Hidden Gems of NJ - Tear Drop Memorial

The parks across New Jersey are open, temperature has gone up and the best time of the year is here, “The Summers”. Though we are going through a global pandemic and are locked in our homes from past 2 months, it is now recommended to go out a bit, following all the safety measures and social distancing practice.

New Jersey have a lot of hidden gems which are not crowded and quite scenic during the Summer times. I will introduce you to one of them through this post.

Today we will talk about the Tear Drop Memorial.
This stunning 10 story sculpture was an official gift to United States by the Russian government as a memorial to the victims of 9/11 twin tower attacks. The artist who created this sculpture is Zurab Tsereteli, a Soviet/Russian painter, sculptor and architect who is known for his large scale and at times controversial monuments.

         

This magnificent bronze-plated sculpture is located in Harbor View Park of Bayonne, New Jersey.
The center of attention of this sculpture is a huge tear made up of nickel which hangs from the top of the sculpture.
I loved the way this sculpture is built and the way it projects the emotions and feelings for the victims of terrorism.

             

Apart from the sculpture, you can also catch sight of the world's most iconic skyline – Manhattan Skyline from the park. The Statue of Liberty is also visible from this place, but we only get to see the side view. There is also a small lighthouse - Robbins Reef Lighthouse situated in the vicinity.

Overall it is a great place to come and chill on a Sunny Afternoon and pay our homage to those who have suffered from the hands of terrorism.

Address:
Harbor View Park, 51 Port Terminal Blvd, Bayonne, NJ 07002

Parking:
The cruise parking is free and available for those visiting the memorial. Only when cruises are running from the harbor, the parking might be unavailable.

Admission:
Entry to the park is free.

Amenities:
- Benches
- Dustbins
- Portable Restroom

There is also a classic golf course in Bayonne, situated on the Hudson river from where you can get a view of the Manhattan. This famous gulf course is known as Bayonne Golf Club and is in the vicinity of the memorial.  Check out the below picture.

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Scenic Drives in New Jersey - Old Mine Road

It has been more than 2 months now that we are locked inside our homes and waiting for the corona curve to flatten. It is still not recommended to go to parks or get to the beaches, and frankly we are also scared to do so, but the traveler, explorer and nature lover inside us, wants to get out amid the nature and refresh ourselves.

So here is some good news for the people of New Jersey.
There are some amazingly beautiful scenic drives in NJ, which you can experience from the comfort of your car. So through this new series, I will share some picturesque roads with you that will appease your mind and add some new colors to your otherwise stagnant life.

The first scenic road in my list that we drove through last weekend is Old Mine Road.
It is one of the oldest continuously used roads in the USA and most part of it is in the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area.

The road is mostly single lane, with rocks on one side and river on the other. The speed varies from 15 to 25 miles per hour.
There are lot of historical buildings, old mills, farms and wide open grounds along the way, which look quite stunning.

The main USP of the trip are the spots in the vicinity of the river, where you can park the car in a small patch near the road and hike few steps downhill to witness the mesmerizing view of the river and surrounding mountains. Not to forget the wildlife which you might have never seen roaming so freely before. We encountered two groups of deer and one bear during our entire trip, which was just priceless. I couldn’t take pic of the bear as it went inside the forest quickly.

I would definitely suggest to take his day trip from the comfort of your car, for the peace of mind and refreshment of soul, during these hard times.

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Top Cherry Blossom Destinations around New Jersey

Cherry Blossom time marks the beginning of spring season in USA.
The roads and parks are filled with bright and colorful trees of white, pink and multicolored flowers.
Natural beauty is at its peak, sweetness is in the air, days are longer and there is a feeling of freshness all around.

Personally, this is also my favorite time as the day light remains for a longer time and we don’t have to step into the dark after office. The birds start chirping and playgrounds are filled with children.
There is a sense of new beginning and great times everywhere.

Though, the current situation is quite opposite because of the global pandemic, which has brought the world on its knees and locked up inside our homes. These are challenging and tough times, but it doesn’t stop us from enjoying the beauty of Cherry Blossom, virtually.

So here I bring to you, the top Cherry Blossom destinations around New Jersey that you can definitely visit next year:

1. Washington, D.C.
Washington D.C. is the top destination in USA to witness blooming Cherry Blossom trees.
In 1912 the mayor of Tokyo gifted around 3,000 tress to the district as the symbol of Japanese American Friendship and from then the place is blooming with Cherry Blossom flowers.

There are lot of places in Washington D.C. to view/capture the blossoms, but the best views are around the Tidal Basin reservoir. The peak bloom time normally starts at the end of March and start of April.

