Jersey City in a day
A one-day plan for Jersey City: the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island and Liberty State Park first, then the Liberty Science Center, the Central Railroad of New Jersey Terminal, the Colgate Clock and Paulus Hook. Every stop has a typical visit length.
How long do you have?
Map: 1 days
Jersey City in 1 day
Day 1
Statue of Liberty National Monument
Copper statue of 1886 on Liberty Island, a gift from France, reached by ferry, with a pedestal museum and a crown by timed tickets.
Ellis Island
Former immigration station where millions entered the United States, now the National Museum of Immigration, reached by ferry.
Liberty State Park
Large waterfront park with a promenade, views of the Statue of Liberty and Manhattan, and the ferry to Liberty and Ellis islands.
Liberty Science Center
Interactive science museum in Liberty State Park with hands-on exhibits, an aquarium, an IMAX dome theatre and a planetarium.
Central Railroad of New Jersey Terminal
Restored railway terminal of 1889 in Liberty State Park, once a gateway for immigrants from Ellis Island to the west.
Colgate Clock
Large octagonal clock on the Hudson waterfront, once on the Colgate factory and now a local landmark.
Paulus Hook
Historic waterfront neighbourhood named for a Revolutionary War fort, with views across the Hudson to Lower Manhattan.
Watch: Jersey City
A one-minute look at the plan: every stop, day by day, with the map.
When to go to Jersey City
May to June and September to October are the best months, with mild weather for the waterfront and for ferries to the islands. July and August are hot and humid and the ferries are busiest, while winter is cold with some snow. Fourth of July fireworks over the harbour and the autumn Jersey City Studio Tour are well-known events.
Plan the rest of your trip
- Where to stay: hotels in Jersey City on Booking.com or Trip.com
- Skip-the-line tickets: museums and sights in Jersey City on Tiqets
- Tours and day trips: things to do in Jersey City on GetYourGuide
- From the airport: a private transfer in Jersey City with Kiwitaxi
- Data on arrival: an eSIM for United States from Airalo
- Last day: leave your bags in Jersey City with Radical Storage and keep sightseeing
Some of these are affiliate links: we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Tips for Jersey City
- Ferries to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island leave from Liberty State Park; buy tickets in advance, especially for the crown, which sells out.
- The PATH train links Jersey City to Manhattan in minutes, and the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail runs along the waterfront.
- Liberty Science Center is aimed at families and takes half a day; check opening days and timed shows.
- Liberty State Park has a long waterfront walkway with views of the Manhattan skyline and the Statue of Liberty; sunset is a good time.
- The Central Railroad of New Jersey Terminal stands in Liberty State Park, close to the ferry dock and the Liberty Science Center, so these combine easily.
Make it your own
Open the guide in Andiamo Places to see every stop on a map with walking directions, move places between days, check opening hours for your dates, and add your own finds. After the trip, your photos become a journal and, if you like, a printed photo book.
Guides are made with the help of AI and public sources such as Wikipedia, and may contain errors. Opening hours and prices change, so check before you go. Spotted a wrong photo, a pin in the wrong place, a missing stop or a better one? Write to andiamotravelapp@gmail.com: the e-mail opens with this guide filled in.
Photo credits
- Central Railroad of New Jersey Terminal: Ingfbruno ; cropped by Beyond My Ken ( talk ) 07:31, 18 October 2013 (UTC), CC BY-SA 3.0
- Colgate Clock: Tony, CC BY 2.0
- Ellis Island: Joe Mabel (on Flickr as Joe Mabel from Seattle, US), CC BY-SA 3.0
- Liberty Science Center: King of Hearts, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Liberty State Park: Benjamin KRAFT, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Paulus Hook: A1% at English Wikipedia, Public domain
- Statue of Liberty National Monument: originally uploaded by OptimumPx on en-wp ( file log ), Public domain
Opening hours change; check before you go. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
