Art is at the heart of Jersey City. Street art, including murals by Shepard Fairey, is seemingly everywhere. A host of galleries, like Mana Contemporary, exhibit emerging and world-class artists, including Amy Sherald, whose painting of Michelle Obama hangs in the National Portrait Gallery.

There’s a dish for every palate, from waterfront dining at Battello to genuine Portuguese fare at Broa Café. Specialty shops like Jersey City Fish Stand and Darke Pines Butcher, Talde, and Ample Hills Creamery from Brooklyn, add to the wealth of options.

In the charming Historic Downtown of Jersey City, you’ll find a trove of restaurants, shops and night spots, as wells as parks, pedestrian malls and majestic turn-of-the-century buildings. Beautiful tree-lined, brownstone neighborhoods bring gentility and calm to the district’s bustle.

As day turns to night, the parties start at popular spots like the Rooftop at Exchange Place, Miss Wong’s, and Porta. The bars swing into action along Newark Avenue, led by The Archer with creative cocktails and Cellar 335, a tiki-themed bar serving tropical cocktails and small plates with an Asian twist.