The Washington, D.C. Cherry Blossom Festival is the most famous in USA, so you should definitely visit it once in your lifetime.

2. Branch Brook Park, NJ
Branch Brook Park in New Jersey is home to nearly 4000 cherry blossom trees, the highest at any place in USA. Having the largest collection of blossom trees, set this place as a favorite among the visitors.

The park hosts 3 week long Cherry Blossom Festival which starts in April. It gets really frustrating and difficult to get a parking spot during the festival period, hence plan your visit accordingly.

3. Brooklyn Botanic Garden, NY
The springtime in New York city starts with a visit to Brooklyn Botanic Garden. There are around 200 cherry blossom trees here which are at peak bloom from mid-March to late April. Brooklyn Botanical Garden also puts on Sakura Matsuri, an annual celebration of Japanese culture through music, dance and food.

Credit - Here

4. Fairmount Park, Philadelphia
Philadelphia is one of the most beautiful places during the springtime. Thousands of cherry tress across the city come into full blossom which is a mesmerizing site. The main attraction among all is Fairmount Park. This park has a forest of Sakura trees (a specific type of flowering Japanese Cherry tree) which were planted in 1926, as a gift from people of Japan.

The park’s Cherry Blossom Festival comprises of sushi making classes, performances and 5k/10k races.

Credit - Here

5. Charles River Esplanade, Boston
The Charles River Esplanade stretches for miles along the Boston coast and gets really stunning during the springtime. The cherry tress burst into bloom right over the water and you can rent a boat to enjoy the beautiful view and feel the petals.

The cherry trees are also famous for their fragrance, providing the visitors a pleasant aroma while strolling around the river.

Credit - Here

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Sandy hook beach: A perfect getaway in Summers for the people of NJ

For the people living in New Jersey, going to the beautiful beaches of NJ is a must getaway for weekends. Living near-by Jersey shore, how can someone avoid the sand and the water? But for those living in north NJ (like me), it is not always easy to plan a trip all the way down to the south Jersey beaches like Long Beach Island.

So Sandyhook beach is a good option for us

The seven-mile stretch of spectacular ocean and bay beaches are excellent for surf casting, swimming, and relaxing on the sand. For the bike and hike lovers, there are number of trails to enjoy and explore, where they can find 300+ species of migratory birds and lovely forest.

You got your sun, sand and surf. What more can you ask for? Sandy Hook is huge with multiple beaches on both, the ocean and bayside of the peninsula. If you drive all the way up, you can bump into some old war barracks as well as the active fort for the United States Coast Guard. There's fishing areas, trails to run/bike on, sunbathing beaches and New Jersey's only nude beach (it’s true although I missed it due to time constraints)

You can spend your day here indulging in many interesting activities and few of them are:

1.) History tour

If you plan to visit Sandyhook beach and interested in nature walk and history tours, we recommend you to take a walk around Fort Hancock historic walk. The Sandy Hook Lighthouse, Keepers' Quarters and Barn are open seven days a week.

2.) Beaches

Sandyhook has multiple beaches on both, the ocean and bayside. Your pets are allowed on the bayside beaches, but they must be leashed everytime. Lifeguards are available only on the ocean side beaches from 10am to 6pm from Memorial Day through Labor Day.

3.) Fishing

Surf fishing is permitted at all the beaches except when the lifeguards are not at duty or the area of the beach is closed due to one or the other reason. Salt water fishing in NJ requires permit from the state of New Jersey. Registration is free.

4.) Biking

The seven mile long stretch can be covered with bike as well. Bring your own bike or you can rent a bike and enjoy the complete path on your bike starting from the entrance till the Fort Hancock. Please stay on your side of the yellow line while biking.

5.) Boating and Kayaking

Non-motorized boats can be launched from beach C and Horseshoe cove. Windsurfing and kite-boating can be done smoothly on the bay across from the beach C. Kayak and Standup Paddleboard rentals are available at Beach C Bayside.

6.) Camping and Picnic

Overnight tent camping is available at Sandyhook. You can visit their site for booking info. The North Beach Observation Deck has tables and a view of New York Harbor. Guardian Park has picnic tables, shelters and grills. Grilling is only permitted at Guardian Park in Fort Hancock.

Tickets and fare

Although there is no entrance fee to Sandy Hook, there is a $15.00 per car parking fee. If you come often enough, its worth purchasing a season pass for $75.

Connectivity

Sandyhook beach is easily accessible by ferry from Manhattan to New Jersey. You can easily reach there by car as well.

Food

There are food trucks and beverage machines available on the ocean shore beaches. No food, restrooms and parking is available on the bayside beaches. You can also bring your own food here.

