Destinations
Acorn Hall: Light From Within
When approaching a big birthday, it never hurts to discover buried treasure in your own backyard. Better yet, your basement. That's where the Morris County Historical Society recently unpacked an artistic gem hiding in plain sight -- a stained-glass window crafted by the New York studio that once rivaled Louis Comfort Tiffany.
Canal Days at Bird's Lock
Among the shreds of Morris Canal that have somehow avoided destruction is a quarter-mile watered stretch that leads to Lock 2 East in Wharton's Hugh Force Park. Bird's Lock has been restored to operational status and the lock tender's house rehabilitated as a museum..
Clinton and the Red Mill
Perhaps no symbol of western New Jersey is better known than the landmark Red Mill at Clinton. Located just below the confluence of Spruce Run and the South Branch of the Raritan, on the west end of Main Street, the mill and its surroundings have played host to a succession of industries and activities spawned by the region's remarkably rich agricultur
Craftsman Farms
At the turn of the last century a uniquely American tradition of home design and furnishing appeared: clean in line, solid in construction, choice in materials, and given to the aesthetic of a life lived in harmony with nature.The living room at Craftsman Farms nears full restoration to its original appearance. Many of the historic furnishings have been restored to their original locations during the Stickley era.
Friends of Long Pond Ironworks
The nonprofit 501(c)(3) volunteer organization remains dedicated to preserving, restoring, and interpreting the remaining structures and history of the 175-acre Long Pond Ironworks Historic District, all within the Ringwood State Park System.
Friends of Ramsaysburg
The Ramsaysburg Homestead is a historical park where twelve wooded acres along the Delaware River. Although they've seen their share of abuse and neglect, the remaining structures are relatively true to their original form and are irreplaceable. They have survived flood and fire, as well as demolition in our modern era of fast-paced real estate development.
Guardians: Knox, Vanderveer and the Pluckemin Cantonment
The Jacobus Vanderveer house is the only surviving building associated with the Pluckemin encampment.
History You Can Taste
The Garden State Heirloom Seed Society Museum, housed in a nineteenth century farm house, is an interactive and informative stroll through New Jersey?s storied agricultural past.
Iron, Sparta Mountain and Edison
The sustained productivity of the Sparta Mountain iron mines, which began in the late 1700s, attracted the attention of Thomas Edison, who built a massive experimental plant to process iron ore and a namesake village in 1889.
Jim and Mary Lee Canal Museum
Thousands of people over the years have visited the home in Warren County where Jim and Mary Lee raised their five children, but Jim Lee, Jr. figures his fifth grade class took the first tour his dad ever gave, back in 1953.
King of Drakesville
Just off the old, now-vanished, Ledgewood Circle, a stone's throw from the mall, the Drakesville Historic Park pays tribute to Morris County's pedigree of innovative pioneers.
Lenne Lenape Indian Village
The easiest path to an appreciation of the Lenape is across the bridge to the Indian Village at Waterloo. Developed in1988 by archaeologist John Kraft, the recreated village has introduced the Lenape way to hundreds of thousands of visitors.
Long Pond Iron Works
Take a ride to Long Pond Ironworks State Park in West Milford and park at the visitors center. Walk past the old stone-rubble houses sitting like giant sculptures on the lawn, amble down into the woods and look for the dirt crossroads surrounded by trees and the ruins of a town. The area now called Hewitt was once the Long Pond Ironworks.
Macculloch Hall
Macculloch Hall Historical Museum truly shines among New Jersey's historic house museums. Built from 1810 to 1819, this Federal style mansion of more than twenty rooms was home to George Macculloch and five generations of his descendants. Macculloch is best remembered as the Father of the Morris Ca
Millbrook Village
Millbrook Village, part of the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, is a re-created community of the 1800s where aspects of pioneer life are exhibited and occasionally demonstrated by skilled and dedicated docents throughout the village
Millbrook Village Society
Millbrook Village, part of the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area (DEWA), is a re-created community of the 1800s where aspects of pioneer life are exhibited and occasionally demonstrated by skilled and dedicated docents throughout the village. The roots of the Millbrook Village Society go back to the late '60s, not too long after Congress established DEWA.
