Overview
Paterson offers a raw, working-class glimpse of American industrial history with the Great Falls—77 feet tall and second only to Niagara in water volume east of the Mississippi. The city is an ethnically diverse tapestry with large Hispanic, Arab, Italian-American, African American, and Bengali communities, making it a food destination for authentic ethnic eats.
Budget Travel · Day Trips
Before you go
Accommodation
Paterson has very few hotels. Budget travelers should look to nearby Wayne, Clifton, or Paramus for motel options.
Food
Ethnic dining is excellent and affordable—Dominican, Arab, Italian, Peruvian, Puerto Rican, and African cuisines available throughout the city.
Money
Prices in USD. Cash preferred at smaller ethnic restaurants and street vendors. Credit cards accepted at major attractions and nicer restaurants.
Safety
Crime is concentrated in Wrigley Park (4th Ward), Northside, Riverside, Totowa, and Sandy Hill. Downtown, Eastside Park, Manor Section, and Falls District are safer. Exercise normal urban caution.
Transport
NJ Transit buses 161, 190, 171 connect Paterson to NYC. Route 72 goes to Newark Penn Station. Dollar vans on Main Street and Broadway serve Clifton, Passaic, and Manhattan.
Weather
Humid summers and cold winters typical of New Jersey. Summer weekends bring more visitors to the Great Falls. Any season works for day visits.