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Summertime is synonymous with outdoor adventure and as hot as it usually is, almost everyone heads to the beach. However, the thought of sitting in all that traffic and getting to an already flocked beach might not make for an ideal time. So here are some summer activities to do in New Jersey and Pennsylvania that don’t involve going to the beach.
Top Summer Activities You Can Enjoy in New Jersey and Pennsylvania
Shopping
Retail therapy is an excellent way to usher in the summer and enjoy quality time with children outside the home. Malls like the Quaker Bridge Mall and Mercer Mall offer different stores that cater to everyone ranging from high-end designer stores to off-the-rack wear and other items.
Hamilton Marketplace is another great place to visit if you’re looking to shop for everything under one roof. After your shopping spree, you can eat at any of the several fast food joints and restraints in the mall and also get your nails done all in the same place.
Wine Tasting
If you don’t have kids or don’t want to carry them along with you, wine tasting is one of the great summer activities you can enjoy. Escape to the countryside and discover rolling hillsides full of grapevines at the many vineyards and wineries like Libations Winery in Mercer, Grape Expectations in Middlesex, and Toasted Goat Winery in Somerset.
If you want to enjoy your wine tasting experience, you can pack a small picnic consisting of cheeses, crackers, and fruits and pair them with a full tasting of red, white, and fruit wines. You can also catch live music as you sip and taste the delicious wine collections in the vineyards.
Enjoy a Hot Air Balloon Ride
Do you want more thrilling summer activities and don’t mind the height? Then you can go on a hot air balloon ride! A hot air balloon ride offers the best view from up in the sky. The rides are offered throughout Mercer, Hunterdon, Somerset, Burlington, and Middlesex and are not that hard to find. Cruise over the landscapes of the cities as you get a glimpse of the pastoral landscapes.
New Jersey has a balloon festival that partners with several brands like Johnnie Walker, New Jersey Lottery, Roche, and Captain Morgan, among others, to provide an otherworldly experience in the sky.
Try Camping
Summer is best accompanied by the crackling of a campfire underneath a blanket of stars. Camping is a fun way to escape the hustle and bustle of fast city life. Several campsites like the Rocky Springs Campground, Plantation Park, and Sunnyhill Campsite let you enjoy your peaceful getaway. You can go biking in the secluded trails or fishing with your children in the glacial lakes.
Alternatively, go hiking through the picturesque forests found in such places. Some sites also offer an upgrade from tents to a yurt to boost your camping experience. You can enjoy the incredible historic relics while taking in the fresh air and the vast vegetation.
Visit a Historical Site
If you’re feeling patriotic and curious, visiting a historic site might satisfy your curiosity in more ways than one. The best part about it is that historical places can serve as a history lesson for your children. Take the kids to historical villages like Fosterfields Living Historical Farm for them to experience farm life in the early 20th century.
Alternatively, you can take them to the Eastern State Penitentiary if you’re in Pennsylvania. The Eastern State Penitentiary is a natural, historic landmark established in 1829 that attracts thousands of tourists. The prison is famous for hosting notorious criminals like Al Capone and Willie Sutton.
Museums also offer a great insight into how things were made. You can visit museums like the Susquehanna Art Museum opened in 1989 in Pennsylvania. If you’re a locomotive enthusiast, the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania spans 18 acres and is home to more than 100 different locomotives and railroad cars.
The Battleship New Jersey, which opened in 2001, is over ten stories high and has exciting exhibits that elegantly paint a picture of the storied past of the USS New Jersey.
Go Fishing
Fishing is almost a tradition among men and their sons. If you want to bond with your young one for fun summer activities, New Jersey and Pennsylvania have several public access ponds like the Davidson’s Mill Pond Park, lakes such as Carnegie Lake, Mercer Lake, and Sylvan Lake, and reservoirs, including secluded streams and rivers. You can go fishing for small sea creatures, but if you’re looking to reel in the big trophy, you can charter a fishing boat and go deep-sea fishing.
Go Bike Riding
Bike riding is a low-cost way of taking in the environment around you while exercising and burning calories. Whether you have a beach cruiser or mountain bike, New Jersey and Pennsylvania have lots of places and biking trails to take in the warm weather. You can enjoy an all-day excursion on the various trails in the cities, or if you’re a morning person, you can take your two wheels out on the boardwalk while you enjoy the warm break of dawn.
Try the Amusement and Water Parks
New Jersey is full of amusement and water parks scattered throughout the state; you only need to take a pick. Amusement parks are a fun way to bond with your children and witness their joy. They are also a fun way for you to bring out your inner child.
You can opt for a destination with water parks and roller coasters and squeal with delight as you enjoy your summer. A place like the Six Flags Great Adventure offers more than 50 exciting, nonstop attractions to visitors regardless of age. If you’re a bonafide thrill-seeker, the El Diablo Hot Bizarro ride is sure to give you a one-of-a-kind thrill.
Conclusion
There are several summer activities for you to enjoy the season even without breaking the bank. Check your library for free passes before you head out, especially if you’re visiting the museum. Also, make sure you’re up to date with the news, rules, and regulations of every place you visit. You might just end up finding a place that offers discounts!
Additionally, if you’re looking to settle in New Jersey or Pennsylvania, you can contact Weidel Real Estate. We will be happy to help you find the home of your dreams. With that in mind, it’s time to enjoy your summer!
