Port Liberty embarkation

[Missymo]

Hello everyone.  I live in the Miami Area and have sailed out of the Miami/Ft Lauderdale ports for over 20 years.  This year I decided I want to travel  and sail the northern part of the US. I will arrive at Newark Airport and  I am booked on Anthem of the Seas in 2022 out of Port Liberty .. Planning on flying in at least one or two days before sailing.   I do need recommendations of good  Hotels that are not that far from the port (perhaps with shuttle to port,) with shopping and, sites to visit .. 

[GTJ]

There are no hotels immediately at the port in Bayonne, and those closest to the port would likely not fit into your category as being "good" (meaning of a high quality). The closest hotels of a good quality are in Jersey City (in and around areas known as Exchange Place, Newport Center, and Pavonia) and Hoboken. Some of these hotels include the Hyatt House Jersey City, Residence Inn by Marriott Jersey City, Westin Jersey City (Newport), Courtyard by Marriott Jersey City (Newport), DoubleTree by Hilton Jersey City, and W Hoboken, among others. It is possible, but unlikely, that a "shuttle" service to and from the port would be provided. Some persons destined for Bayonne also stay near the airport in Newark or Elizabeth, or in downtown Newark (most notably the DoubleTree by Hilton Newark Penn Station), and while convenient to the airport. Shopping is available at and surrounding the Newport Centre in Jersey City and along Washington Street in Hoboken. Note that while Exchange Place is quite active in the day, it is largely office towers with limited shopping opportunities. There is some limited shopping, mostly of the neighborhood variety, along Newark Avenue in Jersey City, west of Marin Boulevard. There is shopping in downtown Newark, but generally not high quality; there is no shopping immediately adjacent to the hotels in Newark and Elizabeth near the airport, though the Mills at Jersey Gardens, an outlet mall, is not too far away. As to sites to visit (as opposed to "sights"), you might travel to the large parks in Jersey City, including Liberty State Park (from which ferries to Liberty and Ellis islands depart) and Lincoln Park. Exchange Place and Pavoia are largely newly-built sites, where railroad yards once predominated. The focal point of Hoboken is the foot of Washington Street, near the railroad and ferry terminal. It is difficult to pinpoint "sites" generally without knowing more about what types of sites might be desirable to visit (for example, I could give a laundry list of sites with historical relevance to the urban development of Jersey City). But at least this has been a starter list.

[njhorseman]

15 hours ago, Missymo said:

Hello everyone.  I live in the Miami Area and have sailed out of the Miami/Ft Lauderdale ports for over 20 years.  This year I decided I want to travel  and sail the northern part of the US. I will arrive at Newark Airport and  I am booked on Anthem of the Seas in 2022 out of Port Liberty .. Planning on flying in at least one or two days before sailing.   I do need recommendations of good  Hotels that are not that far from the port (perhaps with shuttle to port,) with shopping and, sites to visit .. 

Without knowing precisely what you mean  by "good" hotels, I'm going disagree slightly what @GTJ said because there are several hotel chain properties on International Blvd. in Elizabeth near the Mills at Jersey Gardens outlet mall that I would classify as "good", but not luxury hotels. These are the Embassy Suites, Courtyard by Marriott and Residence Inn. Also at the same location are a couple of hotels that might be a notch down, Country Inn and Suites and Extended Stay America. This location has several advantages. The hotels are reasonably close to both the airport and Cape Liberty (not Port Liberty by the way...and I mention that because there is a nearby neighborhood in Jersey City called Port Liberte so if you got into a taxi and asked to go to "Port Liberty" you might end up in the wrong place.)

The International Blvd. hotels are close to some restaurants and shopping at the outlet mall, and at least in the past offered shuttle service from the airport, and in some cases from the hotel to Cape Liberty...the latter at additional cost or as part of a package deal. You'd have to check with the hotels to ascertain what they are offering at this time.

There are no sites to visit in the immediate area of these hotels.

Edited October 29, 2021 by njhorseman

[Missymo]

#GTJ and #njhorseman Thank you both for the terrific information.  I have screen shot both answers to my phone in my quest to find a hotel before my cruise.   

[mjkacmom]

The hotels is the Jersey city area are across the River from Manhattan with gorgeous views of the city. There are public transportation options such as ferries or the PATH. I can’t imagine having a couple of days to see some sites and spending them in Elizabeth or Newark. Taxi or Uber to your hotel, explore, taxi or Uber to the port. 

[GTJ]

I think you can generally categorize the hotels as being either in an interesting place where you can walk about and have access to public transit, or hotels surrounded by highways with airport courtesy shuttles. In the first category are the hotels in Jersey City and Hoboken; in the second category are the hotels near Newark airport and Elizabeth. And while mjkacmom and I might both prefer the first category, many others do prefer the conveniences of the second. But the two categories are quite distinct in character.

 

Tip of the hat to njhorseman for noting the hotels surrounding the Mills at Jersey Gardens outlet mall, all of which are readily walkable to the shopping mall. It is an area that is surrounded by highways (even if somewhat less so than those directly on routes 1 and 9), and I think that most of the hotels there consider themselves to be "airport hotels."

[mjkacmom]

Some people just want a hotel to sleep in and something to do, but the OP is flying north from Florida to take a cruise, a day or two early, I’m guessing the extra time and expense would indicate more than just an outlet mall, especially since the OP appears to live in a vibrant city. The area around the airport is one of the most depressing in NJ (and I live 11 miles from there).

