When your entire state lives in the shadow of the Big Apple, there is definitely a tendency to be overlooked. But even more than feeling like an obscure cousin to the largest city on the East Coast, New Jersey and the people who live there have come to be seen by residents of New York City as second class citizens.

The reason for this, of course, stems from the fact that a lot of people commute from New Jersey to work in the big city. While some apartments in the Big Apple are going for seven figure sums, the cost of living remains reasonable and thus makes the commute into the city for higher wages worth the effort.

But actually, New Jersey residents have no reason to be jealous of their New York counterparts. New Jersey is a state that has a lot to offer both residents and visitors.

Listed below are a few of the reasons why New Jersey is a wonderful place to call home and a respectable state on its own despite its big neighbor known as the Big Apple.

Atlantic City might be the first thing you think of when someone mentions New Jersey. That is wonderful. Casinos currently dominate Atlantic City, but this wasn’t always true. Casinos were not approved in Atlantic City until as late as 1976. Casinos were approved as means to revamp the economy because the manufacturing base pretty much no longer existed in the area.

Now, almost three decades later, Atlantic City is home to a dozen casinos. The Trump Taj Mahal Casino probably comes to mind when thinking of a place that you know of. People from New York city make the drive every day to play in the world famous casinos of Atlantic City which is known as “America’s Favorite Playground.”

You can also walk along the boardwalk in Atlantic City. Tourists go to this boardwalk every year. It has amusement attractions, casinos, and great restaurants.

The beach borders the boardwalk for six miles and is a fun spot for the hot summer days. Many New Yorkers spend time at this beach to relax. Atlantic City also has the Miss America Pageant that is a huge evnt in the state of New Jersey and is watched by citizens of every state.

While New York City may be able to boast of Columbia University, New Jersey is no slouch where higher education is concerned. Home to Princeton University and many other institutions of higher learning, New Jersey attracts some of the greatest minds in the world.

While New Jersey may be looked at as the shadow of the great city of Manhattan, it is still a force in its own right. Many New Jersey citizens commute to New York City daily for work. While this commute has become commmon place, it is important to think of New Jersey as a worthy place to live, work, and play.