Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Hello all! I'd love some advice to help focus our NJ neighborhood search and haven't seen anything relevant yet on the forum.
My husband I are NOT from the Northeast (and know *nothing* about NJ!) and are moving for a job near Branchburg. We both fly frequently (so strategic proximity to several airports would be great), but we're allergic to the predictability of suburbia and chain restaurants. Looking at previous forum posts, downtown Jersey City sounds compelling (hip but mature, artsy, lots of things to do 'out'), but it'd be ideal to find a fun urban/mixed-use neighborhood that's closer to (or in?) Branchburg. We are 30-somethings, no kids or pets, would like to spend $1500ish to rent, and we're runners (running/biking trails would be a bonus, or at least a town safe-ish enough to run in), but cosmopolitan is definitely the goal. We dream about living in NYC, but it's too far from bburg to commute . Any ideas? I would be super appreciative of input! We're excited about the move, but don't want to get stuck in the wrong place and not fully appreciate NJ!
Thinking about this a bit.
Branchburg is in a relatively nice part of NJ.
I think that you will find most suburban areas of NJ quite more exciting than some place like Ohio or similar because of the hilly topography which makes life scenic and exciting.
J City is a bit too urban as are many of the older urban areas of NJ and its sort of crowded with a mix of people who might commute to NYC and the older urban mix of families who have lived there many years.
I would suggest if you have a decent computer to d/l Google Earth and just start out by Branchburg and FLY all through various areas on your computer and try to get a feeling of what suits you.
If you fly a lot mostly EWR, Newark Airport is the preferred location as the other 2 NYC airports are East of Manhattan and that takes a slow long costly ride. EWR is where I-78 and I-95 cross.
There are actually towns even closer to PA or in PA that are very hip but then Branchburg might be like 30-40 minutes from say NewHope or Solebury.
Morristown is okayish and would fit your quest but I think it might take like 30-40 mins in rush hour to B'burg.
If it where me I would stick to the breath taking hilly areas maybe off I-78 between B'burg and EWR.
Anyway with Goo Earth and a decent pc you should be able to literally fly through and zoom in and out of anywhere you want to visualize on this planet Earth.
Clinton NJ might fit your bill.
Rustic type of clean town with old charmy type downtown and restaurants.
About 22 mins to B'burg and about 45 mins right down the I'state to EWR.
Overall while you may find the flat highway parts of NJ have the usual chain restaurants you will find a lot more diverse independent restaurants all over NJ than most other states.
Also, even if you could afford the inflated living costs of NYC, it is on an island and having to crawl under or over a river with millions of other people twice a day would just drive you nuts after the first week if you don't have to do that.
You can always drive in to NYC for an evening anyway and escape back to higher ground.
Summit might also suit your taste actually. In between both the airport & B'burg. Quaint with lots of restaurants, etc and on a train line to NYC. Kind of an older English feeling to the architecture.
Hello all! I'd love some advice to help focus our NJ neighborhood search and haven't seen anything relevant yet on the forum.
My husband I are NOT from the Northeast (and know *nothing* about NJ!) and are moving for a job near Branchburg. We both fly frequently (so strategic proximity to several airports would be great), but we're allergic to the predictability of suburbia and chain restaurants. Looking at previous forum posts, downtown Jersey City sounds compelling (hip but mature, artsy, lots of things to do 'out'), but it'd be ideal to find a fun urban/mixed-use neighborhood that's closer to (or in?) Branchburg. We are 30-somethings, no kids or pets, would like to spend $1500ish to rent, and we're runners (running/biking trails would be a bonus, or at least a town safe-ish enough to run in), but cosmopolitan is definitely the goal. We dream about living in NYC, but it's too far from bburg to commute . Any ideas? I would be super appreciative of input! We're excited about the move, but don't want to get stuck in the wrong place and not fully appreciate NJ!
Lambertville may be an option for you.... or just over the bridge in New Hope PA. Very artsy... eclectic mix of people... booming with visitors on the weekends... nice cafes... Delaware river runs between both towns. Easy drive to Philly.... Easy drive to Branchburg...
Lambertville is a neat town. You'd get 2 somewhat eclectic towns right there and plenty of places to run. The Delaware River has a towpath that is great for running, biking, etc. Plus you would not be far from some great parks. It's not very city like (no buses, trains, etc) but it is an interesting town and fairly equidistant to Philadelpahi and Newark Airports.
Princeton would be another good option but slightly further (35-40 minutes, maybe?). Very easy commute to Philly and NYC and there is a train station nearby (for commuting to the cities, not to Branchburg)
If you wanted to be pretty close to Branchburg, Somerville isn't a bad option. It's got a pretty busy downtown area. It's definitely not urban-like but it has a good variety of restaurants (especially ethnic restaurants) and its a pretty walkable town. Not quite "cosmopolitan" but I know a couple younger couples that like living there for it's close proximity to restaurants, bars, shopping, etc.
South Bound Brook might work for you. New condo/apartments located right next to the Delaware/Raritan canal with the absolute best biking trail in NJ. The train to NY via Newark is a 5 minute walk from S Bound Brook to Bound Brook.
Since you travel the most miles weekely going to and from work. Branchburg is 15 Min from S Bound Brook via rt.22.There is absolutly no night life in S Bound Brook so you will have to drive to other areas for that.
Branchburg has a train as does nearby Raritan and New Brunswick to get to NYC. Bus to NYC right on rt 202 in Branchburg. Branchburg is not really a town as much as an area.
Delaware and Raritan canal, Johnson Park in NBruns, Colonial park, Dukes Park are super running locations. Round Valley is about 20 minutes away and you can run hike, fish, boat, camp in relative solitude especially after 5pm when entry is free.
25 minutes to Princeton and Lambertville and New Hope.
45 minutes to Newark airport east on 78. 35 minutes to Brooklyn down 287 south. About a hour and change to Philly airport. Smaller airports within 10 miles.
If its JC or Hoboken or NYC you crave guess you might go elsewhere. Philly is just a step away down 31 to 95. Folks commute daily to Philly as well.
Plenty of folks commute from Manhattan to Branchburg. About 45 minutes to Hoboken ferry to Manhattan.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
. Any ideas? I would be super appreciative of input! We're excited about the move, but don't want to get stuck in the wrong place and not fully appreciate NJ!
Nj
