Camden, New Jersey

I was born and raised in Camden, NJ. It is a small city only 9 miles long, right across the Delaware river from Philadelphia. The city has a reputation of being one of the most dangerous cities in America, but crime has significantly decreased in the past decade. Just passing through you’ll be fine, but most of the city is the ghetto so don’t be alarmed if you see abandoned houses, people standing on the corner, and people who are addicted to drugs. Downtown Camden has attractions like the Adventure Aquarium, the BB&T pavilion for concerts, and you can ride the ferry across the Delaware River to get to Philly. There’s also a few really good Black owned food spots (Blowin Smoque, Girl with a Grill, Kings Menu, Mylestone Catering, The Breakfast Palace). If you want soul food DO NOT go to Corrine’s. It’s the first restaurant that’ll pop up, but the food is nasty. There’s also a huge Hispanic community so on the east and north sides of the city you can find authentic Mexican, Dominican, and Puerto Rican food anywhere. Most of these places are cash only and doesn’t have any workers who speak English, so Google translate is your best friend.