Blue skies, not skyscrapers, reign supreme in this New Jersey suburb, an oasis of calm within a stone’s throw of Manhattan.
Remember your Mom saying you can’t have your cake and eat it? Well, she clearly never went to Somerset. With easy transport links to New York City, Somerset is perfect for go-getters who enjoy the fast-paced life and dodging hordes of people during the day. And yet visitors here can also enjoy ambling walks through the park without another soul in sight. You see… cake and eat.
And that’s just the start of what Somerset has to offer. For example, on the corner of John F. Kennedy Boulevard and Easton Avenue, there sits a plaza with a story to tell. It’s called the Guglielmo Marconi Memorial Plaza, named after the man whose telegraph company built a massive radio transmission station in Somerset during World War I. From here, President Woodrow Wilson sent a telegraph to Germany in 1918, making a major turning point in the war.
Today, the station is gone, but other attractions like Colonial Park are alive and kicking. Walking trails criss-cross through the park, taking you past both a mini golf course and full-size one. Bring a Frisbee for a game of catch or hop in a paddle boat to take it all in from the water. Why not stop and smell the roses (literally) at the flower-filled Rudolf W. van der Goot Rose Garden?
Somerset’s down-to-earth vibe is apparent in the amount of diners you’ll find. Classic American fare is a Somerset speciality, and you can choose between chic American fusion restaurants and delightfully noisy family-owned places where Aunt Belinda does the hosting, waitressing, and clearing up. Looking for something a bit different than burgers and fries? Slurp on homemade spaghetti at an authentic Italian eatery, or get your fill of chow mein at a casual Chinese restaurant.