Getting Around Newark:
The Day Trip
Nobody Plans For
Most visitors only see Newark from the airport. One PATH ride from Jersey City says otherwise — here's how to get around, and what's actually worth the trip.
"Newark has the largest cherry blossom collection in the United States — more trees than Washington, D.C. Most people who fly through it never find out."
For most travelers, Newark is a name on a boarding pass, not a destination. That's a missed opportunity. It's a genuine city with a genuine identity — one of the best Portuguese and Brazilian food scenes on the East Coast, a 360-acre Olmsted-designed park with more cherry blossom trees than any other collection in the country, and a performing arts center that pulls in major touring acts. And if you're staying in Jersey City, it's a direct PATH ride away, no car required.
This is different from our Newark Airport transportation guide, which covers getting from EWR to your stay. This one's about the day you decide to actually go see Newark itself.
What This Guide Covers
Getting to Newark From Jersey City
This is the part most people don't realize: the PATH's Newark–World Trade Center line runs directly from Journal Square through Harrison and into Newark Penn Station. No transfer, no car, no NJ Transit ticket required — just the same PATH fare you'd use to get into Manhattan, in the opposite direction. From Journal Square, it's a straightforward ride, and Newark Penn Station puts you within walking distance of the Ironbound, NJPAC, and Prudential Center.
If you're staying somewhere in Jersey City without direct Journal Square access, a short bus or rideshare gets you to the PATH, and from there it's the same simple ride.
Getting Around Once You're There
Newark Penn Station is the hub for almost everything worth seeing. The Ironbound is a short walk south. NJPAC and Prudential Center are a short walk north. Branch Brook Park is further out — reachable by the Newark Light Rail (a separate system from the PATH, boarding right at Newark Penn Station) or a short rideshare.
Newark Light Rail: Runs from Penn Station up toward Branch Brook Park and the northern neighborhoods — the easiest way to reach the park without a car.
Walking: Downtown Newark, the Ironbound, and the arts district are all walkable from Penn Station, with flat terrain and well-marked streets.
Rideshare: Uber and Lyft cover the rest, especially useful for reaching Branch Brook Park quickly or getting back to the PATH after dark.
The Ironbound District
The Ironbound is Newark's best-known neighborhood for a reason — a dense, walkable strip built around Portuguese and Brazilian immigration, with some of the best seafood and grilled meats in the region. Ferry Street is the main artery, lined with restaurants, bakeries, and markets that have been serving the neighborhood for generations. It's an easy walk from Newark Penn Station and genuinely one of the best food destinations in either state, tourist crowds or not.
Branch Brook Park
This is Newark's best-kept secret, and it shouldn't be one: Branch Brook Park holds the largest collection of cherry blossom trees in the United States — over 5,300 trees across 18 varieties, more than Washington, D.C.'s famous collection. Designed by the Olmsted firm and opened in 1895 as the first county park in the country, it's 360 acres of lakes, walking paths, and open lawn. Peak bloom typically runs early-to-mid April, with the Essex County Cherry Blossom Festival drawing visitors from across the region, but the park is a genuinely nice green space year-round.
NJPAC & Prudential Center
The New Jersey Performing Arts Center hosts touring Broadway productions, orchestras, and major acts in a venue that regularly draws people out from Manhattan rather than the other way around. A few blocks over, the Prudential Center hosts NHL hockey, concerts, and other major events. Both are an easy walk from Newark Penn Station, making a show or a game a genuinely simple add-on to your Jersey City stay.
Planning Your Day in Newark
| Ironbound | Branch Brook Park | NJPAC / Prudential | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Food, walkable afternoon | Spring visits, green space | Evening shows, events |
| From Penn Station | Short walk | Light rail or rideshare | Short walk |
| Time needed | 2–3 hours | 1–2 hours (longer in April) | Evening |
Planning Your Day
A simple version of this trip: PATH from Journal Square to Newark Penn Station, lunch in the Ironbound, an afternoon at Branch Brook Park if the season's right (or the Newark Museum of Art if it's not), and back to Jersey City before dinner. It's a full, easy day trip that most Jersey City visitors never think to take — and it costs about the same as a single PATH fare each way.
Flying out of Newark Liberty after your trip? See our Newark Airport transportation guide for the return trip, or search flights on Booking.com for your next one.
Browse StayJC properties and book direct →Extending your trip beyond Jersey City and Newark? Search Car Rentals on Booking.com →
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Booking Tours & Experiences
Whether it's a Newark day trip or the rest of your Jersey City itinerary, we partner with the following platform to help you make the most of your stay:
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