“Meet me for brunch in Newark!” How many times has anyone said that? More so, what would be your response?

Newark is probably one of the most unexpected locales to be considered a travel destination. It is, for those who travel to New York City, a mere stopover—a popular entry point through one of the nation’s largest airports, Newark Liberty International Airport. For others who’ve never heard of—or choose not to venture to Gotham’s cousin just across the Hudson—there’s a movement brewing that’s richer than the city’s beer history. The veil is slowly being lifted on a renaissance movement that has been decades in the making. Perhaps more evident to the casual observer is the mass exodus of creatives, entrepreneurs, and cultural enthusiasts who have taken flight from the surrounding suburbs and metropolitan areas to become a part of Newark—a city whose beauty has remained hidden to the unfamiliar and uncurious eye.

The rising cost of New York City living, the staggering increase of land taxes in desirable suburbs like South Orange, Maplewood, or Montclair, and the simple quest to find the next burgeoning metropolis are among the factors current transplants attribute to their migration. A rich culture stemming from the city’s love affair with music, art, and even film are factors residents consider when continuing to make the city their home, while for other longtime residents the age old adage “you don’t know what you’ve got ’til it’s gone” applies heavily here; it’s their sole reason for returning after brief departures.