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Prudential Center, Newark, NJ

Photo: ajay_suresh, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.

Theatre & EventsDate NightRainy-Day Pick

Prudential Center

25 Lafayette St · Newark, NJ

Why you should go…

Prudential Center is the downtown Newark arena that opened in 2007 and is nicknamed The Rock. You come here for New Jersey Devils hockey, Seton Hall Pirates basketball, New York Sirens games and touring concerts. A large LED display covers part of the exterior, and a center-hung scoreboard installed in 2017 hangs over the bowl. Newark Penn Station, served by Amtrak, NJ Transit and PATH, is the arena's rail hub.

  • #arena
  • #nhl hockey
  • #concerts
  • #college basketball
  • #live events

Good to know

General theatre & events guidance

Habits that pay off across this whole category, not rules for this one venue. Always check the official site for the specifics.

  • Curtain time is firm

    Latecomers are commonly held at the back until a scene break, so build in a buffer.

  • Study the seating chart

    Price and sightline vary a lot within the same house. A few rows back can be the better seat.

  • Rush and lottery seats exist

    Many venues release same-day tickets at a discount if you are flexible about where you sit.

  • Arrive with time to spare

    Parking, bag check, and finding your row all take longer than you think on a full house.

What's around here?

The closest stops to Prudential Center, ordered by straight-line distance. A few more like it, plus some different kinds of fun so you can build a full day.

  • Tours
    Local Gem

    Have You Met Newark

    $25–$50

    Locally led walking and food tours exploring Newark's history, galleries, shops and eateries.

    Steps awaySwitch it up: Tours

  • Museums
    Rainy-Day Pick

    The Newark Museum of Art

    Under $25

    See American art, a major Tibetan collection, a planetarium and the restored 1885 Ballantine House in downtown Newark.

    0.6 mi awaySwitch it up: Museums

  • Museums
    History Buff

    Thomas Edison National Historical Park

    Under $25

    Tour Thomas Edison's laboratory complex, library and machine shops, then visit the grounds of his Glenmont estate.

    4.8 mi awaySwitch it up: Museums

  • Theatre & Events
    Iconic

    Madison Square Garden

    $25–$50

    Catch Knicks basketball, Rangers hockey or a major concert in the arena that sits on top of Penn Station in Midtown.

    9.4 mi awayMore like this

  • Theatre & Events
    Quirky Fun

    Little Shop of Horrors (Off-Broadway)

    $50+

    A campy, puppet-driven revival of the cult musical about a man-eating plant, running Off-Broadway since 2019.

    9.5 mi awayMore like this

  • Theatre & Events
    Family Favorite

    Aladdin (Broadway)

    $50+

    Disney's Broadway musical brings the magic carpet, the Genie, and Agrabah to life on stage.

    9.7 mi awayMore like this