 1. Experience cutting-edge modern art at Grounds For Sculpture, a 35-acre sculpture park and museum, where more than 230 contemporary sculptures, from monumental to tabletop, can be found on the beautifully landscaped grounds. Hamilton, 609-586-0616, www.groundsforsculpture.org 2. Tour the Gardens at Duke Farms and see Doris Duke’s horticultural vision – 11 gardens featuring designs inspired by diverse cultures and regions of the world. Italian, Colonial, Edwardian, French, English, Chinese, Japanese and Indo-Persian designs are juxtaposed near desert, tropical and semitropical environments. Hillsborough, 908-722-3700, www.dukefarms.org 3. Visit the Statue of Liberty the easy way – take the ferry from Liberty State Park in Jersey City, 201-915-3400, www.libertystatepark.com 4. Spend an afternoon shopping, dining and lounging on the beach at the new Pier Village at Long Branch, 732-923-0100, www.piervillage.com 5. Be one of the first to stay at the new Appalachian Hotel, a premier village resort at Mountain Creek in Vernon, 973-827-2000, www.mountaincreek.com 6. Put this on your “must do list” to visit Morristown National Historic Park which was the main encampment of the American Continental Army and also served as the headquarters of its commander-in-chief, General George Washington. Currently under renovation, the Museum will reopen in 2007. (908) 766-8215 www.nps.gov/morr 7. Have fun learning about New Jersey’s thriving coastal ecosystems at the Wetlands Institute in Stone Harbor, 609-368-1211, www.wetlandsinstitute.org 8. Get back to nature, from sleeping under the stars to cuddling up in a fully-equipped RV at New Jersey’s campgrounds, 800-2-CAMP-NJ, www.newjerseycampgrounds.com 9. Taste the culinary explosion in Atlantic City, as exemplified by The Borgata’s array of fine dining options, including Bobby Flay STEAK, the Wolfgang Puck American Grille and Michael Mina’s Seablue, 609-317-1000, www.theborgata.com 10. Sway to the soulful sounds of jazz and blues on the banks of the Navesink River at the Jazz & Blues Festival in Red Bank, June, 732-775-4100, www.redbankfestival.com 11. Be dazzled by the PNC Bank Arts Center Holiday Light Spectacular – a brilliant presentation of more than one million lights and over 180 displays of holiday spirit – viewed during a two-mile drive from the comfort of your own car. Early December through early January, www.holidaylightspectacular.com 12. Enjoy an afternoon or evening sail on the A.J. Meerwald, New Jersey’s Official Tall Ship, in Bivalve, 856-785-2060, www.ajmeerwald.org 13. Take a spring or summer eco-cruise by pontoon boat down the Hackensack River, narrated by enthusiastic guides from the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission, 201- 460-4640, www.meadowlands.state.nj.us/eco_tourism/index.cfm 14. Become an expert in the “Arts and Crafts” movement in home design and furnishings with a visit to Craftsman Farms, the former home of noted turn-of-the-century designer Gustav Stickley. Parsippany-Troy Hills, 973-540-1165, www.stickleymuseum.org 15. Relive the British attack on Fort Mercer – a key battle in the American Revolution – at the Battlefield of Red Bank re-enactment in National Park, October, 856-853-5120. 16. Explore a real military fort that dates back to the Spanish-American War, at Fort Mott State Park in Pennsville, 856-935-3218. 17. Discover the inviting genre of folk music and hear nationally known musicians during the Bridgeton Folk Festival, June, 856-451-9208, www.bridgetonfolkfestival.com 18. Get into Princeton – no matter how well you did in school! Take a scenic walking tour of Princeton, explore Palmer Square’s delightful shopping and dining options, visit Morven Museum and Garden – the former governor’s mansion – and spend the night at the renowned Nassau Inn, 609-921-7500, welcoming guests since 1756. www.visitprinceton.org 19. When October rolls around, a-maze yourself in New Jersey’s biggest corn maze at Doyle’s Unami Farm in Hillsborough, 908-369-3187, www.doyles-farm.com. For Halloween festivities, visit historic Red Mill Museum Village for a haunted hayride (Clinton, 908-735-4101, www.theredmill.org), or join the fun at Cape May’s Annual Pumpkin Festival at Historic Cold Spring Village, with a Halloween parade, music, games, food vendors and pumpkin painting. 