First settled by the Dutch in the 1630s and officially founded in 1804 by land speculators from New York City, Jersey City is set on a densely populated peninsula on the Hudson River. It has views across to New York City.

During the 1990s the Jersey City waterfront underwent massive development. The Colgate Center Project is a 43-acre mixed use development with 1,200 rental units, a hotel, marinas, and a 39-story office complex—the tallest in New Jersey. Ferries connect it directly to midtown and downtown Manhattan.

The Harborside Financial Center, on an old waterfront rail yard, now provides 3 million square feet of office space for more than 12,000 employees, 650 residential units, and a 300-room hotel. The architecturally stunning, 30-story Exchange Place Center changed the face of Jersey City. Above the PATH (Port Authority Trans-Hudson) subway station, it has direct connections to Manhattan.

Ferries departing from Liberty State Park ply New York Harbor to the Statue of Liberty, which is less than 2,000 feet away. The Central Railroad of New Jersey Terminal stands with the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island to tell the nation’s great story of immigration. After processing at Ellis Island, the CRRNJ, now a museum, provided rail transportation for more than 8 million new Americans, taking them to their new homes across the nation. Once a waterfront industrial area, this 1,122-acre park has more than 300 acres set aside for public recreation, with paths for walking, cycling, jogging, and horseback riding. It also has picnic areas, and offers concerts, boating, swimming, and fishing, not to mention spectacular views of the Manhattan skyline.

The Liberty Science Center here uses hands-on exhibits to explore natural history, science, and technology.