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the USA🇺🇸 | regionsNew JerseyJersey Shore boardwalks, Pine Barrens canoeing, Victorian Cape May, Delaware Water Gap | things to do and best time to go

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Backpacking in New Jersey
👌 Worth visitingregion ranked #37
By Johan Kruseman 🇳🇱 | Updated October 20, 2026

New Jersey is far more than the turnpike and refineries you see from a train window; about half the state is farms, pine forest and shoreline. It sits in the Mid-Atlantic of the United States, between New York City and Philadelphia. I once ordered a pork roll, egg and cheese from a diner counter by saying just “Taylor ham, please,” and learned the north and south argue about the name. You get a cheap, salty breakfast and a lively debate. Unlike crowded New York, it gives you space.

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✨ Why go?
Ranked #37 region in the USAWhy New Jersey should be on your travel list

New Jersey packs very different landscapes into a state you can cross in an afternoon, so you rarely need to repack. You can hike the ridges of High Point, walk the Pine Barrens under a sandy-floored canopy, then be on a boardwalk in Cape May by the weekend. NJ Transit rail links Philadelphia and New York City with shore towns, which makes slow, car-free travel realistic. Diners, farm stands and Revolutionary War sites fill the gaps between the big stops.

💡 HighlightsPlaces and moments you shouldn't skip

  1. Cape May: Victorian seaside town with painted houses, a lighthouse climb and a beach you can bike to.
  2. Atlantic City Boardwalk: the original American boardwalk, with salt water taffy, arcades and ocean air.
  3. Liberty State Park: waterfront walkway facing the Statue of Liberty, with ferries to the island.
  4. High Point State Park: the state’s highest spot, with a monument tower and wide ridge views.
  5. Delaware Water Gap: river gorge with waterfall hikes and easy paddling.
  6. Washington Crossing State Park: where Washington’s army landed before the Trenton battle, with trails along the Delaware.
  7. Wharton State Forest: cedar-water canoeing in the Pine Barrens, where tea-colored rivers wind past sandy trails, a lesser-known favorite of locals.
  8. Batsto Village: restored iron-making town in the pines, quiet and rarely
… read more 👉
  1. Cape May: Victorian seaside town with painted houses, a lighthouse climb and a beach you can bike to.
  2. Atlantic City Boardwalk: the original American boardwalk, with salt water taffy, arcades and ocean air.
  3. Liberty State Park: waterfront walkway facing the Statue of Liberty, with ferries to the island.
  4. High Point State Park: the state’s highest spot, with a monument tower and wide ridge views.
  5. Delaware Water Gap: river gorge with waterfall hikes and easy paddling.
  6. Washington Crossing State Park: where Washington’s army landed before the Trenton battle, with trails along the Delaware.
  7. Wharton State Forest: cedar-water canoeing in the Pine Barrens, where tea-colored rivers wind past sandy trails, a lesser-known favorite of locals.
  8. Batsto Village: restored iron-making town in the pines, quiet and rarely crowded.
  9. Sandy Hook: Gateway beaches, a historic lighthouse and fort ruins close to New York.
  10. Paulinskill Valley Trail: flat rail trail through farmland that locals ride and most visitors never hear of.
New Jersey’s Liberty Island ferry needs a ticket bought ahead, and summer weekends sell out.
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Things to do around New Jersey

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⌛️ 5 daysA smart one-week plan

Day 1: Liberty State Park: Start where the trains are. NJ Transit and the light rail make car-free arrival easy, and the skyline view sets the tone. Spend the day at the waterfront and ferry.
Day 2: Sandy Hook: Head to the shore for beaches and fort ruins, since the coast line and seasonal ferries let you travel without a car.
Day 3: Cape May: Move south to bike past Victorian porches, then watch the sunset from the beach. Detour to Batsto Village in the Pine Barrens for quiet trails and old ironworks.
Day 4: Delaware Water Gap: Shift northwest, where buses thin out, so a rental car or shuttle helps. Hike to waterfalls.
Day 5: High Point: Finish on the highest ridge. If one day justifies the trip, I pick this one, for the monument view over three states.

🌤️ When to go?When to go for the best experience

  • Summer: Beach season on the Shore, with highs of 27 to 32°C (80 to 90°F), days of about 15 hours, packed boardwalks and the highest lodging prices.
  • Fall: Crisp 10 to 20°C (50 to 68°F) weather, foliage in the Highlands, thinner crowds and cheaper beds.
  • Winter: Cold at -4 to 4°C (25 to 40°F), with snow possible. Shore towns shut down, rooms are cheap, and New York City stays open.
  • Spring: Mild 8 to 20°C (46 to 68°F), some rain, blooming parks and quiet trails.
Book Shore stays before Memorial Day or after Labor Day to cut rates sharply.

source: climatestotravel.comJANJanuary: fair for travelingFEBFebruary: fair for travelingMARMarch: good for travelingAPRApril: excellent for travelingMAYMay: excellent for travelingJUNJune: good for travelingJULJuly: fair for travelingAUGAugust: fair for travelingSEPSeptember: excellent for travelingOCTOctober: excellent for travelingNOVNovember: good for travelingDECDecember: fair for traveling
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🛏️ Where to stay?Where staying makes the most sense