609-898-2300, www.hcsv.org 20. See the ongoing revitalization of Asbury Park, as new attractions and restaurants are continuously added to this grand dame of the Jersey Shore, www.cityofasburypark.com 21. Check out the vibrant displays at the Museum of American Glass at the Wheaton Arts and Cultural Center, then shape hot molten glass into a one-of-a-kind paperweight, or blow a bowl or a vase out of glass, with guidance from the master glass artists in the Glass Studio, Millville, 800-998-4552, EMail www.wheatonarts.org 22. Let kids be kids with a day of fun and exploration at the Garden State Discovery Museum. Hands-on exhibits for toddlers to 10-year-olds include getting inside a gigantic bubble, dabbling in art, scaling a rock wall, and building a two-story house. Cherry Hill, 856-424-1233, www.discoverymuseum.com 23. Say hello to Lucy, a 65-foot-tall Elephant, as she towers over Margate. This wooden wonder - the world's largest elephant - is available for tours and features a sweeping view of the Atlantic. 609-823-6473, www.lucytheelephant.org 24. Feel the hair on the back of your neck stand up during a Ghost Tour of Ocean City. Listen to tales of the unknown, from shipwrecks to strange shadows on the beach, on this candlelight walking tour of the historic town center, 609-814-0199, www.ghosttour.com/ocean_city.htm 25. See lance-splintering action and hear the clash of broadswords at the Medieval Times Dinner and Tournament in Lyndhurst, 201-933-2220, www.medievaltimes.com 26. Sculpt your dreams - reveal your inner artist by entering the New Jersey Sandcastle Contest in Belmar, July, 732-863-1900, www.njsandcastle.com 27. Ride in a hot air balloon, watch the mud fly in a Mud Bog competition, stroll an artist's exposition and sample New Jersey's agricultural bounty at the Warren County Farmer's Fair, July and August, 908-454-3431, www.warrencountyfarmersfair.org 28. See the sand fly as the nation's top volleyball pros go head to head at the AVP Seaside Heights Open, late June, www.seaside-heightsnj.org 29. See the best of New Jersey's filmmakers at the Cape May New Jersey State Film Festival, 609-884-6700, www.njstatefilmfestival.com 30. Horse around at the New Jersey State Fair/Sussex County Farm & Horse Show, which features the best animals and talented riders from across New Jersey, August, 973-948-5500, www.sussex-county-fair.org 31. Get a double dose of high stakes horse racing with the Hambletonian-Haskell double, August 5 and 6, respectively. The Hambletonian is trotted at Meadowlands Racetrack (201-THE-BIGM), www.thebigm.com in East Rutherford, and the Haskell Invitational takes off at Monmouth Park (732-222-5100), www.monmouthpark.com, in Oceanport. 32. Explore Long Beach Island, from the dunes to the wetlands, on an eco-tour hosted by Alliance for a Living Ocean in Beach Haven, 609-492-0222, www.livingocean.org 33. See the sea from two perspectives with a day at the Camden Waterfront - swim with the sharks at the expanded Adventure Aquarium and explore America's most decorated battleship, the New Jersey, 856-365-3300, www.camdenwaterfront.com 34. Immerse yourself in the world of comics and movies at Jay and Silent Bob's Secret Stash in Red Bank, a "geek-free" comic book outlet named for that pair of friendly neighborhood ne'er-do-wells, Jay and Silent Bob, from Director Kevin Smith of "Clerks" and "Jersey Girl" fame. 732-758-0508, www.jayandsilentbob.com 35. Get silly at Ocean City's salute to humor, the Doo Dah Parade in April, 800-BEACHNJ, www.njoceancity.com 