Goodbye New York, Welcome to Newark New Jersey!
We’ve officially left the bright lights and endless honking of New York City behind us. If you made it out of the Lincoln Tunnel with your sanity intact—congratulations, you’re a road trip warrior. Up ahead? Washington, D.C., our nation’s capital. But before we start daydreaming about monuments and cherry blossoms, let’s give some well-deserved attention to the city we’re passing right now: Newark, New Jersey.
Now, Newark might be best known for its airport—and yes, it’s a great place to leave from—but stick with us, because there’s a lot more going on here than terminal gates and TSA lines.
Founded in 1666 (which makes it older than the United States itself), Newark was one of America’s earliest Puritan settlements. These were people who didn’t believe in fun—but somehow ended up building a city that would become an industrial and cultural heavyweight.
By the 1800s, Newark was booming with leather factories, breweries, and even some of the first celluloid film production. If it could be made, bottled, tanned, or mildly dangerous, it probably happened here.
And the people? Newark has produced legends:
Shaquille O’Neal—NBA superstar, real estate investor, and possibly the only man who could dunk on a toll booth.
Queen Latifah—hip-hop royalty, actress, and all-around force of nature.
Sarah Vaughan—jazz legend with a voice smooth enough to make traffic disappear.
Amiri Baraka—revolutionary poet and activist whose words shook the world.
Culture still runs deep here, with the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) and the Newark Museum of Art giving the city serious creative street cred. And if you’re ever hungry near the Ironbound District, prepare your taste buds for some of the best Portuguese food this side of the Atlantic.
So while you might not see much from the highway besides industrial zones and a few planes overhead, just know you’re passing one of the most historically rich and culturally vibrant cities in the country. Newark may not ask for the spotlight—but it’s earned it.
Now back to the road—Washington, D.C. awaits, but there’s plenty more in between. Stick with us!
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