Tracing its roots to the early 1700s, Morristown is named one of America’s Dozen Distinctive Destinations by the National Trust for Historic Preservation for its well-preserved historic district of Greek Revival–, Federal-, and Victorian-era homes and its picturesque town green. The Morristown Green is a lovely town square—like the ones that define New England villages—surrounded by wide streets, a 19th-century Federal-style brick county courthouse, and well-preserved vintage commercial buildings with an interesting mix of shops and eateries. Modern office buildings and apartment complexes are tucked among its 18th- and 19th-century structures, but Morristown still retains a decidedly historic flavor.
Less than an hour’s drive from Manhattan, Morristown is close enough to be touched by metropolitan sprawl yet harbors some 31 historic sites virtually untouched by the hand of the 21st century. It’s a true crossroads of history and progress, where chic urban émigrés feel at home among galleries and bistros a stone’s throw from places like Historic Speedwell and Acorn Hall that date to the 1800s, and Fosterfields Living Historical Farm, a working farm that uses turn-of-the-20th-century farming methods. It’s a point of local pride that Morristown—whose hills sheltered the Continental army through two harsh winters during the Revolutionary War—has the first national historic park in America. It’s no Grand Canyon, but it is picturesque enough to attract 400,000 visitors annually, and preserves one of the most significant sites in the history of the American War of Independence.
During the bitter winters of 1777 and 1779–80, Morristown’s outlying hills protected the main encampments of the American Continental army and served as General George Washington’s military headquarters. Washington chose Morristown for its strategic location—there were good roads for supply lines and quick communication with Philadelphia and Congress, sheltering terrain, a supportive local community (nearly 50 iron forges and furnaces in Morris County supplied the Continental army with ammunition), and an advantageous distance—just 30 miles—from British-occupied New York. While the commander in chief lived in relative luxury in the Ford Mansion, his 10,000 troops—in worse condition than they were at Valley Forge—were bunked down in crude log huts in Jockey Hollow. Morristown National Historical Park preserves more than 1,000 acres of open meadows and woodlands that surround the encampments’ most significant sites: Washington’s headquarters at the Ford Mansion; reconstructed soldiers’ huts and 27 miles of hiking trails at Jockey Hollow; the 18th-century Wick Farm, which served as Major General Arthur St. Clair’s command center; and “Fort Nonsense,” where Washington’s soldiers built a fortification atop Mount Kemble to protect Morristown from the threat of a British invasion.
© The Countryman Press
New Jersey’s 19th-century transformation from agricultural region to industrial hub was hastened by America’s canal boom. Scottish immigrant and entrepreneur George P. Macculloch envisioned a constructed waterway that could traverse the state’s rugged northern hills from the Delaware River in western New Jersey to the Hudson River in New York. The result was the Morris Canal, where boats loaded with Pennsylvania iron and coal negotiated changes in elevation via Macculloch’s revolutionary system of 23 inclined planes and 23 lift locks along the canal’s 102-mile route. Today the Morristown mansion built by the Father of the Morris Canal is New Jersey’s top house museum, full of 18th- and 19th-century European and American fine art and furnishings. Macculloch Hall is perhaps best known for its collection of works by Thomas Nast, the famous Harper’s Weekly political cartoonist who introduced 19th-century America to the Republican Elephant, Democratic Donkey, Uncle Sam, and the modern version of Santa Claus, indelible caricatures that remain among the most recognizable images in modern culture.
During the Industrial Revolution, the only constant in New Jersey was change, and despite Macculloch’s cutting-edge engineering, the canal was eclipsed in short order by the faster, more efficient railroad. By the mid-1800s, the Morris & Essex Lines cut through a rural farming region that was now readily accessible to the outside world. Mills sprung up along rivers and streams, and Colonial farmhouses were slowly replaced by ornate Italianate, Victorian, and Gothic Revival mansions. Many have been lovingly restored and can be seen along back roads and in historic village centers like Clinton and Hackettstown. Some are local-history museums; others are hospitable bed & breakfasts.
After the Civil War the Gilded Age reached Morris County, as wealthy Manhattanites realized that the cool, rolling countryside just outside their city would make a fine summer retreat. They built opulent manor houses in Morristown, Far Hills, and Bedminster, and in Bernardsville’s lavish “mountain colony” enclave, where multimillionaires resided in palatial mansions and brought socialites from Manhattan to the country. A whirlwind social season of polo matches, glittering high-society parties, and debutante balls were de rigueur, until the stock market crashed in 1929. For many residents of the colony, the party was essentially over, and many of their mansions were neglected or sold, paving the way for upscale residential developments. After World War II the landscape changed once again, as suburban housing tracts started dotting the region in a trend that hasn’t yet stopped. Today, this area contains New Jersey’s most rapidly growing counties. Farms are evolving into shopping malls and housing developments, with traffic congestion an unfortunate daily ritual.
America’s first factory-outlet village is in Flemington, a few blocks from the historic Main Street lined with handsome Victorian homes and commercial buildings. Flemington enjoyed a fleeting moment of fame in 1935, when the county courthouse hosted the trial of Bruno Hauptmann, who was convicted in the kidnap-murder of aviator Charles Lindbergh’s baby son. The Trial of the Century made headlines around the world, and journalists reported the daily courtroom drama from across the street at the landmark Union Hotel. The 1854 Black River & Western Railroad takes passengers on nostalgic jaunts through Flemington’s scenic countryside on an 1854 steam-powered locomotive.
River towns like Clinton and Chester retain their old-time flavor with well-preserved main streets that attract swarms of visitors on weekends. Clinton’s vintage downtown buildings house an eclectic jumble of shops, galleries, and eateries. The town’s much-photographed landmark Red Mill resides next to a waterfall on the south branch of the Raritan River. It was built around 1812 as a woolen mill, and in the next century would serve as a gristmill, a talc factory, and a stone-processing plant—even peach baskets were made here. Today it’s part of a museum village along with a blacksmith shop, limestone quarry, and one-room schoolhouse. On the opposite bank, the Hunterdon Museum of Art displays the work of regional artists in a vintage stone mill. The hills around Clinton are a hub for hot-air ballooning, one of the most breathtaking and peacefully low-tech means of enjoying New Jersey’s rural landscape. Several outfitters take passengers on champagne flights around sunrise and sunset—when wind conditions are calmest—to float above farmland and wooded hills at about 5 miles an hour. Every summer in Readington, the New Jersey Festival of Ballooning draws more than 100 hot-air balloons and some 175,000 spectators to the largest summertime balloon festival in North America.
Chester was settled as a farming and mill town along the Black River in the early 1700s. Its boom period coincided with the mining of iron ore in the 19th century, when many of its historic downtown commercial buildings were built. Today, Main Street has excellent shopping, packed with unique stores, cafés, crafts galleries, and antiques shops. Chester’s rural outskirts are dotted with small family farms that sell their bounty in roadside markets; many let visitors pick their own raspberries, peaches, and apples, or take an old-fashioned autumn hayride into their pumpkin patches.
The rural town of Long Valley was first known as German Valley, named for the region’s early settlers who first planted the fields and whose meticulous stonework can still be seen around town. The Long Valley Pub and Brewery, housed in a 200-year-old stone barn, features their handiwork and is a convivial pub whose hand-crafted brews pay tribute to the region’s history and culture. Sprinkled throughout this region are numerous topflight restaurants—notably, The Bernards Inn and Le Petit Château in Bernardsville—that offer some of the most elegant and sophisticated fine dining in New Jersey.
Without doubt, this region is somewhat suburbanized, but large tracts of open space still remain. Morris County alone maintains 14,000 acres of open space with an impressive string of parks that offer everything from camping and fishing to hiking trails that boast spectacular views of the Manhattan skyline. A handful of state parks, recreation areas, and wildlife preserves protect pristine forestland laced with trails for hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, and cross-country skiing. Some of the area’s grand estates—Duke Farms (home of former tobacco heiress Doris Duke, “the Richest Little Girl in the World”), Frelinghuysen Arboretum, and Willowwood Arboretum, among them—were exclusive retreats for the privileged few nearly a century ago; their spectacular gardens and extraordinary natural surroundings can now be enjoyed by everyone.
Entries in this section are arranged in roughly geographic order, from south to north.
AREA CODES 973, 908.
GUIDANCE A New Jersey state welcome center (908-782-8550) is located at Liberty Village Premium Outlets, One Church St., Flemington. It’s well stocked with official state tourism literature as well as menus, maps, and brochures on area attractions, museums, lodgings, and events.
Skylands of New Jersey Tourism Council (800-475-9526; www.skylandstourism.org) maintains a Web site with information on visiting the region. On request, they will mail out literature and information on travel in northwestern New Jersey.
Morris County Visitors Center (973-631-5151; www.morristourism.org), Six Court St., Morristown. Open Mon.–Fri. 9–4:30; Sat. 9–1 from June–Aug. A very friendly and helpful staff runs this extremely well-stocked information center in downtown Morristown near the courthouse. Maps, events listings, and brochures on historic sites, lodging and dining, museums, parks, walking tours, and recreation are among the diverse travel literature they carry.
GETTING THERE By air: Newark Liberty International Airport (973-961-6000; 888-397-4636; www.panynj.com) in Newark is New Jersey’s largest airport, served by more than 40 major carriers. John F. Kennedy International Airport (718-244-4444; www.kennedyairport.com) and LaGuardia International Airport (718-533-3400; www.laguardiaairport.com) in New York City are other options.