36. Visit Glenmont, home of Thomas Alva Edison, the world's most prolific inventor, at the Edison National Historic Site in West Orange. Enjoy tours of the grounds and the restored greenhouse, as well as daily interpretive programs, 973-324-9973, www.nps.gov/edis/index.htm 37. Ring in the Christmas season with events and festivals across the state. At Dickens' Days in Clinton, celebrate Christmas in true Victorian fashion, with decorated shops, music, carriage rides and street plays, 908-735-4020, www.clintonnj.com 38. Spend a weekend in Wildwood, enjoying the sweeping angles, bright colors, starbursts, and boomerang shapes of the area's iconic Doo Wop architecture, 609-729-4000, www.wildwoods.com 39. Discover one of New Jersey's hidden treasures - The Newark Museum - with 80 galleries of art and science, a mini zoo, planetarium, sculpture garden, and more, 973-596-6493, www.newarkmuseum.org 40. Sneak away for a romantic getaway at one of New Jersey's captivating Bed & Breakfasts. Find just the right inn, and just the right combination of amenities and activities - a relaxing day of wine-tasting, a challenging round of golf or a day of pampering at a spa - at Preferred Inns of New Jersey, www.njinns.com 41. Learn how the Underground Railroad rescued early African-Americans from slavery on a walking tour and dining package in Burlington's Historic District, 609-386-0200. target=blank>www.tourburlington.org 42. Take a cold dip in the Atlantic for a good cause at the Polar Bear Plunge in Seaside Heights, benefiting the Special Olympics, February, 609-263-TOUR, www.njpolarplunge.sonj.org 43. Have a smashing good time at the Wall Township Speedway, featuring Demolition Derby, monster truck events and racing every Saturday night , 732-681-6400, www.wallspeedway.com 44. Listen, up close and personal, to the howling of wolves echoing down the Delaware Water Gap at the Lakota Wolf Preserve in Columbia, 908-496-9244, www.lakotawolf.com 45. Solve a mystery amidst the gaslamp-lit streets and dramatic Victorian homes of Cape May during Sherlock Holmes Weekends in November and March, 800-275-4278, www.capemaymac.org 46. Come within inches of big sharks, vibrantly colored fish and ethereal stingrays at Jenkinson's Aquarium in Point Pleasant Beach. Beyond the 58,000 gallon aquarium exhibit, see the world's smallest monkeys - pygmy marmosets - and colorful cockatoos and macaws in the Rainforest Habitat. 732-899-1212. 47. Go fly a kite…at the Wildwoods International Kite Festival in Wildwood, 609-729-4000, www.wildwoods.com, and the Spring Kite Festival in Belmar, 732-681-2900, www.belmar.com, both in May. In August, see kite fliers from all over the east coast compete in the New Jersey Sport Kite Championships at Liberty State Park in Jersey City, 201-489-7186. 48. For a truly authentic New Jersey Christmas experience, join the re-enactment of George Washington's crossing of the Delaware on Christmas Day, visible from Washington Crossing Park the banks of the Delaware River, 609-737-0623, www.tencrucialdays.com 49. Take a 3-hour tour, but see more than Gilligan ever did on a Hudson River cruise, past the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island on Spirit Cruises, 866-399-8439, www.spiritofnewyork.com or Horizon Cruises, 201-866-7423, www.yachtcharternetwork.com 50. Appreciate art in Frenchtown, known for a host of art and craft galleries and studios, featuring art from antiquities to contemporary interpretations. www.frenchtowner.com 51. Don't lose your marbles! Bring them to the National Marbles Tournament in Wildwood, 301-724-1297, and Marble Weekend at the Wheaton Arts and Cultural Center, Millville, 800-998-4552, www.wheatonvillage.org both in June. 52. Stretch out, and enjoy a Movie Under the Stars in Hoboken every Wednesday evening, June, July and August, 201-420-2207, www.hobokeni.com/film.asp 53. Play a round of golf - in miniature - on one of America's