10 Reasons why we decided to move to New Jersey

My husband and I have known, ever since we started seriously dating, that we wanted to relocate. Simon, being from Germany, and I, having lived a stereotypical Army Brat life across four different states before graduating high school, felt little reservation about building our life somewhere new.

One day, following a heart-to-heart conversation about not moving to Colorado—a clear front runner until we visited and it didn’t connect with me—I desperately explored Google Maps with one mission in mind: finding the all-around perfect place to call home. It inspired my blog series, Destination Home. We considered several cities, such as Seattle, Boston, and Providence, RI. Well, that journey has now come to an end because we may have a winner. We might move to New Jersey.

It started as a joke. Who wants to move to New Jersey? I certainly never heard of anyone deciding to move to New Jersey. It wasn’t until a new coworker described his home state that I realized it might not be so bad. I suggested it jokingly to Simon, with no intentions of actually considering it, but rather to make light of a stressful decision. Little did we know, that what started as a joke would slowly become more of a consideration, and that consideration would become our final destination.

Looking back, not one person recommended New Jersey to us. I asked friends, had countless “conversations” (or rather, debates) with family, and scoured Same Grass But Greener subreddit threads in hopes for an answer. Finally, we decided to take the plunge and squeeze in one final Destination Home trip in 2024 that gave us a vital realization—we’re going to move to North Jersey.

These are the 10 reasons why:

1. Proximity to NYC (and other prominent cities)

Simon and I work remotely, but should we need new jobs or choose to work from an office, we could easily commute to NYC. Additionally, NYC is not just any city—it’s my favorite city. I love the hustle and bustle and the feeling like there is always something going on. It would give us a fun and easy way to host visitors (especially Simon’s family members from Germany). Lastly, if we ever found ourselves tired of the city, we could head south to Philadelphia and finally enjoy an authentic Philly cheesesteak, or north to Boston to experience some history. You’re connected to several other little New England towns, making quick weekend getaways easy.

2. Nature – mountains and the beach!

Nothing comes close to the feeling of soft sand under your toes and the sound of waves crashing in the background. I’ve always loved the idea of being close to the ocean, but didn’t know if it would be possible given everything else we had on our wish list. For one, how can you experience all 4 seasons while being within reach of a beach, suitable for swimming? None other than Jersey. The other surprisingly aspect of the state we discovered is the extensive system of parks. With about ⅓ of the state dedicated to green space, it’s no surprise New Jersey is coined “The Garden State”.

3. Walkability

This one might come as a surprise to natives in New Jersey, but coming from Texas I found the northern part of the state very walkable. The sheer density of the townships makes walking (with some good walking shoes) to your favorite bagel shop in the morning, stopping by a local park, and grabbing a few groceries on the way back, possible. You’ll find a cute main street with local restaurants, cafes, bakeries, and shops in pretty much every township.

4. Newark Airport

Newark gets a bad rep. I get it, it does look pretty ugly. The one good thing about Newark though is its extensive, international airport. Flying directly to Frankfurt, any time of year, in just about 7 hours is a dream to us. The only thing I’m patiently waiting for now is for them to open a Chase Lounge. Regardless, there are two other international airports nearby to choose from (JFK and LaGuardia) and yes, they both have a Chase Lounge.

5. The food

Texas has some pretty good food. If you’ve ever had Texas BBQ or Tex-Mex, you’ll know what I mean. I’d trade all of that though, for some good pasta, bagels, and pizza. The first time I had a Lox Bagel in NYC, I searched wide and far for one that fit the bill in Texas. Turns out, there wasn’t one. The idea that this would be all within arm’s reach in New Jersey tickles my taste buds.

6. Four seasons

Christmas never looks the same without snow. Fall doesn’t feel right without red, orange, and yellow coloring the trees. Enough said.

7. Personality

Stereotypically folks from New Jersey are known to be straight to the point. They might be a bit impatient—honking if you don’t move right as the light turns green or pressuring you to drive faster if you’re cruising in the left lane. They might overuse the f-word. Ultimately though, they’re a good bunch. I think that might describe who we are as well.

8. Lived in, authentic feeling

This is the hardest one to describe. The streets aren’t always perfectly straight. The buildings aren’t shiny and brand new. Some parts might be rough on the edges. It’s a different feeling from the newer cities and neighborhoods we’re used to in Austin, or even the cities we considered moving to like Seattle or Fort Collins, Colorado. Everything is a bit older, but it feels real. It feels authentic.

9. Friends closeby

It’s easier to get acquainted with a new place when you have friends in the area. Simon has a friend upstate NY, another one moving to the city this fall, and a friend from his high school exchange in Boston. I have a coworker in Jersey and my German tutor and friend in Brooklyn. We’re excited to make even more.

10. Feels like home

Growing up, my parents and I would spend the summers on our property on Lake Ontario. There wasn’t anything there except an acre of land, a hammock, and our fishing boat. I remember being bored out of my mind, begging my dad to take us home. He said one day I would look back on this moment fondly. That I would see the good in it and want to come back. Well, he was right. New Jersey is less than 5 hours from our family lake property. The state looks, feels, and even smells similar. There is a comfort level in New Jersey I can’t explain other than it feels like home.