Destinations | Princeton Magazine

Sesame Place Hosts 41st Birthday Bash

Image Sources: http://sesameplace.com

Join Sesame Place in Langhorne, Pa., on Friday, July 30 for the 41st celebration of the popular children’s theme park and water park.

The day’s events include a birthday character meet and greet and photo opportunities with some of Sesame Street’s most popular personalities. All the Sesame Street friends will be dressed in festive birthday party attire. There will also be a Birthday Bash Dance Party on Oscar’s Wacky Taxi Stage. Dance, sing, and groove along with the furry friends of Sesame Place. The dance parties will take place at 1:30 p.m., 4 p.m., 5:15 p.m., and 6 p.m. more

Butterfly Count at Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve

Are you looking for a fun and peaceful morning? Join guests and volunteers at Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve on Saturday, July 24 from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. for the 2021 North American Butterfly Association (NABA) Butterfly Count. Admission is $3 per participant. more

Carson Road Woods 20th Anniversary Walk

Join the Lawrence Hopewell Trail (LHT) Saturday Morning Walking Club for a trek through the 183-acre pastoral preserved site on Saturday, July 10. This exciting event commemorates the 20th anniversary of the Carson Road Woods.

Located in Lawrence Township, Carson Road Woods features beautiful fields, great trails (including the LHT), some wild critters, a beech forest, and wild grapes, blackberries, and mocker nuts, among other features. more

Hunterdon County’s 579 Trail in Rural NJ — A ‘Must Visit’ for Garden State Travelers

Image Source: https://www.facebook.com/Hunterdon579Trail

Did you know you can experience goat yoga, learn about cheese making, and sample award-winning local wine all in the same region of Central New Jersey? The 579 Trail, a historic agricultural corridor running through Hunterdon County begins its peak season for visitors this month as Jersey harvests begin to yield fruits and vegetables and the summer weather leads to a bounty of outdoor recreational activities. more

Support Small Businesses and Save at Westfield’s Annual Sidewalk Sale

Image Source: https://www.facebook.com/downtownwestfieldnj/

Downtown Westfield in Union County invites visitors to shop ‘till they drop at the Annual Sidewalk Sales event taking place July 15 through July 18. Downtown streets will be lined with some of the retailer’s best products at a fraction of the price. These represent some of the best deals of the summer on food, fashion, jewelry, shoes, home decor, children’s toy shops, and more. The event is rain or shine. more

Local AME Church and Museum Listed on National Register of Historic Places

A scenic view of Mt. Zion AME Church. (Photo by Catherine Fulmer Hogan)

Mount Zion African Methodist Episcopal Church, the home of the Stoutsburg Sourland African American Museum (SSAAM), at 189 Hollow Road in Skillman, Montgomery Township, Somerset County, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on June 7, 2021.

The National Register of Historic Places is the official list of the Nation’s historic places worthy of preservation. Authorized by the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, the National Park Service’s National Register of Historic Places is part of a national program to coordinate and support public and private efforts to identify, evaluate, and protect America’s historic and archeological resources. more

The Best Ziplining Courses in New Jersey

Test your limits this summer with New Jersey’s best ziplining and outdoor adventure courses.

FLG X New Jersey — 59 Mount Arlington Road in Ledgewood

The course takes about two hours and the prices start at $55. Apart from the ziplines, there are also adventure courses for adults and kids age 9 and up which include multiple large circuits, each containing a mixture of obstacles and ziplines. more

Cape May City Welcomes All for Memorial Day Weekend

Image Source: https://www.capemay.com/plan-your-visit

Memorial Day traditionally marks the official first day of the summer season, and this year is no exception. After a difficult 2020-21 marked by COVID, Cape May is ready to invite visitors back for a Memorial Day Weekend celebration.

Mayor Zack Mullock opens the season with a welcome message in Rotary Park on Friday, May 28 at 6:30 p.m. Hear all about what is to come this year, including concerts, movies on the beach, parades, and more. Live entertainment kicks off with Subliminal Message Band performing after the mayor’s “start of summer” celebration. News is that “Captain Mey” might make an appearance (find out how you can help the city capture him). more

Latest COVID Guidelines for Summer Day and Overnight Camps

Camp Rim Rock for Girls in Yellow Spring, West Virginia is consistently voted the best overnight all girls camp in the United States (https://camprimrock.com).

Governor Phil Murphy and Department of Health Commissioner Judy Persichilli recently announced the new guidelines for both sleepaway and day camps for the summer 2021 season. Both overnight and day camps will be fully operational this summer with some distinct COVID guidelines to keep campers and families safe. more

Cape May Lighthouse Now Open Daily

The New Jersey Shore’s iconic Cape May Lighthouse is now open daily to visitors through September 30, 2021. The 160-year-old nautical landmark welcomes people to climb the 199 stairs to the watch gallery, where they can take in the panoramic views of the Atlantic Ocean. more

Annual Bunny Chase at Terhune Orchards

Looking for a fun family event that celebrates spring? Hop on over to Terhune Orchards on April 3 and 4 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. for Bunny Chase. With fresh open air on the farm, enjoy the arrival of spring this Easter weekend.

