Stand on Broad Street at the edge of Military Park and you can see the shape of Newark in one turn: a downtown green that began as a militia training ground, the Wars of America monument by Gutzon Borglum, and, a short ride north, the twin spires of the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart rising over Branch Brook Park. The city rewards a visitor who moves between its neighbourhoods rather than staying in one place.
Newark suits travellers who like art and architecture, live music and gospel, big parks, and food streets that reflect a multicultural city. It also works well as a stop for anyone passing through the New York metropolitan area, since Newark Liberty International Airport is a major air hub for the region.
This guide covers the sights and experiences worth your time, with practical notes on when to go and what to combine. It draws on the places named in the source material for Newark, New Jersey.
Top things to do in Newark
1. Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart
A French Gothic-styled cathedral north of downtown Newark, across from Branch Brook Park and reachable by light rail. It holds upwards of 200 stained glass windows and 14 giant bells cast in Italy, and it hosts symphony orchestras and other concerts in addition to serving as the mother church for the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark.
Pair it with Branch Brook Park, which is directly across the street and offers views back toward the cathedral. The address is 89 Ridge St.
2. Branch Brook Park
Open meadowland and small patches of woodland on gently rolling terrain, with more than 4,100 cherry trees that blossom during April. The collection is greater both in variety and number than the trees in Washington, D.C. The park includes spectacular views of the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart.
Come in April for the blossoms, and check the Cherry Blossom Festival, held in the park that month. The park is accessible by light rail; the entrance is at Park Ave & Lake St.
3. The Newark Museum of Art
A museum complex incorporating 80 galleries of art and science, a mini zoo, a planetarium, a cafe, an auditorium, a sculpture garden, a schoolhouse from the 1780s, and the Ballantine House, the restored 1885 mansion that is a National Historic Landmark.
It is open Wednesday to Sunday, noon to 5PM, at 49 Washington St. Suggested admission is $10 for adults and $6 for children, seniors, students and veterans; the planetarium is an additional $5 for adults and $3 for children, seniors and students.
4. Military Park
A downtown park that began as a militia training green in the 1600s. Its Wars of America monument is an imposing work by Gutzon Borglum, the artist behind Mount Rushmore.
In summer on Thursdays the park hosts Common Greens, a farmers market. It sits on Broad St between Rector St and Raymond Blvd, an easy stop while walking downtown.
5. Prudential Center
A performance and sports venue on Mulberry St, across from Triangle Park and one block west of Penn Station. It hosts the NHL's New Jersey Devils, Seton Hall University basketball, New Jersey Ironmen indoor soccer, and concerts. It is also home to the New Jersey Devils and hosts other college and professional teams, including the Seton Hall Pirates and the NJIT Highlanders.
Check the schedule before you travel if a game or concert is the reason for your trip, and note the venue's second listing address at 25 Lafayette St.
6. New Jersey Performing Arts Center
A performance venue at 1 Center St, with a toll-free line at +1 888-466-5722. It is one of the city's main stages for concerts and touring shows.
Combine an evening performance with dinner downtown, since the venue sits in the centre of the city within reach of the other downtown sights.
7. Newark Symphony Hall
A performance venue at 1020 Broad St, reachable at +1 973-643-8468. It adds another option for live programming to a visit built around the city's larger stages.
Because it sits on Broad St, it pairs naturally with a walk that takes in Military Park and the downtown core.
8. World Cup Corner Mural
A large three-wall outdoor mural completed in 2025 by Newark artist Unicorn151 with collaborators Torch Fuego and Knod The Artist. It celebrates global football culture and the multicultural Ironbound neighbourhood, and it is one of Newark's most photographed public artworks.
Find it at 620 Market Street, at the intersection of Market Street and Somme Street in the Ironbound district. It is free to visit, viewable 24 hours, and easily seen from the sidewalk; the surrounding neighbourhood has restaurants, shops and transit stops within a short walk.
9. Heal The World Mural (Autism Awareness)
A vibrant mural created in 2024 by Newark artist Unicorn151 with Suliman Onque. Bright colours and puzzle-inspired imagery highlight neurodiversity, family and community healing.
