Private Jet to Short Hills

Short Hills is an exclusive New Jersey suburb of New York City that was considered paradise by Neil Klugman, the main character – who lived in Newark -- in Philip Roth’s first book, “Goodbye, Columbus.”

Located 14 miles west of Newark and 23 miles west of Manhattan, it remains a paradise of sorts. The quiet town is popular with commuters who can hop on the Kearney Connection for direct rail service into Midtown’s Penn Station.

The opening of that rail station in 1996 increased property values considerably in the exclusive 5.2 square mile enclave that originally began as a planned community. It has become the sixth richest town in the United States with an average household income of $367,491. A quick check of houses for sale on real estate websites found the price of single-family homes starting at more than $700,000. As do other wealthy communities, Short Hills has a highly rated school system. Even though Short Hills has its own post office, it does not have an independent government. It is a part of Millburn Township.

Named after what the Lenape Native American Indian Tribe called the region, Short Hills is located in Essex County and has a population of 13,000. Visitors will find many restaurants, coffee shops, and parks. High-end shoppers will delight in The Mall at Short Hills, which has more than 150 designer and luxury stores, including Chanel, Dior, and Cartier. And theater-lovers will delight in the shows – and stars – they can see at the Paper Mill Playhouse, a regional theater that opened in 1938 and is now owned by Millburn Township. It’s a way to see Broadway-quality shows without going to Broadway and at a much lower price.