Founded in the Mid-Atlantic region of America, New Jersey is the 4th smallest state when measured physically but has the 11th largest population. Due to its small size but high population, NJ actually has the highest population-density rating in the country. Certain attractions may be temporarily closed or require advance reservations. Some restaurants are currently offering pickup only. Hours/availability may have changed.
1.The Largest City in New Jersey - Newark
Newark is the largest city in New Jersey. This city is located in the northern part of NJ in Essex County, of which it is the county seat. Newark is measured at around 26 square miles and is home to approximately 285,000 people, making it the 70th most populous municipality in the United States, according to the latest figures.
Newark's history goes back to 1666 when it was founded by Puritans from the New Haven Colony in Connecticut, making it one of the oldest cities in the country. It was founded at the mouth of the Passaic River and developed strongly over the years, partly due to its close proximity to New York City. Newark is famously home to Newark Liberty International Airport, one of the three main airports serving NYC and one of the busiest airports in the country.
2.The Second Largest City in New Jersey - Jersey City
Jersey City is the 2nd most populous city in New Jersey. This city is located in Hudson County, of which it is the county seat, in the northeast zone of NJ. Jersey City measures up at approximately 21.08 square miles and is home to an approximate population of 270,000 people. Jersey City has strong connections with New York City and is part of the New York metro area, having transport links over to areas like Manhattan.
A key economic and financial city, Jersey City has been nicknamed 'Wall Street West' due to its many banks and financial organizations. It has also been nicknamed the 'Sixth Borough' due to its proximity and connections with the five boroughs that make up New York City.
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3.The Third Largest City in New Jersey - Paterson
Paterson has the third highest population in New Jersey. This city, like most of the other largest cities in New Jersey, is found in the northeast section of NJ, just outside New York City. Paterson is located in Passaic County, of which it is the county seat, and is sized at just 8.7 square miles. The approximate population of Paterson is close to 150,000, making it one of the most densely-populated states in the entire country.
Known as 'Silk City', Paterson has a rich history associated with silk production. The city is also known for its cultural diversity, having a higher ratio of Muslin inhabitants than almost any other city in the United States and attracting many immigrants from all around Asia and the Middle East.
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4.Cities in New Jersey - Elizabeth
Elizabeth is the fourth largest city in New Jersey. This city is the county seat of Union County is located in the northeast area of NJ, close by to New York City and most of the other major cities of New Jersey like Jersey City and Newark. Elizabeth measures up at over 13 square miles and is home to around 130,000 people. This city was originally known as Elizabethtown and was founded in the 1660s by English settlers.
Some people tend to assume that the city must have been named in honor of Queen Elizabeth, but it was actually named after the wife of Sir George Carteret, who was one of the original Lords Proprietor of New Jersey when it was a British colony. This city, like many others around New Jersey, has close ties with New York, with many of its residents traveling into NYC for work.
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5.Cities in New Jersey - Lakewood Township
Lakewood Township is the 5th most populous city in New Jersey and is the only one of the top five biggest cities in the state not to be located in the northeast section. Lakewood Township is located in a more central-eastern location in the Garden State and is situated in Ocean County. This township measures up at almost 25 square miles in size and is home to an approximate population of 102,000 people.
Records of European settlements in the Lakewood Township area go back to the late 18th century, with the area originally being known as Bricksburg in honor of its founder, Joseph W. Brick, but was renamed to Lakewood for marketing reasons as the city developed into a popular winter resort location. Many hotels were opened up in this area through the late 19th century and early 20th century, but the town's status as a resort location gradually faded away over the years.
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6.More Info About Cities in New Jersey
Nicknamed the 'Garden State', New Jersey covers an area of just over 8,700 square miles of land and is home to an approximate population of 8.9 million people. It's one of the wealthiest states, with a median household income of over $68,000 being the 7th highest in the nation.
New Jersey has borders with New York, Delaware, and Pennsylvania, with a stretch of shoreline, famously known as the Jersey Shore, looking out onto the Atlantic Ocean.
