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North America, Travel
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November 2, 2015

Five things I love about New Jersey

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I’ve lived in New Jersey now for about 4 years now. Like most hardcore New Yorkers, it’s been a slow process to get me to let go of this idea that I have to venture into the city for good food, entertainment, or activities.

I still get teased by friends for becoming “Bridge and Tunnel”, and I get it. There was a time I wouldn’t even date a boy if there was a bridge or tunnel between us. But what did I know?

I definitely didn’t know that there was so much I would love about living in New Jersey. I didn’t really expect it to get me excited enough to write a post about it, for sure. I can’t imagine that I will convince my New York friends to take the 30-minute train ride into my little village of Maplewood, NJ – recently name New Jersey’s Best Downtown, but, as I often still do for New York, I wanted to highlight the things that people who live here love that others wouldn’t know about. Maybe, if you get lost on the train and end up here, or if you find yourself wanting to explore something different, this will serve as an inspiration and guide of what not to miss.

The nature. So much nature.

I am a hiker. I love going on long hikes, short hikes, easy hikes, challenging hikes. Point is, a good weekend often involves getting out and hiking, or walking, depending on the mood.

A quick search revealed that there are over 50 state parks, state forests, recreation areas, and other protected natural areas in New Jersey. We’ve loved searching for waterfalls only minutes from our house, exploring natural swamp lands, and venturing out a bit more to explore some of the 1.1 million acres of the Pinelands. We share the Appalachian trails with NY and other neighboring states and are planning a few camping and hiking trips to check it out.

This New Yorker fell in love with New Jersey. One reason, the Pinelands.

The thing is, for all the fun I used to make about New Jersey smelling, and to tell the truth that first highway view you get upon entering the state from New York isn’t too convincing, there are so many places that have left me in complete awe with how beautiful they are.

The beaches and boardwalks

Ok, to be honest, the closest beach from me is about an hour away, so it’s not like I’m there daily. But that is nothing when I think about the hours upon hours I have spent trying to get to coastal Long Island from the city.

 

The world only knows New Jersey beaches from what they saw in the infamous MTV show, The Jersey Shore (what’s funny is that more than half the cast was actually from New York’s Staten Island). Seaside Heights, where the show was filmed is a real place and yes, it is known for its party scene, but venture a bit away from there and you will come across another part of the Jersey Shore, Cape May, a complete contrast from the stereotype of what most believe the Jersey Shore to be.

Our favorite boardwalk is at Wildwood, NJ, home to Morey’s Pier and a fun beach scene that we’ve found ourselves returning to every year.

You think you know the Jersey Shore? You have no idea.Morey's Pier_girlgonetravel

The Jersey Shore covers 141 miles of oceanfront, so trust me when I say, there’s a lot more to it than you think.

The food

I am not kidding when I tell you there is a pretty great food scene here in New Jersey. I haven’t even begun to explore it all, but the list is long.

The 100 Steps supper club in Cranford is a favorite of ours. We’re still trying to back to Cranford for brunch at their partnering A Toute Heure, but always end up missing out before it gets filled up.

100 Steps Supper Club_NJ_GirlGoneTravel 100 Steps Supper Club_NJ_GirlGoneTravel

Ramen noodles at Ani Ramen in Montclair is heaven. Small space which requires a bit of a wait, but never anything compared to when trying to dine at other popular ramen places in the city. They are working on opening another restaurant in Jersey City – though I am begging them to come to my foodie hood too!

Ani Ramen_new Jersey_girlgonetravelAni Ramen_new Jersey_girlgonetravel Ani Ramen_new Jersey_girlgonetravel

My own neighborhood has places that I can easily just walk to, yes, that’s right – walk to. Coda Kitchen and Bar, Arturo’s Osteria and Pizzaria, which always has lines out the door, and Lorena’s for fine dining. All of these, except for Coda, are BYOB which there is a lot of here in Jersey and which I LOVE.

We are huge fans of McCloone’s Boathouse in West Orange and on a nice day we like to go for brunch and a walk around the adjacent reservoir.

The arts scene

One of the reasons we fell in love with where we live now is the creative scene here. Sure, you have the hedge fund guys, bankers, lawyers, doctors. But what attracted us were the writers, photographers, painters, illustrators, actors, and musicians.

I can type in a search for a Meet Up in my neighborhood and come across a ton of like-minded creatives willing to connect and share. Coming from a city and borough (Brooklyn) where artistic freedom and creation was the backbone of communities long since erased, being surrounded by artists in a refreshing and inspiring.

My area alone has produced a number of actors and musicians including Zach Braff, Elizabeth Shue, and Lauryn Hill, just to name a few. We have the celebrated Paper Mill Playhouse and the South Orange Performing Arts Center.

These are things that I didn’t really think I would have access to “in the burbs” and yet, I am always in awe of the incredible amount of creatives I meet.

The farms

There are over 9,000 farms in New Jersey. We have explored many of them for everything from Christmas tree hunting, to historic walks, to picking pumpkins, apples, and fresh vegetables.

There are always tons of farmers markets around for those times when we can’t make the drive to the farm, but there’s nothing like having that access to fresh produce when we want it.

Hidden Pond Christmas Tree FarmFrom summer to winter, visiting the local farms has become a favorite family pass time. Especially when there is hot chocolate involved!

I still get to enjoy the best of both worlds. New York City will always have a special place in my heart. It’s where I was born. It’s where my family immigrated into and where they created the opportunities that led to this life I enjoy now. I still love coming in and checking out the scene, what’s new, what’s happening, what’s worth your time and money. But it’s nice to be able to get on that train and escape it all to a place a bit more mellow, less loud, and not as fast, where I can grow my garden and I have more than 900 square feet to spread my wings in.

I plan on continuing to cover areas of interest in New York, but I also expect to blog more about New Jersey as I learn about what else this state, my new hometown, has to offer.

 

 

 

 

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Carol Cain

Brooklyn native Carol is happiest when on an adventure, close to home or farther away. In addition to creating Girl Gone Travel, she is the Founder and CEO of Brave World Media, a social media marketing, communications management, and brand development agency. She's mom to three wonderful sons and wife to a handsome Irish/Scot. She splits her time between her homes in New Jersey and Finger Lakes.

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2 Comments
  • Kelly Whiteside
    November 6, 2015

    Carol, loved your post!
    I visit New Jersey every summer and stay with my aunt in Shrewsbury! (Have you ever been to bagel masters?!) I love New Jersey, and think it is such a beautiful place to live. Shrewsbury to me, is more of a quiet than where i live which is Michigan. I love traveling and when i go to New Jersey, i also take the ferry on over to New York City which is such a great place as well. I Loved reading about what you wrote and am definitely going to have to remember these places when i am visit soon! Thank you for sharing your information.
    Kelly Whiteside 🙂

    Reply
    • caincarol
      Kelly Whiteside
      November 6, 2015

      Thank you! I\’m not familiar with Shrewbury or the bagel masters…as a Brooklynite, you know I have to check it out! Thanks for the tip and thanks for reading!

      Reply

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Hi! I'm Carol! I am a communications professional, an award-winning travel blogger, a public speaker, CEO of a social media marketing, communications, and branding agency, a wife, and a mom of 3 sons and 2 puppies. Welcome to my blog where I share stories of my travels and professional public relations insights and advice. Thank you for reading!

Carol Cain

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