largest miniature golf courses, without the windmills and statues. The Pine Creek Miniature Golf challenge offers two beautifully manicured 18-hole courses on 28 acres in West Amwell, 609-466-3803, www.pinecreekgolf.com 54. Rev up your classic car memories at the Boardwalk Classic Car Show in Wildwood, September, 609-523-8051, www.njhra.com 55. Look for the Easter Bunny at the annual Easter Parade on the Boardwalk in Asbury Park www.asburyboardwalk.com/easterparade.htm or bring the kids out for the Trenton Easter Egg Hunt, with more than 1,000 eggs nestled in the rolling hills of the beautiful Cadwalader Park on the Saturday before Easter. 609-815-2167. 56. Let the convenient River LINE, NJ Transit's light rail train from the Camden Waterfront to Trenton, whisk you to 20 stations and hundreds of destinations, including historic towns along the Delaware River, for only $1.25 each way. 1-800-772-2222, www.riverline.com 57. Ahoy! See the spectacle of one of the nation's largest parades of decorated boats in Ocean City's "Nights in Venice," July, 1-800-BEACH-NJ, www.njoceancity.com 58. Experience the thrill and thunder of the East Coast's biggest drag racing event, the Annual K&N Filters NHRA Super-Nationals at Raceway Park in Old Bridge, June, 732- 446-7800. 59. Celebrate seafood at its finest and freshest at the renowned New Jersey Seafood Festival in Belmar, June, 732-774-8506, www.belmar.com 60. Take advantage of Newark's spectacular cherry blossoms in historic Olmsted-designed Branch Brook Park, with more than 2,700 cherry trees ready to bloom by mid-April, 973-268-3500, www.branchbrookpark.org 61. Put yourself right in the center of one of the most sensational trials of the 20th Century at "Lindbergh and Hauptmann: The Trial of The Century," a re-enactment of the trial of Bruno Richard Hauptmann for the kidnapping and murder of the infant son of American icon Charles Lindbergh, September and October in Flemington, 908-782-2610, www.famoustrials.com 62. Celebrate the craft of the songwriter - hear internationally renowned songsmiths perform their folk, blues, alt-country, roots, Celtic, and acoustic songs at the annual Appel Farm Arts & Music Festival in Elmer, June, 856-358-2472, www.appelfarm.org 63. Have it both ways on historic Keyport's waterfront, with stunning views of New York City to the east, and a beautiful sunset over Raritan Bay to the west, www.keyportonline.com 64. See over 100 hot air balloons of all shapes, sizes, colors and characters float above the countryside at the New Jersey Festival of Ballooning, late July, Readington, 1-800-HOT-AIR-9, www.balloonfestival.com 65. Listen to some cool Jazz at the Cape May Jazz Festival, as 29 New Orleans musicians come to Cape May in November to perform with Chuck Mangione and Kevin Mahogany, 609-884-7277, www.capemayjazz.com 66. Celebrate Native American history, foods, art and music at Sussex Pow Wow in Branchville, July, www.redhawkcouncil.org 67. Watch the fruit crush and sample gourmet fare at Cream Ridge Winery's Harvestfest and Pig Roast Festival, late September, 609-259-9797, www.creamridgewinery.com 68. Be a kid again at the famous Steel Pier in Atlantic City, with classic boardwalk amusements, rides and food. 609-345-4893, www.steelpier.com 69. Take another look at the Vietnam War at The New Jersey Vietnam Veterans' Memorial and Vietnam Era Educational Center, on the grounds of the PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel, 732-335-0033, www.njvvmf.org 70. Learn about predator-prey relationships at the Liberty Science Center's 4,000-square-foot exhibition entitled Eat and Be Eaten, a sneak preview of things to come when the center completes a $104 million expansion and renovation project, slated for completion in mid-2007. Jersey City, 201-200-1000, www.lsc.org 71. Hey, Batter, Batter! Enjoy America's favorite pastime, now in family size, at one of New Jersey's eight minor-league