Destination Home: New Jersey

I started the Destination Home blog series to document the adventures Simon and I embarked on in our quest to find our forever home. Well, the series is coming to an end because it appears we may be moving to New Jersey.

Why are we considering moving to New Jersey?

I never thought we would be considering moving to New Jersey. It often feels like a forgotten state. Those who haven’t forgotten about it affectionately describe it as the “armpit of New York.” Some of our friends questioned why we were considering it. The answer was simple: it fulfilled all our criteria on paper. Notably, it boasted a great international airport, proximity to nature (albeit not as impressive as other destinations), and closeness to a major city with ample job opportunities. Then, it became a matter of visiting to see if it lived up to our expectations. Unlike Seattle, where many of our criteria were missing but we were willing to overlook if the city impressed us, New Jersey checked all these boxes. As mundane and under-the-radar as it seems, we realized it could be exactly what we need.

Taking a leap of faith, we booked the trip 1.5 weeks in advance, making it the most spontaneous one we’ve ever planned. Given the spontaneity, I had practically zero PTO days to spare. Thus, we set out to make this the most efficient and economical trip possible. I pulled out all the tips and tricks: found a cheap Airbnb with a “dedicated workspace,” redeemed points for a cheap(ish) flight, and secured the cheapest rental car available. Amid all the hassle, we’re so glad we took the plunge because it led us to find our forever home.

New Jersey is comprised of a variety of “townships.” There was a handful we already knew we wanted to visit in the northern part of the state. We worked during the day and spent each afternoon/evening exploring some of the ones we were most interested in. On Saturday, we had a full day to relax and explore the NJ coast.

Day 1 (Wednesday): Morristown

I had high expectations for Morristown after reading several subreddits, and I must say, it lived up to them. It’s located further inland while still being just under 60 minutes to NYC by train. The town has a young, hip feeling while still being close to nature. The town features Speedwell Lake, which includes the starting point of Patriots’ Path—a paved 20-mile bike trail.

We decided to spend the evening at Loantaka Brook Park biking through the park and taking in New Jersey’s fall foliage. It was similar to what I was used to seeing growing up in upstate New York. Beyond looking similar, it smelled similar too. By nightfall, the weather started to dip into the high 60s, a clear departure from what we were used to in Texas. We headed to Main Street and enjoyed upscale burgers at The Committed Pig. This was the first restaurant where I saw a Ham roll on the menu. I still haven’t figured out what exactly that is, but I heard it’s a New Jersey staple.

Day 2 (Thursday): Maplewood, Montclair, & Ridgewood

We made the most of this evening by exploring several nearby townships. Staying in Maplewood made it easy to grab a bagel for breakfast from Maplewood’s cute Main Street. On the way there, we admired the colonial-style homes, outfitted with tall maple trees and perfectly manicured lawns.

In the evening, we stopped by Eagle Rock Reservation on our way to Montclair where we caught a glimpse of the NYC skyline. While exploring Montclair, we found the side streets with outdoor seating and live music very European. We ended our night in Ridgewood, enjoying homemade pasta at Stella Artisan Italian. Ridgewood’s main street felt the most picturesque out of all the main streets we explored. Picture-perfect flowers hung from lamp posts, shiny store signs were displayed on every corner, and storefronts were well-maintained and clean. Walking through the town felt as if we were extras in a Hallmark movie.

Day 3 (Friday): Princeton

Every website that listed the top towns in New Jersey had Princeton claiming one of their top spots. After visiting the town, we understood why. The town is extremely charming, with a safe, quaint feel. It is situated next to the Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park bike trail—a 70-mile trail connecting Princeton, Trenton, and Frenchtown. We walked through campus, questioning if we fit in as students, and then strolled through Main Street. It was lively, with a live band performing 70s/80s hits at a popular restaurant. We grabbed dinner at Lan Ramen here before heading home. Although we could see the appeal, we found that Princeton may be too sleepy for our taste, but we’d visit again and make use of their bike trail.

Day 4 (Saturday): Asbury Park, Spring Lake, Point Pleasant

We knew we wanted to end our final day with a bang at none other than the shore! With the beach being a strong draw to the area, we were very curious about what the coast would be like. We decided to start at Asbury Park, after reading that it was a historic town with a great boardwalk. We didn’t get the first impression we were hopeful for. It’s unclear if it was the time of year or the weather (it rained on and off), but the town felt a little dead.

Heading south 10 minutes to a town called Spring Lake and Sea Girt redeemed our expectations. Immaculate beach homes lined the coastline. We walked along the boardwalk, enjoying as it snaked through the dunes. Eventually, we headed a bit further south where we explored an iconic NJ boardwalk: Point Pleasant. With a plethora of amusement park rides and arcade games, this is probably what one envisions when they imagine the New Jersey coast. It excited us to know this could be only a 90-minute drive away. On the way home, we stopped by a low-key hole-in-the-wall restaurant in Millburn—Fiamma Wood Fired Pizza—and walked away with some of the best pizza of our lives.

Summary

By the end of the trip, Simon and I knew that we would most likely be moving to Jersey. There are so many things that check the boxes we were looking for, and filled others we never knew we had.