New Jersey is nice, and if you have time for a side trip to Washington DC there is a lot to do and see there. You can take a train from NYC to DC. The best bargain is that all the museums are free! So you can walk in and out of them all day. The best pizza outside of Italy is at 2Amys. If you go on Orbitz.com you can make a last minute hotel reservation and stay in a 300 dollar a night room for around 100 dollars, that's fun. Although I have taken the train both ways on the same day, it's a long day trip, but once you are on the train you are fine.