[navybankerteacher]

4 hours ago, mjkacmom said:

Some people just want a hotel to sleep in and something to do, but the OP is flying north from Florida to take a cruise, a day or two early, I’m guessing the extra time and expense would indicate more than just an outlet mall, especially since the OP appears to live in a vibrant city. The area around the airport is one of the most depressing in NJ (and I live 11 miles from there).

The idea of flying up early to spend a couple of days in North Jersey outlet malls gives true meaning to the term “gag me with a spoon”.  Whatever shoppertunities might be found around Newark and Elizabeth can surely be surpassed in Miami-Dade.

 

Give yourself a break - visit NYC.

[GTJ]

7 hours ago, mjkacmom said:

The area around the airport is one of the most depressing in NJ (and I live 11 miles from there).

Let me show you certain parts of Camden and Newark, and this part of Elizabeth begins to look good! I think that this part of New Jersey is fine if all one wants is to sleep, if one has business or family in the area, if the outlet mall is of particular interest (though the outlet mall at Woodbury Common has quite a bit more), or if one has an affinity for seeing industrial areas. As to the last point, it was not too long ago that I was on a day cruise from New York that was specifically destined for the industrial shoreline of northern New Jersey, from which we were able to view the sights of Elizabeth, Jersey City, etc. Perhaps surprisingly a well-patronized cruise, but certainly requiring one to have a type of expectation that is in the minority of persons participating in this forum or in general. There's also periodic cruises that visit Newtown Creek, the Gowanus Canal, and other industrial neighborhoods on the New York side of the harbor, see, e.g., http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/16/nyregion/16cruise.html; http://www.newtowncreekalliance.org/newtown-creek-boat-tours, and I am looking forward to traveling on one of those cruise in the not too distant future.

[Post Captain]

I absolutely agree with those who have suggested a hotel in Jersey City.  A Newark Airport hotel might be fine as a place to sleep for one night, but the hotels on or near the Hudson River waterfront really do have a lot more to offer in the way of setting, views, and a much more pleasant vibe overall.  See my reply to a similar question in a previous thread:

 

  

This video gives a glimpse of the Westin and its immediate surroundings:

 

 

 

And here's the Hyatt Regency on the Hudson.  The Hyatt Place is at the next corner.

 

This map shows the relative locations of the Jersey City hotels on or near the Hudson River waterfront.  (The W in Hoboken is just off the top edge of the map.)

 

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Jersey+City,+NJ/@40.7237447,-74.0316923,15z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x89c250d225bfafdd:0x249f013a2cd25d9!8m2!3d40.7177545!4d-74.0431435

 

[Missymo]

16 hours ago, Post Captain said:

I absolutely agree with those who have suggested a hotel in Jersey City.  A Newark Airport hotel might be fine as a place to sleep for one night, but the hotels on or near the Hudson River waterfront really do have a lot more to offer in the way of setting, views, and a much more pleasant vibe overall.  See my reply to a similar question in a previous thread:

 

  

This video gives a glimpse of the Westin and its immediate surroundings:

 

 

 

And here's the Hyatt Regency on the Hudson.  The Hyatt Place is at the next corner.

 

This map shows the relative locations of the Jersey City hotels on or near the Hudson River waterfront.  (The W in Hoboken is just off the top edge of the map.)

 

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Jersey+City,+NJ/@40.7237447,-74.0316923,15z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x89c250d225bfafdd:0x249f013a2cd25d9!8m2!3d40.7177545!4d-74.0431435

 

Wow.  Thank You for the videos.  Just booked Hyatt House Jersey City.  Perfect location for me. 

[Post Captain]

4 hours ago, Missymo said:

Wow.  Thank You for the videos.  Just booked Hyatt House Jersey City.  Perfect location for me. 

 

You're very welcome!   I think that's a great choice.  I used to take walks along the waterfront quite frequently, but haven't been down there since before the start of the pandemic.  The Hudson River Walkway stretches for quite a few miles along the river, from the south end of Jersey City through Hoboken and up past Weehawken.  The views are stunning!

 

Below is another video I shot on the same day as the previous ones--it shows even more of the exterior of the Hyatt and the views therefrom.  As you can surmise, the hotel was built on the foundations of an old pier.  (Sorry for the poor quality the videos--I was just starting to shot videos around that time, using a camera without stabilization.  Can't believe I did this one more than nine years ago--it seems like yesterday!)

 

The Cape Liberty cruise terminal is just 7 or 8 miles south of the Hyatt.  As a previous poster suggested, it's a fairly short ride by taxi or Uber or a car service.

 

Bon voyage!

 

 

 

 

  

[GTJ]

18 hours ago, Missymo said:

Just booked Hyatt House Jersey City. Perfect location for me. 

Excellent choice. The hotel is so well-located because it is on a pier adjacent to the former Exchange Place terminal of the Pennsylvania Railroad. It was not until 1910 that Pennsylvania Station in Manhattan was opened, and before then everyone destined for New York City would take the train to Exchange Place in Jersey City, and cross the Hudson River by ferry. The railroad is now gone, and office towers have taken hold (this is now a huge financial center), The waterfront has been redeveloped, and residential and shopping have been built. Accordingly, you're not going to get a great historical feel here, but rather a very pleasant, high density, and redeveloped community, and with excellent 24 hour transportation for the short distance to Manhattan. You should have a great time here.