The Bunny Chase is a non-competitive event perfect for children 2-10 years old especially, but enjoyable for all ages. Follow hand-drawn clues around the farm in a self-guided treasure hunt. At the end of the hunt, children can choose to do bunny themed craft activities and meet Terhune’s own real bunny rabbit, Spice ($5 charge for activities and barn area). more

Annual Pier Village Kite Festival in Long Branch

Join the city of Long Branch on April 17 and 18 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. for the annual Pier Village Kite Festival. This seaside event draws visitors from around the state to watch kite flyers launch their most incredible creations. more

Battleship New Jersey Tours Return to Camden Waterfront

Battleship New Jersey has re-opened for self-guided Fire Power tours on Saturdays and Sundays through October 31, 2021. Tours will be available from 11 a.m. with the last tour departing at 3 p.m. more

RENEWED: A Four-Day Getaway at Beach Plum Farm in Cape May

Available select dates this spring, Beach Plum Farm will welcome guests for a relaxing four-day getaway in beautiful Cape May. The curated cottage stay includes greenhouse gardening classes, guided nature hikes, a cocktail class with Bluecoat Distillery, a private farm-to-table dinner, and more. more

Frick Madison to Open March 18, 2021

Johannes Vermeer (1632-1675) “Officer and Laughing Girl,” ca. 1675. Oil on canvas. The Frick Collection, New York.

The Frick Collection announces days/hours and timed ticketing for its temporary new home on Madison Avenue.

Advance tickets available for purchase beginning February 19.

The Frick Collection announced today that it will open the doors to Frick Madison, its temporary new home, on Thursday, March 18, 2021. Located at the Breuer-designed building at 945 Madison Avenue at 75th Street, former site of the Met Breuer and the Whitney Museum of American Art, Frick Madison will welcome visitors Thursday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Timed entry tickets will need to be purchased in advance, with online sales beginning February 19. The Frick Collection will operate Frick Madison for approximately two years while its historic buildings on East 70th Street undergo renovation. This temporary relocation enables the Frick to provide public access to its celebrated collections during a time when the museum and library would otherwise be closed. Details about member previews and a virtual press preview will be shared in the coming weeks. more

Famous Products Made in Pennsylvania

What do crayons, guitars, chocolate, violins, chips, brews, and baseball hats have in common? You guessed it! They’re all made in Pennsylvania. See below and stop by for a visit or tour, and perhaps snag a free sample or two.

Know before you go: It is strongly recommended that travelers contact their destination before their planned visit for the latest rules and regulations. Find the latest COVID-19 traveler resources on visitPA.com. more

The Polar Express Train Ride in Phillipsburg

All aboard The Polar Express at the Delaware River Railroad Excursions, operated by the non-profit New York Susquehanna and Western Technical and Historical Society. Families have been traveling to ride this special edition of The Polar Express from all over the world. These trips sell out fast (last year in under 15 minutes)! Tickets are $32 per child and $42 per adult and can be purchased at https://877trainride.com/polarexpress.htm. more

AddamsFest Returns to Westfield in October

The town-wide festival honoring Westfield’s Charles Addams is reimagined for a year like no other

If isolation and social distancing were an art, The Addams Family would be the masters. This year, their dynamic is on-brand as the popular AddamsFest returns for a third year – this time, in a pandemic-friendly manner, and, once again, transforming Westfield with a unique celebration honoring its own Charles Addams and his penchant for the macabre.

Dubbed “Alt AddamsFest” for the 2020 pandemic, the festivities will be shaped by creative approaches to gatherings that provide a safe environment while maintaining the initial spirit of the celebration. more

The 2020 Head of the Schuylkill Regatta Goes Virtual

Join the Head of the Schuylkill Regatta (HOSR) virtually on October 18-24, 2020. Compete on your favorite indoor rowing machine or body of water by self-submitting times and distances traveled during October 18-23. Live racing will be held on October 24. This year marks the 50^th anniversary of the famed Philadelphia race that typically draw rowers from around the world. Registration is now open on Regatta Central (https://www.regattacentral.com/regatta/?job_id=6266). more

Washington Irving’s Sunnyside

A charming, romantic Hudson River estate

America’s “Founding Father of Literature” created a picturesque estate nestled along the Hudson riverbank. The enchanted landscape of Washington Irving’s much-loved Sunnyside has been charming guests for generations. Visitors today hear about Irving’s storied past and how he came to be America’s first internationally famous author. His characters, from the Headless Horseman to Rip Van Winkle, are global icons, and Irving’s legacy lives on at his whimsical estate. more