Jersey City

We went to New York City over the weekend (very hot; we're going to have to stop doing that). We had a good idea that was manifested less than terrifically.

The good idea was, we'd park and stay overnight in Jersey City, which is just across the water from NYC. We were going to take the PATH subway over to Manhattan, walk around, go back, drive home.

Turns out Jersey City is in the midst of a massive gentrification project. It's quite incredible. You drive through slums, decaying buildings, all the signs of a dying city. Then you cross a block, and you encounter shiny new office buildings, wide open spaces, a glistening light-rail train passing multiple new hotels. Quite nice.

Not perfect, though. The fine people doing the planning made the main street broad and wide, but it didn't seem to occur to them that you'd want to stop -- the only public parking we saw was attached to a mall, and they appeared to charge for it. Which we might have been willing to do, had it not been two long blocks from the main drag. Also, the reason that the Candlewood Suites is less expensive than the Westin, Mariott, etc is: it's about four blocks from that main area. On a hot day, you've got to drive. See above: no available parking. Also, this was the only hotel I've ever seen which has a gated entrance and a gated exit. On final exit, you need a token from the desk to be able to get out. The reason for the gating appears to be that JC has a bit of a crime problem -- we saw multiple houses with grates and grilles all around the house. Little fortresses.

But if you stay in, say, the Westin, then the PATH station is right across the street. We do it again, that's what we're doing.