Difference between revisions of "Newark (New Jersey)"
Revision as of 09:12, 16 January 2013Newark [1] is New Jersey's largest city, located in the heart of the Metro New York region.  Although one of the great historic cities of the Northeast and the most culturally affluent city in the state, Newark is often overlooked in favor of Goliath-like Manhattan and towns along the Hudson River, such as Jersey City and Hoboken. While no longer the industrial powerhouse it once was, Newark remains one of the America's major shipping, rail, and air hubs, Public transportation is abundant, making it easy to get to, from, and around the city. Newark has been economically disadvantaged for some time, and suffers from a bad reputation, often informed by negative stereotyping. Thanks in large part to a nationally hig-profile mayor, committed populace, and changing attitudes towards once decaying urban areas, the often proclaimed, but stunted renaissance of the Newark is steadily and substantially taking hold. The city is divided into five wards, each with it's own character.Downtown has retained much of early 20th century architecture and has an iconic skyline. Nearly 100,000 people commute to the central business district on workdays, making for a lively urban landscape. Since the millennium it has become more residential as former office buildings and warehouses, such as the art deco Eleven80 (at 1180 Raymond Blvd.), are converted to housing. A new performing arts complex and sports/concert venue and restaurants have encouraged visitors to linger longer into the night, The North Ward is home to Branch Brook Park, site of the gothic Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart and the nation's largest collection of cherry blossom trees. Surrounding neighbourhoods include architecturally interesting suburban enclaves on the east and bustling urban districts on the west. The East Ward, or the ironbound, is home to a large Portugues/Brazilian community, with a "restaurant row" offering a cornucopia of eating establishments for every budget. The South Ward, once the heart of the Jewish community and home to the Weequahic Park and other architecturally gems, has fallen on hard times, and is were much of the city's crime is concentrated.
UnderstandEnglish is the main language. As the home to many immigrants, Newark is a polygot city. The Ironbound has significant Brazilian and Portuguese population. Newark is pronounced Noo-wirk, as opposed to Newark, Delaware which is pronounced Noo-ark. Locals will often pronounce it "nork". Get inBy plane
Train service is provided by via AirTrain Newark monorail between terminals and the Newark-Liberty train station served by NJ Transit and Amtrak. Local buses include the #62 bus to Newark Penn Station and the limites stop #28 through downtown to Newark Broad Street Station (NJ Transit). Taxis charge a flat fee determined by destination. Super Shuttle, +1 973 961-2255, [3]. In the airport, shuttle or car will take you to your hotel or residence. Sample fare: airport to Manhattan Holiday Inn for $18. You do have to make reservations ahead of time. Many airlines not serving Newark Airport fly into the New York metro area at JFK or La Guardia in Queens, New York. By trainNewark Penn Station is located in the Gateway District just a few blocks from the heart of downtown Newark. It's a beautiful old McKim Mead & White building and worth visiting just on its own. It is served by Amtrak [4] and New Jersey Transit's Northeast Corridor, North Jersey Coast Line, and Raritan Valley Line, [5], with easy connections to New York, Philadelphia, Trenton, and points south and west. A PATH [6] train (the Red Line) connects Penn Station with Jersey City and the World Trade Centre. Connections to other PATH lines can be made to Hoboken, the West Village, Chelsea, and 33rd St. in Manhattan. When taking the train, realize that Newark and New York both have "Penn Stations". It is sometimes easy to mistake the conductor saying "New York" for "Newark" (and vice versa), so be aware so you don't accidentally get off at the wrong station. Broad Street Station, located at the north end of downtown is served New Jersey Transit's Montclair-Boonton line, Morristown line and Gladstone Branch lines which serve the suburbs, Hoboken Terminal, and on Midtown Direct trains, New York Penn. By carRoute 21 (McCarter Hwy) runs North-South along the railroad tracks a few blocks east of downtown. I-78 skirts the south edge of town and I-280 cuts across the north. Route 1/9 comes across the Pulaski Skyway from Jersey City and Manhattan (via the Holland Tunnel). Take the Raymond Blvd. exit and drive along the Passaic River into downtown. By busNewark Penn Station is also the city's bus terminal and is served by NJ Transit buses, as well as Greyhound [7] and others. BoltBus [8] stops outside the station, offering service from Washington, D.C., Baltimore, Philadelphia, and Boston. By boatPort Liberty Cruise Terminal is located on Upper new York Bay in Bayonne. Get aroundNew Jersey Transit operates an extensive bus system in the city and its suburbs. The Newark City Light Rail runs two lines, both originating at Penn Station. The City Subway Line (shown on maps as the blue line) has service to University Heights, Branch Brook Parkand neighboring Bloomfield The Broad Street Line (orange on maps) operates through downton between Penn Station and Broad Street Station. Taxis in Newark are metered, but often a price can be negotiated. Downtown one can hail a cab, but elsewhere a phone call is needed. See
Do
Art Galleries
Festivals
Sports
JazzNewark has a long tradition of jazz and gospel and is home to WGBO, Metro New York's jazz station. Renowned clubs are located in its suburbs, all at short ride to nearby stations of NJT's Morris and Essex Lines which depart from Broad Street Station.
