Information on New Jersey
The small state of New Jersey is a Mid-Atlantic state, which is overshadowed by the vast New York City. Travelling south on the New Jersey Turnpike toll road from New York, visitors will be stuck with the picture of popular imagination that has been the brunt of jokes with many an on-stage comedian. The ugly highway, traversing an industrial landscape of grey, smoking chimneys and factories, and passing bleak cities like Newark and the state capital of Trenton, does little to encourage visitors, while even the songs of Bruce Springsteen describe his birthplace in disparaging terms.
New Jersey may be known for drab grey factories and depressing industrial estates, however one of the state's most treasured prizes is its 127 miles (204km) of sandy beaches along the Atlantic coast, lined with many holiday resorts, bustling boardwalks and quaint seaside towns that draw thousands of tourists to enjoy the sun, surf and excitement of the famous Jersey Shore. The world's first boardwalk has its home in Atlantic City, famous for its 24-hour gambling entertainment and casino hotels redolent of Las Vegas, while the old-world charm of Cape May takes one back to the Victorian age with beautifully restored 19th-century buildings home to some of the finest Bed and Breakfast Inns anywhere. In between are miles of fun and entertainment, from water parks and zoos to Ferris wheels, roller coasters, shopping and nightlife, along with surf and sand.
The scenic hiking landscapes in New Jersey are a haven for nature lovers in the summer and the beautiful hills in the Skylands offer the perfect skiing conditions in the winter months. Historically this region is known as the Military Capital of the Revolution and visitors can trace the movements of General George Washington and his troops during the winter of 1779 at the Morristown National Historic Park. The state's rich history also includes some of America's greatest inventors and physicists such as Thomas Edison and Albert Einstein, and the Liberty State Park overlooking the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island that was one of the country's main immigration stations from 1892 to 1954.
