• About
  • Blog
  • Working together
  • Testimonials
  • Contact

Girl Gone Travel

Girl Gone Travel

North America, Travel
/
October 25, 2011

Fall Foliage in New Jersey

Enjoyed this post? Give it some love and share!
Share

When I was 8 years old, my parents and I moved out of the city for a bit and into the suburbs of Teaneck, NJ. After school I would walk home on my own, often taking my time because I had a crush on a boy named Andrew who seemed to move as slow as molasses and with whom I took these walks home with.

I don’t think Andrew really had much of a crush on me, but he walked with me anyway – mainly because it was in the direction of his house. Our walks were often pretty mundane, nothing too special until Fall would come along.

It was then when my walks home with him would become fun and colorful and exciting. We played games along the way throwing leaves at each other, walking on the piled lanes of dried foliage gathered by raking and listening to the crunching sound they would make as our feet landed on them.

We stirred them up, shook the trees so that the leaves would fall on our hair, and plowed through the higher piles as we passed them by. Sometimes we would do nothing at all but gaze at the trees before us and the changing landscape. Though we might not have been able to describe how beautiful this all was, we were able to appreciate it in our own, very young way.

I have no idea where Andrew is now. I only lived in Teaneck for a very short time before I moved out of the country and my quiet, colorful walks would become car rides past beaches and tropical shores.

The memories of my short time spent in NJ as a kid and my love for this time of year came rushing in as I walked with my little boys through our now new neighborhood back in the state.

With me by their side, my boys picked up sticks, threw leaves at each other, walked along the trail of collected leaves just so that they could hear the crunching sound once their feet touched them. They delighted in having the small yellow leaves land on their hair every time the wind blew.

Even when not walking, but instead driving, the colors of the leaves and the way they dance around the tires of the cars as they swoosh by is enough to fill my heart with a a burst of joy to be surrounded by so much beauty.

My joy of walking home in the Fall has turned into a joy for hiking as well (check out some cool hiking trails I’ve discovered in NJ) . There is still time to experience all that Fall has to offer and the colorful changes nature is going through right now.

For those of you who want to take your leisurely walks or hiking trips in Manhattan, please refer to my list of park recommendations in New York City here.

For those who don’t mind going a little further – but not too far from home, here is a little list of my favorite parks in New Jersey, as I slowly discover all it has to offer us as well.

  • Not too far from the pre-colonial city of Chester, NJ. I mentioned it’s picturesque landscape as we made our way to the Riamede Farm to pick some apples and pumpkins. Hidden creeks and narrow lanes allow you to be surrounded by nature and provide perfect photo opportunities.
  • Just 72 miles from Lower Manhattan is the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. It may be a bit too cold to go canoeing right now, but you still can if your heart so desires, as it provides a slow pace to enjoy the views along the Delaware River. Another favorite option is hiking. Spectacular cliffs and waterfalls are sure to take your breath away.
  • Long Pond Ironworks State Park in West Milford, NJ is home to a few lakes and reservoirs, among them being the Monksville Reservoir a favorite fishing spot. In addition to beautiful landscape, visitors will also find remnants of ironmaking structures that go back to the 18th century. The park offers trails for horseback riding, biking and hiking.
  • Ramapo Valley County Reservation offers hiking trails, a beautiful overlook from Hawk Rock. Still time to catch the foliage views there and to admire the running creeks before they get icy for the season.
Whether your walks as solo, with your crush, or the love of your life and family, now is certainly the time to go. Check out the links to the website for whether conditions or any advisories, bring lots of water, find out about picnic spots (some have them, some don’t), as well as hiking maps and other information.
But remember, the season is almost over, so get out on your adventure soon!
[subscribe2]

Related

Enjoyed this post? Give it some love and share!
Share
Pin this Post
Share this Post
Carol Cain

Brooklyn native Carol is happiest when on an adventure, whether close to home or farther away. She is a small business owner and travel writer. In addition to creating Girl Gone Travel, she is the Founder and Principal of Brave World Media, a social media marketing, communications, and branding agency. She's mom to three wonderful sons and wife to a handsome Irish/Scot. She lives, works, and plays in the beautiful Finger Lakes region of NY.

You May Also Like...

Christmas Tree Hunting in Long Island, NY

December 12, 2008

Fort Tryon Park, Washington Heights, NY

December 10, 2008

Winter afternoon in the Bronx Zoo, NY

December 16, 2008
6 Comments
  • Barbara
    October 25, 2011

    Love this.. we do Fall Foliage drives every year and went to the Delaware Water Gap last week – looking forward to this week's drive! Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  • Bicultural Mama
    October 26, 2011

    Beautiful fall pictures and nice story from your childhood!

