Why would I move to New Jersey?

    Why would I move there?  

 "It's an all-round state. We have swimming, fishing, skiing; Shopping & Casinos, and it's between New York and Philadelphia, which makes it very convenient." Add to this some long-established seaside resorts and one of oldest university towns in the country. Although it is the most densely populated state in the Union, much of New Jersey is also unexpectedly rural.

Most of our visitors are from all over the world, They are attracted to the Jersey shore: 127 miles of Atlantic coast with a mixture of lively resorts and sandy beaches. Most northerly is Sandy Hook, popular with city dwellers wanting a day by the sea and swim with a view of the New York skyline in the background. Towns were settled by various different groups, giving many of the locations an individual character. Ocean City, was settled by Methodists and it has remained a town where sales of alcohol are prohibited (although the official spin is that it is a "family resort").

The Barrier islands, including the Barnegat Peninsula,  shelter much of the mainland shore. At the southern end of the peninsula is Long Island Beach State Park, a protected area of dunes and marshes with a number of bird colonies. There are no amenities but it is a lovely spot for swimming and hiking.

There is a minimal charge ranging form $3.00 a day to $ 35.00 a season for a family of 4  to use most of New Jersey's Pristine beaches during the summer season, which extends from late May to Labor Day in early September; beach tags are usually available from Beach badge collectors, which are usually the local neighborhood kids on the shore. There is no charge at Atlantic City or the Wildwoods, a group of beaches down on Cape May. Many of the resorts are seasonal and outside summer pretty much everything closes down. But Cape May, at the southernmost tip of the state, is a year-round destination.

What will you find there?

New Jersey's oldest seaside resort is one of the most delightful spots on the eastern seaboard. It's a charming Victorian town with a historic district full of beautifully restored houses built in the 19th century, when this was the place to spend the summer. What makes the place different from others on the coast is its atmosphere. "The people are so friendly, and there is a small-town feeling. It's the quaintness of the town that really makes it different." I recommend the beach, as well as the town itself. "Enjoy the ocean -

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South End of The Shore is Cape May and is easy to walk around, but a good way to view the houses are to take one of the trolley tours that depart regularly ,enjoy the History and Mystical tours. To get more information you can go to The Washington Street Mall in the town center  609 884 5404; capemaymac.org), and which cost $10. A variety of architectural styles, from Carpenter's Gothic to Colonial Revival, is on display. Many of the buildings have wrap-around verandas, designed so that the inhabitants could show off their guests to the outside world. Others had bathrooms added to the side of the house and built on stilts, a sign of one-upmanship that was sure to impress the Victorian neighbors. One of the largest houses, the Emlen Physic Estate at 1048 Washington Street, has been turned into a museum and is open for tours, which cost $10 per person.

If you want bigger and even more excitement?

Then it's  Atlantic City, is different from everywhere else on the Jersey shore. Like Cape May, it started out as a seaside resort. It became renowned for its boardwalk, a four-mile wooden walkway above the beach built so that visitor could enjoy the sand without trailing it into hotels and railroad cars afterwards. Atlantic City is the home of sand sculptures and a chewy confection known as salt-water taffy. What's more, the original game of Monopoly was based on Atlantic City's streets. But its reputation changed in 1976 when gambling was legalized, allowing the city to turn into a kind of Vegas-on-Sea.

Almost every big hotel in town has a casino, although it is perhaps more accurate to say that every large casino has a hotel attached. Gambling is the main activity here, and even if you don't play the tables it is impossible not to have your senses bombarded by the noise and lights of thousands of slot machines. 

The Borgata has a new, young, retro feel this one of several casinos located on the bay rather than the boardwalk (1 Borgata Way;  609 317 1000; theborgata.com).

A jitney service - a kind of cross between a taxi and a bus - operates 24-hours a day up and down Pacific Avenue, linking the casinos for a one-way fare of $2.25. An alternative form of transport is the rolling chairs. These are, as the name suggests, two-seater chairs on wheels that are pushed along the boardwalk for a negotiable fee.

For anyone looking to spend their winnings, the best boardwalk shopping area is the Pier Shops at Caesar's - two floors of upmarket retail outlets, including Tiffany's, Coach, Gucci and Burberry, as well as more affordable stores such as Banana Republic and Levi's

Where can you stay?

Some of the most attractive accommodation in the state is in Cape May, where many of the Victorian homes have been turned into upscale  B&Bs, with comfortable accommodation in elegantly furnished rooms. These can be booked through Cape May Lodging (001 609 884 0080; capemaylodging.com. However, the best hotel in the town is Congress Hall at 251 Beach Avenue 1-888 944 1816; congresshall.com), which has doubles from $160. It started life as a boarding house for early seaside visitors; now it is a stylish hotel with luxury facilities.

In Atlantic City, the new Chelsea Hotel, at 111 South Chelsea Avenue (thechelsea-ac.com) boasts that it is the first non-gaming hotel to open in the town for 50 years. It offers elegant boutique-style accommodation from around $250 per double; a new salt-water spa will be opening in April. Another stylish offering is the W, which is opening in Frank Sumatra's hometown, Hoboken, in February (starwoodhotels.com). Campsites and cabins feature in several of New Jersey's park and forests (njparksandforests.org), including Bass River State Forest and Allaire State Park.

Inland highlights?

Most of the west side of New Jersey is bordered by the Delaware River, which divides the state from neighboring Pennsylvania. There are some charming towns along the river, including French town, Stockton and Lambertville. These once industrial places have now been gentrified; many of the former factory workers' house have been turned into gallery space for the artists, jewelry makers and antiques stores that have moved into the area.

Further north is a stretch of river known as the Delaware Water Gap, an area of stunning scenery that is popular for hiking and water sports. Beside it are the Kittatinny Mountains and High Point State Park, which has a cross-country ski area based at Lake Marcia (001 973 702 1222; njparksandforests.org) as well as a 70-mile stretch of the Appalachian Trail, which links Georgia with Maine.

Wharton State Forest, in a flat, sandy part in the south of the state known as the Pine Barrens, has its own hiking route, the Batona Trail, which cuts through beautiful wilderness renowned for its flowers and birds. This area was once part of the industrial heartland of New Jersey; iron, and later glass, were produced here, and it was an important supplier of munitions during the Revolutionary War.

All that remains of that time is Batsto Village, a historic site where many of the old buildings, including the mansion house, general store, mills and barns, have been preserved. The grounds of Batsto Village 1-609 561 3262; batstovillage.org) are open from dawn till dusk daily; the Visitor Center opens 9am-4.30pm daily. A $5  parking fee applies in summer.

At liberty to shop

The Capital Trenton Date in Union  December 18th -1787 Flower Violet Motto "Liberty and Prosperity" Nickname Garden State

Land of the free

Two of the major attractions usually associated with Manhattan are easily reached from New Jersey - the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, where many of the nation's immigrants arrived, and which now houses a fascinating museum. Boats to both attractions depart from the old railroad station at Liberty Park.

Shop till you drop?

If you want clothes, New Jersey is the place to come, because no sales tax is levied on anything classed as a "necessity". There are outlet stores all over the state, including at Jersey Gardens in Elizabeth (jerseygardens.com), where there are 200 shops under one roof and the newest mall in Tinton Falls or  the mall at Short Hills (shopshorthills.com), whose department stores include Bloomingdale's, Macy's and Saks Fifth Avenue. It a short distance form Staten Island/New York areas, so keen shoppers might consider a late shopping blitz. With so much to offer, we at the Garden State WELCOME you with Open Arms-

Why would I move there?