New Jersey is rich in natural beauty and American history. Its miles of beaches, charming seaside towns, lush parks and diverse communities make it a popular and vibrant tourist destination. The state gets its nickname, The Garden State, from a speech made at the Philadelphia Centennial Exhibition in 1876.

Home to more than 9,000,000 people, the state offers a wide variety of places to live, from highly urban Newark, just across the Hudson River from New York City to picturesque small towns like Cape May to boardwalks and tourist attractions that provide non-stop action and entertainment.

New Jersey's wealth of attractions -- some familiar and others more surprising -- include:

Historic towns, mills and waterways The Boardwalk and Casinos at Atlantic City Beaches, lighthouses, barrier islands and bays Mystic Seaport and its picturesque streets, historic buildings and museums Princeton University's beautiful campus The beach and boardwalk at Ocean City and Wildwood. The Appalachian Trail and the Barrier Islands.

New Jersey packs an astounding amount of history and beauty into its geographic area. The places showcased in this book offer pleasure to resident and visitor alike.