    Reply
    • Carol Cain
      Bicultural Mama
      October 28, 2011

      Thank you!! XOXOX

      Reply
  • Drina Murphy
    October 27, 2011

    Fall (Autumn in the UK) is one of my favourite times of the year. I love how vibrant and warm all the colours are, I just don't like the winter that follows:(

    Reply
    • Carol Cain
      Drina Murphy
      October 28, 2011

      That's true…then comes the snow!

      Reply
  • Gwendolyn
    January 15, 2012

    I can look at any photo, but unless you actually look at it is so beautiful. Great article and will for sure +1 your site. Thanks for the thought.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Previous Post
Apple Picking Fun in Riamede Farm in Chester, NJ
Next Post
The Face of Travel

Categories

  • Asia5 Post(s)
  • Caribbean17 Post(s)
  • Central America4 Post(s)
  • Europe54 Post(s)
  • North America318 Post(s)
  • Oceana1 Post(s)

About me

Hi! I'm Carol! I am an award-winning travel blogger, a keynote speaker, and the Principal and owner of Brave World Media, a social media marketing, communications, and branding agency. I a wife to a handsome Irish/Scot and a mom to 3 sons. Welcome to my blog where I share stories of my travels and professional public relations insights and advice. Thank you for reading and for your support!

Carol Cain

Contact

  • caincarol@gmail.com

Follow @girlgonetravel

A message about yesterday’s event: Happy Monday A message about yesterday’s event:

Happy Monday, y’all. Woke up in time to enjoy the soft glow of sunlight that shines its way around our house in the morning, and sipped on a cafecito without being rushed for anything. So already today is a win. 

Yesterday we worked our longest day yet for our little coffee cart that could (7 hours!!!) at the Heritage Fiesta in Ithaca, NY. 

Though we were ready for a crowd, the reception was also unexpected because there was a popular coffee shop just steps away. 

But we had Cómodo Fam stop by, family (who also fed us 🙏🏾), and soooo many members of the Latinx and BIPOC community who were just excited to see a small business like ours representing. 

I want to share that we were ALL worried about potential harassment and assault by 🧊and fliers were handed out to prepare us. And you would think that it would’ve intimidated the community enough to not come out…BUT WE DID. In numbers. 

And for hours that little parking lot next to Press Bay Alley was packed with all sorts of Latinx and non-Latinx community members, eating, laughing, dancing, singing, and drinking all the cafecitos and refreshers we had to offer. Literally. We went home cleaned out!

All this to say that we are all aware of the threats but we also understand the power and importance of coming together as a community and a people. By no means are we all the same, and Lord knows a lot of Latinos have a lot of self-reflecting to do based on the choices they made, but yesterday was a testament to the best of us, and I thank @yenospina and @lcatompkins for putting together such a wonderful event, for inviting @cafecomodony to be a part of it, and to all the friends, old and new, who came out to support us and la cultura. 

#fingerlakes #newyork #cafecomodo #coffeelover
Finally taking a break to enjoy one of my favorite Finally taking a break to enjoy one of my favorite lazy day pastimes of the season: market shopping for fall goodies - which in the Finger Lakes is especially bountiful. 

📍Joseph’s Wayside Markey, Naples, NY

#fingerlakes #newyork #octobermood #fallday
Our neighbors are harvesting the grapes. The proce Our neighbors are harvesting the grapes. The process is busy and noisy but also exciting and fun to watch. 

This cloudy morning seems to have calmed things down a bit, but not for long I am sure. These families work hard!

Bonus: they set up roadside stands so we can purchase and taste them 🍇 I highly recommend picking some up if you see some in your drive. 

#fingerlakes #lifeinthecountry #newyork
The rain has been so good. More, please. ❤️ The rain has been so good. More, please. ❤️
I want to take moment to send out love to my fello I want to take moment to send out love to my fellow Latinx and immigrant community. 

To send strength to my community of glorious misfits who are out in the world making good trouble and emboldening us to not give up hope on our dreams, our livelihoods, our future, our country, our people. 

The country our parents worked so hard to get to so that we could fly. A country they helped build and bring to prosper. A country our communities help to feed and house and care for. 

I am my immigrant parents dream come true, and my children are a continuation of that dream. 

I just want to remind all of us who represent the targeted, of our worth. Of the value of our contributions. In our languages, our culture, our insights, our work ethic and skills and knowledge. Of the things we bring to the table.

I don’t know what will happen tomorrow, or to us. But, as someone whose family lived through a dictatorship, I have an idea of how this story will end. And all I can advise is that we remain on the right side of it, our convictions unaltered, our core values untethered. Our spirits unbroken. In these stories, the monsters might scare us, and even harm some of us, but they never, ever win in the end. 

I am living proof of that. ❤️ And every time you succeed and feel joy, you are too. Pa’lante, mi gente.
Signs of autumn 🍂 in the Finger Lakes. Signs of autumn 🍂 in the Finger Lakes.

Copyright © 2025 Girl Gone Travel | Privacy Policy | Copyright Notice