Morristown National Historical Park
To understand why it's a great story, walk to the top of the hill in Jockey Hollow that held 200 soldier huts in early 1790. Walk up one day in January and imagine staying there until it gets warm enough sometime in April to take off your down jacket.
Museum Early Trades and Crafts
A newly restored building provides a beautiful setting for new exhibits and interactive programs; a family oriented space where children and adults learn about the tools and trades of the past.
Museums and Historical Societies
White Township, Holcombe-Jimison, Ledgewood, Califon, Wantage, Stillwater, Space Farms, Hackettstown, Hope, Lake Hopatcong, Lebanon
Museums and Historical Societies
Montague, Sussex County Historical Society, Phillipsburg Historical Society, Pike County Historical Society
Packed To The Rafters
The Bouman-Stickney Farmstead in Readington is well into a new chapter, one written for posterity.
Preservation Row
Next time you read about some group adulating an ancient stone house or a dilapidated barn, think about what’s behind the story. There are some innovative ideas out there. Make time to see what they’re up to.
Ralston Cider Mill
Of all the cider mills in New Jersey, Nesbitt's is the only survivor. For seventy years the stone building sat on some of the most valuable real estate in the world, somehow avoiding adaptive reuse or the bulldozer. This fall, you will be able to experience a rare instance of a remarkable technology, so vital to the heritage of our state. For the first time, Nesbitt's Mill will open its doors for public visitation and demonstration.
Schuyler-Hamilton House
Romance ensued between Betsy Schuyler and Alexander Hamilton, as the young, ambitious soldier courted the beautiful socialite in this historic Morristown home during the 1779-80 Revolutionary War encampment.
Sterling Hill Mine Tour and Museum
Gem lovers, adventurers, history buffs take note! A labyrinth of marbleized tunnels gilded by a multi-color glow of fluorescent minerals below the earth awaits at Sterling Hill Mining Museum, which includes the Thomas Warren Museum of Fluorescence and a 5,000sf mining history exhibit hall.
The Roseberry-Gess House
Perseverance eventually led to preservation, and today the oldest building in Phillispburg may be among its most appealing.
Touchy Subjects at the Discover History Center
A new and entirely different approach at the Discover History Center invites visitors to jump into an arcade of history, a labyrinth of interactive exhibits with spinning roulette wheels and slot machine handles, each pleading for a touch, each with a purpose.
Van Bunschooten Museum
The home was erected for Rev. Elias Van Bunschooten, a Dutch Reformed minister?also a farmer and mill operator?who settled there on one thousand acres along present-day Route 23 in Wantage, just as the road begins its steep ascent towards High Point.
Van Nest Hoff-Vannatta Farmstead
The Van Nest-Hoff-Vannatta Farmstead in Harmony Township reflects three centuries of agricultural practices and rural architecture.
Ye Olde Lake Hopatcong
Lake Hopatcong is central to the New Jersey Skylands, not only geographically, but also to the many levels and facets of the region's character.
Zinc Mines and Fluoresence
The Sussex County Mining Heritage Corridor is a remarkable tribute to the heritage of the men, their mines, and vast mineral riches they discovered. There is no other place like it in this world!
Acting Out
If all Morris County's community stages stood in one spot, they'd amount to one amazing theater mecca. Convenient? Sure. But having them all in one place would take the fun out of it.
Barrels of Fun
A wave of new craft breweries has decorated the New Jersey countryside, often providing a disused building with a bright commercial future. What could be better than making beer, and lots of people happy, for a living?
Black River and Western Railroad
Getting lost in the beautiful Hunterdon County countryside, as it stretches out from either side of the right of way of the Black River & Western Railroad is easy. All you have to do is look out the window of the railcar...