professional stadiums. Check out leagues and teams: www.atlanticleague.com , Atlantic City Surf, www.acsurf.com ; Sussex Skyhawks, sussexskyhawks.com ; Somerset Patriots, www.somersetpatriots.com ; Camden Riversharks, www.riversharks.com ; Lakewood BlueClaws www.lakewoodblueclaws.com ; New Jersey Jackals, www.jackals.com ; Newark Bears, www.newarkbears.com ; and Trenton Thunder, www.trentonthunder.com 72. Make your own wheel of cheese during an artisanal cheesemaking class at the Valley Shepherd Creamery in Long Valley. Age your wheel of sheep's milk cheese in the creamery's hillside aging cave, then enjoy with friends and family. 908-876-3200, www.valleyshepherd.com 73. Hoof it on over to The Horse Park of New Jersey at Stone Tavern near Allentown. The Horse Park has a family-friendly event called "The Festival of the Horses" in August, with kids' activities, a petting zoo and pony rides, and the annual Turkey Trot is held in mid-November, 609-259-0170, www.horseparkofnewjersey.com 74. Learn how a bill becomes a law during a tour of the State House in Trenton, featuring the Senate and General Assembly Chambers 609-633-2709, . While in Trenton, explore The Old Barracks, which alternately housed Continental, British and Hessian soldiers during the Revolutionary War. 609-396-1776, www.barracks.org 75. Witness the full diversity of the black experience in America, both past and present, in America's longest-running African-American film festival - the Newark Black Film Festival at the Newark Museum, August, 973-596-6493, www.newarkmuseum.org 76. Learn about New Jersey's complex estuaries, where rivers meet the sea, at the Jacques Cousteau National Estuarine Research Center at Tuckerton Seaport, 609-296-8868, www.tuckertonseaport.org 77. Get caught up in the thrill of classic dirt track racing at the family-friendly New Egypt Speedway, 609-758-1900, www.newegyptspeedway.net 78. See New Jersey's indigenous plants - as well as plants from all over the world - at New Jersey's official botanical garden, the 96-acre Botanical Gardens at Skylands Manor, 973-962-9534, www.njbg.org 79. Roll on down the river on one of four reconstructed Mississippi Paddle Wheelers: River Lady in Toms River, 732-349-8664; Crystal Queen in Beach Haven, 609- 492-0333; and the River Belle and River Queen in Point Pleasant Beach, 732-892-3377. 80. Travel back in time to the 1800's with a visit to Historic Cold Spring Village, an open-air living history museum with antique buildings and interpreters in period costumes, plying their trades and crafts, 609-898-2300, www.hcsv.org 81. Find out what's brewing in New Jersey - and how to tell a Hefeweizen from a Honey Wheat - at more than a dozen brewpubs and microbreweries. 732-493-5009, www.njbeer.org 82. Fly down the steepest vertical drop of any wooden coaster in the world, 76 white-knuckled degrees, on the monstrous new El Toro roller coaster at Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, 732-928-1821, www.sixflags.com/parks/greatadventure 83. Escape the rat race for a couple of days in Lambertville, an inviting historic town along the Delaware River, with terrific antiquing, dining, shopping and strolling, 609-397-0055, www.lambertville.org 84. Eat your way around the world in Newark's Ironbound section - savor the flavors of Portugal, Brazil, Mexico, Italy, China and other countries at more than 170 restaurants, www.goironbound.com 85. Explore one of more than 2,000 shipwrecks off the New Jersey coastline, with a SCUBA diving adventure with the qualified divemasters of the Blue Fathoms www.bluefathoms.com, departing from Point Pleasant or the "Ursula," www.eastcoastdiving.com based in Sea Isle. 86. Enjoy a first-run movie at New Jersey's last drive-in movie theater, the Delsea Drive-In in Vineland, 856-696-0011, http://www.delseadrive-in.com 87. Hike (or bike) the 70-mile towpath along the Delaware and Raritan Canal or follow the river from Frenchtown to Trenton. The route passes historic sites and great places to eat, 732-873-3050. 