By rail: New Jersey Transit (973-275-5555; 800-955-2321; www.njtransit.com) provides commuter service from Hoboken (commuters connect to Manhattan via PATH trains) as far as Hackettstown and High Bridge.
By bus: Greyhound (800-231-2222; www.greyhound.com) makes a stop in Hackettstown; there is no terminal or passenger service. New Jersey Transit (973-275-5555; 800-955-2321; www.njtransit.com) provides bus service throughout this region. The Morris County Metro bus line (973-829-8101) serves Morris County with several bus routes that operate from Monday through Saturday.
By car: I-80 and I-78 cut through this area on their routes from the metropolitan New York City area west to Pennsylvania. Both interstates are connected by I-287, which runs north to south along the eastern edge of this region.
GETTING AROUND Taxis: P & P Taxi (973-539-5903), Comfort Cab (973-267-1700), and Bumblebee Taxi (973-683-1313) are all based in Morristown and serve the surrounding communities.
MEDICAL EMERGENCY Hunterdon Medical Center (908-788-6100), 2100 Wescott Dr., Flemington. The emergency number is 908-788-6183.
Hackettstown Community Hospital (908-852-5100), 651 Willow Grove St., Hackettstown. The emergency number is 908-850-6800.
Morristown Memorial Hospital (973-971-5000), 100 Madison Ave., Morristown. The emergency numbers are 973-971-6102 (children) and 973-971-5007 (adults).
Saint Clare’s Hospital (973-989-3000), 400 West Blackwell St., Dover. The emergency number is 973-989-3200.
To SeeHISTORIC HOMES Acorn Hall (973-267-3465; www.acornhall.org), 68 Morris Ave., Morristown. Gardens open daily from dawn to dusk; docent-led mansion tours Mon. and Thurs. 10–4; Sun. 1–4; closed major holidays; tours by appointment. Adults $6; seniors $5; students $3; children 11 and under, free. The Morris County Historical Society is headquartered in this lovely 1853 Italianate mansion that still features most of its original Victorian-era furnishings. Exhibits feature period clothing, textiles, and decorative objects. The landscaped Victorian gardens surrounding the house are planted with flowering trees, bulbs, and shrubs. The Victorian research library—New Jersey’s only such facility—is open to the public by appointment.
Schuyler-Hamilton House (973-267-4039), Five Olyphant Place, Morristown. Open for tours Sun. 2–4 and by appointment. Adults $4; children $2. This trim white-clapboard house was built in 1760 by Dr. Jabez Campfield, who was best known as George Washington’s personal physician. The house’s name, however, derives from a widely believed but unproven romantic legend. During the winter of 1779–80, John Cochran, surgeon general of the Continental army, was a guest at the house. So was Alexander Hamilton, who supposedly met and courted Betsy Schuyler, Cochran’s niece, at Campfield’s home. Local historians believe the romance really happened, although no documentation exists to prove it. The house, one of the only remaining 18th-century buildings left in Morristown, has period furnishings and is maintained by a local chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution.
HISTORIC SITES Cooper Gristmill (908-879-5463), Black River Park, 66 Rt. 513, Chester. The visitors center is open Apr.–Oct., Sat. and Sun. 10–5; in July and Aug. it’s also open Wed.–Fri. Admission by donation. A gristmill has been in operation on the Black River since the Revolutionary War; this one was built by Nathan Cooper in 1826. Today it is New Jersey’s only restored water-powered gristmill, and it’s on the National Register of Historic Places. This part of Chester was once known as Milltown, a flourishing industrial village of miners, millers, and farmers on the Black River. It was rich with natural resources—waterpower from the river, fertile soil for farming, plenty of iron ore in the hills, and forests thick with timber. During 45-minute tours of the gristmill, guides in period dress operate the mill’s restored machinery. You’ll see how water from the river turns the 6-ton waterwheel, which powers the gears and shafts that turn the 2,000-pound grinding stones that reduce coarse grain into soft flour. In 1 hour, the massive millstones can churn out as much as 800 pounds of flour, and a system of belts and elevators moves flour throughout the mill in a move toward automation—cutting-edge technology in the 19th century. For a donation, visitors can take home some of the organic stone-ground whole wheat flour and cornmeal produced at the mill.
HISTORIC SPEEDWELL
(973-285-6550, 333 Speedwell Ave. (Rt. 202), Morristown. Open Apr. to Oct., Wed.–Sat. 10–5; Sun. noon–5; closed Mon. and Tues. Free admission. Special events and programs are held on weekends; call for a schedule. The estate of 19th-century ironmaster Stephen Vail has been known as the Birthplace of the Telegraph ever since his son Alfred, along with Samuel F. B. Morse, developed a working model of the electromagnetic telegraph here in 1838. That January, they held the first public demonstration of the revolutionary device in the estate’s factory building. But Speedwell has historical significance on many levels. Speedwell Iron Works thrived from the early- to mid-1800s; here the elder Vail developed the steam engine for the SS Savannah, the world’s first transatlantic steam-powered ship. Today the collection of historic buildings—some originally on-site, others moved here to save them from demolition—is a museum of early-19th-century life, with displays of vintage farm implements, antique vehicles, colonial furnishings, and relics from Vail’s ironworks. You can see the restored 24-foot waterwheel that once powered the mill still turning in the wheelhouse, or take a guided tour of the restored 1840s Vail House, furnished with elegant period furnishings as well as portraits painted by Morse. The 1849 Homestead Carriage House, one of Speedwell’s original buildings, contains a museum shop, exhibits on Speedwell Iron Works and its role in the Industrial Revolution, and early communications equipment. The early-19th-century L’Hommedieu House has a visitors center and gift shop.
Fosterfields Living Historical Farm (973-326-7645), 73 Kahdena Rd., at Rt. 510, Morristown. Open Apr.–Oct., Wed.–Sun. 10–5; closed Mon. and Tues. Special events and demonstrations are held on weekends. Free admission to the farm; there’s a charge for programs. New Jersey’s first living-history farm is devoted to turn-of-the-20th-century farming and domestic life. Most visitors come to this national register historic site for the weekend demonstrations by costumed interpreters. They go about a day’s farmwork—raising livestock, milking cows by hand, tilling fields—following the schedule that Charles Foster recorded in his journals. His daughter Caroline donated her beloved family farm to the Morris County Park Commission after living there for a century (she died at 102). Visitors can help out with chores like cooking, tending crops, cleaning harnesses, and churning butter, all the while learning what life was like for a farm foreman and his family a century ago. High on a hill overlooking the farm is The Willows, the ornate Gothic Revival mansion that Joseph Warren Revere (Paul Revere’s grandson) built for the Fosters in 1854. It’s open for guided tours, furnished and restored to how it looked from 1880 to 1910.
MUSEUMS Northlandz (908-782-4022; www.northlandz.com), 495 Rt. 202 South, Flemington. Open year-round, Mon., Wed.–Fri. 10:30–4; Sat. and Sun. 10:30–5:30; closed Tues. Adults $13.75; seniors $12.50; children $9.75; steam train rides $2.75. The Great American Railway is the world’s longest miniature railroad, but this museum is anything but small. It took Bruce Zaccagnino 25 years (and millions of dollars) to complete the masterpiece that sprung from his passion for trains. Today, 8 miles of railroad track wind through cities and around 35-foot-tall mountains, over hundreds of bridges—some up to 40 feet long—and past thousands of intricate, handcrafted buildings. There are 10,000 freight cars, and about 100 trains run on the tracks every day. Even though it’s indoors, the walking tour through this amazing world is a mile long. Outside, a replica of the Raritan River Railway steam train takes visitors on a ride through the woods. Northlandz isn’t just for railroad buffs, however. An on-site museum has more than 200 collectible dolls and a 100-room dollhouse. There’s also an art gallery and a music hall with a 2,000-pipe organ.
Red Mill Museum Village and Hunterdon Historical Museum (908-735-4101; www.theredmill.org), 56 Main St., Clinton. Open Apr. through mid-Oct., Tues.–Sat. 10–4, Sun. noon–5; closed Mon. and major holidays. Adults $8; seniors $6; children 6 and older $5; children under 6, free. More than 40,000 relics of Hunterdon County’s industrial and agricultural history are on display in Clinton’s landmark Red Mill, a local icon that appears often on official New Jersey maps and tourism posters. The vast collection of objects—from Victorian household items and clothing to farm equipment and tools—is displayed on a rotating basis in exhibit galleries spread across several floors. The four-story circa-1810 gristmill was built on the south branch of the Raritan River, where it produced wool, grain, talc, peach baskets, graphite, and plaster before closing in 1928. Other restored buildings in the 10-acre village include an old-fashioned general store, a blacksmith shop, a post office, the circa-1860 one-room Bunker Hill Schoolhouse, a replica log cabin and springhouse, and the remnants of a 19th-century limestone quarry. This is a popular location for Civil War reenactments, music festivals, car shows, militia musters, and seasonal events (see Special Events).
DURING THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION THE FORD MANSION IN MORRISTOWN NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK SERVED AS GEORGE WASHINGTON’S HEADQUARTERS FROM DECEMBER 1779 TO JUNE 1780.
