East Rutherford is a borough in Bergen County which is in the northeast part of New Jersey. Formerly known as the township of Boiling Springs, East Rutherford was renamed on May 23, 1893 when it was purchased by the Borough officers of the East Rutherford Borough. There was no change in the territory, only in the government and name. East Rutherford holds a population of approximately 10,000 residents. The small town occupies approximately 3.9 square miles and also houses hundreds of businesses and restaurants. It is still somewhat overshadowed by MetLife Stadium, home to the NFL's New York Giants and New York Jets as well as a venue for various concerts and events.
Get in
By car
- From north/northeast: Follow I-95 South until New Jersey Turnpike South then take I-80 West and finally the exit NJ-17 South.
- From south/southwest: You can do the same thing after taking I-95 North.
- From west: Take I-80 East and then follow the directions above.
Be wary of the drivers as you come into NJ. They are apathetic to newcomers and will cut you off while you're looking around or lost. Also, be wary of the lack of stop signs in intersections and sharp turns on the highway.
By train
If you are outside the area, take the Acela Express or a local Northeast Corridor line to get to New York's Penn Station. From there take NJ Transit. East Rutherford is within walking distance of the train station.
Get around
East Rutherford is small and hard to drive through. When entering the heart of the town it is easier to get around on foot because the narrow streets are hard to drive through. Be aware that there are meters everywhere if you do decide to leave your car.
- The Downtowner Bus this service is free for all residents. The transit operates Monday through Friday. The last bus runs until 3:58PM.
See
- Meadowlands Complex made up of the Meadowlands Racetrack, the MetLife Stadium, and the Izod Center which hosts games and concerts annually. This draws in about a million fans with each year. Home of the NFL's New York Giants and New York Jets.
- Waterfront Cafe Miniature Golf, 1 Paterson Plank Rd. Carlstadt, course features 17 golfing holes. Food is close by at their built-in cafe.
- Meadowlands Museum, 40.8153°, -74.104°. 2018-05-14
Do
- New York Giants. One of the oldest teams in the NFL, the Giants have amassed four NFL titles before the introduction of the Super Bowl, as well as four Super Bowls, including 2007 and 2011 with Eli Manning under Center defeating Tom Brady and the New England Patriots. While some New Yorkers still resent their "abandoning" the city for greener pastures (or meadows) in New Jersey, their on-field success has endeared them to many people in the area, even though their regular season play can be mediocre at times. If they make it to the post-season all bets are off and upsets are a bit of a specialty for the modern era Giants. regular season tickets starting from $120 2015-11-23
- New York Jets. The other New York football team are the most successful "challenger" to the Giants for the hearts and minds of New Yorkers. While they were a charter member of the upstart AFL under the name "Titans" (Titans being bigger than Giants and all that) and the first AFL team to beat an NFL team in the Super Bowl, they have since failed to return to the big game and often play second fiddle to the Giants. The fact that they share a common home stadium may not have helped in that. 2015-11-23
- Meadowlands Racing and Entertainment (Meadowlands Racetrack), 40.818506°, -74.073247°, +1 201 THEBIGM. Free admission, except Hambletonian Day $5. 2018-03-15
- American Dream, 40.8097°, -74.0681°, +1 201-340-2900. 2019-10-22
Eat
- Jerry's of East Rutherford, 340 Paterson Ave. Italian cuisine. Grinders and pasta are just a few of the delicious things you can find here. The staff is very friendly and is more than happy to explain what is in each of the dishes.
- Segovia Restaurant, 150 Moonachie Rd. Moonachie, Spanish cuisine. One of the top 120 restaurants in all of New Jersey. It offers a casual and friendly atmosphere. It specializes in seafood plates and appetizers. The restaurant can seat up to 160 people at a time and does parties for groups of 40 or more. The only downside to this place is that the decor is simple and the seats in the restaurant are too close together. Price range $15–$30.
- Chef Chan Restaurant, 238 Paterson Ave. Chinese cuisine. This place consistently has the best take out and the portions are huge. One dinner can feed up to three people so keep this in mind! Although it does not have a seating area, Chef Chan's makes up for it in taste. Make sure to have cash with you because this place does not take credit cards. They also deliver, the delivery is always prompt and correct. Don't forget to tip your driver!
- Taos Wok and Restaurant, 356 Paterson Ave. Chinese cuisine. Tao's is a sit-down restaurant. They also have a full bar. Remember to go for happy hour, you can sample many delicious cocktails and martinis. The decor has an Asian style to it, it is dark but beautiful and tasteful. Prices are in the middle range for this place.
Drink
- New Park Tavern, 250 Park Ave. A nice friendly atmosphere for friends to sit down and have a few drinks. The pizza is very good!
- Euro Lounge Cafe, 185 River Rd. North Arlington, great for dinner, drinks, or dancing.
Sleep
- Hilton Meadowlands, 2 Meadowlands Plaza, +1-201-896-0500. Complimentary shuttle service to public transportation.
- Fairfield Inn East Rutherford Meadowlands, 850 Paterson Plank Rd.
- Homestead Suites Meadowlands-Ruthford, 300 State Highway. It is on the cheaper side but the hotel is clean and decent for its price.
Go next
Unless you are coming from there (and in some cases even then) the most logical place to go from here is New York City