88. See the timeline of the United States - from 1772 to 1996 - reflected in more than 200 years of original furnishings at Liberty Hall, home of New Jersey's first governor and Revolutionary War hero, William Livingston. Don't miss the balustrade slashed by a British general, Union, 908-527-0400, www.libertyhallnj.org 89. I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream at ShowPlace Ice Cream Parlor in Beach Haven, where the "waitri" sing as they serve ice cream, 609-492-0018. 90. Keep your head down during a classic western showdown - a re-enactment of the "Gunfight at the O.K. Corral" - and more than 20 other wild west shows at Wild West City, Netcong, 973-347-8900, www.wildwestcity.com 91. Take the Lighthouse Challenge, October 14-15, which challenges intrepid visitors to visit all 11 accessible New Jersey lighthouses, at various locations along the New Jersey coastline, www.njlhs.org/challenge/challenge.html 92. Put on your Stetson, shine up your western boots, and head out to the Cowtown Rodeo, the nation's longest-running Saturday night rodeo, featuring marquee events such as Brahma Bull Riding and Bareback Bronc Riding. 856-769-3200, www.cowtownrodeo.com 93. Bring your saddle shoes and black leather jacket to the Cruisin' River Festival in Red Bank, May, 732-747-7728, www.nj.com/cruisin 94. Watch salt water taffy being made at Shriver's in Ocean City, then sample the different flavors for a true taste of the Jersey Shore, 609-399-0100, www.shrivers.com 95. Experience the luxurious new Pier at Caesars in Atlantic City - shop such renowned names as Gucci, Tiffany and Luis Vuitton, and savor cutting edge cuisine at Todd English's English is Italian and Jeffrey Chodowrow's Rumjungle. 609-345-3100, www.thepieratcaesars.com 96. Stare in amazement at the never-ending miniature railroad - the world's largest miniature train layout, with over eight miles of track! - at Northlandz in Flemington, 908-782-4022, www.northlandz.com 97. See the flash of musket fire and hear the roar of the cannons at the authentic re-enactment of the Battle of Monmouth at Monmouth Battlefield State Park, Manalapan, June, 732-780-5782, www.njparksandforests.org/parks/monbat.html 98. Get back to nature by exploring The Pinelands National Reserve, with hiking, boating, canoeing, swimming, camping, picnicking, horseback riding, fishing and more. The reserve is the largest body of open space on the Mid-Atlantic seaboard, encompassing 1.1 million acres between Richmond and Boston. 609-894-7300, www.state.nj.us/pinelands/index.shtml 99. Take an invigorating hike in High Point State Park - the highest point in the state - offering easy access to the trail, and helpful park rangers who will provide a map and hiking advice, 973-875-4800, www.state.nj.us/dep/parksandforests/parks/highpoint.html 100. Search for the Jersey Devil, a legendary creature said to roam the misty wetland areas of the New Jersey Pinelands, venturing out into the woodlands at night seeking humans to scare away with his piercing screams and grotesque appearance. But maybe he's not such a bad guy - some folks think that the Jersey Devil is the protector of the Pinelands, who will not harm any humans who love this special area and try to protect it. www.state.nj.us/pinelands/pastimes/funfac/jerseydevil.html 101. Wrap up the year with a visit to Trenton for Patriots Week, the last week in December, for a celebration of the patriots who helped build our nation. Enjoy music, presentations, re-enactments, and other festivities, www.patriotsweek.com |
NJN Hills
March 13, 2010
NJN Hills : Basking Ridge, New Jersey
Basking Ridge, NJ
NJN Hills is compliments of:
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Phone:
908-781-1371
Cell:
908-347-3587
Fax:
908-781-1377
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