Living in New Jersey comes with its own set of headaches. Traffic jams that seem to last forever, parking that costs more than your lunch, and trying to figure out which beach won’t be packed with tourists on a Saturday afternoon.
These eight apps won’t solve all your problems, but they’ll definitely make life in the Garden State a lot easier.
1. Waze
Anyone who drives in New Jersey knows that traffic can go from normal to a nightmare in about two minutes. Construction pops up overnight on Route 287. Someone has a fender bender on the Parkway, and suddenly you’re sitting still for an hour.
Waze works because it gets information from other drivers who are stuck in the same mess you are. When someone spots a cop or an accident up ahead, the app knows about it. More importantly, it knows which back roads can get you around the problem.
2. A casino app
New Jersey residents have access to some of the best online casinos in the country. These apps offer a wide variety of games, including slots, roulette, and live dealer tables—all optimized for mobile play. You can even play blackjack with Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, giving you options for single-player or live dealer games with faster payouts than conventional banking.
Whether you want a quick game during a break or an immersive evening session, these platforms provide fast, secure deposits and withdrawals, plus special promotions for Garden State players.
3. GasBuddy
New Jersey’s full-service gas stations mean you don’t pump your own gas, but prices still vary significantly between locations. This becomes more noticeable during longer drives to shore destinations or when traveling north.
GasBuddy displays the current gas prices of the nearby stations. Price variations are sometimes large, especially when the parties are making regular summer trips to destinations such as Cape May or Ocean City.
4. NJ Transit Mobile App
The app enables train and bus passengers heading to Manhattan or South Jersey to see timings and schedules of arrivals and departures in real-time rather than scheduled timings which is especially important when making a connection during rush hours.
This system will ensure that boarding buses during the busiest hours becomes easier, quicker, and more convenient since around 60% of the world population owns a smartphone, eliminating the hassle of ticket refunds or waiting in line. Boarding is easier, faster, and more convenient for daily commuters.
5. ParkWhiz
Parking can be time and money-consuming during an event, like in places like Hoboken, Asbury Park, or the immediate MetLife Stadium. Parking space tends to take longer than traveling to the location.
ParkWhiz lets users reserve a parking space in advance via the application. This can be of great help when it comes to the Newark Airport parking, where reaching there without booking a slot at the busiest times of the day can create enormous delays.
6. iBeach
The application provides detailed information on New Jersey beach conditions and helps users choose between Wildwood and Island Beach State Park. It also provides details of the surf, crowds, water temperatures, and parking.
The UV index can guide visitors to plan how they wish to use sunscreens, hats, or shade to enjoy a safer and better day out.
7. Nextdoor
Many communities in New Jersey are closely connected, and Nextdoor helps with local communication. Residents use the site to give recommendations, report neighborhood problems, and keep track of local events.
The app is functional in suburban areas of Bergen and Morris counties, where people know each other and are engaged in community life.
8. Instacart
There are numerous grocery stores in the state of New Jersey, including ShopRite, Wegmans, and local markets. However, residents who work in New York or face shore traffic on weekends often have limited time to shop. With 53% of Americans having ordered groceries online in the past year, this service offers a convenient solution that saves time and reduces the stress of in-person shopping.
Instacart provides personal shopping services with delivery to various housing types throughout the state, from Jersey City apartments to suburban homes in areas like Cherry Hill.