Boardwalk Cuisine—You Know You Love It!
New Jersey invented the boardwalk—so you know you’re going to find some tasty boardwalk food. As you take a stroll along the Jersey Shore boards, you’ll see (and smell!) pizza, funnel cakes, fried pickles, crab fries (the perfect amount of seasoning and amazing cheese dipping sauce), ice cream, and the timeless New Jersey boardwalk treat: salt water taffy. Stop along the Atlantic City boardwalk to try the famous Fralinger’s taffy, which has been around since 1885 and offers some unusual flavors like Teaberry. Another boardwalk staple: Kohr Brothers® frozen custard, made with the original 1919 recipe and found in both the Wildwoods and Ocean City. Vanilla-Orange Twist, please!
Get Fresh with Trips to the Orchard, Field, or Farm Market
Counter the fried pickle with a trip to a farm market for sweet corn, peaches and Jersey’s famous tomatoes. Or why not pick your own? Agri-tourism is a growing interest in the Garden State. Make “eating your veggies” a fun family outing: pick your own peaches at Johnson’s Locust Hall Farm, blueberries at DiMeo Farms (by appointment only), blackberries at Terhune Orchards (call ahead for availability), sour cherries at Stoneyfield Orchard, and even lavender at Pleasant Valley Lavender. Take advantage of the farm-fresh bounty and create some new in-season recipes, join the home canning movement, or try your hand at pickling. Get tips on purchasing, picking, and preparing Jersey Fresh® vegetables and fruits, and make your table the freshest one around!
Take It Outside, Friends
If you prefer your produce peeled, prepped, and served to your table, you can taste Jersey fresh cuisine at fine restaurants throughout the state. Let’s retire the practice of dining “al desk-o” and move the feast outdoors. Whether you prefer a trendy café patio with Manhattan views like Maritime Parc, an elegant terrace overlooking the mountains (consider Restaurant Latour at Crystal Springs Resort) or any of the numerous seafood restaurants on the bay or ocean, New Jersey is brimming with open-air dining choices like Basking Ridge’s Focacceria Ristorante, named one of the country’s top 100 alfresco spots by OpenTable. Of course, summer food fests offer another tasty way to dine alfresco—sample a variety of cuisines with a New Jersey food tour or food truck event.
Plan a Designer Spree or Trip to the Fleas
Is your outdoor sport of choice shopping? New Jersey offers every shopping experience imaginable, from funky flea markets to outlet shopping. Jersey Shore Premium Outlets in Tinton Falls boasts an impressive collection of over 100 stores. You can also find designer and name-brand bargains (plus get in a good outdoor power walk) at Atlantic City’s Tanger Outlets, The Walk, Gloucester Premium Outlets or Jackson Premium Outlets. However, if you need some air conditioning, you can rack up some deals at The Mills at Jersey Gardens in Elizabeth or Outlets at Bergen Town Center in Paramus. Look for good deals on summer’s big trends: metallics, layers, and knee-length skirts.
If you’d rather search for antiques, collectibles, outerwear, and even pet supplies, Englishtown Auction has been a bargain hunter’s paradise for over 80 years. Another place for treasure hunters: the Golden Nugget in Lambertville, which is one of the Northeast’s largest antique and flea markets. Take a tip from the flea market pros and get there early!
Before you go “alfresco” this summer, get updates at visitnj.org, where you can download a free NJ travel guide or sign up for e-news from New Jersey Travel and Tourism.
