NEW JERSEY: THE GARDEN STATE
BY CLAY LARROY
Regardless
of whether you are
traveling to a nearby location for the weekend or taking a
week-long destination vacation, you are always going to benefit from some tips
and ideas on how to make the whole process, more fun and less stressful. Take
time each day to alleviate stress while traveling or
vacationing and you will thank yourself for it when you get back home. With all
the chaos, jet-lag, partying and other excitement of travel comes a whole lot
of stress on your mind and body. By the time most vacations are over, another
one is needed to recover so taking a few minutes each day to rejuvenate will
make it easier for you to resume your normal life when it's all over. When you want to
plan a vacation contact me!
NEW
JERSEY
New Jersey, one of the Mid-Atlantic states, is bordered by the
Atlantic Ocean to the east and the Delaware River to the west. Small in size,
the state nonetheless features hundreds of miles of rolling countryside and
natural parkland set amidst mountains, lakes and forests.
In increasing numbers, tourists from around the world are
discovering that New Jersey is more than just a gateway to the USA - it is
America in miniature, with an abundance of tourist attractions to suit every
taste. These include beautiful beaches, exciting nightlife and many
award-winning cultural attractions. While sections of the state such as
Atlantic City and the Jersey Shore are world-renowned, there is also a wealth
of lesser-known historic landmarks, national parks and cultural events on
offer.
Things
to see and do in New Jersey
Adventure Aquarium
View ocean life at the
Adventure Aquarium (www.adventureaquarium.com)
on the Camden waterfront. The experience combines entertainment, science and
cutting-edge technology with some 5,000 aquatic animals and over 80 individual
fresh and salt water exhibits.
Allaire State Park
Spend the day at Allaire State Park in Farmingdale. The park is a
restored 18th-century bog-iron mining village with period shops, bakeries,
churches, the Pinecreek Railroad train, craft and antique shows. Join in
square-dancing on weekends.
Atlantic City Boardwalk
Play the casinos and attractions at the Atlantic City Boardwalk.
It is lined with dazzling casinos, amusement rides, games and shops on one
side, and 10km (6 miles) of sand beach and surf on the other.
Branch Brook Park
Visit Branch Brook Park (www.branchbrookpark.org)
in Newark, which plays host to the annual cherry blossom festival, and has more
cherry blossoms than Washington, DC in the springtime.
Cape May
Relax at the popular
Victorian seaside town of Cape May (www.capemay.com). This National Historic Landmark has many bed &
breakfast inns, trolley tours and the superb Cape May County Zoo.
Circle Line ferry
Ride the Circle Line ferry
(www.statueoflibertyferry.com) to the Statue of Liberty (www.nps.gov/stli) and Ellis Island (www.nps.gov/elis). The ferry services operate from Liberty State Park in
Jersey City.
Delaware River
Raft on the Delaware River. Hiking, canoeing and fishing can also
be organized during the summer. Ice-skating, tobogganing, snowmobiling, skiing
and ice fishing are available during the winter.
Delaware Water Gap National
Recreation Area
Pack up the camping gear
for a summer trip to the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area (www.nps.gov/dewa). Enjoy a variety of watersports in one of the cleanest
rivers in the area.
Edison National Historic
Site
See the Edison National
Historic Site (www.nps.gov/edis) in West Orange, and take a tour of Thomas Edison's home,
laboratory and library. See the equipment and chemicals with which Edison
invented the first incandescent lightbulb, photograph and motion picture.
Einstein
View the house where
Einstein lived during the years he was a Princeton University lecturer, until
his death in 1955 (www.princetonhistory.org/historic_sites.cfm).
Land of Make Believe
Visit the Land of Make
Believe (www.lomb.com) in Hope. This 12-hectare (30-acre) park fulfills
childhood fantasies with rides, attractions and a waterpark.
Liberty Science Center
Explore the Liberty
Science Center (www.lsc.org) in Liberty State Park, Jersey City. It offers a hands-on
science museum with an IMAX Dome Theater, plus exhibits on inventions,
technology, environment and health.
