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crkota
One of the Mid-Atlantic States, the tiny state of New Jersey is often overshadowed by neighboring New York City. Traveling south on the New Jersey Turnpike toll road from New York, visitors will be stuck with the picture of popular imagination that has been the brunt of jokes with many an on-stage comedian. The ugly highway, traversing an industrial landscape of grey, smoking chimneys and factories, and passing bleak cities like Newark and the state capital of Trenton, does little to encourage visitors, while even the songs of Bruce Springsteen describe his birthplace in disparaging terms.
But surprisingly there is more to New Jersey than grey factories and industrial estates. One of the state's most treasured prizes is its 127 miles (204km) of sandy beaches along the Atlantic coast, lined with many holiday resorts, bustling boardwalks and quaint seaside towns that draw thousands of tourists to enjoy the sun, surf and excitement of the famous Jersey Shore. The world's first boardwalk has its home in Atlantic City, famous for its 24-hour gambling entertainment and casino hotels redolent of Las Vegas, while the old-world charm of Cape May takes one back to the Victorian age with beautifully restored 19th-century buildings home to some of the finest Bed and Breakfast Inns anywhere. In between are miles of fun and entertainment, from water parks and zoos to Ferris wheels, roller coasters, shopping and nightlife, along with surf and sand.
Nature lovers can enjoy wilderness hiking trails in the scenic hills of the Skylands that also offers perfect conditions for skiing in winter. Historically this region is known as the Military Capital of the Revolution and visitors can trace the movements of General George Washington and his troops during the winter of 1779 at the Morristown National Historic Park. The state's rich history also includes some of America's greatest inventors and physicists such as Thomas Edison and Albert Einstein, and the Liberty State Park overlooking the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island that was one of the country's main immigration stations from 1892 to 1954.
The climate in New Jersey tends to be moderate, particularly along the coast in the south and southeast, with relatively mild winters and pleasant summers. August tends to be the hottest month, with temperatures reaching 80°F (27°C), and January is the coldest month with temperatures reaching, on average, about 30°F (-1°C). In winter, snowfall occurs statewide, with heavier falls at the higher altitudes of the Piedmont Plateau and the northwestern mountains. The Piedmont Plateau area also receives a higher annual precipitation than the rest of the state.
The northern shore has dozens of beaches as well as most of the state's 23 lighthouses, including the Sandy Hook Lighthouse overlooking New York Harbour, which is the oldest operating lighthouse in America. Miles of sand dunes and undeveloped nature form the barrier island of Island Beach State Park where swimmers, anglers and surfers can enjoy the ecologically protected environment that is almost the same as it was thousands of years ago.
The central region is home to the best-known resort on the state's Atlantic Coast, the gambling Mecca of Atlantic City with its famous boardwalk and casino-hotels, while exciting roller coaster rides and the drive-through Wild Safari Animal Park at the Six Flags Great Adventure Theme Park in Jackson provide hours of family entertainment. Doo-Wop architecture, plastic palm trees and neon lights are the features of Wildwoods, an avid party town with boardwalk entertainment galore as well as some of the widest beaches on the Jersey coast.
In contrast the Cape May Peninsula at the southernmost tip of New Jersey between the Atlantic and Delaware Bay is primarily a nature-lovers paradise ideal for camping, fishing and hiking. Covered with thousands of acres of wetlands and natural areas, the region is considered one of the top-ten birding destinations in North America. At the very tip is the classic Victorian seaside town of Cape May, itself a National Historic Landmark featuring rows of colorful, restored Victorian homes and trolley tours.
At its height during the 1920s, Atlantic City was the vacation destination and playground for the rich and famous with thousands of city dwellers flocking to enjoy the seaside. The resort is one of America's oldest and boasts the world's first Boardwalk, running along an eight-mile (13km) stretch of beach, which was built in 1870 by local hotel owners. It also boasts the nation's first Big Wheel, the first color postcards and the first Miss America Beauty Pageant that has been held here annually ever since 1921. Before long the Boardwalk became lined with amusement parks and nightclubs, but its grandeur faded into economic decline with the rise of jet travel to Florida, the Caribbean and Europe after World War II, resulting in a disastrous drop in tourism. In a desperate attempt to revitalise the once-proud resort, the state of New Jersey instituted legal casino gambling in the 1970s. The Boardwalk became a collection of grand gambling halls and the earlier 19th century stone hotels were replaced by extravagant casino-hotels reminiscent of Las Vegas, from designs like the Showboat to the onion domes and gigantic elephants of the Trump Taj Mahal. Today the city is famous as a gambler's Mecca with a vibrant nightlife. It also offers amusement rides, souvenir shops and children's entertainment in a bid to market itself as a family destination and 'America's Favorite Playground'.
Situated at the southern-most tip of the New Jersey Cape, Cape May is the jewel of the Atlantic Shore and the nation's oldest seaside resort that is well known for its calm beaches, historic sites and many nearby natural attractions. With a fairytale collection of authentically restored and beautifully preserved Victorian homes, the entire town was designated a National Historic Landmark and is internationally recognized as one of the best Bed and Breakfast Inn resorts in the country. The ambience of gingerbread-trimmed inns, old gas lamps and colorful stained glass windows offers visitors a peaceful change of pace from most other resorts along the shore, while bird watchers are drawn to the Cape May Point State Park that attracts huge flocks of birds during the spring and autumn migrations. Cape May offers modern as well as historic accommodations, fine dining and shopping, and lots of nature walks, and its easy-going atmosphere is apparent even at the height of the summer season.
