vocabularylessons t1_iujur5l wrote on October 31, 2022 at 9:43 PM

If you walked along Central Ave, you should next walk along Palisade Ave. It's the other and more 'hip' commercial corridor in the Heights. As for transportation, the NJT buses stop all over and you can take them to midtown or to JSQ for the PATH. You can also take the light rail (9th St or 2nd St) and transfer at either Hoboken or Exchange Pl for the PATH in to Midtown or FiDi. Light rail can be ass but when it's good, it's good. You can also bike or walk to the PATH.

Yes, it's more residential, lower density, way more quiet than Manhattan. Still overwhelmingly working class and immigrant families. It can also be cute af and trendy once you pay attention to all the happenings. Zero night life, getting back from a night out in NYC is always a pain. But if you're considering the Heights, then maybe your already past you 'out till 4am' days.

[deleted] OP t1_iujy0kp wrote on October 31, 2022 at 10:08 PM

[deleted]

vocabularylessons t1_iuk0yyg wrote on October 31, 2022 at 10:31 PM

From East of Central Ave, it's 30-40 minutes to FiDi or Midtown, plus any additional walking or transit once you're in Manhattan. Choose your own adventure of walking, biking, bus, light rail, train.

The buses will take you to PABT in midtown or to JSQ or Hoboken for PATH to Midtown or FiDi, whichever you need. Light rail pro tip: follow the Hudson Bergen Light Rail twitter account, they post live updates on any issues. The official NJT app only has the light rail schedule, no updates. You can buy tickets for bus and light rail on the NJT app, though the conductors almost never check on the light rail. PATH service is pretty good (most of the time) during peak hours but not late at night.

Here's a map of restaurants/cafe/etc that I made, it's very much a work in progress but I count a dozen well/highly regarded cafes/bakeries along Central and Palisade (you can toggle the map layers to see other establishments). And as others have mentioned, Riverview Park is great (farmer's market and all) and Washington and Pershing parks are also nice.

Parts of the Heights are definitely a food desert, though I anticipate that will change sooner rather than later. A lot of the corner stores / bodegas are kinda trash. Supremo and Stop & Shop are okay. There's a quality Shoprite and Trader Joe's in Hoboken, not convenient but not too far either. Whole Foods in Weehawken (further still). Buy a little push cart, I guess. Grocery shopping is easier if you have a car but having a car in the Heights is a pain.