New Jersey flights and travel guide

The twin attractions of Atlantic City and the Jersey Shore continue to ensure that New Jersey retains its place as a popular destination. However, the state’s appeal also lies in its history that runs deeper than the boardwalk casinos and saltwater taffy that made these towns famous.

The chief link between the past and present lies in the legacy of Thomas Edison. The inventor had factories in West Orange and Menlo Park where he created hundreds of inventions, many of which are still in use today. Of course it may be Jersey’s rock ‘n’ roll heritage that impresses - Bruce Springsteen, Bon Jovi and though certainly not least, Frank Sinatra all hail from these parts.

In the south of the state, Cape May offers anyone arriving on cheap flights to New Jersey a beach getaway with strong hints of its Victorian roots still visible in the local architecture. Nearby, gorgeous white-sand beaches provide the perfect setting for a weekend getaway.

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New Jersey climate

The seasons are as distinct as their names suggest, something to be borne in mind when planning cheap flights to New Jersey. Winter is cold but snowfalls are limited with January temperatures ranging between -1 and 5 degrees Celsius. The spring tends to be mild and by April temperatures can reach the low 20s. Summers tend to be hot and humid and fall is mild, retaining some of the summer’s warmth. Temperatures in October hover around the mid-teens. In the colder northern half of the state, the annual snowfall is about 40cm.

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When to fly to New Jersey

Peak Season:

In New Jersey there is the peak season, which covers the summer months, and then there is the peak peak season, which covers the weekends during the summer months. Tourism is the state’s second-largest industry and this is evident from the jam-packed resorts and beaches. The area surrounding Princeton is particularly busy in May and June each year as student graduations draw sizeable crowds. Meanwhile, northwestern Jersey’s Skylands enjoy peak season during the winter months when skiers and snowboarders descend on the area.

Off Season:

It takes a while for the summer warmth of the water along the New Jersey shore to cool and much of the area continues to be a worthwhile destination after Labour Day when the crowds vanish. Cheap flights to New Jersey are also easier to come by in the spring, also a quieter time. The area surrounding Cape May and its Victorian architecture retains its appeal year-round.

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Getting around New Jersey

There is much to see in New Jersey and the size of the place makes a car necessary if one is to see much of it. Forty per cent of the state is covered by forest and 20 per cent farmland while a stretch of more than 209km features beaches stretching from Sandy Hook to Cape May.

Arrivals on cheap flights to New Jersey will land at one of two airports, Newark or Atlantic City, and trains servicing them stop in Trenton, Princeton, and Newark. Hoboken, Newark, and Jersey City are also connected to PATH trains that also travel to Manhattan. Inter-town bus services are limited and tend to be unreliable.

World-famous Atlantic City casinos occupy a one-mile stretch along the Boardwalk, perfect for walking or sightseeing from the comfort of an old-fashioned rolling chair.

Central Princeton is best seen on foot and guided walking tours are available. There are also guided campus tours of the famous university, but they tend to be crowded during the summer. Meanwhile Cape May is best suited to walking though the surrounding areas can be explored on bikes.

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New Jersey insider information

• It is not exactly a serious pastime but that does not mean that participants do not take it seriously. The sandcastle contest in Belmar is held annually in June/July and attracts castlers on cheap flights to New Jersey from around the US. Past entries have included lots of sandcastles as well as sharks, a sea turtle, gorilla, Santa Claus, treasure chest and a wedding cake.
• There are not many of them left and indeed the Delsea Drive-In in Vineland is New Jersey's last one. It has space for about 330 cars and boasts a massive screen that is 36 metres wide. A double bill costs US$8 (US$3 for children aged 3-11) and each screening’s soundtrack is broadcast to the cars or fed in through portable radio speakers.
• Cape May has a glorious past as the one-time Hamptons of the 19^th century but its present is far from downtrodden. The beach town is made up of grand bed-and-breakfasts, well-kept streets and glorious ocean views. It also hosts Sherlock Holmes Weekends in November and March and features ghost tours that recount the legends of pirate Blackbeard, Esmerelda of Jackson Street and the Knerr sisters.
• A short drive west of Atlantic City will lead to Storybook Land, a place that will leave the kiddies enthralled. Here you can take a stroll though many children’s classics including Little Red Riding Hood, the Merry Miller and Mistress Mary’s Garden.
• Hillsborough is home to Doris Duke, the heiress and philanthropist, whose grand 2,700-acre estate has 11 different types of garden featuring international themes including Chinese, Japanese, Italian, French and English.
• The Pinelands National Reserve is made up of millions of  hectares of open space located between Richmond and Boston on the mid-Atlantic coast. It is America’s first national reserve and a US Biosphere Reserve of the Man and the Biosphere Program. Visitors can hike, go boating or canoeing, swim, camp, picnic, ride horses and fish.
• Glenmont in West Orange is the home of The Wizard of Menlo Park or, as he was better known, Thomas Alva Edison, inventor of, among others, the lightbulb, stock-ticker and phonograph. Tours of the grounds and interpretive programmes are available on-site.

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New Jersey airports

There are two main airports for cheap flights to New Jersey:

Newark Liberty International (EWR)

Atlantic City International (ACY)

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