Nine Things New Jersey Does Right

You know you love Joisey. Here are just a few of the many reasons why.

1. Grows delicious (and healthy) stuff

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It’s called the Garden State for a reason! Have you had a New Jersey blueberry lately? They’re the state fruit. And they’re scrumptious. Also: Jersey corn and tomatoes are the best around.

2. Birthed Bruce Springsteen

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The Boss is as Jersey as it gets and he’ll Prove it All Night. When Bruce sang about the Land of Hope and Dreams you know what state he was talking about. Okay, we can’t prove that, but where else would he refer to in that way?

3. Keeps your hands clean and smelling fresh

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Self-service is for lonely people… and forty-eight other states. New Jersey and Oregon are the only two where you can’t pump your own… petroleum. Don’t you hate that smell that lingers on your hands—or your clothes—after a visit with BP? We do. That’s why we like Jersey.

4. Boasts the FIRST vegan United States Senator!

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New Jersey’s Senator Cory Booker recently announced on Twitter that he’s test-driving a vegan diet. That makes him the country’s first vegan Senator and a role model for health. Studies show that those who follow a plant-based diet enjoy a healthier body weight; longer lives; and far lower rates of chronic diseases such as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. Right on.

5. Beaches

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Sure, the reality show might have given the Jersey Shore a bit of a bad rap, but the 130 miles of beautiful coastline are anything but trashy. New Jersey does beaches right—consider them for your next getaway, and you never know what treasures you might find.

6. Spawned the second person to walk on the moon

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Thanks to Jersey-born Buzz Aldrin, there’s a little piece of New Jersey—his footprints—hundreds of thousands of miles away from Earth. How many other states can say that?

7. Keeps kids trim and healthy

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New Jersey has one of the lowest rates of childhood obesity in the country—second only to Oregon. This could be thanks to what they serve in schools. Newark is one of the first public school districts to stop serving processed meat in school breakfast. Instead of Taylor Ham and bacon sandwiches, students pick from whole-grain pancakes and muffins. I want that for breakfast.

8. Home to Hoboken

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Aside from its fun-to-say name, Hoboken, New Jersey has a few cool claims to fame. The first baseball game ever was played there, and it’s also the birthplace of iconic singer Frank Sinatra. Not to mention, it’s one of the best places to catch a view of its neighbor city’s gorgeous skyline.

9. Newark Liberty Airport

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One of the nation’s busiest airports, Newark Liberty is about to get even better. A $120 million makeover of its Terminal C will bring a slew of new dining options to hungry travelers, including a vegetarian and vegan eatery for those with a Cory Bookerish attention to health. In 2012, dietitians with the Physicians Committee ranked Newark the top airport for healthy food options.