Morristown National Historic
Park
See battle re-enactments
at the Morristown National Historic Park (www.nps.gov/morr). This historic park is the site of George Washington's
winter encampments, and the Ford Mansion is now a museum.
Mountain Creek
Ski or snowboard the
slopes at Mountain Creek (www.mountaincreek.com),
New Jersey's four-season resort destination only an hour and a half's drive
from Manhattan.
New Jersey State Planetarium
and Museum
Delve into New Jersey's
history (dating back to 500BC) at the New Jersey State Planetarium
and Museum (website:www.state.nj.us/state/museum) in Trenton.
Newark Museum
Tour the Newark Museum (www.newarkmuseum.com), one of the nation's most comprehensive fine arts museums
and the largest museum complex in the state, with 80 art and science galleries,
a planetarium and a mini-zoo.
Old Barracks Museum
Step back in time at the
Old Barracks Museum (www.barracks.org) in Trenton, the site of the famous day-after-Christmas
battle during the Revolutionary War. Walk through restored soldiers' quarters,
18th-century period rooms and antiques.
Palisades Interstate Park
Explore Palisades Interstate Park (website: www.njpalisades.org), with its enormous children's fun park. Located north of
Newark, the park has 1,012 hectares (2,500 acres) of scenic roads, stunning
views, picnic areas, a historic museum, nature sanctuary, and hiking and skiing
trails.
Pine Barrens
Camp, canoe, swim, fish,
ride horses or hike in a venture to the Pine Barrens (website: www.pineypower.com), the largest wilderness area east of the Mississippi
River. The New Jersey Pinelands National
Reserve (website:www.nps.gov/pine)
was recognised by UNESCO as a Biosphere Reserve in 1983.
Point Pleasant Beach
Cruise off Point Pleasant
Beach aboard the stern-wheelers River Belle or River Queen (www.pointpleasantbeach.com),
or take a deep-sea fishing boats charter.
Princeton University
Take a walking tour of
Princeton University and the battlefield where Washington's army defeated the
British in 1777 (www.visitprinceton.org).
Renault Winery
Taste the grapes from one
of the oldest vineyards in the USA - the Renault Winery (www.renaultwinery.com) in Egg Harbor. Visit the nearby Museum of American Glass
(www.wheatonvillage.org)
for a dazzling display of glass from talented artisans.
Shore Region
Explore the Shore Region
(home to rock stars Bruce Springsteen and Jon Bon Jovi), which boasts white
sandy beaches, rolling farmland, quaint seaside resort towns and historic
sites. Seaside Heights and Point Pleasant have boardwalk amusement rides and games,
while quieter towns like Spring Lake and Ocean Grove offer charming bed &
breakfast inns (www.state.nj.us/travel/regions_shr.html).
Six Flags Great Adventure
and Wild Safari
Thrill to adrenaline rides
and see the world's largest safari park at Six Flags Great Adventure and Wild
Safari (www.sixflags.com) in Jackson. Splash into more fun at Hurricane Harbor
waterpark.
Trump Plaza Hotel
Step into Atlantic City's
opulent Trump Plaza Hotel, then try your luck at Trump Taj Mahal Casino (www.trumptaj.com), one of the largest in the world.
USS New Jersey Museum
Climb aboard a battleship
at the USS New Jersey Museum (www.battleshipnewjersey.org)
in Camden. The USS New Jersey is one of the most decorated battleships in US
naval history.
Wildwoods
Visit the Wildwoods (www.wildwoodsnj.com) and Ocean City (www.oceancityvacation.com)
boardwalks that buzz with excitement, in contrast to the quieter retreats of Stone
Harbor (www.stoneharbor-resort.com)
and Avalon (www.avalonbeach.com).
REFERENCE SITES:
New Jersey is the most poetic
state: close enough to New York to be urban and cosmopolitan, far enough to be
desirous and unsure; densely populated, but full of farms and woods, with the
most deer of any state.
Robert
Pinsky
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