5 Fun Things To Do in Winter in New Jersey
It’s officially Fall, and if the past years are any indication, it will be a relatively short-lived season with Winter coming around the corner in no time! Thankfully, New Jersey is loaded with plenty of fun things to do and places to explore, even during the cold and wintry months. And since New Jersey is a relatively small state — only 170 miles in length and 70 miles in width—it is completely feasible to visit just about any attraction or event happening throughout The Garden State, while still considering it a “day trip” or an overnight excursion, at most!
Lambertville Winter Festival: The Lambertville New Hope Winter Festival is celebrating its 22nd year and as always, will be chock-full of fantastic events during the 9 days it takes places. Past years festivals have included ice carving, antique and gallery crawl, museum tours and concerts. There’s a whole host of family-friendly activities, many of which are even FREE, and others do require tickets to be purchased in advance— such as the pub crawls, tastings and concerts.
Hit The Slopes: OK, so it’s not quite Vail, but guess what…we’ve actually got 2 very nice options for skiing if that’s your thing! Mountain Creek in Vernon and Campgaw Mountain in Mahwah both have very respectable slopes and offer options from real beginners to expert trails. And if you prefer flatter terrain, there’s also High Point Cross Country Ski Center in Sussex.
Botanical Gardens and Arboretums: while spring may be the time when these spots are their most vibrant, don’t be fooled! Winter is a fabulous time to pack a thermos of hot soup or tea and some picnic lunch and venture out to one of the beautiful botanical gardens or arboretums around NJ. Duke Farms in Hillsborough, Frelinghuysen Arboretum in Morristown, and Rutgers Gardens in North Brunswick all get 2 thumbs up, but for a jaw-dropping combination of horticulture and art, you most definitely want to get over to Grounds for Sculpture in Hamilton..and DON’T forget to bring your camera!
Escape: If it’s just too cold to be anywhere near the outdoors and you are desperate to get out, it may be the perfect time to book a date at one of the dozens of Escape Rooms that have popped up all over from Atlantic City to Jersey City and many towns in between. These venues make a great ‘date night’ instead of the boring old dinner and a movie night, and they also can be great for family reunions, team-building outings, and even birthday parties.
Take The Plunge: It may be one of those “bucket list” things for some, and it’s certainly not an activity that will attract the masses to take part, but whether you’re willing to brave it and take the plunge, or you want to be there as a spectator and set your teeth chattering just from watching…how about one of the Polar Bear Plunges happening around the Jersey Shore this winter? The Polar Bear Plunge in Seaside is a fundraiser for the Special Olympics of New Jersey, and there are quite a few others on the calendar during the deep, dark days of winter 2018-2019.
Of course, vacations to warmer climates are also quite nice, but if you’re planning to stick around this winter, now’s a good time to take out your planner and start scheduling some real FUN IN NJ this winter.
