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James E. McGreevey |
William D. Watley |
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
Contact: Karen Wolfe - 609.292.2523 |
GET IN TOUCH WITH
MOTHER NATURE – Trenton, N.J. ( May 2, 2003)—With all the focus on healthy living, now is the perfect time of year to lace up your sneakers and get in tune with Mother Nature. Walking is the way to go and New Jersey has plenty of opportunities to sightsee and learn while engaging in an activity that suits all interests and abilities. "I’ve come to take my walking seriously, part of my job is to know the activities that would be of interest to tourists in my state," said Nancy Byrne, executive director of the New Jersey Office of Travel & Tourism. "I think it goes without saying that I’ve been happily surprised by the interesting and unexpected places that walking has taken me, from towns and cities, such as Newark, Trenton, Morristown and Jersey City to natural habitats from the Pinelands to the Palisades and to the mountains and forests in between. There are glorious gardens for meandering along beautifully landscaped pathways and beaches that are solitary in winter, sun-drenched and lively in summer, with warm white sand that massages bare feet. I’d be hard pressed to choose a favorite area; I just love the differences." New Jersey has trails that follow Revolutionary War and Underground Railroad paths. The Appalachian Trail runs all the way across the northern border of the state, from the Delaware River to the Hudson. The Lenne Lenape also runs across the state, through the central section. If the ocean captivates, you can beach-walk or take boardwalks that run for miles, even connecting towns from Deal to Spring Lake and in between. The Delaware Canal towpath takes you along the river, through rural hills and small old villages, like Milford, Frenchtown and Byram. There are some excellent wineries along this way, which make for tasty little respites. Where to walk depends on what you like. Do you prefer vigorous group hikes? Or, do you prefer casual walks alone or with select companions? Walking and hiking clubs throughout the state welcome visitors and provide fun ways to meet new people. Several books are devoted to New Jersey walks. For instance, the New York New Jersey Trail Conference is an excellent source for hikes that range from easy walks along the shoreline or flatlands to climbs through mountain ranges like the Kittatinnies, Ramapos, Palisades and Watchungs. While the organization doesn’t do guided hikes, it does publish maps and excellent guidebooks like the New Jersey Walk Book. Call them at 201-512-9348; or visit their website, www.nynjtc.org. Other books on walking in New Jersey include 30 Walks in New Jersey by Kevin Dann; Best Hikes with Children in New Jersey by Arline Zatz; 50 Hikes in New Jersey: Walks, Hikes, and Backpacking Trips from the Kittatinnies to Cape May by Bruce C Scofield and 24 Great Rail-Trails of New Jersey: The Essential Outdoor Guide to the Garden State's Best Multi-Use Recreational Trails Built on Abandoned Railroad Trails by Valerie Vaughan. Clubs abound throughout the state and are good places to find organized walks. Contact a club in your area. For more information, go to the biking and walking page of the New Jersey Department of Transportation website, www.state.nj.us/njcommuter/html/bikewalk/htm. For a complete vacation kit, contact the New Jersey Office of Travel & Tourism, at 800-VISITNJ (847-4865); or check the website at www.visitnj.org New Jersey encompasses less than 9,000 square miles, but it's surprisingly diverse, combining the best of metropolitan sophistication with rural farmlands, rivers and mountains - all accessible within a few hours. Six tourism regions comprise the Shore, Greater Atlantic City, Southern Shore, Delaware River, Skylands and the Gateway. Ocean beaches stretch 127 miles, from Cape May Point to Sandy Hook. Vast expanses of forever-green acres are exemplified in the 70,000-acre Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area and 1.1-million-acre Pine Barrens Reserve. There are mountains for skiing and climbing, trails for hiking, towns for shopping and culture. While super highways, express buses, trains and ferries provide quick and direct access into New York City and Philadelphia, back roads wind through historic hamlets, farmlands and pristine forests. Along the way are botanic gardens, historic architecture, museums, sporting events, gaming casinos and kids' action parks. New Jersey is a vacation destination for the best days of your life!
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