34 Shore Road Edgewater, NJ 07020

True to its name, Edgewater borders the west shore of the Hudson River and is just a few blocks wide, stretching three-and-a-half miles between North Bergen and Fort Lee. Panoramic views of the river and Manhattan are enjoyed from many of the borough's residences, a blend of single-family homes and mid- and high-rise apartments. It's an easy commute to Midtown via NY Waterway ferries, which cruise from Edgewater Landing to W. 39th Street. Curiously, Edgewater has a vibrant population of green Quaker parrots, which according to local lore escaped as pets sometime in the 1970s. They've settled permanently in town, building dome-shaped multi-avian-family nests. It’s clear that the parrots, who’ve long become full-time Edgewater residents, know a good thing when they see it.