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

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

Play the game where getting lost is half the fun!

The Great Corn Maze Train departs Phillipsburg, N.J. from now through October 27 at 11 a.m., 12:30 p.m., and 2 p.m. (3:30 p.m. trips will be added in the month of October on Saturdays). At the cost of $5 add on to any train ticket, the Corn Maze Train is a 1 hour and 30 minute trip that winds through Hunterdon County including stops at the Ol’ Susquehanna Mine, picnic groves, century-old Snyder Farm, two corn mazes to explore, and miles of trails. more

Fall on the farm is always a thrill, and Happy Day Farm at 106 Iron Ore Road in Manalapan has announced that the theme for its 2020 corn maze is superhero! Get lost in the twists and turns of this maze and try to find your way out by searching for squares in the Maize-O-Poly board game. The Fall Festival also includes Hay Mountain, Pumpkinville, tractor rides, pig races, life-sized board games, tilt a’ whirl, pumpkin painting, fall food, and more. more

Terhune Orchards farm store is filled with fresh fruits and vegetables all year long. The Princeton-based farm grows over 40 varieties of crops and many varieties of each crop. The harvest also changes each week. The staff at Terhune pick every day to ensure that patrons are getting the freshest and most nutritional produce available. more

The borough of Brielle is in southern Monmouth County along the Manasquan River. It is bordered by Manasquan, Wall Township, and Point Pleasant Beach. The town is known as a “boaters town,” with approximately 4 miles of waterfront along the Manasquan River, Glimmerglass, and Debbie’s Creek, all of which are salt water or tidal. Brielle is close to the Manasquan beaches. The downtown also offers shops, dining, and small businesses. more

Image Source: The Nature Conservancy

Situated at the southwest tip of the Cape May peninsula, the South Cape May Meadows Preserve includes more than 200 acres of critical habitat for nesting and migratory birds. The peninsula in Cape May acts as a funnel for birds traveling along the Atlantic Flyway. While the land protected here provides foraging and resting habitat for the birds, the preserve also supports a wide variety of wildlife year-round. more

With the health and safety of the greater community in mind, MarketFair Mall is currently offering no/low-touch dining and shopping options. more

Summer revelers rejoice!

Spring Lake Beach will re-open on Saturday, May 23, just in time for Memorial Day weekend and the official start of summer beach season. more

On Saturday, February 15 from 9 a.m. to noon, Friends of Princeton Open Space (FOPOS) will celebrate LOVE Your Park Day at the Billy Johnson Mountain Lakes Nature Preserve at Mountain Lakes House in Princeton.

During this volunteer session, attendees will join FOPOS members in identifying and removing target invasive species from the woodlands as well as free native trees and shrubs from encroaching vines. Come spring, the cleared area will be better able to host native wildflowers, birds, butterflies, and other wildlife that depend on the habitat with which they co-evolved.  more

By Taylor Smith | Photos courtesy of Shutterstock.com

Located approximately 30 miles off the coast of Cape Cod, Nantucket is a compact island popular with generations of vacationers. The island was first sighted by Captain Bartholomew Gosnold of Falmouth, England, on his way to Virginia in 1602. In October 1641, William, Earl of Sterling, deeded the island to Thomas Mayhew of Watertown, Massachusetts Bay. Shares of the island were eventually sold to nine other purchasers. These 10 original owners were eager to attract tradesmen to the island, and the total number of stakeholders gradually expanded to 27 shares among 31 owners. Names like Coffin, Folger, Gardner, Macy, Starbuck, Hussey, and Swain still have a large presence on the island today.

When the Englishmen arrived, the island was already home to an estimated 1,600 Wampanoag Indians. The influence of European disease, alcohol, debt, and servitude took a toll on the native population, and it is chronicled that the last Wampanoag (Abram Quary) on the island died in 1885.

The settlers innately understood the value of the cold waters at their doorstep, and sought the guidance of established New England whaling captains to learn how to hunt whales from a boat. At the time, whale oil was used to light lamps.  more

Image Source: www.njskylands.com

By Taylor Smith 

New Jersey offers excellent opportunities for leaf peeping throughout the autumn months. Both farmland and forest come alive during the months of October and November with vibrant, fiery hues. Scenic beauty in picnic spots abounds, so grab your hiking shoes and flannel for a fun-filled weekend.  more

By Taylor Smith 

Did you know that the Garden State is the fourth largest peach producer in the nation?

While peaches are always available at your local supermarket, nothing compares to a sun-ripened peach from a nearby farmstead. Peaches should ideally be picked after they become slightly softened on the branch. Once picked, a peach will not actually ripen further, it will just become less “fresh” as it continues to soften. Color is not always an expert indicator of when the fruit is best picked, as some varieties of peach have more red variations than others. In general, the deepness of the red coloring is a sign of ripeness. By contrast, any evidence of green skin means that the peach should be left on the branch.  more