The Wayward Winos are back! This time Paul and Melanie shed some light on what makes The Garden State a great visit full of fall foliage and fun history lessons.
For many, New Jersey represents busy streets and crowded cities; an industrial area littered with factories and the Sopranos. However, there is whole side of Jersey that is easily forgotten – the reason for the nickname “The Garden State.”
Down below Fort Dix sits a historic, lush little corner of the state. There are taverns and inns that the revolutionary war hero’s like George Washington stayed and the battlefields they fought on, like the Red Bank Battlefield in Thorofare, New Jersey. Vast farmlands with long winding open roads that cut through dot the landscape. Marshes hug the Delaware River and beautiful oak and birch trees fill in the spaces between towns, towns where Betsy Ross got married and New Jersey was legally deemed a state.
With our recent visit down to this beautiful area for the Fort Mercer revolutionary battle reenactment, our interest was once again peaked. And with the leaves changing and the local farms bursting with the end of season crops like Indian corn and pumpkin, South Jersey is ripe for the picking. Bright reds and yellows from the thick foliage flood the eyes and interesting history invade the mind during this time in down where the Jersey Devil calls home.
Here are our suggestions for the most devilish time of year:
Maize Mazes – Mullica Hill, New Jersey
What better way to terrify your loved ones than to ride a haunted hayride? According to Paul who grew up around here, “Creamy Acres is THE place to get scared.” Then try your hand as a child of the corn; see if you make it out alive…
Appel Farm – Elmer, New Jersey
Originally started in 1960 as an art camp for kids, it has evolved to the multidisciplinary facility and arts venue that it is today. It’s not quite Woodstock, but its outdoor festivals appear to be a spirited time. Singer/songwriters as well as plays will adorn the stage through the holiday season.
Flying Fish Brewery – Cherry Hill, New Jersey
A great way to get a feel out the local flavor is to try out the local brews. Flying Fish, the “largest of the small breweries in Jersey,” offers tours every Saturday from 1 P.M. to 4 P.M.
Wheaton Village and Arts Community
The artisan lifestyle is rampant in South Jersey and nothing shows that off better than Wheaton Village. Hand-blown glass figurines fill the store even purchased in a village the resembles that of a trade town lost in time. Small shops that double as museums quaintly sit one after another as if the villages just left and their beautiful art stayed in the homes.
Cape May, New Jersey
Known for its vibrantly colored Victorian architecture, Cape May is any easy town to just futz in. Grab a mid-day meal at a range of Irish Pubs or restaurants; indulge in dessert at a café and hop on a ghostly tour to celebrate the season.
Brandywine Valley Wine Trail –
Being who we are, we just can’t pass up the opportunity to try a new region of wines and what better way to experience it than on a trail…perfect! It is about 30 miles outside of the South Jersey area (in Pennsylvania) and a much more budget-friendly Sideways tour. The holiday open houses are coming up soon too!
Wayward Winos is the nom de plume of Paul Cox III and Melanie McLean, a dynamic duo who have now been traveling (and working) together for about eight months. They recently landed in Jersey City after an extended South American jaunt.
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