Hoboken, New Jersey, offers stunning views of Manhattan, as well as unique attractions, museums and restaurants. View contemporary art at Barsky Gallery, learn how to make amazing cakes at Carlo's Bakery, go on a food tour or take a kayaking class. Best things to do in Hoboken, NJ with kids include the Hoboken Historical Museum and the Hoboken Farmers' Market.
1. Barsky Gallery
Barsky Gallery is Hoboken's gallery of contemporary art, representing a mix of young and emerging as well as established artists from all corners of the world. The gallery shows regular exhibitions of art of diverse techniques and styles. The gallery assists private and corporate clients in choosing or commissioning a piece of art that would suit their needs.
The gallery is also a popular and elegant venue for private events. Public events help expose visitors to contemporary art and artists and entice them to see art as part of their home or corporate space. You can visit the gallery to see their rotating group exhibit.
49 Harrison St, Hoboken, NJ, Phone: 888-465-4949
2. Hoboken Historical Museum, Hoboken, New Jersey
Established in 1986, the Hoboken Historical Museum is located in what the residents call today The Shipyard, one of the celebrated old buildings on Hoboken's colorful waterfront. The building used to be the machine shop for Bethlehem Steel. The Museum is dedicated to collecting, displaying, preserving, and interpreting artifacts and oral histories both modern and historic, which reflect the city and its inhabitants.
The Museum organizes educational programs, tours, lectures, films, and plays. Some of the current exhibitions celebrate Hudson River native Frank Sinatra and the role of baseball in the Hoboken history. For those interested in history, this is one of the best things to do in Hoboken, New Jersey.
1301 Hudson St., Hoboken, New Jersey, Phone: 201-656-2240
3. Carlo's Bakery Classes, Hoboken, New Jersey
Since being featured on TLC’s Cake Boss show, Carlo’s Bakery has become a household name. This venerable bakery and cake shop makes wedding cakes that appear in popular magazines like The Knot and Modern Bride, so when they start a cake decorating school, people pay attention.
Who would not want to learn to make a piece of art out of a simple, modest cupcake? The classes are currently held in four locations in New Jersey and last about two hours. Carlo’s Bakery decorators will make a cake decorating master out of anyone ten years or older. You get to keep and eat your cake. They also sell baking supplies.
95 Washington Street, Hoboken, New Jersey, Phone: 201-659-3671
4. Blue Eyes Restaurant, Hoboken, NJ
You cannot see the Manhattan skyline from Manhattan – you have to go to Hoboken, and Blue Eyes Italian Restaurant and Café offers front row seats. Located on the Hoboken Hudson River waterfront on Sinatra Drive, this charming, modern, and tastefully decorated eatery celebrates Hoboken’s most famous native son Frank Sinatra, as well as traditional Italian food that never goes out of fashion.
The wood-fired oven produces not only delicious pizzas but also baked pastas, fish, and chicken. If you are looking for romantic date ideas, this is a great place to visit. Leave room for dessert; you cannot eat in a true Italian restaurant without sampling their canoli. Blue Eyes also has great dessert coffees.
525 Sinatra Dr., Hoboken, New Jersey, Phone: 201-683-6861
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5. Alba Boutique, Hoboken, New Jersey
Alba Boutique has become one of New Jersey's most stylish shopping destinations since its 2013 opening by Jeanna Palumbo. The hip boutique, which offers five permanent locations and two long-term pop-up shops throughout the East Coast, has been voted as Hoboken's best clothing store and has received the award for Best Fashion Boutique four times by 201 Magazine. One-of-a-kind shopping experiences highlight trendy boutique brands like Blank NYC, Quay, and Veronica M, alongside the company's private label Alba X Dawn. Visitors can shop for contemporary clothing, footwear, and accessories, including designer sunglasses. Private shopping parties are offered with advance reservations, featuring hors d'oeuvres, beverages, and stylist recommendations.
716 Washington St, Hoboken, NJ 07030, Phone: 201-683-3656
6. Sorellina, Hoboken, New Jersey
Sorellina is a vibrant Hoboken eatery that was opened in 2016 by restaurateur and sommelier Gabi Lombardi. The lively restaurant, which is named for the Italian word for "little sister," is housed within a converted space with a preserved historic 1930s bar, blending contemporary design elements with rustic flair. Diners can enjoy excellent hearty Italian pasta selections like ricotta cavatelli, saffron bucatini, seafood gigli, and pistachio rigatoncini, paired with elegant entrees like pollo alla griglia and grilled Teres Major steaks. An exclusively Italian wine list is available to complement all meals, along with a selection of imported Italian craft beers and housemade signature cocktails.
1036 Washington St, Hoboken, NJ 07030, Phone: 201-963-3333
7. Tony Boloney's, Hoboken, New Jersey
Tony Boloney brought a breath of fresh air to the world of traditional Italian pizza in Hoboken. In fact, his pizzas are anything but traditional; they are so unimaginable that people come just to try them, and they fall in love. Tony Boloney’s makes their own mozzarella and their own yeast.
