Best state for entertainment isn’t NJ, but we’re close

Life in New Jersey is expensive and hard. Once the work and worry is done for the done, is there enough going for it to have a good time in our state? Is it entertaining enough for visitors from elsewhere seek us out?

The Pin Factory did a study of all 50 states and ranked them on their overall entertainment value by factoring in things like how many performing arts venues, bars, restaurants, cinemas, outdoor activities, golf courses, etc., per 100,000 people. They assigned these point values to them come up with a scoring system by which the rankings were done.

Turns out we’re not the best state for entertainment. That honor goes to California, but we are close.

Here’s the list of Top 10 most entertaining states.

1️⃣ California

2️⃣ Florida

3️⃣ New York

4️⃣ Texas

5️⃣ Pennsylvania

6️⃣ Illinois

7️⃣ Ohio

8️⃣ New Jersey

9️⃣ Massachusetts

🔟 Michigan

We scored the biggest for our many restaurants. We in New Jersey tend to forget most of America doesn’t have the huge number of unique, non-corporate chain restaurants that Jersey has. There’s also plenty of shopping here that people can enjoy.

We even did pretty well for performing arts venues, 37 of them. Plus our casinos. Then add 880 bars and we landed with a score of 36.68.

For perspective, the top score in the country was 72.06 belonging to California. The bottom score was 13.59 and that was Vermont. Ouch! Bad news for my son attending college there.