Bobolink Dairy and Bakehouse
Cows Outside! The farm produces artisanal bread, solar-powered cheeses, and pasture-raised beef. Farm tours are also available on the weekend.
Centenary Stage Company: Well Seasoned
Centenary Stage Company is fountain of entertainment, but more an investment in artistic expression and cultural vitality. There is a prodigious model here, and when Centenary Stage does its job, seeds are planted in the community.
Club Car Memoir
Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Railroad "Club Car" No. 2454 has returned to service following an extensive restoration to its 1930s-era splendor by the Whippany Railway Museum and many benefactors and dedicated volunteers who worked over the course of seven years to turn a rotting hulk into a gleaming gem.
Duke Farms: A Thousand To One
The former one-acre Duke Gardens exhibit has been expanded to one thousand acres open for public exploration and enjoyment for the first time in one hundred years. The gardens have become Duke Farms Living Habitats, and their worldly cultural aesthetic has largely transformed into a focus on what belongs right here, right now.
Ellis Observatory
Sir Isaac Newton's spirit lives on at Sterling Hill. The men talk casually about hooking up a recently donated low-light camera and monitor. Attached to the telescope, the camera will send images to monitors in the observatory and the gift shop building. Guests can view and hear activities in the observatory.
Franklin Mineral Museum
Is it the bronze statue of the miner on the front lawn greeting the visitor or perhaps the full-size replica mine inside the building? Or could it be the lure of dinosaur footprints from New Jersey, the world's largest polished slabs of petrified wood, scorpions, dinosaur dung, and over 3000 specimens of local minerals that brings nearly 20,000 school-age children to the Franklin Mineral Museum each school year.
Kitty Fox
In the middle of a fast food parking lot, I slowly unfolded the flaps of a plain brown cardboard box. Three balls of charcoal gray fuzz were curled up inside on top of a ratty old towel. "Hi, pretty kitty," I cooed in my best loving mommy voice. I scooped her up in my hand, and she curled into a smaller ball, trying to disappear. "It's alright, baby girl," I said.
Lakota Wolf Preserve
At the Lakota Wolf Preserve, you can see wolves here in the East in a natural surrounding for the first time in over a century.
Land of Make Believe
Since 1954, the Land of Make Believe has given families a place where the kids and parents can have fun together.
Mountain Creek Waterpark
When they stop making snow at Mountain Creek, there is still a blizzard of events to satisfy both the families and adventurers at the Vernon facility in the summer.
Northlandz
Our problem is telling the world what the heck we got here, says Bruce Williams, creator of Flemington's newest attraction. It is indeed difficult to describe the jaw-dropping feeling you get when you take this effortless trip into the realm of unfettered imagination along the mile-long one way labyrinth that is Northlandz.
Rockport Pheasant Farm
The New Jersey Division of Fish, Game and Wildlife completed acquisition of the 492 acre property in 1925, two years after the first release of Rockport pheasants.
Seeds of Passion at Skylands Botanical Garden
In the Ramapo Mountains of Ringwood lies one of New Jersey's most exquisite gems, the New Jersey State Botanical Garden (NJGB). Its ninety-six cultivated acres are a secret to many -- for others, a joyous discovery waiting to happen.
Space Farms
Today, people still enjoy doing basically the same thing as they did 80 years ago... visit the animal collection and maybe have some candy and a soda.
Star Bright
The UACNJ facilities in Jenny Jump State Forest, near Hope in Warren County, are 1,100 feet above sea level, one of the few dark sky locations left in the state.
Sterling Hill Mine Tour and Museum
Gem lovers, adventurers, history buffs take note! A labyrinth of marbleized tunnels gilded by a multi-color glow of fluorescent minerals below the earth awaits at Sterling Hill Mining Museum, which includes the Thomas Warren Museum of Fluorescence and a 5,000sf mining history exhibit hall.
