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What better way to explore New Jersey than through the lens of Bravo’s messiest, most meme-worthy Housewives? After putting together my Real Housewives of Atlanta Inspired Travel Guide, I knew RHONJ had to be next.
New Jersey is more than spray tans, hair extensions, and Sunday pasta. It’s family feuds, over-the-top mansions, dramatic dinners, and table flips so iconic that they’ve been immortalized in pop culture. This weekend guide is your chance to step into the Housewives world, minus the subpoenas and confessionals.
Just remember: if you’re not a Bravo fan, some of these references may sound like inside jokes. But if you are? Well, as Caroline Manzo once screamed across a restaurant, “You and your Christmas pageant dress sit back and shut up!”
Table of Contents
Real Housewives of New Jersey: A Weekend Travel Guide at a Glance
Day 1 – Table Flips & Cannolis
- Cannoli lunch at Kathy Wakile’s Pizza Love
- Dinner at Lu Nello, site of Teresa’s infamous table flip
- Night out: choose Team Teresa at Uncorked or Team Margaret at Rails + Sofia
Day 2 – Montclair Glam & Steakhouse Drama
- Morning boutique stroll in Montclair (RIP Envy)
- Italian lunch at Fresco da Franco
- Afternoon spa break: Montclair pampering or Jennifer Aydin’s Paramus plastic surgery HQ
- Dinner at Rails Steakhouse for Housewives-worthy drama
- Nightcap at Sofia, where the vibe is as sultry as the shade
Day 3 – Brunch Feuds & Farewell
- Sunday brunch at Portobello, aka “square t*ts” territory
- Alternative comfort stop at Oakland Diner
RHONJ Where to Stay: Sleep Like a Giudice (Before the Drama)
For a true Housewives weekend, you need a little glam. Skip Paterson’s grit (even though some of the ladies love to mention their roots) and stay where the women actually toast anniversaries and plan lavish parties.
- The Westin Jersey City Newport
Teresa and Joe once spent an anniversary here, complete with a helicopter ride over New York. Book a room, order champagne to your suite, and imagine the Bravo crew following you down the hallway.
479 Washington Boulevard, Jersey City, NJ 07310 | +1 201-626-2900 - Boutique Alternative: Montclair
If you’d rather be in the thick of Housewives land, Montclair’s boutiques and Airbnbs make a chic base. Think Melissa Gorga energy, minus the drama with Teresa next door.
RHONJ Day 1: Table Flips and Cannolis
No Housewives weekend starts without food. Head to Pizza Love in Wyckoff, where Kathy Wakile’s pizzas and cannolis still hold up. Order one, take a bite, and hear Kathy in your head: “Cannolis are my love language.”
By dinnertime, you’re ready for Housewives history. Enter Lu Nello in Cedar Grove, the restaurant forever stamped into Bravo lore. Sit down, order pasta, and remember that night when Teresa lost it, flipped a table, and screamed at Danielle Staub:
“Prostitution whore! Engaged nineteen times!”
The staff won’t bring it up, but trust me, the fans never forget. Now, no Jersey night is complete without a side of chaos. Which camp will you choose?
- Team Teresa (Table Flippers): After dinner, head to Uncorked Lounge in Totowa. It’s the kind of spot where Teresa would wave her hands around and yell, “Let’s go drink some more wine!” You’ll find cocktails, dancing, and that unmistakable Jersey energy.
- Team Margaret (Side Chicks): If your vibe is more sharp wit and martinis, make your way to Rails Steakhouse in Towaco. Grand, dramatic, and pure Margaret Josephs territory, it’s where you can imagine her snapping, “You’re a h*e and everyone knows it!” Afterwards, keep the night alive at Sofia in Englewood. Order champagne, grab a table by the DJ, and toast like Margaret herself: “You subpoenaed the wrong btch!”*
Either way, your first night ends not with a whimper, but with Housewives-worthy fire.
RHONJ Day 2: Montclair Glam & Beauty Battles
Morning in Montclair calls for shopping. True fans will remember Melissa Gorga’s boutique, Envy, which was once the Housewives’ retail hotspot. Though it closed in 2024, the spirit lives on. Stroll Bloomfield Avenue and Church Street, and you’ll still find glam boutiques; White Rabbit Black Heart for bold statement looks, Dot Reeder for polished style, and Parcel for something playful. As Melissa once bragged, “I never throw the first punch, but I’m always a knockout.”
For lunch, slip into Fresco da Franco, a cozy yet glam Italian spot often frequented by the cast. Order a pasta and glass of red, and hear Teresa’s yoga-gone-wrong mantra echoing: “Namaste, b*tches.”
