brazilian and Portuguese restaurants.

Day three: Move through the East Ward and the South Ward, pausing at Weequahic Park, then continue into the West Ward and Vailsburg. If you're departing, Newark Broad Street and Newark Liberty International Airport, served by United Airlines, connect you onward to New York City and the wider region.

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