Fort Lee

Fort Lee sits between the Paramus, NJ retail corridor and Upper Manhattan.

Fort Lee is a city of 40,000 (2020 Census) that is piled high with apartment buildings. Because Fort Lee sits above the banks of the Hudson River, there are breathtaking views from almost any window facing the river. The New York City skyline and 4th of July fireworks are spectacular over the river. Although it is highly built up, Fort Lee has many playing fields and recreational parks as well as bike and running trails. And although there is a great deal of vehicle traffic to and from the George Washington Bridge, which connects Fort Lee with Manhattan, one of the largest perks of this town is the walking access to many restaurants, convenience stores and mass transit, in the form of buses and vans that frequently run across the bridge and up and down major streets.

This article also covers the neighboring community of Palisades Park.

Fort Lee is bordered by seven municipalities in New Jersey. To the north, there’s Englewood, Englewood Cliffs. To the south, there’s Cliffside Park, Edgewater. To the west, there’s Ridgefield, Leonia, Palisades Park. The Hudson River forms its eastern boundary, as well as the state line with New York. Across the Hudson River, it also borders the upper Manhattan neighborhood of Washington Heights in New York, NY.

Most people choose cars, but if headed to a central area, such as Main Street, it is best to drive there, park in a municipal parking lot, and walk around from there. Since so much of the town's retail area is clustered in 3- or 4-block radius, it would be beneficial to walk around, but might also be dangerous given the high traffic intersections. If walking use caution, and if parking, make sure to feed the meter with plenty of pocket change; the meter maids take their job very seriously. Since Fort Lee is situated in such a convenient area for those commuting to and from the city, there is often high traffic and congestion on the roads. If you are planning on being somewhere at a certain time, one might suggest leaving a good 10 to 15 minutes to escape local traffic before hitting any major roadways.

For local transportation or air-port/train station services, there are several local taxi companies that are reliable.

• A-1, 2470 Lemoine Ave, ☏ +1 201 944-3737. 
• Babe's, 185 Bridge Plaza North, ☏ +1 201 944-6800. 
• G W Taxi, 1696 Bergen Blvd, ☏ +1 201 363-0555. 

Fort Lee is known and named for the story of how General George Washington was forced to evacuate the area in November 1776 and begin his famous retreat through New Jersey during the winter of 1776-77 in the protection of "Fort Lee".The Visitors' Center provides information on the role of Fort Lee in the War. Audio-visual displays, detailed exhibits, gives visitors a sense of what this town was like centuries ago.

• 🌍 Fort Lee Historic Park, Hudson Terrace, ☏ +1 201 461-1776. Revolutionary re-enactments, and breathtaking views of the GW Bridge, the Little Red Light House, Hudson River and majestic city skyline. (updated Jan 2021)
• Alongside the banks of the Hudson River, you can also see the Palisades Interstate Park. There’s a few hiking trails in Fort Lee to go either to the upper/main level paths, but there’s no entrance for cars themselves in Fort Lee, the southern entrance is shortly after crossing into Edgewater. It’s a popular park for watercraft, hiking, fishing, and camping.
• The George Washington Bridge can be crossed by bicycle or on foot as well as in a motorized vehicle. Open 6AM-midnight for pedestrians/bikers.
• 🌍 Field Station Dinosaurs, Fort Lee Rd, Leonia, ☏ +1 855 999 9010. (updated Jan 2021)

Other than eating, or shopping, or shopping for food, there is not much else to do unless you work in Fort Lee. Fort Lee also has a great community center open to all borough residents. The community center has dance, yoga, and other exercise classes, offers open gym hours for basketball or other recreation. During the summer their outdoor theatre is used for performances and "movies in the park" every Friday night.

• Jack Alter Fort Lee Community Center, 1355 Inwood Terrace, ☏ +1 201-592-4699. Contact for membership information, and upcoming events. 
• iPic Hudson Lights, 2023 Hudson St. ☏ +1 201-582-7100. Premium movie theater chain at the Hudson Lights complex, offering dine-in options and drinks. Also has a full fledged bar/restaurant inside (City Perch).

There is an abundance of supermarkets, one the most famous and unique being Caffasso's Fairway Market. There are also many nail salons, frozen yogurt shops, coffee shops and gas stations.

• Cafasso's Fairway Market, 1214 Anderson Ave, ☏ +1 201-224-7900. M-F 8:30AM-7PM, Sa 8:30AM-6:30PM, Su 9AM-3PM. 

Main Street is the primary retail section of Fort Lee, and features stores such as Borders and liquor stores, and you can find a deli or drug store on every corner. There are tons of specialty boutiques and gourmet caterers, as well as clothing and sporting good retailers. Also on Main St. is Metropolitan Plants, a haven for flower lovers, with a very large selection of products for gardeners.

In Fort Lee, the main attraction would be its collection of restaurants. Fort Lee offers international cuisine and is famous for their pizzerias, delis and 24-hour diners, in addition to its Korean restaurants. They have a warm local atmosphere and taste great.

There are many bars within restaurants, and almost every restaurant has a liquor license, or is BYOB.

• Double Tree by Hilton, 2117 Route 4 East, ☏ +1 201-461-9000. On the outskirts of town. 
• Mitchell Executive Hotels (formerly a Holiday Inn), 2339 Route 4 East, ☏ +1 201-944-5000, Frontdesk@mitchellexecutivehotels.com. Near the Double Tree, this hotel offers a similar landscape, with lower rates and comparable amenities. (updated Dec 2023)
• Best Western, 2300 Route 4 West, toll-free: +1-800-780-7234. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 11AM. Across Rt. 4 from the Holiday Inn. This hotel is a little more secluded from the busy roadways, and offers great group rates. This is located on Rt 4 West Bound, and does not have as much of a view as the others situated on a mountainside. Good for people who are spending most of their time in New York City, and definitely not a destination hotel. 

• The Borough of Fort Lee, Town Hall. Here you can find information about the involvement of Fort Lee residents in the community as well as many of their municipalities. Information also includes upcoming events in the town.