Like many towns in the New York Metropolitan Area, Weehawken gets its name from the original inhabitants. The Lenape tribe that lived in what is now Northern New Jersey spoke a dialect of the Algonquian language, and the word “weehawken” has been interpreted as “rocks that look like trees.” Weehawken is on the western shore of the Hudson River, along the southern end of the New Jersey Palisades across from Midtown Manhattan, it’s the location of the western terminus of the Lincoln Tunnel.
Why Weehawken? The best views of the Manhattan Skyline are from Weehawken, NJ. Just visit Hamilton Park which is up on cliffs overlooking a gorgeous panorama. You can see a clear, unobstructed view North looking at the George Washington Bridge straight down to the tip of Manhattan and beyond to the Verrazano Bridge which connects Staten Island and Brooklyn. It’s breathtaking.
Hamilton Park is the historical spot of the most famous duel in American history, which took place on July 11, 1804, between General Alexander Hamilton, one of our founding fathers, and his nemesis, sitting Vice President of the United States, Aaron Burr. Burr fired the fatal shot that killed Hamilton. This story is now one of the most popular Broadway modern musicals, “Hamilton.”
Visit, Work and Live: You can rent or buy an amazing apartment, condo or townhouse on Weehhawken’s waterfront, or up on the hill along or near Park Avenue. The town offers free waterfront shuttles to its residents. Besides culture and fine dining, there are many playgrounds, ball fields, and parks – even dog parks!
Whether you’re a visitor or resident, a drive along River Road on Weehawken’s waterfront is packed with excellent upscale and casual restaurants including The Chart House, Ruth’s Chris Steak House, Houlihans, Molos Restaurant, and Charrito’s. From many of these restaurants you can enjoy the spectacular Manhattan skyline and see the changing colors of the Empire State building.
Then there’s the The Hudson Riverfront Performing Arts Center (HRPAC) which produces free concerts year-round. One of their sponsors, UBS, hosts the UBS Atrium Series: free lunchtime concerts at the UBS Atrium at 1000 Harbor Blvd. During the summer, there are free outdoor summer concerts on the Hudson at Lincoln Harbor Park with an eclectic mix of music including jazz, classical, pop, folk, and cabaret. There are other sponsors including, but not limited to, Palisades Medical Center, NY Waterway, NJ State Council on the Arts, and the Hudson Reporter.
The Marina: If you own a boat and need a slip,or want to charter a yacht for an event, visit Lincoln Harbor Yacht Club. If you have out of town guests, they can walk 5 minutes and stay at the Sheraton and Lincoln Harbor. Spirit of NJ has regular public lunch and dinner cruises. Royal Princess yacht is available for private charters from Lincoln Harbor, which an ideal location for weddings, corporate and private events.
How do I get there? Convenient Public Transportation: You can get to Weehawken by bus, ferry, or light rail. It is an easy ferry ride from NYC by NY Waterway. Ferries run every day from 39th Street and the West Side Highway and take only 15 minutes to get across the river. There are two Weehawken stops – Port Imperial and Lincoln Harbor (1 mile apart). When you are in NYC, there are free red, white, and blue shuttle buses that take you to various spots in the city. All you have to do is hail one down at a regular bus stop along their route on main streets (57th, 49th, 42nd, 34th Streets, and a special Downtown loop). NJ Transit runs buses, trains, and NJ Transit Light Rail. By car, Weehawken is literally right through the Lincoln Tunnel.
(Featured image photo credit: Alexander Pusachev)