After lunch, it’s time for beauty, because in Jersey, self-care is serious business. If you’re bold, head to Aydin Plastic Surgery in Paramus, where Jennifer Aydin’s husband works his magic. You might hear Jennifer’s voice in your head: “Whoever says money can’t buy happiness clearly doesn’t have my credit limit.” If you prefer something gentler, Montclair’s day spas offer facials and massages, drama not included.
Dinner is back at Rails Steakhouse if you skipped it on Day 1, because let’s be honest: this place is Housewives canon. Order steak, sip a martini, and remember Margaret’s epic line about her frenemy:
“I don’t know if she wants to be me, or skin me and wear me like last year’s Versace.”
Cap the night at Sofia in Englewood. The vibe is dark, sultry, and perfect for Housewives’ energy. Imagine Dolores leaning over her martini glass and sighing, “This is Jersey. We don’t hold grudges…we hold grudges forever.”
RHONJ Day 3: Brunch Feuds & Farewell
By Sunday, it’s time to end with brunch, the most deceptively dangerous Housewives meal.
Head to Portobello in Oakland, where Danielle Staub and Kim G. clashed in the infamous “square t*ts” fight. Order the buffet, sip a mimosa, and laugh at the memory of Kim snapping:
“Square t*ts!”
If you prefer something quieter (and safer), opt for Oakland Diner nearby, a true Jersey classic. As you tuck into pancakes, channel Caroline Manzo’s no-nonsense warning:
“You and your Christmas pageant dress sit back and shut up.”
Bonus Housewives Stops
- Franklin Lakes & Montville – Drive by the mansions. Pretend you’re on your way to a Gorga pool party.
- Red Bank – For Dina Manzo’s softer, spiritual vibes.
- Hoboken – Grab drinks where Caroline and Albie once played family boss-and-son.
Safety + Practical Tips for Solo Women Travelers
- Getting around: NJ Transit + rideshares are your safest bet. Jersey highways are not for Housewives-level wine-fueled driving.
- Safe hubs: Montclair, Englewood, and Jersey City are all walkable and solo-friendly.
- Budget breakdown:
- Splurge: Rails Steakhouse + The Westin Newport
- Mid-range: Fresco da Franco + Montclair boutiques
- Budget: Pizza Love + Oakland Diner
In the words of Teresa Giudice:
“People make fun of Jersey girls, but I think they’re just jealous.”
RHONJ Travel Guide Address Book
Lodging
- The Westin Jersey City Newport – 479 Washington Blvd, Jersey City, NJ 07310
Day 1
- Pizza Love (Kathy Wakile) – 637 Wyckoff Ave, Wyckoff, NJ 07481
- Lu Nello – 182 Stevens Ave, Cedar Grove, NJ 07009
- Uncorked Lounge – 650 Union Blvd, Totowa, NJ 07512
- Rails Steakhouse – 10 Whitehall Rd, Towaco, NJ 07082
- Sofia – 36 Engle St, Englewood, NJ 07631
Day 2
- White Rabbit Black Heart – 219 Glenridge Ave, Montclair, NJ 07042
- Dot Reeder – 118 Walnut St, Montclair, NJ 07042
- Parcel – 608 Bloomfield Ave, Montclair, NJ 07042
- Fresco da Franco – 15 Church St, Montclair, NJ 07042
- Aydin Plastic Surgery – 140 NJ-17, Paramus, NJ 07652
- Rails Steakhouse – 10 Whitehall Rd, Towaco, NJ 07082 (if not Day 1)
- Sofia – 36 Engle St, Englewood, NJ 07631 (if not Day 1)
Day 3
- Portobello – 155 Ramapo Valley Rd, Oakland, NJ 07436
- Oakland Diner – 72 Ramapo Valley Rd, Oakland, NJ 07436
Hidden Gems Housewives Would Love
- Egan & Sons – 118 Walnut St, Montclair, NJ 07042
- SoJo Spa Club – 660 River Rd, Edgewater, NJ 07020
- Batello – 502 Washington Blvd, Jersey City, NJ 07310
- The Barrow House – 1296 Van Houten Ave, Clifton, NJ 07013
- Montclair Book Center – 221 Glenridge Ave, Montclair, NJ 07042
A weekend in Jersey means brunch is never just brunch, dinner could end with a table flip, and shopping is always a contact sport. Would you spend a weekend living like a Real Housewife of New Jersey? Tell me in the comments, or tag @TravelingBouquet with your most dramatic Teresa reenactment (minus the broken glass).
Here’s a bonus classic one-line for the road:
Did you get your confidence in jail? – Jackie
