Edgewater, NJ

Edgewater's everyday map is a long, narrow corridor between the Hudson River and the Palisades, with River Road carrying most movement through the borough. On weekdays, NY Waterway runs commuter ferries from Edgewater Landing to Midtown at West 39th Street; passengers bound for Brookfield Place or Pier 11 transfer at Port Imperial. Borough shuttle buses extend that connection along River Road, one running north to the Fort Lee border and another south to Main Street at Edgewater Harbor. They are scheduled to reach the landing about 15 minutes before ferry departures, and riders can follow the buses through a live locator. The riverfront is also public recreation space. Edgewater's completed sections of the Hudson River Waterfront Walkway belong to a state-planned corridor between the George Washington and Bayonne bridges, used for walking, running, cycling, sightseeing, and fishing.

The 22-acre Veterans Field and adjoining Community Center concentrate many borough programs beside the water: ball fields, basketball, a splash park, playground, exercise equipment, picnic areas, walking paths, open gym, classes, leagues, and special events. In 2026, a six-week summer program used the center and field for children entering first through eighth grades. The same season's recreation schedule added soccer, tournaments, arts, crafts, and cooking sessions. Edgewater's waterfront did not always have this residential and recreational role. Early twentieth-century landfill expanded the shore for industry, and the former Lever Brothers research center was where chemist Vincent Lamberti developed Dove soap. The borough's present name dates to 1899, but the river continues to shape commutes, public space, shopping, and recreation as directly as it shaped that industrial past.