New Jersey

We are going to New Jersey this week. I know it's colder there than it is here, but it is cold here. My horse is glad to be in the barn most of the day and I am glad for a cozy fire in the fireplace. Hot cocoa is the drink of the day and you can fix some toast if you want a snack. Pull up a comfy seat. The travel guide and computer links are waiting, so let's plan an adventure.


The third state of the United States is known as the Garden State. The state mammal is the horse and the state fruit is the blueberry. Although New Jersey was the third state to ratify the Constitution of The United States, it was the first to ratify the Bill of Rights. Morristown was known as the military capitol of the country during the Revolutionary War because that was where General George Washington made his headquarters.

Many towns along the 130 miles of ocean coast have a boardwalk. Boardwalks are wooden walkways above the sandy beaches where you can view the ocean and perhaps buy a hot dog. The first and probably most famous of these is the Boardwalk of Atlantic City. Originally built to minimize the amount of sand tracked into the hotels and train cars, they became a symbol of good times and easy living. Spring Lake has a two mile long boardwalk which is the longest non-commercial boardwalk in the state.

There are 11 lighthouses open to the public. Lighthouses served as beacons to keep ships from crashing into rocks and sinking. Cape May Lighthouse is 157 feet high and still operates to protect the sailors. After you climb the 199 steps to the top, you will have a spectacular view of the Cape May peninsula. Close by is Fire Control Tower 23, which is New Jersey's last remaining World War II Tower. It was part of the Delaware Bay harbor defense system called Fort Miles.

Leamings Run Gardens and Colonial Farm is the largest annual garden in the United States. Twenty-seven acres of twenty-five gardens should satisfy all of us interested in plants. Outside a one room log cabin is a vegetable garden filled with herbs. You will feel as if you stepped back in time. And in August, the ruby-throated hummingbirds stop to feed before continuing their migration south.

In New Jersey there are hundreds of thousands of acres of state and national parks and forests. The Pinelands National Reserve is the country's first national reserve. 1.1 million acres contains farms, towns, and the great outdoors. The aquifers beneath this reserve hold 17 trillion gallons of pure, clean water. Above ground you can hike, watch for birds and other wildlife, and take pictures to your heart's content.

So we find all the benefits of nature in New Jersey. We can participate in all the water sports, hike, bike, tour... whatever you desire. Explore some of the historical sites, such as Washington Crossing State Park. Lie on the beach under the boardwalk. All you have to do is look for the activities you like, find the places that most appeal to you, and go.There are links below to help you find those places. In the meantime, I'm going to go see the oldest Vietnam Memorial. Then to cheer myself up, I believe I'll go to the beach and fly a kite. Let me know what you decided to do.

Copas

Travel Guide
Official New Jersey Site
New Jersey Tourism
Weird New Jersey
Division of Parks and Forestry
State Parks
National Parks
Offbeat Tourist Attractions