As is described in the other visitor's comments, this is an amazing site. The scale of the ruins is very impressive. It is also the small details that show the day-to-day routine of the old town, for example the chariot tracks worn into the stone roads. A guide is useful but it is also worth going a little off the beaten track to get a feeling for the whole place, away from the main roads.

There are some vendors on site, but the hard-sell is nowhere near as bad as for example Petra.

One small downside while we were waiting to enter the main site at Hadrian's Arch, was a group of passing school children outside the fence, shouting out [--] at our group. This sort of behaviour can be encountered anywhere in the world, so don't let that colour your expectations of the site.

We heard a lot of automatic gunfire coming from less than a kilometre away. Our guide said not to worry as it was just a celebration at a local wedding. At the time we were sitting in the Hippodrome and feeling rather exposed...

The Hippodrome itself was good and entertaining. The speaker was Oxford educated and spoke English perhaps better than we did. They did put on a good show, and they also sold it to us for JOD 10, rather than the list price of JOD 20. The only downer with this display was when one of the assistants started repeatedly kicking one of the horses to get it back into its proper position. He may have thought that he was out of sight of the audience, but he wasn't.

The meals at the Rest House are ok. Don't pat the cat - it's a bit dirty.

Jerash is do-able as a day trip from Amman. We did it in March 2007, simply by hiring a taxi from outside our hotel, and having the driver wait a few hours for us to visit the site. The taxi plus wait plus tip cost JOD 60.

Three small recommendations - take water, good sunblock, and a hat.

A Great contrast to place like Pompeii. it was a provinical capital built for beauty! the columns are amazing and the main piazza is unlike any i have seen in any other Roman city. remarkable well preserved given its proximity to town, adjacent to the plot! definitely a great day trip but won't give you the in depth look into everyday life that Pompeii does.

also, if you can time it, go for the chariot races, you won't be disappointed!

I recently took a group of new expatriates to visit Jerash, having been a few times myself. However, on this trip, we purchased tickets to watch a show regarding Roman history, featuring soldiers, chariots, etc. It was excellent - the speaker was fantasic and entertaining, yet professional. The show lasted approx. 45 minutes - very entertaining. Well worth the money. We also hired a guide (secured the only female guide - Jamila - who was tireless in her enthusiasm and knowledge, not to mention her English was good). No one should miss visiting the amphitheatre and it's "special" features. Definitely worth the JD 14 fee. I personally learned so much more about Jerash using the guide, and saw more sites than previously, as I was simply unaware of their existence. Found it particularly interesting that there are several churches still to be excavated, although one already is. Finally, don't miss the flexibility test of the columns.

As have been in region for awhile, noticed that the trinkets in the shops were not unreasonably priced in terms of haggling. Also, there's a good, clean buffet restaurant which is located literally on the sidewalk leading to the entrance of the actual ruins, off to the left. They also serve alcoholic beverages. The bathrooms are clean and people are welcome to use them without eating there. It's advisable to do so, as there are no visible w/c services once you enter the ruins. Please note you do have the flexibility of coming and going from the ruins with your ticket stub.

Two negative marks - some very relentless children begging for money ; also it was extremely hot when we went (last weekend in August, 2006) which almost made it unbearable to finish the tour. We arrived at 10 and left at 2. Suggest an early morning (8-12) or late afternoon (4-8) time to avoid the afternoon sun, in the summer months.