Jersey City and Hoboken suit backpackers who want Manhattan skyline views and a PATH ride into the city in about 15 minutes, with cheaper beds than New York itself. Asbury Park is the social pick on the Shore, with a lively music scene, walkable boardwalk and easy train access. Cape May gives a quieter Victorian-town base with bike-friendly streets, best from June to September. Princeton works for a calm, safe night near Trenton rail links. Newark is handy for flights, but most travelers sleep elsewhere.
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🚌 Getting aroundMoving around without the hassle

New Jersey Transit trains and buses are the easiest way for a backpacker to get around, because they run to most towns and straight into New York City and Philadelphia. The network is dense and mostly dependable, though a delayed train on a Friday evening teaches patience quickly. Outside the corridors, you will want wheels or a lot of planning.
  • NJ Transit trains: The Northeast Corridor line links Trenton, Princeton Junction and Newark, with fares of about US$5 to 20 and trains every 20 to 60 minutes. You get a window seat on the Meadowlands marshes and Manhattan skyline.
  • NJ Transit and intercity buses: Routes reach the Shore, with fares of US$5 to 30 for 1 to 3 hours. You arrive at the boardwalk with sand still tempting your shoes.
  • PATH and light rail: PATH runs from Hoboken and Jersey City
… read more 👉
New Jersey Transit trains and buses are the easiest way for a backpacker to get around, because they run to most towns and straight into New York City and Philadelphia. The network is dense and mostly dependable, though a delayed train on a Friday evening teaches patience quickly. Outside the corridors, you will want wheels or a lot of planning.
  • NJ Transit trains: The Northeast Corridor line links Trenton, Princeton Junction and Newark, with fares of about US$5 to 20 and trains every 20 to 60 minutes. You get a window seat on the Meadowlands marshes and Manhattan skyline.
  • NJ Transit and intercity buses: Routes reach the Shore, with fares of US$5 to 30 for 1 to 3 hours. You arrive at the boardwalk with sand still tempting your shoes.
  • PATH and light rail: PATH runs from Hoboken and Jersey City to Manhattan for about US$3, and the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail is similar. You get the best skyline views for pocket change.
  • Rideshare: Uber and Lyft cover most towns, usually US$15 to 40 for short hops. It saves you at a dark rural station, with a driver who has opinions about the turnpike.
  • Bicycles: Rail trails and shore paths such as the Delaware and Raritan Canal towpath are flat and free. You pedal past herons and old locks.
Download the NJ Transit app for mobile tickets, which skip the machine lines at Newark Penn.

🍲 FoodWhat to Eat & Drink

Start with a pork roll, egg and cheese on a hard roll from a corner deli, salty and griddle-smoky, usually US$6 to 9. Diners are a way of life here, serving disco fries drowned in gravy and mozzarella after midnight. Shore boardwalks bring saltwater taffy, funnel cake and Jersey tomatoes in summer, sweet and sun-warm. Newark’s Ironbound district fills with Portuguese grills and garlicky seafood. Tip 15 to 20 percent, and note that you cannot pump your own gas, a state quirk. Many Shore spots are BYOB, so bring a bottle.

FAQTraveler FAQ

Plan 4 to 5 days for New Jersey if you want a city, a beach and some countryside. Spend one or two days in Jersey City or Hoboken, one on the Asbury Park boardwalk, and one in Princeton or the Highlands. A weekend works for a quick Shore trip, while Cape May adds another day and the trains from New York take 1 to 2 hours.
You can get around New Jersey without a car using NJ Transit trains and buses, which link Newark, Trenton, Princeton and the Shore. Fares run about US$5 to 30, and PATH trains from Hoboken or Jersey City to Manhattan cost around US$3. Rideshare fills gaps in rural areas, typically US$15 to 40 per short trip.
New Jersey is known for its 130 miles (210 km) of Shore coastline, boardwalks in Asbury Park and Atlantic City, and pork roll sandwiches. It also has the diner culture, Bruce Springsteen’s roots, and Princeton University. Backpackers also come for Hoboken and Jersey City skyline views, Cape May’s Victorian houses and the Delaware Water Gap hiking.
⚠️ Things can change over time, so always validate details locally before you go.

Other American regions near New Jersey

Explore more nearby:

  • New York—Five boroughs, Brooklyn Bridge, Queens dumplings, Central Park| 84 km away
  • Delaware—Tax-free shopping, Rehoboth boardwalk, tidal marsh, cypress swamp| 150 km away
  • Maryland—Chesapeake crabs, Baltimore harbor, Assateague horses, canal towpath| 208 km away

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We 💚 feedbackParting advice and final tips

New Jersey’s Pine Barrens are what first-timers skip, and they are the most unlike anything else nearby. I would rent a canoe there for a slow afternoon, and bring bug spray, because the tea-colored water breeds mosquitoes.

✈️ When did I visit the USA?
In January 2023 I visited New York. Many years before, before digital cameras existed, I discovered most of the national parks in the West.

✍️ Help improve this page!
The information on this page is based on my own backpacking experience in the USA, supplemented with up-to-date research and feedback from other travelers. Travel details can change, so if you notice anything outdated or incomplete, feel free to let me know.



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Johan, backpacker and founder of TakeYourBackpackHi, I’m Johan (Netherlands 🇳🇱), the creator of TakeYourBackpack. Over the past 3 decades, I’ve backpacked through 90+ countries across six continents, gaining extensive experience with independent travel, long-term trips, and overland routes.

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