There’s no reason to wait until the New Year to try a new sport, kitchen skill, or artistic hobby. Trying a new activity can get the creative juices flowing + help break up the day-to-day routine any time of year. Anyone who wants to learn a new hobby has plenty of options in Hoboken + Jersey City. Keep reading to discover where to learn a new hobby in Hoboken + Jersey City.
Hoboken
ArteVino Studio | 720 Monroe Street
Causal artists who want to learn new techniques can sign up for a workshop at the ArteVino Studio. This BYOB painting studio has a calendar full of fun classes for beginners + experienced painters.
Blue Skies Pottery | 720 Monroe Street #C414
Blue Skies Pottery is a local ceramics studio with locations in Hoboken + Long Branch. Anyone interested in trying wheel throwing can sign up for a one-time class to learn the basics. Multi-week courses + memberships are available for anyone who falls in love with pottery-making.
Cre8sArt School | 644 Washington Street
Cre8sArt School is a visual arts studio with classes for kids, teens, and adults. Beginners classes cover the basics of drawing and painting. The Adult Art Shuffle classes are a good option for artists at all levels who want to create ambitious projects. Classes are held one to three times each week, and new students can enroll online.
The Gravity Vault | 1423 Clinton Street
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The Gravity Vault is a huge climbing and bouldering gym with 100 rope stations + more than 200 routes. The gym has a 90-minute introduction to rock climbing classes to introduce beginners to the equipment + fundamental skills. Technique classes and membership packages are available for anyone who decides to pick this up as a new hobby.
Read More: The Best Indoor Activities in Hoboken + Jersey City
Guitar Bar | 160 1st Street, Hoboken + 362 Palisade Avenue, Jersey City
Guitar Bar is a music store with locations in Hoboken + Jersey City. Private music lessons are held at both locations. Day and night classes for many different instruments + genres, like guitar, bass, piano, drums, vocals, and saxophone, are available. Interested students can sign up for a single lesson or a monthly class pack.
Hoboken Public Library | 500 Park Avenue + 124 Grand Street
The Hoboken Public Library often hosts workshops + lectures to help introduce people to new hobbies. With book clubs, writing groups, yoga classes, and art talks, there’s always something on the calendar for adults. Of course, the library catalog has tons of books + online resources to help someone learn a new hobby.
Hudson Table | 1403 Clinton Street
Hudson Table is a cooking school with chef-led classes that give students hands-on experience in the kitchen. The one-time classes are a fun way to try out new recipes and learn some new culinary skills. Classes are released a few weeks in advance and fill up quickly, so keep an eye on the calendar to dive into a new food-based hobby.
Ivy Mane Studio | 1012 Grand Street
This studio sells adorable handcrafted homeware, but it also hosts creative, concrete-pouring workshops where guests can build their custom pieces. Some upcoming “Sip + Pour” (a.k.a., BYOB) workshops include Tulip Planer, Vanity Set, Tic Tac Toe, and Drip Planter workshops. There’s also a Paint Your Own Pumpkin class for the fall. See the full schedule here.
The Studio | 251 1st Street
The Studio is an adults-only dance school with classes for beginners + experienced dancers. Jazz, tap, hip hop, ballet, contemporary, + lyrical dance classes are just some of the options on the calendar. Dancers can get their first class free, and additional sessions are sold as class packs or memberships.
Urban Arts | 720 Monroe Street Suite E216
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Urban Arts is a fine arts studio for adults + kids. Six-week painting and drawing classes for adults are held year-round. Two experienced instructors help out with each session + students of all skill levels are welcome to join. Registration forms can be filled out online.
Jersey City
Academy Darkroom | 279 Pine Street
Academy Darkroom is a black-and-white film studio with private lessons for anyone interested in learning more about analog film photography. The classes are led by Frank Bosco, an experienced artist and educator who is passionate about sharing his knowledge about this classic art form.
Art Mango | 30 Mall Drive West 2nd Level
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This paint + sip art studio in the Newport Mall is a fun way for curious artists to see if painting is the right hobby for them. The low-stakes classes are designed for groups such as bachelorette parties and date nights, but anyone can sign up for a class online. The studio even has glow-in-the-dark painting classes for artists who want to try something different.
