Spring to the Shore – Spend the day relaxing by the ocean with a great book, collecting shells, strolling the boards or shopping the breezy boutiques. Spring temps and fewer crowds promise a great day all around. Some beaches with boardwalks you’ll want to coast to include Ocean City, Belmar and Atlantic City. See the rest of NJ’s 130 miles of fabulous beaches here. Not sure which beach is for you? Learn more.
Go All-Out Artistic – Brush up on all types of art in a day at these Jersey gems: Grounds For Sculpture in Hamilton, NJ’s largest museum, the Newark Museum of Art, Montclair Art Museum in the central part of the state or the Museum of American Glass, the heart of WheatonArts in Millville.
Get into Museum-Mode – The perfect any-weather learning, seeing, doing type of day trip can be found at: the New Jersey State Museum in Trenton, The African American Heritage Museum of South Jersey located in Atlantic City and Insectropolis, The Bugseum of New Jersey in Tom’s River. For more museums, click here.
Travel Back in Time – Plan a day to dive into NJ’s diverse history. Whether you’ve always wanted to see the Sandy Hook Lighthouse (the oldest operating lighthouse in the US) or visit Revolutionary War sites like Washington Crossing State Park in Titusville, the options are endless. See more historic sites.
C’mon Out – Jersey is home to some of the most scenic outdoor adventures in the US, and spring is the perfect time to head out and enjoy them. Try ziplining at Mountain Creek in Vernon, tip-toeing along acres and acres of tulips (and picking your own to bring home) at Holland Ridge Farm in Cream Ridge or hiking NJ’s 72-mile portion of the Appalachian Trail. Here are more outdoorsy ideas.
Monkey Around – When it comes to places to see animals, go wild in NJ. Check out Lakota Wolf Preserve located in the mountains of the Delaware Water Gap in Warren County, Hidden Spring Lavender and Alpaca Farm in Skillman or head south to Cape May Park Zoo, Adventure Aquarium in Camden and Wild Safari Adventure in Jackson. We’re adding Lucy the Elephant here too. She’s not real, but she’s a realllllly great place to tour and explore.
Soar & Smile – Theme parks, amusement parks, indoor water parks. There are sooo many places to find high flyin’ rides in Jersey. Here are a few of our favorites: North America’s largest indoor water park and largest indoor theme park in the Western Hemisphere at American Dream in East Rutherford, Morey’s Piers in the Wildwoods and Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson. More ideas here.
Be Young at Heart – Don’t miss the chance to experience one of these super fun kid-friendly outings: Storybook Land in Egg Harbor Township, Liberty Science Center in Jersey City, Diggerland USA in West Berlin, and out-of-this-world shows at the Planetarium at New Jersey State Museum. All of these are great for singles, couples, seniors, families, you name it.
Shop, Shop, Shop - If you love to shop (and who doesn’t?), Jersey is the place to be! Save a lot too - at Tanger Outlets, The Walk in Atlantic City and The Mills at Jersey Gardens in Elizabeth. And if it’s antiques you seek, head to the central part of the state to shop Lambertville, known as “The Antiques Capital of New Jersey.” For more shopping meccas, including the amazing American Dream, head here. And if boutiques and main streets are more your speed, take a look.
Wherever you choose to spend your day, you’re sure to work up an appetite, so check out some restaurants nearby. And if you decide to turn your day trip into an overnight visit, that works too. New Jersey has amazing places to stay in every part of the state - north, central and south. As always, check with your destinations before you go for the latest hours and details. Start your journey with the free NJ travel guide and sign up for our e-newsletter too. See you in Jersey!