National Park Service photo by T. Winslow
MORRISTOWN NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK
(headquarters: 973-539-2016; Jockey Hollow Visitor Center: 973-543-4030; www.nps.gov/morr), 30 Washington Place, Morristown. Open year-round, daily 9–5; closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day. Museum admission $4. The site where George Washington and his Continental army spent the bitter winter of 1779–80 during the American Revolution is the first national historical park in America. Washington chose the rolling hills southwest of Morristown for their advantageous location, close to British-occupied New York City.
George and Martha Washington stayed at Jacob Ford Jr.’s newly built Georgian-style mansion that winter. Ford was a prominent mill-, mine-, and forge owner; he was also a colonel in the New Jersey militia. He died before Washington arrived, so his wife hosted the general, his wife, and army officers. Ford Mansion was the nerve center of military operations, where Washington met with his officers and with diplomats, local residents, and even spies.
Meanwhile, eight infantry brigades spent the harsh winter crowded into tiny huts in the Jockey Hollow encampment, the “wintering ground” for more than 10,000 Continental soldiers. Some 600 acres of forest were cleared to build enough shelters. In December 1779, most soldiers were still sleeping in tents; but by February, as many as 1,200 log huts lined the hills. The shelters were cramped and conditions generally deplorable. Soldiers were forced to steal food from local farms; some soldiers simply deserted. The ones that stayed spent 7 grueling months at Jockey Hollow. Today tours, reenactments, and special events are held year-round at the site of the winter encampment, where visitors can see five reconstructed soldiers’ huts. Most of the park’s 400,000 annual visitors come for Jockey Hollow’s 27 miles of hiking and equestrian trails; there’s also an auto tour on a 2-mile loop road.
At the same time, Major General Arthur St. Clair and his officers used Henry and Mary Cooper Wick’s 18th-century farmhouse as their winter headquarters. The 1,400-acre Wick Farm was the central command center for St. Clair’s 2,000 Pennsylvania soldiers. Henry Wick was a volunteer with the Morris County cavalry during the war, so his wife and daughter lived on the farm during the encampment. According to legend, young Temperance Wick once hid her horse inside the farmhouse to keep it from being taken by Continental troops. Programs and tours are often held at the house and in its period herb garden.
In the spring of 1777, Washington ordered troops to build a fort on top of Mount Kemble to protect Morristown from a potential British invasion. The attack never came and, according to legend, the soldiers who built the structure called it Fort Nonsense because they doubted its strategic value, even suggesting the general ordered the project simply to give them something to do. Today the earthen fort is gone, but stones mark the location of the walls, a period cannon rests at the site, and the view from the 597-foot peak of Mount Kemble is lovely.
Hunterdon Museum of Art (908-735-8415; www.hunterdonartmuseum.org), Seven Lower Center St., Clinton. Gallery open Tues.–Sun. 11–5; closed Mon. Admission $5. A highly regarded contemporary art museum housed in a 19th-century fieldstone gristmill on the south branch of the Raritan River, opposite the Red Mill Museum Village (see previous listing). Three galleries mount changing exhibits of a wide variety of works, from paintings and lithographs to videos and furniture. Art classes for adults and children, and outdoor art festivals and other events are among the museum’s offerings.
Shippen Manor Museum (908-453-4381), Eight Belvidere Ave., Oxford. Open on the first and second Sun. of each month, 1–4; closed on major holidays. Admission $3. A gracious circa-1754 Georgian-style stone mansion owned by William and Joseph Shippen—doctors, brothers, and gentlemen farmers from a prominent Philadelphia family. They founded Oxford Furnace, the area’s biggest ironworks and employer, on their 4,000-acre estate. Pick up a brochure that describes a self-guided walking tour of the Oxford Furnace industrial historic district. You can also take a docent-guided tour of the 18th-century ironmasters’ residence, or explore it on your own. Summer lawn concerts, military encampments, and an annual heritage festival are held at the museum throughout the year (see Special Events).
Morris Museum (973-971-3700; www.morrismuseum.org), Six Normandy Heights Rd., Morristown. Open Wed., Fri., and Sat. 11–5; Thurs. 11–8; Sun. 1–5; closed Mon., Tues., and major holidays. Adults $10; seniors and children $7; free admission Thursday 5–8. A 1912 Georgian-style mansion is home to one of New Jersey’s largest museums, a staggering collection of some 48,000 pieces acquired over the past century. Today they fill an eclectic mix of permanent and changing exhibits—Native American artifacts, dinosaurs and fossils, rocks and minerals, dolls and toys, vintage clothing, 19th- and 20th-century American and European painting and sculpture, and visual and performing arts, to name just a few. The museum shop has a good selection of quality items, and the Bickford Theatre mounts musicals, dramas, and comedies.
Macculloch Hall Historical Museum (973-538-2404; www.maccullochhall.org), 45 Macculloch Ave., Morristown. Open for tours Sun., Wed., and Thurs. 1–4; group visits at other times by appointment. Admission by donation. This early-19th-century Federal-style brick mansion is considered one of New Jersey’s finest historic house museums, with 10 period rooms and four galleries with changing exhibits. It was built for George P. Macculloch, “the Father of the Morris Canal.” The Scottish immigrant and entrepreneur was one of the masterminds behind the world-famous engineering marvel, which stretched 102 miles across northern New Jersey from the Delaware River to the Hudson River, built to quickly haul Pennsylvania coal and iron to New York City. Local philanthropist W. Parsons Todd acquired the Old House, as it was known by Macculloch’s descendants, in 1949. In time, he restored it to its original 19th-century magnificence and filled it with his considerable collection of 18th- and 19th-century English and American art and antiques. The museum is perhaps best known for Todd’s treasure trove of paintings, letters, drawings, and political cartoons by Thomas Nast. The artist who created the modern image of Santa Claus, Uncle Sam, the Republican Elephant, and the Democratic Donkey was the country’s leading political cartoonist in the 19th century; his sharp wit was an influential force in the turbulent world of politics. The Nast collection spans 50 years, from his first drawings as a teenager to a sketch he completed before leaving on the diplomatic mission to South America from which he would never return (he died in Ecuador of yellow fever in 1902). The mansion’s 2-acre seasonally blooming garden, planted since the mid-1700s, is the oldest in Morris County. Today it has been restored with original plantings and 40 varieties of heirloom roses.
UNITED STATES GOLF ASSOCIATION MUSEUM AND ARCHIVES
(908-234-2300; www.usgamuseum.com), 77 Liberty Corner Rd., Far Hills. Open Tues.–Sun. 10–5; closed Mon. and major holidays. Adults $7; children 13–17, $3.50; children 12 and under, free. The rich history of golf is on display at Golf House, the Georgian mansion that headquarters the United States Golf Association (USGA), an organization dating to 1894. More notably, it’s home to the world’s largest collection of golf equipment, memorabilia, books, photos, art, and artifacts, featured in changing and permanent exhibits that trace the development of the game. The museum’s most unusual piece is perhaps the famous “moon club,” the folding 6-iron Admiral Alan Shepard Jr. took to the moon during his Apollo XIV mission in 1971. There’s also vintage equipment, clubs used by USGA champions, and a replica club maker’s studio. A theater shows continuous classic footage of the game’s most famous players, and special rooms are devoted to golf greats Francis Ouimet, Ben Hogan, and Bobby Jones.
The Stickley Museum at Craftsman Farms (973-540-1165; www.stickleymuseum.org), 2352 Rt. 10 West, Parsippany. Grounds open year-round, dawn to dusk. Guided house tours Apr. through mid-Nov., Wed.–Fri. noon–3; Sat. and Sun. 11–4; mid-Nov. through Mar., Sat. and Sun. 11–4. Adults $6; seniors and students $5. Pioneering architect and furniture designer Gustav Stickley was a leader in the Arts and Crafts movement that swept America in the early 1900s. Stickley became famous for the clean lines and simple, straightforward design of his finely built Craftsman homes and mission-style furniture. Culturally, the movement was a dramatic rebellion against the formality and the excesses of the Victorian period. For many, fine craftsmanship was a welcome departure from the Victorian era’s mass production of low-quality decorative objects. Stickley’s unique T-shaped log house is the only residence he designed for his own use; today it’s a national historic landmark. Construction began in 1911 with local fieldstone and chestnut logs, natural materials intended to blend into the surroundings. Exhibits feature relics from the Arts and Crafts movement; the museum shop sells contemporary crafts, books, and gifts.
TROUT HATCHERY Pequest Trout Hatchery and Natural Resources Education Center (908-637-4125), 605 Pequest Rd. (Rt. 46), Oxford. Open Mon.–Fri. 10–4; closed holidays. Free admission. Ask about the year-round schedule of programs on wildlife and natural resource issues. Take a self-guided tour of the fish hatchery, where more than 600,000 brook trout, rainbow trout, and brown trout are raised each year for release in more than 200 of New Jersey’s lakes and rivers. A 15-minute video explains the trout-rearing process, from gathering eggs to stocking waterways. In addition to the hatchery, the state Department of Environmental Protection maintains an education center with interactive displays, an exhibit on New Jersey’s endangered wildlife, and films on the state’s natural resources. Outside there are picnic areas and hiking trails, including a self-guided interpretive nature trail.