This state uniquely lies within entirely within the greater metropolitan areas of two cities - New York and Philadelphia - that aren't actually located in the state itself. This means that New Jersey has close ties with both NYC and Philadelphia, with many of its inhabitants actually working in one of the big cities and commuting in and out of the state each day.
The state capital of New Jersey is Trenton, but its biggest city is Newark. Read on for more info on Newark and detailed breakdowns of some of the other largest cities in New Jersey.
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5 of the Largest Cities in New Jersey
- The Largest City in New Jersey - Newark, Photo: Christopher Boswell/stock.adobe.com
- The Second Largest City in New Jersey - Jersey City, Photo: jovannig/stock.adobe.com
- The Third Largest City in New Jersey - Paterson, Photo: mandritoiu/stock.adobe.com
- Cities in New Jersey - Elizabeth, Photo: demerzel21/stock.adobe.com
- Cities in New Jersey - Lakewood Township, Photo: bilanol/stock.adobe.com
- More Info About Cities in New Jersey, Photo: Oleksii/stock.adobe.com
- Cover Photo: SeanPavonePhoto/stock.adobe.com
Attraction Spotlight: Atlantic City Aquarium, New Jersey
The Atlantic City Aquarium has been serving Atlantic City, New Jersey residents and visitors since 1999. Its exhibits feature all manner of sea-life, including reptiles, amphibians, invertebrates, mammals, and of course, fish. The Aquarium is located at the Historic Gardener's Basin, surrounded by breathtaking ocean views. Originally incorporated in 1976, in order to protect and preserve the area.
The mission of the organization is to educate the community about the local environment and its animal inhabitants, which it accomplishes through partnerships with schools, aquarium tours, and conservation efforts. Also working to preserve and promote the region's maritime history, the Gardener's Basin Park includes maritime exhibits, a crafters village, traditional fishing docks, and much more. The combination of such a robust and entertaining waterfront park with the first rate Atlantic City Aquarium make for a great day at the waterfront.
There are many creatures to see and habitats to explore at the Atlantic City Aquarium. The Aquarium's offerings are broken up into 14 primary exhibits, focusing either on specific animals, or on a specific geographic area. The animal specific exhibits cover many species from all over the world. The Moray Eel exhibit gives visitors the opportunity to view up-close these illusive creatures, where visitors can view the variety of colors in which the occur.
The ever popular Tropical Shark Touch Tank is one of the most interactive of the aquarium. More than just seeing animals through glass, visitors can reach out and touch marbled, epaulette, and white spotted Bamboo sharks. Luminous jelly fish are on display in the Moon Jellies exhibit, their stinging cells safe behind glass. Brightly colored and well known favorites can be seen in the Clownfish and Anemone Tank, showing off their symbiotic relationship with each other.
To find even more brilliant colors, guests can head to the Live Coral Tank, where tropical fish dart in and out between the various types of coral on display. The Stingray Touch Tank offers another opportunity to do more than peer through enclosures. This interactive exhibit allows its visitors to reach out and feel the slippery skin of cownose stingrays. The last among the animal-centric exhibits, the Piranha Tank offers an up-close look at some of the Amazon River's most notorious predators.
Territories such as the Amazon River basin offer incredible biodiversity; focusing in on such geographic locations provides a different perspective than just looking at individual species. Many of the Aquarium's exhibits do just this, taking a deeper dive into the biodiversity of particular habitats. The first of such is the Diamondback Terrapin Territory exhibit, highlighting the biodiversity of one of the habitats native to the Atlantic and gulf coasts of the United States.
Typically found in estuaries where fresh and salt water combine, this habitat boasts a variety of marine life. Continuing on exploring the local environment, the Mullica River exhibit showcases the creatures found along the Great Bay estuary of the Mullica River, found in New Jersey. The Mid-Atlantic Coastal Zone exhibit homes in on the specific species of the Intertidal shore, and the species that live partly submerged, partly exposed, ever subject to the whim of the fluctuating tides. In Fish of the Mid-Atlantic is one of the larger exhibits at the Aquarium with a 25,000 gallon enclosure.