Betty’s Ceramics | 224 9th Street
Betty’s Ceramics is a ceramics club in Hamilton Park with wheel-throwing + hand-building classes for adults and kids. The studio has one-time “Try Night” classes, but anyone who decides to take up ceramics as a hobby can sign up for a membership. The memberships include full studio access and can be a way to meet other ceramics enthusiasts.
Jersey City Archery | 7 Sherman Avenue Floor 2
Jersey City Archery is an archery range in the Heights with private lessons and classes for beginners. The Archery 101 classes cover basic shooting form + safety. More experienced archers can sign up for tournaments.
Jersey City Art School | 313 3rd Street
Jersey City Art School has led art classes for kids and adults for almost 20 years. Adults can sign up for one-time workshops or join a multi-week course to practice their drawing, watercolor, printmaking, photography, and painting skills. Classes are held on weekdays and weekends, to make it easier for all students to find a session that fits into their schedule.
Jersey City Ballroom | 189 Brunswick Street, 3rd Floor
Jersey City Ballroom is a dance studio for all ages. Dancers don’t need a partner to sign up + learn salsa, waltz, swing, and tango moves. This is a great place to learn new dance skills or to enhance existing competitive ballroom moves.
See More: A Fun List of Outdoor Activities in New Jersey
Jersey City Free Public Library | Multiple Locations
Like the Hoboken Public Library, the Jersey City Free Public Library system has a calendar full of events designed to help adults find a new hobby. Book discussions, LEGO clubs, art classes, and film screenings are held at public library locations around Jersey City. Library cardholders can also check out books on a variety of topics to learn a new skill on their own.
Jersey City Writers | Virtual + 135 Erie Street
Jersey City Writers is a local writing community with workshops, monthly events, and writing prompts to help writers build their skills and meet others with shared interests. Writers of all genres are welcome to join the group.
Manhattan Sailing School | 140 Dudley Street
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Despite the name, Manhattan Sailing School is located in Paulus Hook in Jersey City. This group leads basic sailing classes that can help students learn to sail in one weekend. For more advanced sailors, the school also has a Basic Coastal Cruising course. If this hobby sticks, consider joining the Manhattan Yacht Club to make more friends + continue sailing.
Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla Announces He Will Not Run for Re-Election
After two terms of serving as Hoboken's Mayor since 2017, Ravi Bhalla announced he will not run for re-election for a third term this November. Mayor Bhalla sent out the following statement to Hoboken locals on Friday, January 10th, 2025 to announce the news.
Photo Credit: City of Hoboken
"I write to first and foremost wish you and your family a Happy New Year! 2024 was a year of tremendous progress for Hoboken, which I know we will continue in the New Year.
Serving as your Mayor these past seven years has been and will continue to be the privilege of my lifetime. I am immensely proud of the historic improvements we’ve made together on everything from securing the former Union Dry Dock site for public use, creating a model for pedestrian safety through our Vision Zero campaign, opening what is likely the country’s largest resiliency park at ResilienCity Park, and so much more.
After conversations with my family, I have decided not to run for re-election this November for a third term as Mayor. While I plan to pursue public service through a different path, I wanted to let you know that 2025 will be my last year as Mayor of our great City.
I’m more than confident about the future of Hoboken, and the path our team has paved for whomever is elected as your next leader. Our waterfront is now, once and for all, free from development. We have adopted redevelopment plans that maintain the charm and character of our City, while providing needed revitalization. We’ve preserved over 10 acres of land for public parkland, without sacrificing major concessions. And we have continued a model of transparency for major city projects, that I am fully confident the public will press for going forward.
Fortunately, Hoboken is home to a number of talented public servants and activists, and I have no doubt that the future is bright. I also have full faith that the voters of Hoboken will select a trusted leader to bring our City to even greater heights in the years ahead.
From the bottom of my heart, I want to extend my gratitude for the trust and confidence you have placed in me. It has been an honor of a lifetime to serve as the Mayor of Hoboken, and I'm confident in the coming years, the best is yet to come.
Sincerely,
Ravi Bhalla
Mayor"
Mayor Bhalla also announced the news via Instagram. See the full post below.
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Back in December of 2023, Mayor Bhalla announced his run for Congress in New Jersey’s 8th Congressional District in the Democratic Primary. His opponent was Democrat Rob Menendez, son of Senator Bob Menendez. Menedez won the election.
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