To DoBALLOONING In Flight Balloon Adventures (888-301-2383; www.balloonnj.com), 23 Belvidere Ave., Clinton. Open daily year-round. Reservations are required. A variety of scenic hot-air balloon rides over the rural hills near Spruce Run Reservoir. Special trips for groups and couples include bed & breakfast getaways, sunrise and sunset trips, and dinner flights.
Sky Sweeper Balloon Adventures (800-462-3201), off I-78, Clinton. Open daily year-round. Reservations are recommended. Scenic hot-air balloon flights launch at sunrise and sunset just west of Clinton, and float over picturesque Hunterdon County. When skies are clear, views of the Manhattan skyline can often be seen.
Alexandria Balloon Flights (888-468-2477; www.njballooning.com), Sky Manor Airport, 42 Sky Manor Rd. (off Rt. 615), Pittstown. Reservations are recommended, especially for sunset trips on weekends. Scenic champagne balloon flights over the rolling hills and rural farmland of Hunterdon County. Trips leave around dawn and just before sunset, weather permitting.
Balloons Aloft (908-996-3333; 866-800-4386; www.njballoon.com), Sky Manor Airport, 42 Sky Manor Rd. (off Rt. 615), Pittstown. Reservations are required. Champagne and continental breakfast for sunrise flights; champagne and hors d’oeuvres after sunset trips. Rides last about 1 hour, depending on wind conditions. The airport has a restaurant and a gift shop.
Hunterdon Ballooning Inc. (908-788-5415; www.hunterdonballooning.com), 111 Locktown–Flemington Rd., Flemington. Reservations are required—at least 2 weeks in advance for weekends, a week in advance for weekday trips. Scenic hot-air balloon champagne flights over rural Hunterdon County’s hills, farms, and villages. Trips last about 45 minutes and launch around dawn and sunset.
Tewksbury Balloon Adventures (908-439-3320; www.tewksburyballoon.com), 29 Oldwick Rd., Whitehouse Station. Open daily May–Oct. Hot-air balloon trips over northwestern New Jersey’s rural farms and hills since 1972.
BICYCLING The Morris County Parks Commission (973-326-7600) maintains two multi-use recreational trails that are pleasant for bicycling, and ideal for beginners and for families with children. These popular trails can be very busy on weekends. In Morris Township, you can reach the Patriot’s Path Recreation Trail from Inamere Road and Lake Valley Road; call for locations of other access points. The 20-mile-long Patriot’s Path links trails in several local, county, state, and federal parks from Morristown to Mendham and Bernardsville. The surface ranges from crushed stone to gravel or dirt, mixed with some paved sections and the cinder beds of old rail lines. The Traction Line Recreation Trail runs from Morristown to Madison through Morristown National Historical Park (see sidebar, page 192) on the abandoned trolley line of the Morris County Traction Company. The 2.5-mile paved path parallels New Jersey Transit’s Morris & Essex Lines. In Morristown, you can access the trail on Morris Avenue at I-287.
Some state and local parks in this region open their trails to mountain bikes, including Spruce Run State Recreation Area (908-638-8572) in Clinton, Voorhees State Park (908-638-6969) in Glen Gardner, Lewis Morris County Park (973-326-7600) in Morris Township, and Round Valley Recreation Area (908-236-6355) in Lebanon.
In Hillsborough, you can pedal through the sprawling Duke Farms (908-722-3700; www.dukefarms.org) estate (see sidebar, page 203). Twilight and Saturday morning guided excursions on a seven-mile loop through the landscape are offered from spring to fall.
BOATING Silas Condict County Park (973-326-7600), 53 East Hanover Ave., Kinnelon. The picturesque lake at this park named for a local Revolutionary War hero has a boat dock. On weekends and holidays from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day, visitors can rent rowboats and paddleboats.
Round Valley Reservoir (908-236-6355), at Round Valley Recreation Area, 1220 Lebanon–Stanton Rd. (Rt. 629), Lebanon. There’s a public launch for sailboats, motorboats, and canoes.
Spruce Run State Recreation Area (908-638-8572; boat rentals: 908-638-8234), One Van Syckels Rd., Clinton. Because of its favorable wind conditions, Spruce Run Reservoir is a mecca for sailboarders and sailors; a local sailing club hosts many events on the water. Canoes and small motorboats are also allowed on the reservoir; all boats must launch from the public ramp at the day-use area.
Schooley’s Mountain County Park (908-876-4294), 91 E. Springtown Rd. (off Rt. 517), Washington Township. Rowboats and paddleboats can be rented from the boathouse on Lake George on weekends from Memorial Day to Labor Day.
FISHING Spruce Run Reservoir (908-638-8572), Spruce Run State Recreation Area, One Van Syckels Rd., Clinton. The reservoir, along with Mulhockaway Creek and Spruce Run Creek, is home to nearly 30 species of fish. The state division of fish, game, and wildlife stocks the waters with striped bass, northern pike, and trout; native species include catfish, largemouth bass, carp, and yellow perch.
Round Valley Reservoir (908-236-6355), at Round Valley Recreation Area, 1220 Lebanon–Stanton Rd. (Rt. 629), Lebanon. There are close to 20 species of fish in the reservoir, including native lake trout, largemouth and smallmouth bass, and the brown and rainbow trout that are stocked every year.
Allamuchy Pond (908-852-3790), Allamuchy Mountain State Park, 800 Willow Grove St., Hackettstown. Fishing for warm-water species, including perch, pickerel, sunfish, and largemouth bass.
Black River (908-638-6969), Hacklebarney State Park, 119 Hacklebarney Rd., Long Valley. Trout fishing in the Black River Gorge on the Black River and two of its tributaries, Trout Brook and Rinehart Brook. The Black River is stocked with trout in the spring. In addition to the state park access, you can also fish the Black River from the Black River Wildlife Management Area in Chester, and Black River Park in Chester, near the Cooper Gristmill.
The south branch of the Raritan River is considered one of the state’s most pristine trout streams. You can access the river at South Branch Linear Park in Clinton and Flemington, at the Ken Lockwood Gorge Wildlife Management Area in Califon, and at Califon Park in Califon.
Stephens State Park (908-852-3790), 800 Willow Grove St., Hackettstown. The Musconectcong River is a boulder-strewn freshwater river that flows through the state park and is known locally as a prime trout-fishing stream. Each spring the New Jersey fish and wildlife division stocks the waters with rainbow trout, brook trout, and brown trout.
GOLF Several 18-hole golf courses in the region are open to the public, most with a clubhouse, pro shop, and driving range. Among them are Beaver Brook Country Club (908-735-4022), 25 Country Club Dr., Annandale; Hillsborough Country Club (908-369-3322), 146 Wertsville Rd., Flemington; Royce Brook Golf Club (888-434-3673), 201 Hamilton Rd., Hillsborough; Flanders Valley Golf Course (973-584-5382), 81 Pleasant Hill Rd., Flanders (36 holes); Mine Brook Golf Club (908-979-0366), 500 Schooley’s Mountain Rd., Hackettstown; and High Bridge Hills Golf Club (908-638-5055), 203 Cregar Rd., High Bridge.
HIKING Round Valley Recreation Area (908-236-6355), at Round Valley Reservoir, 1220 Lebanon–Stanton Rd. (Rt. 629), Lebanon. Four marked trails cover a variety of terrain; all leave from the day-use area. Two mile-long trails wander gently through a pine forest; these pleasant walks are ideal for seniors or families with small children. Lower Cushetunk Trail is a 3-mile-long hike to the wilderness campsites at the eastern edge of the reservoir. The rugged Cushetunk Trail is a 9-mile out-and-back trail through the Cushetunk Mountains that passes through thick woods and open meadows. The steep and rocky terrain will challenge experienced hikers, mountain bikers, and equestrians.
Hacklebarney State Park (908-638-6969), 119 Hacklebarney Rd., Long Valley. Hiking trails in the park’s rugged 465-acre natural area offer spectacular views of the Black River as it cascades over boulders in the Black River Gorge, a steep ravine whose slopes are thick with hemlocks. A trail leads down into the base of the ravine, where the cool and shady forest floor protects rare plant species such as leatherwood and Virginia pennywort. Other trails follow tributaries of the Black River, including Trout Brook, which has a picturesque waterfall.
Jockey Hollow (973-543-4030; 973-539-2016), Morristown National Historical Park, Tempe Wick Rd., Morristown. Pick up a trail map at the visitors center. An extensive 25-mile network of hiking trails traverses this park, where George Washington’s Continental army spent the winter of 1779–80 (see sidebar, page 192). One of the more popular routes is the blue-blazed trail from the visitors center parking lot to the top of Mount Kemble. It’s an easy to moderate 3-mile loop, and on clear days the spectacular view from the top of Mount Kemble includes the Manhattan skyline. Near the historic cannon are stones that mark the site of the Revolutionary War–era “Fort Nonsense,” which was built during the encampment of George Washington’s Continental army during the winter of 1779–80.