Summer Fairs and Festivals: Old Time, Big Time
In spite of all the turbulence in our lives, or perhaps because of it, traditional fairs and festivals remain especially popular. In these cases, it is fortunate that the more things change, the more things stay the same.
The New Weis Center
In the land of Ringwood, off the highly traveled path, lies a 152-acre gem where all are welcome to learn about Nature and experience peace at The New Weis Center for Education, Arts and Recreation. The Center is dedicated to giving kids an opportunity to explore, learn and have respect for Nature, as well as offering adult workshops.
Touchy Subjects at the Discover History Center
A new and entirely different approach at the Discover History Center invites visitors to jump into an arcade of history, a labyrinth of interactive exhibits with spinning roulette wheels and slot machine handles, each pleading for a touch, each with a purpose.
U. S. Equestrian Team Headquarters
Proud to call New Jersey its home, the USET is the non-profit organization which represents the United States in international equestrian sports.
USGA Golf Museum
Rolled up in the Far Hills countryside, the USGA Museum is home to the world's premier collection of golf artifacts and memorabilia
Wilbur's Country Store
Wilbur's is the perfect destination on a drive through the New Jersey countryside. And if you need a unique gift, this is the place! The shop also hosts two annual Craft Fairs.
Working Theaters
Production companies and presentation houses require different, but equally challenging skills, to survive. Getting people off the couch and away from their flat screens is no easy task. Here is how local professional theaters manage to satisfy a widely diverse audience, sometimes with as much drama off as on the stage.
Decoys and Wildlife Gallery
This wildlife art gallery contains the area’s largest selection of hand carved decoys, representing carvers across the US, as well as an extensive collection of original paintings by some of the nation's most renowned artists.
55 Bridge St., Frenchtown
Gallery 23
A cooperative gallery featuring fine art, paintings, photography, pottery, stained glass, jewelry, fiber art, wood turned bowls, quilting, painted tiles, dioramas, and more by 35 talented local artists. Gifts and note cards for every occasion. Hours: Wednesday through Saturday, 10am -5pm. Starting November 1, Monday through Saturday 10am - 5pm for holiday shopping.
23 Main Street, Blairstown
Infloressense
A fine art gallery like no other! Unique, handmade gifts and cards as well as yoga, meditation, and continued learning lectures. Come in Saturdays for all-day open mic and Sundays to try unique nootropic chocolate or mushroom coffee. Browse the $5 books in the Believe Book Nook while you nibble and sip.
241 Water Street, Belvidere
Made To Order
Delightful fantasies beyond words! Gold, Platinum & Silver Jewelry, Wildlife Photos, Crystal, Lighthouses. Perfume Bottles, Santas, Witches Balls, Oil Lamps, Paperweights, Chimes, Art Glass, Wishing Stars. Also offering jewelry and watch repair
44 Main St., Clinton
Peters Valley School of Craft
Peters Valley shares the experience of the American Craft Movement with interactive learning through a series of workshops. A shop and gallery showcases the contemporary craft of residents and other talented artists at the Crafts Center... ceramics, glass, jewelry, wood and more in a beautiful natural setting. Open year round.
19 Kuhn Road, Layton
Wilbur’s Country Store
Wilbur's is the perfect destination on a drive through the New Jersey countryside. British foods and candy, Yankee candles, wind chimes, pet-themed gifts, preserves, much more. Charming location in barn complex between Newton and Blairstown.
735 Route 94, Newton
Flying Objects and Other Fun
If you are curious about life -- after high school or looking to change careers -- but are uncertain of your future, find out how you can learn about drone operation and other aviation and types of tech, like hot air balloons and robots at Warren Community College on Saturday May 4, 2024
Independence Days
In New Jersey we are fortunate to be able to celebrate our independence on hallowed ground, the Crossroads of the Revolution, where so many crucial moments in the war took place.
Jersey Tomato Tasting
Some say that the Jersey tomato is just a memory; a juicy legend from times gone by, when tomatoes weren't born to run across the country in tractor-trailers.