The fillings range from Bangkok Boardwalk (Thai spicy sauce, hand-battered fried chicken, cilantro, fresh jalapenos, cilantro, crushed honey-roasted peanuts, and toasted black sesame seeds), to French Bird (cordon bleu pizza - chicken stuffed with ham, melted Havarti, and blue cheese).
263 1st St, Hoboken, New Jersey, Phone: 201-222-8669
8. The Brass Rail, Hoboken, New Jersey
The Brass Rail is old-world chic, a characteristic noticeable in its huge downstairs bar and upstairs elegant dining room, which feature dark woods, brass details, padded leather benches, and antique photos. It is a popular place to come to cure your hangover, have a boozy brunch, or an elegant lunch or dinner with business partners.
Executive Chef Douglas Gough offers his own take on modern American cuisine with delicious surprises such as Grilled Chicken Panini with Brie and apples and herbed mayonnaise on multigrain bread. Ingredients are fresh, seasonal, and locally sourced. The Brass Rail has a decent wine list, and some of their wine is even on tap. They also have an excellent selection of craft beers from around the country.
135 Washington Street, (corner of 2nd Street), Hoboken, New Jersey, Phone: 201-659-7074
Romantic vacation ideas: 23 Beautiful Weekend Getaways in New Jersey.
9. Things to Do in Hoboken, New Jersey: La Isla Restaurant
How do you know that a Cuban restaurant is really good? When you see Cuban expats going there to get a taste of home. Chef and owner Omar Giner combines his mother’s and grandmother’s Cuban home cooking with his professional training to bring us his down-to-earth delicious take on the popular Nuevo Latino cuisine that is all the rage in New York.
The cheerful and colorful dining room will make you feel like you are really on the island. The restaurant is packed come breakfast time, because word has gotten out about Chef Omar’s French toast with strawberry and guava cream cheese stuffing in cinnamon batter and sprinkled with almonds and corn flakes.
104 Washington Street, Hoboken, New Jersey, Phone: 201-659-8197
10. Things to Do in Hoboken, New Jersey: Hoboken Farmers' Market
Every Thursday from June to October and from 2 to 7 pm, farmers from all over the Garden State come to the corner of 13th Street & Hudson in Hoboken to offer their freshest and the most delicious products. Tomatoes could not be any more delicious than when they still smell of the vine, and the corn is at its best when the husk is still green and fresh.
Come and meet bread bakers, pickle makers, tomato growers, farmers and fruit growers, mozzarella makers, and other food growers and artisans who work hard so that Hoboken residents can eat healthy and fresh. Taste their goodies on the spot and get supplies for the next week’s meals until you can come again.
13th St at Hudson St., Hoboken, New Jersey
11. Things to Do in Hoboken, New Jersey: Halifax
Halifax is a delightful restaurant located within Hoboken's W Hotel, representing the combined vision of restaurateur Michael Barry and executive chef Seadon Shouse. The restaurant, which opened in 2016, serves up delectable New American prepared with farm-fresh ingredients, served up in a gorgeous coastal-inspired dining space with ample natural lighting and beautiful views of the Manhattan skyline. Northeastern coastal cuisine is showcased at dinner, including entree selections like Maine lobster rigatoni, smoked Amish chicken, Roman-style gnocchi, and prime New York strip steaks with scallion butter and mushroom mashed potatoes. Shareables include creative selections like smoked salmon flatbread, salt cod and shrimp fritters, and lamb meatballs with gorgonzola fondue. A specialty cocktail program is paired with wines available by the glass and a selection of regional draft beers.
225 River St, Hoboken, NJ 07030, Phone: 201-253-2500
12. Resilience Paddle Sports, Hoboken, New Jersey
There is nothing as soothing and relaxing as spending an early morning slowly paddling on the water. Hoboken residents will be happy to know that Hudson River is now clean enough for water activities, and the Resilience Paddle Sports offers classes and tours for visitors to enjoy the river and improve their fitness.
They work together with Pier 13 Boating Club to offer paddle boarding and kayaking classes for adults and children and provide a number of fun tours along the Hudson River. Their goal is to promote Hoboken residents to engage in better fitness practices, as well as increase awareness of the river environment and the need for its stewardship. Phone: 201-477-8713
13. Puzzle Out Hoboken
Puzzle Out Hoboken is a fun and challenging escape room game with venues in Hoboken and Jersey City. At this point the Hoboken venue has only one escape room for you to try – but once you have cut your teeth on this one you can move on to pit your wits against 6 escape rooms at the Jersey City venue. The rooms all require you and your friends to work as a team to solve multiple puzzles which will lead you to solve the mysteries and escape the room. The Hoboken room is based on a code-breaking theme from WWI and can accommodate between 2 and 8 players. Tick-tock – you only have 60 minutes.