Schooley’s Mountain County Park (908-876-4294), 91 East Springtown Rd. (off Rt. 517), Long Valley. A popular hike in this Morris County park is to the falls on Electric Brook. From the park’s Springtown Rd. entrance, walk along the road that goes around Lake George. Just before the dam, follow the blue-blazed Falling Waters trail (it’s rocky in places) a short distance to the falls. From here, there are a few options: You can head back the way you came, but if you want to hike some more, continue past the falls to Patriot’s Path. Follow this white-blazed trail to the right to the Long Valley overlook. At 892 feet, this isn’t the park’s highest elevation, but the views are rewarding. From here you can retrace your steps or continue past the overlook to the steep and rocky Boulder Gorge Trail, which will bring you back to Electric Brook and give you a different view of the falls. The trail will lead you back to the lodge near the parking lot where you began.
SPECTATOR SPORTS Island Dragway (908-637-6060; www.islanddragway.com), Main St. (Rt. 46 West), Great Meadows. Open Fri.–Sun., Mar.–Oct.; Sat. and Sun. in Nov. A family-owned drag strip operating here for 45 years. It’s the smallest of New Jersey’s three drag strips but offers a full schedule of drag-racing events.
Hamilton Farm (908-234-1251; www.uset.com), 1040 Pottersville Rd. (Rt. 512), Gladstone. The stable is home to the U.S. Equestrian Team, which trains Olympic and world-class athletes. The public is welcome to attend competitions, including show jumping and dressage, from April to October.
STARGAZING Paul Robinson Observatory (908-638-8500; www.njaa.org), Voorhees State Park, Observatory Rd. (off Rt. 513), Glen Gardner (see also Green Space—State Parks). Open Memorial Day through Oct. on Sat. evening and Sun. afternoon; shorter hours in the off-season. Admission by donation. The observatory was built in 1965 by the New Jersey Astronomical Association. Perched at 840 feet above sea level, it sits at the highest point in the park. The public is invited to observe the night sky through a massive 28-inch Newtonian reflector telescope—one of the largest privately owned telescopes in the state—and through several smaller scopes. The visitors center and space-education center have archives and changing astronomical exhibits, as well as regularly scheduled lectures and films on the cosmos.
SWIMMING Round Valley Reservoir (908-236-6355), at Round Valley Recreation Area, 1220 Lebanon–Stanton Rd. (Rt. 629), Lebanon. Lifeguards are on duty from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day. The scenic 4,003-acre artificial lake has a sandy beach with restrooms, showers, and changing areas. Food and beach supplies are available in the concession building. Two playgrounds and volleyball nets are near the beach. Rafts, inner tubes, and other flotation devices are not allowed in the swimming area.
Spruce Run State Recreation Area (908-638-8572), One Van Syckels Rd., Clinton. Swimming is allowed during the summer when lifeguards are on duty. The swimming beach has a concession area selling food and beach-related items, and the bathhouse has restrooms, changing areas, showers, and a first-aid station. Inner tubes, rafts, and other floats are not permitted.
TRAIN RIDE Black River & Western Railroad (908-782-9600; www.brrht.org), Rt. 12 and Stangl Rd., Flemington. Open May–Oct., Sat., Sun., and holidays. A nostalgic excursion through Hunterdon County on a restored steam-and diesel-powered locomotive. The 11-mile scenic round-trip between Ringoes and Flemington takes just over an hour. Excursions begin at the station in Turntable Junction, behind the Liberty Village Premium Outlets center. The train stops in Ringoes, where there’s a railroad museum and picnic area. Special events include the Railroad Days celebration in summer and holiday trips with Santa at Christmas.
Winter SportsCROSS-COUNTRY SKIING Many state and local parks in this region offer their trails and open fields to cross-country skiers during the winter. You need to bring your own skis and equipment. These parks include Hunterdon County Arboretum (908-782-1158), Lebanon; Spruce Run State Recreation Area (908-638-8572), Clinton; Round Valley Recreation Area (908-236-6355), Lebanon; Lewis Morris County Park (973-326-7600), Mendham; Bamboo Brook Outdoor Education Center and Willowwood Arboretum (973-326-7600), Chester; Hedden County Park (973-326-7600) in Dover; Frelinghuysen Arboretum (973-326-7600), Morris Township. Morris County’s two multi-use recreational trails, Patriot’s Path Recreational Trail and the Traction Line Recreational Trail, are open to cross-country skiers.
ICE-SKATING Hollydell Ice Arena (609-582-1234), Hollydell Dr. and East Holly Ave., Washington Township. Skating parties, rentals, group lessons, and ice hockey.
Lewis Morris County Park (973-326-7600), 270 Mendham Rd. (Rt. 24), Mendham. Ice-skating on Sunrise Lake.
William G. Mennen Sports Arena (973-326-7650), 161 E. Hanover Ave., Morristown. Open year-round; call for public skating hours. This busy indoor facility—home to the New Jersey Colonials hockey club—offers 2-hour public skating sessions daily. The skate shop has rentals, and the snack bar has a fireplace to warm up by.
Hedden County Park (973-326-7600), 124 Reservoir Ave., Dover. Ice-skating on the park’s 6-acre lake; there’s a fireplace near the lake that blazes for warmth during the skating season.
Green SpaceGARDENS Leonard J. Buck Garden (908-234-2677), 11 Layton Rd., Far Hills. Open Mon.–Fri. 10–4; Sat. 10–5; Sun. noon–5. Admission by donation. Leonard Buck was a geologist and trustee of the New York Botanical Gardens in the 1930s, and an avid gardener in his own right. When he wanted to plant a garden in a rugged glacial-stream valley running through his property, he envisioned naturalistic plantings that would grow in harmony with the landscape. The result is a stunning woodland garden—actually a variety of small, individual gardens—that blends naturally with rock outcroppings, ponds, and a woodland stream. The garden is beautiful any time of year, but in spring the azaleas, rhododendrons, and dogwoods put on a spectacular display.
Cross Estate Gardens (www.crossestategardens.org), Old Jockey Hollow Rd., Bernardsville. Open daily from sunrise to sunset. Free admission. This grand 1905 country estate was once the centerpiece of Queen Anne Farm, part of Bernardsville’s famed “mountain colony” enclave of opulent summer mansions. The estate’s second owners, W. Redmond and Julia Newbold Cross (Julia was president of the New York Horticultural Society), surrounded the house with lavish English country-style beds and borders. Today, brick walkways meander through a variety of beautiful gardens. There’s a formal walled garden, a shade garden, a mountain laurel allée, borders of ornamental grasses, woodland plantings, and groves of shrubs and trees.
Willowwood Arboretum (973-326-7600), 300 Longview Rd., Chester. Open daily dawn to dusk. Free admission. A stately 1783 Federal-style mansion surrounded by two formal gardens and 130 acres of rolling farmland has been a public arboretum since 1950. This lovely spot was once known as Paradise Farm, but when brothers Robert and Henry Tubbs purchased the property in 1908 they renamed it for the abundance of willows that flourished here. The Tubbs brothers were well-known and respected gardeners in international horticultural circles, and friends and fellow gardeners from around the world introduced them to many of the rare and exotic species that still grow here. Today, more than 3,500 varieties of native and exotic plants, shrubs, and trees grow on the grounds. Walking paths meander through meadows and woodlands blanketed in wildflowers, among displays of lilacs and magnolias, and within theme gardens dotted with antique garden statuary.
(973-326-7600; www.arboretumfriends.org), 53 East Hanover Ave., Whippany. The Haggerty Education Center is open daily 9–4:30; the grounds are open daily 9 AM–dusk. Guided tours from late Apr. to Oct., Sat. and Sun. at 2 PM. Free admission. Matilda Frelinghuysen donated her family’s spectacular country estate—with its 19th-century Colonial Revival mansion and lovely formal gardens—as a public arboretum. The 127-acre summer estate, also known as the old Whippany Farm, is a nationally recognized horticultural center whose English-style landscape attracts both fledgling gardeners and professionals who come here for inspiration. Close to the mansion are flowering cherry and crabapple trees, a marsh meadow garden, dogwoods and peonies, gardens of ferns and roses, and well-manicured perennial borders. An assortment of more than a dozen home-demonstration gardens shows visitors how to design a four-season garden, water and rock gardens, and gardens that feature roses, vegetables, or evening blooms. Nature trails lead into the woodlands and open meadows, where you can see an extensive collection of labeled shrubs and trees, as well as ferns and wildflowers flourishing next to a cypress swamp. The blue trail passes between a long meadow and a cool hemlock and cedar forest to reach the Pinetum, a collection of evergreens from around the world, including pines, redwoods, and spruces. The Frelinghuysen Mansion is the headquarters of the Morris County Parks Commission; the Haggerty Education Center has a horticultural reference library and hosts horticulture programs, art and photography exhibits, and garden and flower shows, including the New Jersey Daffodil Show in April.
NATURAL AREAS Fairview Farm Wildlife Preserve (908-234-1852), 2121 Larger Cross Rd., Bedminster. Open daily from dawn to dusk. A picturesque former 170-acre farm is maintained by the Upper Raritan Watershed Association as a wildlife preserve. A 5-mile network of trails through the property is popular with hikers and birders. The meadows are a rich habitat for deer, fox, hawks, and several species of threatened and endangered animals. Painted turtles and a variety of bird species can be spotted at the pond, and butterflies and hummingbirds are often seen hovering around the gardens.
