Dear Highlander,

I’m a freshman here at NJIT and it’s my first time being “free”. I really want to explore Newark and see what it has to offer, but I’m a little scared to do it on my own—or at all. Is there any way to explore the city safely? Where are the best places to go?  What should I avoid? Do you have any tips to stay alert and safe?

Dear Concerned Student,

Newark has thoroughly improved its reputation over the past few years. Newark has great restaurants, parks, bars, and much more. Some safe and attractive neighborhoods you can stick to are University Heights, Downtown Newark near the Prudential Center and Penn Station, and certain other areas.

Streets that are safe and frequently traveled by students are Warren Street and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., which go through NJIT and Rutgers. Broad Street and Market Street are also safe and have lots of stores and restaurants which get plenty of traffic. As long as you travel with a group of friends and venture to populated areas—in the daytime—you should be perfectly fine. The worst thing that might happen is someone might approach you asking for money or trying to sell you a shady product—but a simple “no thank you” usually does the trick.

Travelling beyond light rail operation hours is something you probably want to avoid, just because that’s would mean it’s really late and light rail is a relatively safe mode of transportation. For a more detailed analysis, if you’re interested, you can check out Newark on crimereports.com.

Here’s a list of places within walking distance, or around the light rail, that are safe, fun, and friendly:

Areas

Market Street

NJ PAC

Prudential

Broad Street

Halsey Street

Warren Street

Market Street

Dr Martin Luther King Jr Blvd

Washington Street

Raymond Blvd

Ferry Street

Military Park

Washington Park

Branch Brook Park

Penn Station

Restaurants

Chipotle

The Halal Guys

Jimmy John’s

Qdoba

Meatball Obsession

Blaze Pizza

Wok to Walk

Tops Diner

Fornos of Spain

Burger Walla

Ramen Gami

Intrinsic Cafe

McDonald’s

Checkers

Subway

Dunkin’ Donuts

Taco Bell

Sonic

Playa Bowls

Hobby’s Deli

Crown Fried Chicken

Domino’s Pizza

Stay Safe and Have Fun,

Your Fellow Highlander