North Jersey Welcomes World Cup Visitors

**Brian Lehrer** (0:08)
Brian Lehrer on WNYC. And we're gonna wrap up this week with your non-soccer tourist tips for people coming to New Jersey for the World Cup. Again, your non-soccer tourism tips for people coming to New Jersey from around the world for the World Cup, 212-433-WNYC, 212-433-9692, Call or Text, Jerseyans, New York is trying to steal the spotlight. Right? FIFA is advertising the games here, advertising the games as taking place in New York and New Jersey. They're not. They're taking place in New Jersey. And did you see that even temporarily renamed MetLife Stadium, the New York, New Jersey stadium? That's because of rules that FIFA has that no company branding, in this case MetLife, may be associated with FIFA soccer matches, unless they're an official sponsor of some kind. But all the games are actually happening in North Jersey if you haven't noticed. So if you fly into Newark Airport for the games, you don't really need to go into New York at all. And staying in New Jersey makes a lot of sense when NJ Transit's Special Match Day Fair to the stadium is running at the now-discounted price of $98 round-trip. But it's safe to say that many of our visitors will be a lot less familiar with your local area wherever you are in New Jersey than they are with Manhattan or elsewhere on that side of the river. So, listeners, in North Jersey, this one's for you. And obviously not to dis New York, but this one's for you, North Jersey, because this tournament is in your hometown of the Meadowlands area. So your non-soccer tourism tips for visitors from around the world coming for the World Cup. Jerseyans, what do you want to shout out, especially in the northern part of the state, right? Maybe people aren't going down to near Philadelphia or anything like that. So North Jersey tourism tips especially, 212-433-WNYC, 212-433-9692.
And we should say that the World Cup is a big economic opportunity for North Jersey cities and townships, not just for New York, even though that does get most of the press. Oh, are the tourists filling up the New York hotels? Well, not as much as expected or the recent reports. But what about New Jersey localities? Local governments are trying to seize the moment from what I read.
Earlier this week on Morning Edition, maybe you heard Michael Hill talk with the president of Newark's tourism arm called Newark Happening. They put together a free Kick It in Newark mobile pass with themed trails and itineraries to help tourists explore the area. One is self-care themed in case a visitor needs to find, let's say, a barber or get their nails done. There's also a historic Newark Trail, a Black-owned business crawl, they're calling it, and an international eats trail. And speaking of food, the city has timed Newark Restaurant Week to line up with the World Cup. So, listeners, help us put together an itinerary for your city or town. It can be more from Newark or from anywhere in the area. Where should tourists go in Jersey City? Secaucus, East Rutherford itself. Business owners, are you hosting any World Cup events or welcoming visitors from around the world in some other way? It is for you, New Jersey listeners, for your non-soccer tourism tips, for visitors from around the world, call or text 212-433-WNYC.
Roll out your welcome mat, 212-433-9692.
We will take them right after this.
Brian Lehrer on WNYC. By the way, speaking of soccer, coming up at noon on All of It, they'll talk to the author of a new novel about a Haitian-born sports fan living in Harlem who just happened to lead the US men's soccer team to an unlikely win at the 1950 World Cup. Plus, beach etiquette from Obstructive Umbrellas to Feeding the Seagulls, get some helpful tips for being a good beach neighbor coming up at noon on All of It. And all right, now to your non-soccer tourism tips for visitors from around the world coming to New Jersey. And let's begin with Judd in Union. Judd, you're on WNYC. What you got? Hi.

**Judd** (5:09)
Hi, thanks for taking my call. I just wanted to extol some of the virtues of Newark. I know it doesn't always have the greatest reputation, but the Newark Museum of Art has the largest collection of Tibetan art in the Western Hemisphere. There's an amazing cathedral in Newark, I think one of the largest in North America.
And you just got some great food, Portuguese food, some delis. So I really think that people should explore Newark. Oh, and also the Prudential Center. Maybe there's a show going on there. So I definitely think that tour is coming again.