This City Was Just Named the Most Walkable on the U.S. East Coast—and No, It’s Not NYC or Philadelphia

The most walkable city on the East Coast might not be on your travel wish list, but if you’re looking to spend days frolicking through a downtown area, eating some of the world’s best pizza, and getting unforgettable skyline views, you may want to add Jersey City, New Jersey, to your list.

Yes, it’s just a stone throw from Manhattan, and it’s not home to the iconic Broadway or Soho, but there’s no shortage of reasons to visit. Plus, walking-centric vacations are trending upwards: according to Google search data, “walking vacation” has increased in search by 29 percent this year.

Now, a new study from FitFlops analyzed the walkability of 30 US cities by measuring distance, walking time, elevation gain, and step count between the top five attractions in the city. Then, that score was factored in against the overall walk score (so you aren’t walking on a side of a highway to get from point A to point B.

Overall, the top city in the U.S. is Seattle with a score of 90.5 out of 100, but a close second is the East Coast destination, with a score of 89.5. Here’s what pushed Jersey City so high up on the rankings list.

First, the city’s top attractions are all pretty close together. Liberty State Park, the Empty Sky – 9/11 Memorial, Downtown Jersey City, the Liberty Science Center and White Eagle Hall are all within an easy 3.5 mile walk, meaning you can have a packed day without racking up a ton of expenses. You can get a cool 8,400 steps.

Within that same course, there are other can’t miss activities that didn’t make it to FitFlop’s study. In downtown Jersey City, you can enjoy Razza, world class and critically acclaimed pizza or grab a meal at Uncle Momo for some French Lebanese classics. You can take a kayak tour with views of the Statue of Liberty, or catch the sunset with the skyline of Manhattan as a backdrop. Venture a little further away from the water and you’ll find Grove Street, which is teeming with nightlife, streets closed to cars, and places to stop for a sweet treat.

Jersey City is pretty small, so planning to make it a day trip is a great option; it can also be a suitable home base alternative for your New York City vacation. The PATH train means you can be in the heart of Downtown Manhattan in under 10 minutes. Walkable cities and great public transit? How much better does it get for someone looking to see a lot in a short amount of time?