This tank is home to species that make their home of the New Jersey shore. Heading a bit further from home, the Tropical Rainforest exhibit focuses on plants and animals found in these wet and wild habitats. Animals on display include turtles, rays, and iguanas. Going even farther afield, the Australian Exhibit highlights two animals found in two different habitats found there. In addition to all of these regional focuses, there is one more exhibit that falls outside of these categorizations. Ocean Oddities showcases some of the more unique and unusual creatures found in the ocean deep. Visitors will want to be sure to see this rotating array of curious creatures.
In addition to the education that is bound to happen just exploring the variety of exhibits at the Atlantic City Aquarium, educational tools and materials are also available to enhance the education. The Traveling Touch Tank brings the Aquarium to the classroom, where students can see, touch, feel and learn all about types of stingrays, crabs, sharks, starfish and more.
Teacher's Tools provided through the website included lesson plans, handouts, stories and diagrams all about aquatic life. For those who want to really inspire the students to learn about marine animals, however, nothing quite inspires like a trip to the Aquarium. With field trips, guided tours and story time at the Kids Zone, a visit to the Atlantic City Aquarium is an educational adventure.
The Atlantic City Aquarium is conveniently located, and is easily accessible by car or public transit. Parking is free and available onsite. A visit to the Aquarium should also include time spent at the Historic Gardner's Basin, to partake of the dining, shopping and cruising activities available there. Waterfront casinos are also nearby for hours of entertainment. The Aquarium is open all year, however, as hours vary with the seasons, visitors are advised to review the Aquarium's website prior to arrival.
In order to see even more animal action, visitors need only check the Aquarium's schedule for one of the Aquarium Shows. The Exotic Animal Show highlights interesting species up close, teaching the audience all about these amazing animals. Featured creatures can include tarantulas, boa constrictors, bearded dragon lizards, among others. Diver Feeding Shows at the Stingray Tank and Fish of the Mid-Atlantic Tanks are fantastic opportunities to see more aquatic action, as divers submerse in the waters to interact with the animals. Other events include seasonal offerings, such as Haunted A-Scary-Um and Chefs at the Shore.
Back to: Best Things to Do in Atlantic City
800 North New Hampshire Avenue, Atlantic City, New Jersey 08401, Phone: 609-348-2880
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Attraction Spotlight: Absecon Lighthouse
Standing sentinel over Absecon Inlet, the Absecon Lighthouse stands quite tall and is in fact the third tallest in the United States. Having recently celebrated its 150th birthday, it is also one of the oldest. Located at the north end of Atlantic City, this lighthouse is a beacon that shines a light on the history of the New Jersey landscape, while climbing its 228 steps to the observation deck affords a stunning view of the new city skyscape as well as breathtaking views of the ocean.
The lighthouse first started beaming guiding lights out to sea in 1857, and to this day the light still shines every night although it’s no longer a working lighthouse, as it currently doesn’t serve as a navigational beacon. The structure is 171 feet tall and climbing the many steps to the top is no easy feat, but the view from the top is worth it and it is a keen draw to locals and visitors alike.
Slightly lower down than the lighthouse’s observation deck, and a little more accessible, is the museum and gift shop. Converted from the old keeper’s house during the lighthouse renovations, the museum now serves as custodian and storyteller, documenting and preserving the artefacts and way of life of the lighthouse keepers of yesteryear. The museum is now also home to the original Fresnel lens used in the lighthouse when it was first constructed.
The lighthouse offers group tours and guided talks for schools and local groups as well as an overnight program. Information and booking guidelines can be found on the website.
Admission and Opening Hours
The Absecon Lighthouse is open all year round, but the operating hours do change depending on the season. From September to June, the lighthouse is open Thursdays through Mondays from 11:00am to 4:00pm; they are closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. July until August the lighthouse is open 7 days a week from 10:00am to 5:00pm and they open later on Thursdays until 8:00pm. The last admitted climb up the tower is always half an hour before the scheduled closing and the lighthouse is closed for 2 weeks around Christmas and New Year’s as well as for Thanksgiving.
31 S. Rhode Island Ave, Atlantic City, NJ 08401, Phone: 609-449-1360
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