Branch Brook Park & Cherry Blossom Festival. Home to the largest collection of Japanese flowering cherry trees in the United States — more than 4,000 trees in 18 varieties, surpassing even Washington D.C. — Branch Brook Park erupts in pink and white each April and hosts an annual festival with races, guided tours, and bloom-status webcams.
Newark Museum of Art. New Jersey's largest museum spans 80+ galleries of art and science across a 3.1-acre campus that includes the 1885 Ballantine House National Historic Landmark, the Dreyfuss Planetarium (the state's first), and the western hemisphere's largest collection of Tibetan art.
New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC). One of the largest performing arts centers in the country, NJPAC has drawn more than 9 million patrons since opening in 1997 with four performance halls, a resident New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, and one of the nation's biggest arts education programs.
The Ironbound District. Newark's most distinctive neighborhood is a dense grid of Ferry Street eateries, bakeries, and specialty markets where Portuguese, Spanish, and Brazilian immigrants have shaped a food culture unrivaled in the Northeast — more than 100 Iberian-influenced establishments pack a single square mile.
Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart. The fifth-largest cathedral in North America, this French Gothic masterpiece took 54 years to build and is home to the largest pipe organ ever constructed by the Schantz Organ Company — free to visit daily, with public concerts throughout the year.
Prudential Center. The 18,000-seat arena anchors downtown Newark as the home of the NHL's New Jersey Devils and a premier concert venue that has hosted Taylor Swift, Bad Bunny, the Rolling Stones, and three consecutive MTV Video Music Awards ceremonies (2019, 2022, 2023).
Military Park. A six-acre Frederick Law Olmsted-designed park in the heart of downtown, home to Gutzon Borglum's massive Wars of America sculpture, free outdoor movies, farmers markets, ping-pong, chess, and a lively roster of concerts and food events.
Ironbound Neighborhood Food Tour. A 90-minute guided walk through the Ironbound stops inside three locally owned eateries, offering tastings of signature dishes and direct conversation with the owners who built this community — rated five stars on TripAdvisor and an ideal introduction to the neighborhood's layered immigrant story.
Top-rated tours & activities in Newark
The Escape Game New Jersey: 60-Minute Adventure at American Dream — 5.0★ (494 reviews)
Washington D.C., Niagara Falls & Philadelphia 3-Day Tour from NYC — 4.7★ (350 reviews)
New York City Skyline Helicopter Tour from New Jersey — 4.4★ (71 reviews)
American Dream DreamWorks Indoor Water Park Ticket — 3.7★ (146 reviews)
LEGOLAND Discovery Center Westchester Admission Ticket — 4.0★ (44 reviews)
SEA LIFE New Jersey Admission Tickets at American Dream — 3.7★ (35 reviews)
Soccer Fans Non-Match-Day Trip: DC & Philadelphia 2-Day from NYC — 4.4★ (30 reviews)
New York, D.C, Niagara Falls & Boston 7-Day Tour — 4.9★ (21 reviews)
The Escape Game New Jersey: 60-Minute Adventure at American Dream — 5.0★ (494 reviews)
Washington D.C., Niagara Falls & Philadelphia 3-Day Tour from NYC — 4.7★ (350 reviews)
New York City Skyline Helicopter Tour from New Jersey — 4.4★ (71 reviews)
American Dream DreamWorks Indoor Water Park Ticket — 3.7★ (146 reviews)
LEGOLAND Discovery Center Westchester Admission Ticket — 4.0★ (44 reviews)
SEA LIFE New Jersey Admission Tickets at American Dream — 3.7★ (35 reviews)
Soccer Fans Non-Match-Day Trip: DC & Philadelphia 2-Day from NYC — 4.4★ (30 reviews)
New York, D.C, Niagara Falls & Boston 7-Day Tour — 4.9★ (21 reviews)