1 Newark Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030, 201 565 3332
What is Hoboken known for? What to do. What are the top attractions to visit in Hoboken?
The top attractions to visit in Hoboken according to local experts are:
- Barsky Gallery
- Hoboken Historical Museum, Hoboken, New Jersey
- Carlo's Bakery Classes, Hoboken, New Jersey
- Blue Eyes Restaurant, Hoboken, NJ
- Alba Boutique, Hoboken, New Jersey
- Sorellina, Hoboken, New Jersey
- Tony Boloney's, Hoboken, New Jersey
- The Brass Rail, Hoboken, New Jersey
- Things to Do in Hoboken, New Jersey: La Isla Restaurant
- Things to Do in Hoboken, New Jersey: Hoboken Farmers' Market
- Things to Do in Hoboken, New Jersey: Halifax
- Resilience Paddle Sports, Hoboken, New Jersey
- Puzzle Out Hoboken
Attraction Spotlight: Hoboken Waterfront Walkway
The Hudson River Waterfront Walkway is a riverfront walkway in New Jersey covering over 18 miles along the west side of the Hudson River. The walkway runs from the Ross Dock Picnic Area south to the Bayonne Bridge in Newark Bay. Hoboken is located approximately midway along the walkway directly across the Hudson River from Manhattan. The Hoboken stretch of the walkway is a scenic, family-friendly pathway that winds through some of America’s best urban parks.
The Hoboken stretch of the park begins with the Hoboken Ferry Terminal at the south end. Just north of this area, visitors will pass through Pier A and Pier C parks. Both offer an escape from the urban setting, along with New Jersey’s best views of Manhattan. The Pier A Park is just north of the Hoboken terminal and offers spacious, green manicured lawns. Pier C Park is a small island park accessible by an over water walkway. It offers visitors a playground, water play area and fishing pier.
Stevens Park is a small public park with a fenced in dog run to the north of Pier C Park and marks the beginning of the Stevens Institute of Technology campus. Frank Sinatra drive runs from here through to the north side of Hoboken, parallel to the river. The Frank Sinatra Park lines the waterfront here and offers a kayak launch and soccer field as well as an open-air amphitheater. Along the waterfront visitors will come across Castle Point Park, the only skate park in the City of Hoboken, and a natural beach at Hoboken Cove, home of the Hoboken Cove Community Boathouse. The boathouse, which offers free kayaking to the community, is located at the corner of Frank Sinatra Drive and Maxwell Place Park. Maxwell Place Park offers ample green space, a dog run and playground area.
Continuing north along the walkway, visitors will pass the Hoboken Historical Museum. Founded in 1986, the small museum offers rotating exhibits that illuminate the history of Hoboken, its culture, architecture, and historic landmarks. At the north end of the Hoboken Walkway is the Northern Hoboken Ferry, and the Hoboken Weehawken Cove. The historic former Lipton Tea warehouse is located at the south end of the cove.
Although the entirety of the Hudson River Waterfront Walkway is not yet complete, the Hoboken section offers a smooth throughway on a 10 to 20 foot wide path that is accessible to walkers, joggers and cyclists.
History: The Hudson River Waterfront Walkway, of which the Hoboken Waterfront Walkway makes up a small section, was conceived of in the 1970’s as a continuous waterfront park which would cover the entirety of the west bank of the Hudson River from the George Washington Bride to the Bayonne Bridge. The walkway is not yet complete, with several industrial sections still off-limits to public passers by. Of the 18.5 proposed miles, 11 miles are complete, including the Hoboken Waterfront Walkway.
The walkway has not been without controversy. In 1999, many waterfront property owners challenged a 1988 ruling requiring access to the waterway, and although this challenge was denied by a judge, the non-profit Hudson River Waterfront Conservancy (HRWC) continues to battle with property owners who have been reluctant to provide public access to the walkway, or who have subsequently blocked previous public access. The HRWC is a volunteer managed not for profit organization established to provide public outreach programming, encourages continued enforcement of the law, and oversees maintenance of the completed walkways.
Ongoing Programs and Education: The Hudson River Waterfront Walkway Conservancy hosts its own “Walk the Walkway” events to celebrate the completed sections of the walkway. Additional events are sponsored by the City of Hoboken and its departments. The Jersey City to Hoboken Waterfront Tour is a bicycle tour promoted by the New Jersey Department of Transportation. The tour traverses many of the two cities’ historic landmarks and parks, and rides along the entirety of the Hoboken Waterfront. The City of Hoboken offers free Concerts in the Park. The performances take place in Frank Sinatra Park once weekly during the summer months of June, July and August. Past performances have includes the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, a Led Zeppelin tribute band and the 63rd Army Band of New Jersey. Hoboken’s Cove Boathouse offers free kayak outings to the public between May and September and is also host to a number of kayak races and events.
600 Harbor Boulevard, Weehawken, NJ 07086, Phone: 201-519-7057
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