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Fun
in New Jersey
an
overview
by
Eileen - Roaming Times
When I lived in New Jersey, people
thought it was a "funny" place to live - eventually when
people asked me where I lived, I said New York, and then the inevitable
question: where in NY? and I would answer New Jersey - that seemed
to get a better response - usually it was OH!
Actually - New Jersey is fantastic,
varied and one of my favorite places. I especially loved the New
Jersey Shore - as the beach front is called. There are many towns
along the shore, some have boardwalks, there are huge Victorian homes,
antique shops, great restaurants...think I need to revisit....
Some of the following data is taken
from the official New Jersey tourist's bureau web site and some of it
are anecdotal comments about my own experiences.
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New Jersey is not just the NJ
Turnpike as many people think. It is, in fact, officially named
"The Garden State". There are 150 types of fruits and
vegetables are grown there. In 1997, there were 9,400 farms in New
Jersey. The state ranks high in cultivated and fresh market produce output for
the United States: second in blueberries and eggplant, third in cranberries,
peaches, spinach, and bell peppers, fourth in asparagus, and fifth in head
lettuce. And, if you have never purchased a Beefsteak tomato from a
roadside stand - you have never tasted a proper tomato.
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Along with the Hudson and Delaware rivers on
the eastern and western borders, there are over 4,100 freshwater lakes, ponds,
rivers, and streams in New Jersey. This adds up to almost 61,000 acres of
water. The state's largest lake is Lake Hopatcong. One hot, sunny
summer, I took sailing lessons on this mammoth lake. It felt like being
on an ocean, especially the day a sudden storm came up and we were way out
with no visible awareness of shore. We had no motor - and fortunately a
motor boat spotted us and pulled us to safety.
From the high elevations in the Skylands
mountains to the Southern Shore area surrounded by water, the temperature in
New Jersey can vary greatly from region to region. The state's average summer
temperature in July is just under 74oF, while the average winter temperature
in January is just over 30oF. The average annual precipitation can range from
40 inches on the southeastern coast to about 50 inches in North-Central New
Jersey. These averages sound ideal but I will tell you that the summers
can feel really hot and the ice and snow in the winter - along with very heavy
snowstorms can make you dream of other climes - but only for a change of pace.
There are more than 34,000 miles of
highways and roads to cruise along in New Jersey. This includes 148 miles of
the New Jersey Turnpike, which is so famous and 173 miles of the Garden State
Parkway which is very lovely and goes through many of the beautiful small New
Jersey towns.
Thanks to its broad diversity of
habitats, New Jersey is home to nearly 500 vertebrate species of wildlife.
Animals range in size from tree frogs to black bears. If you're a bird buff,
over 120 species can be found in the Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife
Refuge in Oceanville or the nearby Cape May Bird Observatory. While you're at
the Shore, take a ride on a whale-watching boat or visit the Marine Mammal
Stranding Center in Brigantine, which rescues beached sea creatures.
The majestic schooner, A.J. Meerwald, was named
New Jersey's official tall ship in April 1998. It not only serves as a sailing
classroom for grades fourth to twelfth, the A.J. Meerwald has also earned a
spot in the National Register of Historic Places.
Eileen
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Posted 9/2005 Travel
Blog
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