Stay

If you want to experience the skyline of the New York and indulge into authentic seafood and nightlife, you should stay at the Highland. Number of good hotels are available there. You can also try Airbnb for homelike stay.

Explorerlens Gyan

1.) If you are planning to go on weekends, please reach there early in the morning else the parking slots may get full and you have to go back (doors may close). We recommend going on the weekdays since it is less crowded in those days.

2.) Bring you own food, picnic tables, beach towel and some games to play at the beach if you plan to spend the complete day there. Don’t forget to keep you sunscreen and hats as well.

3.)There are number of beaches to explore (including nude beach) so plan your trip accordingly. We recommend to explore the complete area in two days to have a relaxed and fun trip.

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Places to visit in New Jersey - Barnegat lighthouse state park

There are more than 10 lighthouses in New Jersey and the Barnegat Lighthouse is the most famous among them. Build in 1859, this lighthouse is more than 150 years old and is 172 feet above sea level. There are 217 steps to the top of the lighthouse from where you can have a spectacular view of the Atlantic Ocean, nearby islands and water activities.

Barnegat Lighthouse State Park is situated on the northern tip of Long Beach Island in Ocean County.

There are a lot of activities that can be done here -:
1. Barnegat Lighthouse
    Climb to the top of Barnegat Lighthouse and enjoy the cool breeze and breathtaking views of the
    scenic beauty around.

2. Water Activities
     If you own a boat or Jet Ski, this is the place to be it. You can also rent a boat and have a gala
     time.

3. Visit an Island
    There are beautiful islands around which can be visited using boats.

4. Birdwatching
    Barnegat Lighthouse State Park is an excellent area to observe many species of birds during the
    spring and fall migrations.

5. Nature Trial
    One of the last remnants of maritime forest on Long Beach Island is found at Barnegat Lighthouse
    State Park.

6. Beach
    There is a rocky pathway from the lighthouse to the beach where you can have a fun with family.

7. Picnic Spot
    Picnic tables are located along Barnegat Inlet where visitors can picnic, relax, and observe the
    waterway.

Tickets & Fees
The ticket to enter the lighthouse is $3 for adults.

Connectivity
The state park is easily accessible and has a good connectivity.

Food
There are restaurants and cafes nearby, so finding good food won’t be a problem.

Stay
As we have Long Island Beach also nearby so there are a lot of hotels and motels to stay.
But as always I will prefer the homely feeling and comfort of Airbnb.

Now time for some gyan from Explorer Lens
1. If you are interested in photography, do carry a zoom lens also with you as there are some stunning
    views from the top of the lighthouse.
2. There is a lot of parking available so that won’t be a problem
3. There are some beautiful islands nearby so if you own a boat or Jet Ski do bring it along.
4. It will take 4-5 hours to cover the complete state park, right from the lighthouse to the beach, so try
    to come before noon.

Lets have a photowalk of the state park thru the lens of explorer

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Places to visit in New Jersey - Asbury Park

With summer in its full form and heat at its peak, getting into the water is definitely one of the most relaxing, pleasant and desirable activity of people across the globe. And that is one of the reason why beaches and waterparks are the busiest destinations during this time.

When it comes to New Jersey we have around 40 beaches in the state, the most popular and hyped of them are Cape May, Long Beach Island, Atlantic City and Wildwood.
Though these beaches are nice and have a great vibe but they are also over-crowded making it difficult, A - to find a parking and B – to find a good spot on the beach to relax and swim.

Having said that, if you are looking for a beach which is peaceful, has a nice boardwalk and also decent parking, Asbury Park is the place for you.

Asbury Park is a city in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States, located on the Jersey Shore.
It features one of the trendiest beaches in New Jersey and has an equally supercool boardwalk.
Boardwalk is home to restaurants, shops, mini golf, music, playgrounds, amazing graffiti, Silverball Pinball Museum and much more..!!

Tickets & Fees
There is not ticket for entering the beach.

Connectivity
The beach is easily accessible and has a good connectivity.

Food
There are a lot of restaurants and cafes on the boardwalk and also in the city so finding good food won’t be a problem.

Stay
There are some decent hotels around the beach area but as always I will suggest to go for Airbnb.

Now time for some gyan from Explorer Lens
1. There are a lot of pay to park, parking options available in the radar of 1-2 mile from the beach.
     But I would suggest to park at at least 2 miles from the beach so that you can have a close look at
     the beauty and vibes of the city.

2. The boardwalk has some cool graffiti artwork which provides some great picture opportunities.
3. There are a lot of good events at the Convention Center so you can schedule your visit accordingly
     as per the schedule of the events.

 Here are some pics of the place

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