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James E. McGreevey |
William D. Watley |
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
Contact: Karen Wolfe - 609.292.2523 |
NEW JERSEY PROVIDES MORE TO DO DURING THE FALL Beach Bargains, Nature
Hikes, Winery Tours and Fresh Produce Trenton, N.J. (September 5, 2003)—Did you know that New Jersey ranks among the top five wine-producing states in the country and offers visitors a chance to take winery tours into mid-October? And, “off-season” rates in the fall provide consumer values and a gentler perspective of the New Jersey Shore. As the weather turns, New Jersey remains an inviting destination for tourists after Labor Day. The scenery becomes spectacularly brilliant throughout the state’s 325,000 acres of forests, valleys and mountains and sunny days are frequent and comfortable for outdoor activities. When it comes to autumn in New Jersey, there are many stories to tell. Here are some suggestions: Indian Summer – A Quainter, Quieter Jersey Shore New Jersey’s beaches stay open into the fall months – only the rates for accommodations go down and the boardwalks become a lot less crowded. And here’s another plus: the ocean water stays warm into the fall, meaning that New Jersey’s “Second Summer” can be as much fun as its first. There is also a full schedule of special events designed to make things exciting on autumn weekends (full calendar attached). For example, Cape May, with more Victorian buildings than any other city in the country, presents its annual Food & Wine Festival, offering tastings, workshops and dinners (September 20 – 25). Towns such as Ocean City and Wildwood offer classic boardwalks for strolling. Atlantic City – home of the Miss America Pageant (in 2003, the week of activities is September 16 to 20) – features a four-mile long boardwalk and 13 casino resorts with 24 hours of gaming, including the $1.1 billion Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa. Nearby, there is quick access to attractions such as the Absecon Lighthouse, the Town of Historic Smithville and the Edwin R. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge in Oceanville. Island Beach State Park in Seaside Heights provides recreation (including horseback riding!) along its narrow barrier island stretching for ten miles between the ocean and the quieter Barnegat Bay. At the top of the shore, the Sandy Hook Lighthouse in Sandy Hook is the oldest original operating lighthouse in the country, providing an activity on those days when the weather is a little cool. New Jersey’s Fall Foliage Tours – An Ever-Changing Spectacle In the Garden State, no two autumns are exactly alike – making New Jersey a great venue for leaf peeping enthusiasts. In addition, the state’s parks and forests make an excellent back drop for camping, hiking, bike tours and other outdoor activities. Ringwood State Park in Ringwood, located in the northern part of the state, provides a colorful canvas of nature for walking and includes the 74-acre Shepherd Lake, which features swimming, boating, canoeing and fishing. Nearby Norvin Green State Forest in Ringwood features more than 4,000 acres, good for nature walks and bird-watching. The Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area features nearly 70,000 acres of land along the Delaware River's New Jersey and Pennsylvania borders. A one-day auto tour of the park can include waterfalls, rural scenery, and historic Millbrook Village. Other parks in the northern region of New Jersey are Abram S. Hewitt State Forest, Wawayanda State Park in Hewitt and Swartswood State Park in Swartswood. Washington Crossing State Park in Titusville, is the home of the Revolutionary War site where General George Washington led the Continental Army across the Delaware. Voorhees State Park in Glen Gardner offers breathtaking lookout points and 626 acres for picnics, hiking and biking. The largest single tract of land in the state park system is Wharton State Forest in Hammonton – 110,000 acres of natural scenic beauty and a prime vantage point for viewing fall foliage. The 50-mile Batonia Trail connects Wharton with the Brendan T. Byrne State Forest in New Lisbon and Bass River State Forest in New Gretna. A diverse array of trees – young pine, oak and Atlantic white cedar – awaits visitors at Belleplain State Forest in Woodbine thanks to the park’s rich soil conditions. Wine Country – Right Here, in New Jersey You might have missed this fact on the grapevine – New Jersey has 22 wineries located throughout the state – many of which offer visitor tours. Among the state’s largely undiscovered attractions, New Jersey’s wineries host visitors just about any weekend or for one of the many wine festivals that are scheduled through October. More than 40 different varieties of wines are produced by New Jersey wineries – including dry, semi-dry, sparkling and dessert wines. Seven wine trails have been established to encourage
travel between wineries. King’s Road Vineyard in Asbury and the Four Sisters Winery in Belvidere. The Hunterdon County Wine Trail will lead visitors to the Hopewell Valley Vineyard in Pennington, Unionville Vineyards and Amwell Valley Vineyard in Ringoes and Tomasello Winery Outlet in Lambertville. The South Central A Wine Trail includes the Cream Ridge Winery in Cream Ridge, Tomasello Winery in Hammonton and Renault Winery in Egg Harbor City. Another wine trail for visitors to explore is the South Central B Wine Trail. This trail includes the Cream Ridge Winery, Valenzano Winery in Shamong and the Tomasello Winery. The fourth wine trail is the South Wine Trail where visitors can taste some of the state’s red and white wines from the Valenzano Winery, Tomasello Winery, Bellview Winery in Landisville and Balic Winery in Mays Landing. The Southeast Wine Trail includes the Tomasello Winery, Sylvin Farms in Germania and Renault Winery. The final wine trail for visitors and residents of New Jersey to explore, the Southern Most Wine Trail, includes Heritage Vineyards of Richwood in Richwood, Bellview Winery and Balic Winery. For a complete clearinghouse of wine information, guests can visit the Garden State Wine Growers Association’s Web site at www.newjerseywines.com. Farms of New Jersey See why New Jersey is called the Garden State by visiting the local farms where you can even pick your own fruits and vegetables straight from the fields. As one of the top ten fruit and vegetable producers in the country, the state grows more than 100 different kinds of fruits and vegetables. During the fall, you can bite into vine ripe tomatoes, juicy corn, eggplant, grapes, broccoli, sweet peaches and 30 different varieties of crisp apples. Visitors looking for fresh produce can pick their own at Battleview Orchards in Freehold, DeWolf's Farm in New Egypt and Lew's Farm Market in Moorestown. Roadside markets such as Abma's Farm in Wyckoff, Dutch Hollow Farm Stand in Bridgewater and A Taste Of The Garden State in Bridgeton provide a wealth of fresh produce for locals and other visitors. Or, get your daily consumption of fruits and vegetables at the state’s community farmers markets located throughout the 21 counties including Trenton Farmers' Market in Trenton, Montclair Farmers' Market in Montclair and Bernardsville Farmers' Market in Bernardsville. Visit the Jersey Fresh Web site at ht tp://www.state.nj.us/jerseyfresh/searches/pyo.htm for a list of New Jersey farms. More information about these attractions – and everything else that New Jersey has to offer – can be obtained by contacting the New Jersey Office of Travel and Tourism at 609-292-2470. Parties interested in receiving a free copy of the 2003 New Jersey Travel Guide can contact the office at 1-800-VISITNJ (847-4865) or visit the New Jersey Office of Travel and Tourism’s Web site at www.visitnj.org.
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