While New Jersey is known for its bustling shore and coastline, the state is home to many other hot spots including two national parks and 50 state parks and forests. Of course, there’s also its unmatched collection of amusement parks and other family-friendly venues, including Six Flags Great Adventure & Safari, Keansburg Amusement Park & Runaway Rapids Water Park, the Monmouth Park Racetrack, and New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC).
If 130 miles of scenic Atlantic Ocean coastline is your idea of a perfect long weekend, look no further. For the perfect quaint beach spot, check out Cape May, which is home to beautiful Victorian-style homes that sit along the pristine shoreline. Spring Lake is a quieter beach with a two-mile stretch of sand that hosts the largest non-commercial boardwalk in New Jersey. For a more family-friendly option, consider Seaside Heights, famous for its beachside amusement park and colorful entertainment.
In June, check out RiverFest in Red Bank for three days of great food, music and family fun. Even late in the summer, there are still plenty of food festivals and great events available throughout New Jersey, including Annual Cape May Food & Wine Celebration in mid-September. The New York Times has dubbed Cape May “the restaurant capital of New Jersey.” You can enjoy winery tours and tastings, a beer tasting dinner, a Harvest Food & Wine Tasting and luncheons at some of Cape May’s best restaurants. A free event in Ridgefield Park is the Bergen County 4H & Master Gardener Fair at the end of September with fun for the entire family to enjoy.
If you are looking to branch out from the beach, consider Liberty State Park, which sits on the New York Harbor and features views of the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island and the Manhattan skyline. Rich in history, the park has approximately 300 acres of open space and state of the art facilities that encourage visitors to take part in favorite activities like biking, rollerblading and jogging.
For all the sports fans, the newly built MetLife Stadium is a great option for catching a New York Jets or Giants game. Since its inception in 2010, MetLife Stadium has hosted Super Bowl XLVIII, various sporting events, concerts, entertainment events and family shows. With a capacity of over 82,000, MetLife has been named the top-grossing stadium in the world.
No matter your destination within the state, New Jersey has enough hot spots, events and accommodations to satisfy any traveler’s vacation plans.