Scherman-Hoffman Sanctuary (908-766-5787), 11 Hardscrabble Rd., Bernardsville. Open daily from dawn to dusk. A pristine 276-acre tract of forest and open fields is home to more than 200 species of wildlife and maintained by the New Jersey Audubon Society. The Patriot’s Path Recreational Trail links the sanctuary with Cross Estate Gardens and Jockey Hollow in Morristown National Historical Park, and Lewis Morris County Park. A nature store sells an interesting selection of books and gifts, an exhibit room has displays of native birds, and an observation window looks out on the often-busy bird feeding area.
NATURE CENTER Bamboo Brook Outdoor Education Center (973-326-7600), 170 Longview Rd., Chester. The education center is adjacent to Willow-wood Arboretum (see Gardens). Fields, forests, and a formal garden are spread across a 100-acre natural area that once was the home of Martha Brookes Hutcheson, one of the country’s first female landscape architects. She designed the garden here in the late 1920s with native and exotic plants, water features, and a white cedar allée. The walking trails that follow the brook and wind through the fields are peaceful and lovely.
PARKS Schooley’s Mountain County Park (908-876-4294), 91 E. Springtown Rd. (off Rt. 517), Washington Township. Another link in the Morris County Park Commission’s extensive network of open space. This 782-acre park is named for the Schooleys, a prominent Quaker family who settled in the area around 1790. It was a resort area at the turn of the 20th century, then a YMCA camp from the 1920s until the 1950s. There’s a network of blazed trails for hiking and horseback riding; other activities include boating and ice-skating on Lake George, and sledding and cross-country skiing. Kids love the playground and ball fields.
Lewis Morris County Park (973-326-7600), 270 Mendham Rd. (Rt. 24), Mendham. A picturesque community park named for Lewis Morris, who was elected the first governor of the New Jersey colony in 1738. Swimming, fishing, and boating at the Sunrise Lake Beach Club, several miles of hiking trails, and sledding and cross-country skiing through the open fields in winter.
STATE PARKS Round Valley Recreation Area (908-236-6355), at Round Valley Reservoir, 1220 Lebanon–Stanton Rd. (Rt. 629), Lebanon. The reservoir was built in the 1950s to meet New Jersey’s rapidly growing demand for water; the recreation area opened to the public in 1977. Today the 1,288-acre site attracts a variety of outdoors enthusiasts. People can cross-country ski, picnic, and stay overnight at wilderness campsites. Trails are open for hiking, horseback riding, and mountain biking. The centerpiece is undoubtedly the 4,003-acre reservoir, which offers swimming, paddling, boating, fishing—even scuba diving and skin diving.
Spruce Run State Recreation Area (908-638-8572), One Van Syckels Rd., Clinton. A 600-acre multi-use recreation area 4 miles north of the center of Clinton. Most visitors come for the swimming, boating, sailing, windsurfing, and fishing at the 1,290-acre reservoir; there’s also camping and picnicking.
Voorhees State Park (908-638-6969), 251 County Rd. (Rt. 513), Glen Gardner. Former New Jersey governor Foster Voorhees donated Hill Acres, his 325-acre northern Hunterdon County farm, to the state in 1929. Today the 640-acre state park offers picnicking, hiking, cross-country skiing, camping, mountain biking, a fitness circuit with exercise stations—even stargazing. The New Jersey Astronomical Association runs the park’s Robinson Observatory (see To Do—Stargazing), which hosts viewing sessions and programs open to the public.
Hacklebarney State Park (908-638-6969), 119 Hacklebarney Rd., Chester. A couple stories explain the unusual name of this rugged 892-acre forest. One cites the Lenni-Lenape term hackiboni, meaning “bonfire.” Another dates to the 19th century, when the area was mined for iron ore. According to local legend, a foreman named Barney Tracey was oft-harassed by his workers. Their practice of “heckling Barney” might have evolved into the name Hacklebarney. From the parking area, you can hike to the Black River, which rushes past boulders as it slices through a spectacular hemlock-lined ravine, a favorite haunt of local anglers. Even on summer’s hottest days, the Black River Gorge is refreshingly cool, thanks to the magnificent dark green hemlocks that block sunlight from the steep walls of the ravine. This quiet park is home to several endangered and threatened species, including barred owls and Cooper’s hawks.
Stephens State Park (908-852-3790), 800 Willow Grove St., Hackettstown. A 727-acre state park just north of Hackettstown. Remnants of the 19th-century Morris Canal, including one of its locks and part of the canal towpath, can be seen at Saxton Falls. Trout fishing on the Musconectcong River, 6 miles of multiuse trails, and rustic campsites.
DUKE FARMS
(908-722-3700; www.dukefarms.org), 80 Rt. 206 South, Hillsborough. A variety of guided tours are available for the manor house, grounds, gardens, and greenhouses; reservations are required. The greenhouses at Duke Farms have been open to visitors since 1964; it wasn’t until 2003—a decade after Doris Duke’s death—that the public could sneak a glimpse at the world of one of the wealthiest families in history. Doris Duke was the only child of James Buchanan “Buck” Duke, the tycoon who founded the American Tobacco Company and endowed Duke University. In 1893 he began creating Duke Farms, the sprawling 2,700-acre oasis that his daughter inherited, along with his vast fortune, when he died in 1925. Throughout the rest of her life, Duke would be known as the Richest Little Girl in the World. The heiress’s famous reclusion surrounded her with an air of mystery; she was rarely seen in public, even though she owned houses around the world and spent much of her life globe-trotting with the 20th-century jet set.
The Duke Farms Foundation has maintained Duke’s suburban oasis of privilege in the decade since her death, and access to the grounds is tightly controlled. A 700-acre area of Duke Farms is open to the public in a guided trolley tour that winds through the parklike grounds with ornate fountains and statuary reminiscent of England’s beautifully manicured parks. The fine landscaping includes lakes, artificial waterfalls, grottoes, a couple million trees, and meadows and woodlands laced with stone walls and bridges. The grounds are similar in design to New York City’s Central Park, but nearly three times the size. During the winter, the collection of greenhouses known as Duke Gardens is open to the public. The displays are akin to a horticultural world tour, lush with rare and exotic specimens from Duke’s travels around the world.
Lodging
Hyatt Morristown at Headquarters Plaza (973-647-1234; 888-591-1234; http://morristown.hyatt.com), Three Headquarters Plaza. A sharp downtown hotel that’s frequented by business travelers; it’s also a convenient base for visitors coming to see Morristown’s historic sites. The 256 recently renovated guest rooms are each traditionally decorated; all are equipped with large work desks, high-speed Internet connections, CD players, robes, and the like. The two luxurious suites are richly outfitted in luxe fabrics, gleaming mahogany, and over-stuffed furniture, and add such amenities as living rooms and dining rooms, and wet bars. The health club—with an indoor running track, a pool, personal trainers, and massage therapy—is a few notches above the usual hotel fitness amenities. The Eclectic Grill serves contemporary American cuisine in modern surroundings, while Qube Lounge is a popular hangout. Continental breakfast. $129 and up.
The Madison Hotel (973-285-1800; 800-526-0729; www.themadisonhotel.com), One Convent Rd. With its glass-enclosed conservatory, sweeping landscaped grounds, and stylishly appointed guest rooms, this Georgian-style, cupola-topped hotel is one of Morristown’s premier places to spend the night. Its location next to the New Jersey Transit train station makes this an ideal base for visitors from Manhattan and for others not traveling by car. The lobby is at once polished and cozy, especially inviting when the fireplace is blazing. The 185 guest rooms and suites aren’t overly luxurious, but they’re individually furnished in traditional décor and tasteful reproduction antiques. The hotel restaurant, Rod’s Steak and Seafood Grille, serves very good steakhouse fare in handsome surroundings of polished brass and gleaming wood. For a unique treat, dine in one of the elegantly restored turn-of-the-20th-century parlor cars. Other amenities include a fitness center and an indoor pool. Continental breakfast is served near the fireplace in the lobby. $119–369.
The Westin Governor Morris (973-539-7300; 866-716-8117; www.westingovernormorris.com), Two Whippany Rd. The new lobby of Morristown’s Westin is more reminiscent of a chic boutique-style hotel than a link in a national chain. A $15 million facelift has given the 224 guest rooms and suites an urbane polish with thoughtful, luxurious touches. Bathrooms are outfitted with oversized towels, plush robes, Aveda bath products, and dual showerheads. The suites have upgraded amenities like Bose sound systems, plasma TVs, and living-room and dining areas. The beautifully designed hotel restaurant, Copeland, offers upscale New American cuisine, an extensive wine list, a Sunday seafood brunch, and a top-notch raw bar. Everything else has been thought of: a top-of-the-line fitness center, airport limousine service, a pool, and a handy 24-hour business center. There’s a chic new martini lounge, and a cappuccino and espresso bar in the lobby. Service is warm and accommodating, from the bellhops and porters to the front-desk staff. $129 and up.
Best Western Morristown Inn (973-540-1700; reservations: 800-688-7474; www.bestwesternnewjersey.com), 270 South St. Location, location, location is all-important in the hotel business; this one is close to the Morristown Green and a blink away from I-287. Better yet, this Best Western is a cupola-topped Georgian-style building that looks nothing like a chain hotel. The lobby and common areas, with colonial antiques, rich drapes, wall sconces, and a portrait of George Washington over the mantel, suggest a classic country inn. The 60 guest rooms are clean and comfortable, done up in traditional, colonial, or contemporary décor; efficiencies and a suite have spacious sitting areas. Amenities include an exercise room with sauna, laundry facilities, and a restaurant serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily. Continental breakfast. $179 and up.