It is at 39-41 Abbotsford Avenue, best viewed from directly across the street at 10 Derby Street in East Orange. It is free, visible from the sidewalk 24 hours a day, and sits in a quiet residential area, so visit respectfully.
10. The Priory
A venue at 233 West Market Street with a Friday night and Sunday brunch jazz series. Newark has a long tradition of jazz and gospel, and this is one of the named places to hear it.
Pair a Friday evening set with a downtown afternoon, or make the Sunday brunch series the centrepiece of a slower weekend morning.
11. Greater Abyssinian Baptist Church
One of the local churches that have been a breeding ground for numerous R&B singers. Newark's churches welcome respectful guests, and the city's gospel tradition runs through them.
It is at 88 Lyons Avenue, reachable at +1 973-923-5205. Dress and behave as you would for any place of worship, and remember that services are acts of worship first.
12. New Hope Baptist Church
Another of the city's churches rooted in Newark's gospel and R&B heritage. It is at 106 Sussex Avenue, reachable at +1 973-622-4547.
If you plan to attend a service, arrive early and follow the congregation's lead on when it is appropriate to come and go.
13. Newark Gospel Tabernacle
A church at 985 South Orange Avenue, reachable at +1 973-399-2507, and part of the gospel tradition that has shaped the city's music.
It sits away from the downtown cluster, so treat a visit as its own trip rather than something to squeeze between other sights.
14. Weequahic Park
A very big park with a golf course and a large lake, designed by the Olmsted Brothers. It offers a different scale of green space from the downtown parks.
It is at Elizabeth Ave & Meeker Ave; if driving, take the Elizabeth Ave exit from Route 78 West.
15. New Jersey Historical Society
A historical society at 52 Park Pl, reachable at +1 973-596-8500 and open Tuesday to Saturday, noon to 5PM. It is a useful stop for context on the city before or after you walk its downtown.
It sits near the downtown core, so it fits neatly alongside Military Park and The Newark Museum of Art.
If you only have one day
Morning. Start at the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart on Ridge St, then walk across to Branch Brook Park. If you are visiting in April, the cherry trees will be in blossom and the Cherry Blossom Festival takes place in the park that month.
Afternoon. Head downtown to The Newark Museum of Art on Washington St, which is open Wednesday to Sunday, noon to 5PM. Afterwards, walk to Military Park on Broad St to see the Wars of America monument, and if it is a summer Thursday, catch Common Greens, the park's farmers market.
Evening. Choose a performance at Prudential Center, the New Jersey Performing Arts Center, or Newark Symphony Hall, depending on what is on. If your visit falls on a Friday, The Priory's Friday night jazz series on West Market Street is another way to close the day.
Frequently asked questions
When should you visit Newark to see the cherry blossoms?
The cherry trees in Branch Brook Park blossom during April, and the Cherry Blossom Festival is held in the park that month. The park holds more than 4,100 cherry trees, greater in variety and number than those in Washington, D.C.
Which Newark sights are free to visit?
The World Cup Corner Mural at 620 Market Street and the Heal The World Mural at 39-41 Abbotsford Avenue are both free to visit and viewable from the sidewalk 24 hours a day. The Newark Museum of Art has a suggested admission rather than a fixed ticket price.
Where can you hear jazz and gospel in Newark?
The Priory at 233 West Market Street runs a Friday night and Sunday brunch jazz series. Greater Abyssinian Baptist Church, New Hope Baptist Church and Newark Gospel Tabernacle are among the local churches that have been a breeding ground for numerous R&B singers, and they welcome respectful guests.
How do you get around Newark's main sights?
The Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart is north of downtown, across from Branch Brook Park, and is accessible by light rail. Branch Brook Park is also accessible by light rail. Prudential Center sits across from Triangle Park and one block west of Penn Station, which makes the downtown sights easy to link on foot.
Pick your month around the blossoms, a festival or a game, and you can build a Newark trip that fits the time you have.