But surprisingly there is more to New Jersey than grey factories and industrial estates. One of the state's most treasured prizes is its 127 miles (204km) of sandy beaches along the Atlantic coast, lined with many holiday resorts, bustling boardwalks and quaint seaside towns that draw thousands of tourists to enjoy the sun, surf and excitement of the famous Jersey Shore. The world's first boardwalk has its home in Atlantic City, famous for its 24-hour gambling entertainment and casino hotels redolent of Las Vegas, while the old-world charm of Cape May takes one back to the Victorian age with beautifully restored 19th-century buildings home to some of the finest Bed and Breakfast Inns anywhere. In between are miles of fun and entertainment, from water parks and zoos to Ferris wheels, roller coasters, shopping and nightlife, along with surf and sand.
Nature lovers can enjoy wilderness hiking trails in the scenic hills of the Skylands that also offers perfect conditions for skiing in winter. Historically this region is known as the Military Capital of the Revolution and visitors can trace the movements of General George Washington and his troops during the winter of 1779 at the Morristown National Historic Park. The state's rich history also includes some of America's greatest inventors and physicists such as Thomas Edison and Albert Einstein, and the Liberty State Park overlooking the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island that was one of the country's main immigration stations from 1892 to 1954.
The climate in New Jersey tends to be moderate, particularly along the coast in the south and southeast, with relatively mild winters and pleasant summers. August tends to be the hottest month, with temperatures reaching 80°F (27°C), and January is the coldest month with temperatures reaching, on average, about 30°F (-1°C). In winter, snowfall occurs statewide, with heavier falls at the higher altitudes of the Piedmont Plateau and the northwestern mountains. The Piedmont Plateau area also receives a higher annual precipitation than the rest of the state.
- New Jersey Shore
The northern shore has dozens of beaches as well as most of the state's 23 lighthouses, including the Sandy Hook Lighthouse overlooking New York Harbour, which is the oldest operating lighthouse in America. Miles of sand dunes and undeveloped nature form the barrier island of Island Beach State Park where swimmers, anglers and surfers can enjoy the ecologically protected environment that is almost the same as it was thousands of years ago.
The central region is home to the best-known resort on the state's Atlantic Coast, the gambling Mecca of Atlantic City with its famous boardwalk and casino-hotels, while exciting roller coaster rides and the drive-through Wild Safari Animal Park at the Six Flags Great Adventure Theme Park in Jackson provide hours of family entertainment. Doo-Wop architecture, plastic palm trees and neon lights are the features of Wildwoods, an avid party town with boardwalk entertainment galore as well as some of the widest beaches on the Jersey coast.
In contrast the Cape May Peninsula at the southernmost tip of New Jersey between the Atlantic and Delaware Bay is primarily a nature-lovers paradise ideal for camping, fishing and hiking. Covered with thousands of acres of wetlands and natural areas, the region is considered one of the top-ten birding destinations in North America. At the very tip is the classic Victorian seaside town of Cape May, itself a National Historic Landmark featuring rows of colorful, restored Victorian homes and trolley tours.
- Atlantic City
At its height during the 1920s, Atlantic City was the vacation destination and playground for the rich and famous with thousands of city dwellers flocking to enjoy the seaside. The resort is one of America's oldest and boasts the world's first Boardwalk, running along an eight-mile (13km) stretch of beach, which was built in 1870 by local hotel owners. It also boasts the nation's first Big Wheel, the first color postcards and the first Miss America Beauty Pageant that has been held here annually ever since 1921. Before long the Boardwalk became lined with amusement parks and nightclubs, but its grandeur faded into economic decline with the rise of jet travel to Florida, the Caribbean and Europe after World War II, resulting in a disastrous drop in tourism. In a desperate attempt to revitalise the once-proud resort, the state of New Jersey instituted legal casino gambling in the 1970s. The Boardwalk became a collection of grand gambling halls and the earlier 19th century stone hotels were replaced by extravagant casino-hotels reminiscent of Las Vegas, from designs like the Showboat to the onion domes and gigantic elephants of the Trump Taj Mahal. Today the city is famous as a gambler's Mecca with a vibrant nightlife. It also offers amusement rides, souvenir shops and children's entertainment in a bid to market itself as a family destination and 'America's Favorite Playground'.
- Cape May
Situated at the southern-most tip of the New Jersey Cape, Cape May is the jewel of the Atlantic Shore and the nation's oldest seaside resort that is well known for its calm beaches, historic sites and many nearby natural attractions. With a fairytale collection of authentically restored and beautifully preserved Victorian homes, the entire town was designated a National Historic Landmark and is internationally recognized as one of the best Bed and Breakfast Inn resorts in the country. The ambience of gingerbread-trimmed inns, old gas lamps and colorful stained glass windows offers visitors a peaceful change of pace from most other resorts along the shore, while bird watchers are drawn to the Cape May Point State Park that attracts huge flocks of birds during the spring and autumn migrations. Cape May offers modern as well as historic accommodations, fine dining and shopping, and lots of nature walks, and its easy-going atmosphere is apparent even at the height of the summer season.
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