Hampton Inn (908-284-9427), 14 Royal Rd., Flemington 08822. This standard no-frills hotel is clean and comfortable, a perfectly good option for families or visitors coming to Flemington’s renowned factory outlets. The 83 guest rooms have the expected amenities—cable TV, phone, and air-conditioning. The heated indoor pool, whirlpool spa, and fitness center make this hotel stand out among other similarly priced options. Continental breakfast. $119 and up.
Holiday Inn Select (908-735-5111; www.hisclinton.com), 111 W. Main St. (Rt. 173), Clinton 08809. This Holiday Inn is nice enough, but the little touches are what set it apart from its run-of-the-mill peers. How many chain hotels offer front-porch rocking chairs, lemonade, coffee, and fresh-from-the-oven cookies? Details like these, plus a warm and friendly staff, make this hotel as charming as the historic Victorian town it’s a part of. The 142 guest rooms and minisuites have the usual amenities, plus nice extras like robes, morning newspaper delivery, and nightly turndown service. The country-style Main Street Garden Café serves three meals daily (brunch on Sunday), and guests and locals socialize at Jitterbugs nightclub. There’s a fitness center, high-speed Internet access in all common areas, and an indoor heated pool with Jacuzzi. $110 and up.
INN 
The Bernards Inn (908-766-0002; 888-766-0002; www.bernardsinn.com), 27 Mine Brook Rd., Bernardsville 07924. A charming 1907 inn across from the Bernardsville train station that’s part mission-style hotel, part Edwardian manor house, and part historic American country inn. The décor, service, and amenities are reminiscent of a small European luxury hotel. The antiques-filled common areas are elegant and relaxing, with nice moldings and other historic architectural details lending a charming touch. The 20 guest rooms and suites are up to the same standards: tastefully decorated with pastoral-themed artwork, country antiques, and imported linens. All are equipped with plush robes, stocked minibar, two phones, and large work desks. Then there are the complimentary shoe shines and the nightly turndown service with chocolates. The historic country inn and restaurant is known for its gourmet American cuisine and award-winning wine list (see Dining Out). Continental breakfast is served in the lovely Garden Room. $249 and up.
BED & BREAKFASTS Main Street Manor Bed & Breakfast (908-782-4928; www.mainstreetmanor.com), 194 Main St., Flemington 08822. Donna and Ken Arold’s neat and trim 1901 Queen Anne-style Victorian manor is an elegant gem in Flemington’s historic district. Outdoors are a cozy front porch and beautifully landscaped grounds. Inside is all turn-of-the-20th-century charm and elegance, from the foyer’s crystal chandelier and grand staircase to the formal front parlor with fireplace and quaint side parlor with antiques, books, and sherry. The five guest rooms have an elegant B&B feel, with antiques, handmade quilts, and walls dressed up in florals and toile, plus modern amenities like private bath and central air-conditioning. Each room offers something unique, such as a four-poster rice bed, a stained-glass window, or a private porch. Full breakfast is served in the paneled dining room. $130–215.
Silver Maple Organic Farm Bed & Breakfast (908-237-2192; www.silvermaplefarmbandb.com), 483 Sergeantsville Rd., Flemington 08822. A lovely historic stone farmhouse with a homey vibe that invites relaxation. Innkeeper Steven Noll offers five guest rooms and suites with unique décor inspired by world travels and local history. Outside, there’s a tennis court, swimming pool, hot tub, even resident goats. Full breakfast. $99–175.
The Riverside Victorian (908-238-0400; www.riversidevictorian.com), 66 Leigh St., Clinton 08809. This circa-1870 mansard-style Victorian, which sits a block from the shops and restaurants in historic Clinton, is a warm and relaxing bed & breakfast. The six guest rooms (two can be combined into a suite) are decorated with carefully chosen period furnishings, family heirlooms, and reproductions, and original details like wide-plank floors. One guest room has an ornately carved Gothic-style bed; others have wardrobes, armoires, or fanciful cast-iron beds. Modern amenities like TV, Wi-Fi Internet access, air-conditioning, and phone are in each room, and all but one have private baths. Guests like to gather on the front porch for afternoon refreshments, and business travelers have use of a fax machine and laser printers. A full breakfast features the inn’s signature Irish soda bread. $95–130.
Holly Thorn House Bed and Breakfast (908-534-1616; www.hollythornhouse.com), 143 Readington Rd., Whitehouse Station 08889. Guests are always amazed that this lovely inn, a replica of an elegant English manor house, was once a decidedly unsophisticated cow barn. There are four guest rooms and one suite; some done in light and sunny pastels, others decorated in rich, dark hues. All are outfitted in antiques and amenities that include private bath, phone, desks, and data ports. Guests like to congregate in the massive great room, which has two fireplaces, a piano, an open kitchen, and walls hung with family photos and paintings. A sitting room with leather sofas has a warm, clubby feel. The billiard room has a complimentary wine bar, and the library is well stocked with books, games, and snacks. Outside, guests can relax in and around the in-ground pool, or stroll the herb garden and expansive grounds. The inn is not appropriate for children under 14. Full breakfast. $125–175.
The Neighbour House Bed & Breakfast (908-876-3519; www.neighbourhouse.com), 143 West Mill Rd. (Rt. 513), Long Valley 07853. This elegant Greek Revival–style farmhouse on the New Jersey Register of Historic Places is a quiet and romantic retreat. The house is perched high on a sloping lawn with distant views of the south branch of the Raritan River, and the 3-acre grounds are surrounded by 800 acres of farmland. Unlike most rural farmhouses, it boasts the graceful architecture and charming details of a finely crafted home, from the eight fireplaces and a grand staircase to the folding shutters, heart pine floors, and pocket doors. Innkeepers Rafi and Iris Kadosh offer four guest rooms that are lovely and tastefully furnished. They often host small weddings, as well as businesspeople who are relocating to the area. The brick veranda and the columned porch are relaxing places to enjoy complimentary snacks and refreshments; inside, the common areas are cozy and spacious. Full breakfast. $85–135.
The Raritan Inn at Middle Valley (908-832-6869; www.raritaninn.com), 528 Rt. 513, Califon. A charming 275-year-old inn noted for its use of green technology, from geothermal heating to solar energy. Five guest rooms are outfitted in antiques and luxe linens; all have air conditioning and a private bath, some have a gas stove or spa tub. Outside, the south branch of the Raritan River runs through the property; guests can also walk to the Columbia Trail, a popular destination for hiking, biking, and cross-country skiing. Full breakfast. $139–279.
CAMPGROUNDS Round Valley Reservoir (908-236-6355), at Round Valley Recreation Area, 1220 Lebanon–Stanton Rd. (Rt. 629), Lebanon. Open Apr.–Oct. Reservations are recommended for holiday weekends. Outdoors enthusiasts who want to experience wilderness camping without leaving New Jersey love these primitive campsites at the far eastern shore of the reservoir. There are only two ways of getting here—on foot or by boat—which is just fine, since most people who camp here aren’t fans of crowded campgrounds anyway. By trail it’s a 3-mile hike to get to the closest site; from there, 84 other sites (with fire rings only) are scattered throughout the woods. If you require modern amenities, planned activities, and your car close by, this definitely is not the place for you. But if you savor peace and quiet, and don’t mind hauling in your gear, then this is a real find. Sites $17.
Spruce Run State Recreation Area (908-638-8572), One Van Syckels Rd., Clinton. Open Apr.–Oct. The 67 family campsites at Spruce Run Reservoir are conveniently close to the boat-rental facilities. Sites have picnic tables and grills; modern restrooms and showers are located at either end of the campground. $15.
THE NEIGHBOUR HOUSE BED AND BREAKFAST IN LONG VALLEY IS A METICULOUSLY PRESERVED GREEK REVIVAL–STYLE FARMHOUSE SURROUNDED BY 800 ACRES OF RURAL FARMLAND IN MORRIS COUNTY.
Photo courtesy of Iris Kadosh
Voorhees State Park (908-638-6969), 251 County Rd. (Rt. 513), Glen Gardner. Open Apr.–Oct. Reservations are required for group campsites. Fifty wooded sites for tents, tent trailers, and RVs—all equipped with picnic tables and fire rings. Drinking water, modern restrooms with hot showers, a dumping station for trailers, and a playground are all on-site. Two group camping areas hold 50 campers each. Individual sites $20; group sites $50.
Stephens State Park (908-852-3790), 800 Willow Grove St., Hackettstown. Open Apr.–Oct. Forty campsites are ideal for tents or small trailers. Amenities include fire rings, picnic tables, and flush toilets within walking distance of the sites. Sites $20.
Where to Eat55 Main (908-284-1551; www.55main.com), 55 Main St. Open for lunch Mon.–Fri.; dinner Wed.–Sat.; closed Sun. Reservations are recommended. Chef Jonas Gold’s creative New American cuisine is full of the kind of unique culinary twists that make dining out fun. A recent menu featured tortellini stuffed with Vidalia onion and goat cheese, a salad of grilled Jersey peaches with prosciutto and blue cheese, garlic and lime-roasted chicken, and homemade pumpkin cheesecake. BYOB. $15–26.
