West Side-Hudson Jersey City, NJ

A mixture of Victorian- and Edwardian-style homes and Art Deco apartments make up this eclectic community. Local shops and restaurants, some established over 50 years ago, line John F. Kennedy Boulevard from West Side to Journal Square, Jersey City's hub and neighbor to West Side.

Actors Shakespeare Company, part of St. Peter's College on Montgomery Avenue, performs professional productions on a seasonal basis. The Harold B. Lemmerman Gallery in New Jersey City University features student and professional artwork in temporary and ongoing exhibits.

Dining in the West Side of Jersey City provides you with many culturally distinct options. Rita & Joe's, a classic Italian eatery, serves up dishes from the motherland at an affordable price. Regulars rave about the large portions of favorites such as the carbonara. Dishes are made with love and family recipes passed down over generations.

Near the border of Journal Square, the West Side neighborhood also has many choices for Indian restaurants. Rasoi Restaurant on Newark Avenue incorporates imported spices for traditional dishes. Paintings of Indian landscapes adorn bright walls, and a circular mural in the dining room's ceiling suggests perpetual blue skies in Rasoi. Tender chicken tikka masala, veggie biryani, goat curry, and select dishes line buffet tables -- always prepared fresh and replenished quickly. Around lunchtime, Rasoi's features wait times of 20 minutes or more, but take-out orders get prepared and served quickly. Be sure to dine-in at Rasoi's at least once as the warm, welcoming atmosphere perfectly complements a meal that only ends when you can't possibly eat another bite.

Modest dining and big flavor experiences await hungry patrons at Morgan Fish Market & Restaurant on John F. Kennedy Boulevard. Every dish comes with rice, baba ghanoush, and tahini sauce as well as pita bread. The popularity of Morgan's Fish Market comes from its menu as well as the ability to purchase fish and other fresh selections. Besides fillets of sole, whitefish, or perch, Morgan's Fish Market packages and sells its popular baba ghanoush for at-home enjoyment.

Behind the old-wood exterior of New Park Tavern, discover a popular local bar with a slight firewood scent, menu items scrawled on a chalkboard, and a wide beer selection. This small bar sees massive crowds every day because of very reasonable drink prices -- $5 for imported drafts and $3 to $4 for domestic beers, along with daily specials -- and its burgers. Recipient of the "Best Burger in Jersey City" award, this establishment's half-pound patties exude juiciness while avoiding excessive greasiness. Ask for one of these burgers served with New Park Tavern's own Guinness cheddar on an English muffin when you visit. On the weekend, this local bar gets loud from a rocking jukebox and crowds throughout Jersey City.

Residential areas of the West Side neighborhood lie within walking distance of many daily needs along West Side Avenue. Accomplish errands throughout Jersey City by hopping on one of the many buses that service Jersey City, Newark, and Hoboken. Light rail service on Claremont Avenue provides direct access to Hoboken terminal, with trains to N.Y.C. Plenty of taxi services and Uber drivers in West Side and Jersey City stand ready to serve the needs of area residents 24 hours a day. Residential overnight parking requires a permit and main streets have metered spots.

Route 440 runs through West Side, connecting with route 1-9 to Bergen County and greater New Jersey destinations and the Newark-Jersey City Turnpike for direct access to Newark.

Lincoln Park has 273 acres of free recreational space and lies minutes within the West Side area. Tracks around the park and Lincoln Park Lake provide a natural backdrop for exercising or fishing within the urban community. The park boasts 21 tennis courts, a ball field, three playgrounds, basketball courts, and two soccer fields.

The dog-friendly Lincoln Park features a 53-foot-tall statue and fountain dedicated to Abraham Lincoln, among several monuments and memorials within the park. The annual Lincoln Park Music Festival attracts over 50,000 visitors for a variety of music, sports, activities, and games.

Affordable dining, local shopping, and walkability give the West Side neighborhood an edge over other Jersey City districts. One-bedroom apartments in the West Side begin at $1,200, roughly 29 percent lower than other Jersey City neighborhoods. Bus rides to Journal Square or Downtown cost $1.50. Jersey City sees gas prices one percent lower than national averages. This affordable neighborhood also provides opportunities for meals under $10 and drink specials that start at $5 for domestic drafts.

Within a 10-minute drive of the West Side area, Hudson Mall services Jersey City with a Bath & Body Works, Foot Locker, GNC, Toys R Us, and Old Navy. On Carbon Place, the Thriftique Warehouse's eclectic mix of apparel, electronics, books, antiques, and rare finds challenges shoppers to find treasures within the warehouse's walls.

SUVAS Clothing sells the company's in-house line of street-inspired clothing, featuring t-shirts, caps, hoodies, and jerseys. SUVAS releases new collections seasonally, ensuring there's always something on the cutting edge of style.

Young women and teenagers find high style and reasonable prices at Pretty Girl, a small regional store operating in New Jersey and New York. The store, located on Bergen Avenue, sells a wide selection of designer dresses, pants, tops, shoes, and accessories.

Indian markets around Journal Square sell reasonably priced imported spices and popular Indian products. A C-Town Supermarket on Bergen Avenue and a slew of local marts fulfill daily and weekly grocery lists. Lucky Farm, also on Bergen Avenue, sells locally-grown produce at competitive prices.