Learn
Libraries
WorkNewark is home to Prudentual Insutance and PSEG (in 2013 to Panasonic). and other corporations located downtown, as are the many federal and state courthouses. University Heights is home to Rutgers, NJIT, New Jersey Medical School. Port Newark and Newark Airport combine to make the city the largest transportation and distribution center on the East Coast. Light manufacturing survives Buy
EatNewark has three "restaurant rows' downtown: Halsey Street, near the Prudential Center, and Ferry Street in the Ironbound, the latter known, its Portuguese, Brazilian and Spanish food. Budget
Mid-range
Splurge
DrinkThere is a liquor store in Penn Station. You can buy individual bottles of beer (including microbrews).
SleepBudget
Mid-rangeDowntown
AirportWhile hotels serving Newark Airport can be inexpensive ($50+ booked online; $69 walk in). some require multiple transfers with hotel shuttle to airport & NJT#62 to Penn Station. Service is sporadic, so one can sometimes expect 1 to 2 hrs each way. Those hotels located on Route 1 & 9 South/Frontage Road have NJT#40 bus service which travel between the airport and Downtown/Newark Penn on an hourly basis.
SplurgeContactNewspaperThe main newspaper of Newark is the Star Ledger [46]. New York metro newspapers are also widely available (Times, Daily News, Post). Websites
Stay safeWhile things are safer now than they were a few years ago, Newark can be unsafe if you are not careful. Downtown Newark is crowded and safe during the day. However, It thins out at night and may seem creepy but as long as you stay in well lit open areas you should be fine. The Ironbound district is pretty bumpin' on nights and weekends and is probably the safest part of the city, after Downtown and Forest Hill. If you were to go to a concert at the NJPAC or see an event at the Prudential Center you should be fine. They are well lit areas with a police presence and are the safest part of the city. The South, Central, and North, South a Wards have heavier crime rates and it pays to be more guarded in those areas. Although bustling during peak travel hours and almost completely safe in daylight, Newark Broad Street station (NJ Transit) can be very dangerous after hours and through the night when fewer people wait for trains (usually from 10pm-5am). Armed robberies are common and can occur even when you are not the only one waiting for a late train. If you do find yourself at the station after hours, wait in the lobby beneath the platform, or failing that, one of the lit waiting booths on the platform. Look confident, dignified, and do NOT display cell phones or iPods. Remember, the best advice to be given about doing business in 'stickier' neighborhoods is just keep your wits about you. If caught in a confrontation, act confident, no matter how scared you might actually be. Afterwards, make yourself scarce, fast. Remember that money and material things can be replaced, while lives cannot. Newark's community has been known to have weapons. The city has a high-rates of shootings, but are mostly in outer neighbourhoods. CopeConsulates
Get outNew York City is easily accessible by train and bus. Liberty State Park, with ferries to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island are reached by taking PATH and Hudson- Bergen Light Rail in Jersey City. Newark is in northern New Jersey, and like most places in the state, is only a short trip away from the Atlantic Ocean beaches. The closest beaches in terms of miles are those in Coney Island and Rockaway in New York, but the easier ones to get to are along the Jersey Shore, along New Jersey Transit North Jersey Coast Line. (Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/152989-beaches-near-newark-new-jersey/#ixzz29rcqpWRg) Field Station; Dinosaurs [48], is theme park exhibition is within walking distance of Secaucus Junction, one stop from Newark Penn Hitchhike Believe it or not, it is possible to hitchhike out of the New York Metro area. If you are trying to go long distances, your best bet is to take NJ Transit or Metro North far enough to put you well into the suburbs, preferably to a stop that puts you near (within walking distance of) a major highway such as an Interstate. From there, get to an on-ramp and put out your thumb. Be advised, however, that New Jersey state laws on hitchhiking are notoriously ambiguous, and you will be hassled by local police, so use common sense and discretion. If you're trying to go west into Pennsylvania, your best bet is to take NJ transit to Mt. Olive, which is only a 5-min walk from I-80, which generally carries a good amount of long-distance traffic going west.
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