Via Rutkowski 
The pumpkin-covered stoops and colorful foliage are just some of the many reasons to love fall in Jersey City. Aside from stunning aesthetics and a crisp chill in the air, Jersey City is home to many things that make fall feel as magical as it does. From treats and seasonal cocktails to community events, there’s always something to look forward to when autumn is in full swing. That’s why we created a budget-friendly itinerary to help readers make the most of all that Jersey City has to offer this fall. Read to learn how to have a $50 day in Jersey City, New Jersey: fall edition.
The challenge: Eat at least 2 meals and enjoy at least 1 activity for $50 or less in Jersey City (tip + tax will be extra). We spent the day on foot to avoid transportation costs.
Breakfast: $10.25
We kicked off the day in Downtown Jersey City for a “treat yourself” kind of breakfast. Fall was in the air and a coffee and pastry felt high on our list. Something about baked goods in the fall really goes well together. On the journey, we stumbled upon a corner covered in fall decor which pointed us right to Maggie’s Farmhouse Espresso at 88 Morgan Street. The Australian-inspired eatery had a tasty menu of fall drinks, a generous assortment of pastries, and both indoor and outdoor seating. This felt like an ideal spot to launch our fall-focused day ahead. Though a pumpkin loaf (which looked amazing) would have been very on-brand for a fall day, we couldn’t resist the massive Balthazar almond croissants which are brought in fresh from New York City every morning. The croissant rang in at $4.50 and then we paired it with a Seasonal Spiced Latte for $5.75 making this an extra special mini breakfast for a total of $10.25.
Read More: How to Have a $50 Day in Jersey City
Activity 1: Free
With a coffee and a croissant in hand, it was time for a 20-minute walk to the Priscilla Gardener Main Branch of the Jersey City Free Public Library located at 472 Jersey Avenue. Here we were assisted by the friendly staff and got our very own library card for free. (Just in time for the cozy indoor reading season ahead.) We spent some time strolling through the historic building and chose a book to take home.
Late Lunch: $15
After walking up an appetite, it was time for a little lunch break and a tour of some more spooky stoops. We made our way about 14 minutes east to the Hamilton Park area in search of something satisfying in the comfort food realm. We stopped at Ahri’s Kitchen located at 227 Seventh Street. This homey neighborhood Korean restaurant was decked out for Halloween and exactly the fuel we needed. We tried the Chul Pan Udong which is stir-fried udon noodles with carrot, scallion, cabbage, onion, broccoli, and tofu for $15. A true 10/10.
See More: How to Spend A $50 Day in Bloomfield: Watessing Park Area Edition
Activity 2: $22.79
We can’t celebrate a fall day without an activity like pumpkin carving. This means it was time to set out to the 14th Street Garden Center located at 793 Jersey Avenue which was an 11-minute walk away. After some fun browsing through the massive garden center, we grabbed two 10-pound pumpkins for $7.90 each (0.79 cents a pound) and a pumpkin carving kit for $6.99. Before taking the pumpkins home we racked up a total of $22.79 on our jack-o-lantern supplies making our grand total for the day $47.79, just under budget.
Stay tuned for the next part of our $50 day series.