New Jersey State Fair
A real country fair, the home pride of generations worked closely with the land is everywhere to be seen: in the good food, good works, and good times that are the true bounty and community of the rural, agricultural heritage of Sussex County.
Scandinavian Festival
Drawing visitors and vendors from throughout the Northeast US for over a quarter century, Scandinavian Fest is the largest all-Nordic festival in the US.
Summer Fairs and Festivals: Old Time, Big Time
In spite of all the turbulence in our lives, or perhaps because of it, traditional fairs and festivals remain especially popular. In these cases, it is fortunate that the more things change, the more things stay the same.
Warren County Farmers' Fair and Balloon Festival
Make time for the 86th Annual Warren County Farmers’ Fair and Balloon Festival, July 27-August 3, 2024. A Family Tradition!
Weekend Journey Through the Past
Somerset County's annual showcase of historical sites is a free self-guided tour featuring interpreted tours led by guides in period dress, special collections and exhibitions, arts, and a seemingly unending variety of offerings. Make a vibrant connection to history at the 19th annual Journey through the Past, October 12-13, 2024.
Along the Vintage North Jersey Trail
A portion of the western part of Warren County, along the Delaware and Musconetcong rivers and their tributaries, has been designated by the federal government as a wine grape-growing region. Take a leisurely ride from one Warren County winery to another and find out what happens with those grapes!
Apple Picking
A walk among ageless trees laden with the mythical fruit is a trip through a special kind of garden.
Bobolink Dairy and Bakehouse
Cows Outside! The farm produces artisanal bread, solar-powered cheeses, and pasture-raised beef. Farm tours are also available on the weekend.
Brook Hollow Winery
The Brook Hollow Winery, in Knowlton Township, looks out over a five-acre vineyard, then beyond to the Delaware Water Gap.
Buck Garden
Leonard J. Buck Garden in Far Hills is a garden of splendor and inspiration-- a landscape of art, sprung from a love of the beauty of plants and a reverence for nature.
Christmas Tree Growers
Tree farmers must plan years in advance, provide year-round care, and invest time, labor, and love into a crop which takes 7-15 years from planting to harvest.
Dirty Little Secrets
Want in on a dirty little secret? "Holy cow, it's in the dirt." Yep, good old Garden State dirt. No, not our usual tabloid kind rife with political scandals, but the stuff beneath your feet. As any farmer and every gardener will attest, it's the stuff dreams are made of. And even if you don't have a green thumb, you'll know its hue, color and timbre, how it compacts and crumbles between your fingers, how its savory aroma wafts up as you bend forward for a whiff, and how nearly you can taste it.
Fosterfield Farms
To enter Fosterfields, a working farm since 1760 and New Jersey's first living, historical farm, is to magically step back into the 19th and early 20th centuries
Four Sisters Winery at Matarazzo Farms: A Taste of Summer
In August, Four Sisters Winery will host the Vintage North Jersey Wine and Food Festival, where vintners from along the budding New Jersey Wine Trail will assemble to holding wine tastings and serving accompanying food. On Matarazzo's menu? Homemade flatbread pizza!
Lusscroft Farm
As historic sites go, Lusscroft Farm is one of a kind. Located in the northwest corner of Sussex County, these 578 acres have a rich and diverse past. The Holiday Benefit/ Open House is the perfect time to visit, on December 2 and 3.
Tassot Apiaries
Jean-Claude and his team are celebrating their 10th anniversary as your experts in beeswax candles, natural soaps and cosmetics, bee pollen, beekeeping equipment and of course…HONEY.
Well-Sweep Herb Farm
Touring Well-Sweep Herb Farm in Port Murray is an exciting learning experience; part herbal lesson, part horticulture history flashback, part taste test.
Windy Brow Farm: A Taste of Summer
Pick up some yellow peaches at Windy Brow then try one of their favorite seasonal recipes, Grilled Peach Summer Salad.