Fusion (908-788-7772; www.fusiononmain.com), 123 Main St. Open daily for lunch and dinner. A stylish antiques-filled space serving adventurous Asian fusion dishes with French influences. Foodies rave about and flock to this place for dishes like wok-seared venison, grilled wild boar, and lemon-crusted lobster. All the traditional pan-Asian flavors—tamarind, curry, ginger, garlic, coriander—are well represented. BYOB. $22–32.
Matt’s Red Rooster Grill (908-788-7050; www.mattsredroostergrill.com), 22 Bloomfield Ave. Open for dinner Tues.–Sun.; closed Mon. Reservations are recommended. A restored Victorian where American cuisine is described as upscale comfort food. The kitchen’s creative side emerges in the cedar-planked roasted salmon with a soy honey and pomegranate glaze, and the coconut-crusted beef short ribs. Dessert is a short selection of satisfying endings, from apple-caramel cheesecake to vanilla bread pudding. In good weather, try for one of the sought-after tables on the rambling porch. BYOB. $22–34.
Due Terre (908-221-0040; www.dueterre.com), 107 Morristown Rd. Open for lunch Mon.–Fri.; dinner daily. Contemporary Italian cuisine in an elegant setting. Regardless of what meal you eat here, this is top-notch dining at its finest. The specialty handmade pastas are a must; a variety of tasting menus are also available. Luscious desserts are made in house. $18–35.
Le Petit Château (908-766-4544), 121 Claremont Rd. Open for lunch Tues.–Fri.; dinner Tues.–Sun.; closed Mon. Reservations are recommended; jackets are required at dinner. Le Petit Château is widely considered one of New Jersey’s most elegant and sophisticated hot spots for its big-city-quality fine dining in a well-heeled suburban setting. Chef-owner Scott Cutaneo’s menu blends haute French classics and contemporary dishes. Start with pan-seared foie gras, then indulge in filet mignon or roasted seafood or game. The wine cellar is stocked with a staggering collection of French, American, and international vintages—some 22,000 bottles in all. There’s an intimate bar that’s popular with locals. $23–38.
The Bernards Inn (908-766-0002; www.bernardsinn.com), 27 Mine Brook Rd. Open daily for dinner; reservations are recommended. Chef Edward Stone’s innovative New American dishes are known for their unique French accents, seasonal fresh ingredients, and fine sauces. The elegant restaurant in a romantic Edwardian inn (see Lodging—Inn) is furnished with centuries-old portraits. You can choose from two dining rooms—one plush and sophisticated, the other rustic and handsome with a fieldstone fireplace and gleaming mahogany. Entrées might include slow-roasted Atlantic salmon with sun-dried tomato ragout and saffron gnocchi, or prime tenderloin of beef with polenta and vegetable terrine. The signature crème brûlée and the fallen chocolate soufflé cake are both excellent ways to end a meal. The convivial bar features live jazz pianists in the evening. More than 8,000 French and American vintages in the award-winning wine cellar. $28–44.
The Grand Café (973-540-9444; www.thegrandcafe.com), 42 Washington St. Lunch Mon.–Fri.; dinner Mon.–Sat.; closed Sun. and holidays. Reservations suggested. An elegant and sophisticated dining room paired with flawless French-American cuisine makes for one of Morristown’s most memorable culinary experiences. You can choose from the highbrow opulence and formality of the dining room, or eat outdoors in the intimate flower-filled allée, when the weather allows. Dinner could begin with escargot baked in a puff pastry shell, or mussels in a lemongrass shallot broth. Move on to the New York sirloin steak with asparagus and truffle demi-glace, or roasted Long Island duck in a honey-ginger glaze. Save room for their signature Grand Marnier soufflé. A perennial favorite for more than 20 years. $25–42.
Pazzo Pazzo (973-898-6606; www.pazzopazzo.com), 74 Speedwell Ave. Open for lunch Mon.–Fri.; daily for dinner. Reservations are suggested. This chic Italian eatery is right off the Morristown Green, but you’ll feel like you’re in a sleek Manhattan restaurant once you step inside. The bar is as hip as the young patrons who frequent it. The dining room, with its gold sculptures, modern artwork, and soft light given off by hundreds of candles, is sophisticated and romantic. The menu revolves around pasta, gourmet pizza, and other regional Italian dishes. $26–50.
Mehndi (973-871-2323; www.mehtanirestaurantgroup.com), 88 Headquarters Plaza, Three Speedwell Ave. Mehndi offers some of the best—and priciest—Indian cuisine in the state, and a glam setting to boot. Traditional dishes, ranging from mildly seasoned to fiery-hot, win high marks for authenticity and tops readers’ polls on a regular basis. Next door, SM23 is a stylish lounge where martinis come in flavors ranging from grilled pineapple and cardamom to apple and thyme. If noise and crowds are not your penchant, dine early to avoid the thriving bar scene. $18–35.
The Perryville Inn (908-730-9500; www.theperryvilleinn.com), 167 Perryville Rd., Perryville. Open for lunch Tues.–Fri.; dinner Tues.–Sun.; closed Mon. Classic French and contemporary American fare in a restored 19th-century Federal-style tavern. Today, a series of old-fashioned and romantic dining rooms features cuisine that gets high marks for its elegant touches, artistic presentation, and fresh ingredients. Dinner could start with jumbo lump crabmeat salad with chilled gazpacho vinaigrette, or grilled lamb atop a potato goat cheese pancake. You can’t go wrong with the entrées, but the oven-dried tomato and lobster ravioli and the Maine lobster with bread pudding and vanilla chive sauce are among the kitchen’s signature dishes. Finish with something from the seasonal dessert menu, which might offer hazelnut truffle Napoleon or a caramelized banana tart. $24–35.
La Casa Bianca (908-534-8384; www.lacasabianca.net), 144 Main St., Whitehouse Station. Open for lunch Tues.–Fri.; dinner Tues.–Sun.; closed Mon. For truly authentic cuisine from Italy and the Mediterranean, step through the door of this former post office into a casual and friendly space with trattoria-like charm. Dishes are familiar, delicious, and generously portioned: calamari, seafood, pasta, veal. Tuscan-style brick-oven pizzas are works of art: inventive toppings include broccoli rabe, scallops, and grilled squash. $15–30.
Pluckemin Inn (908-658–9292; www.pluckemininn.com), 359 Rt. 202 South, Bedminster. Open for lunch Mon.–Fri.; dinner Tues.–Sat.; closed Sun. The original inn of the same name welcomed 19th-century guests; today, an elegant Napa-inspired interior sets the tone for exquisite contemporary American cuisine. The kitchen shows off its smarts, and creativity, in dishes like king salmon with chestnut-porcini puree; braised lamb shank with olive puree and gremolata; and sautéed tilefish with sweet and sour broth. They take wine seriously here: more than 15,000 bottles are dramatically displayed in a soaring glass tower. $29–46.
Dora (908-735-4171), 17 Main St., Clinton. Open daily for lunch and dinner. Loyal patrons fill this center-of-town eatery. It has all the charm of a warm and friendly Italian trattoria, complete with local artwork, and crisp blue-and-white décor. The inventive pasta dishes are a must; traditional Italian dishes range from veal scaloppini to chicken Florentine. $15–27.
Shaker Café (908-782-6610; www.shakercafe.com), 31 Main St. Open daily for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. An eclectic spot known for its creative twists on breakfast and lunch café standards (think omelets stuffed with ham, Brie, and raspberry jam; southwestern chicken wraps with guacamole and chipotle mayo). Mexican dishes at dinner. $5–12.
Blue Fish Grill (908-237-4528; www.thebluefishgrill.com), Nine Central Ave. Whether you eat in or take out, this casual eatery is a good place to rest and recharge during a busy day of shopping at Flemington’s outlets. From the menu at the open kitchen, you order your choice of fresh fish, which is cooked on a wood-fired grill. Other dishes range from fish and chips to seafood tacos. BYOB. $8–12.
Max’s Bistro (908-782-5947), 161 Main St. Open for lunch Tues.–Fri.; dinner Tues.–Sun.; closed Mon. A casual bistro-style eatery serving well-prepared Italian classics in the dining room or outside in the sidewalk café. Dinner entrées are divided equally—half feature traditional pasta dishes like capellini putanesca with plum tomatoes, anchovies, capers, olives, garlic, and basil. The other half is chicken, veal, shrimp, and steak. They sell New Jersey wines, or you can bring a bottle of your own. $17–25.
Cloves (973-347-9290), 61 International Dr., Budd Lake. Open Wed.–Mon. for lunch and dinner; closed Tues. A casual Indian restaurant that’s simply and pleasantly furnished with traditional Indian décor. From the dining room you can see the busy glass-enclosed kitchen with its tandoori ovens busily churning out the cuisine known for its exotic and earthy spices in varying degrees of intensity. To start, you can try the hearty lentil soup or one of the traditional samosas, stuffed with spicy ground lamb or a filling of potatoes and peas. The extensive menu features chicken korma, tender chicken in a light and creamy sauce with cashews; tandoori lamb as well as the more traditional tandoori chicken; and the not-for-the-timid lamb vindaloo in a fiery tomato sauce. Vegetarians will appreciate the ample selection of meatless dishes. BYOB. $14–29.
Long Valley Pub and Brewery (908-876-1122; www.longvalleypubandbrewery.com), One Fairmount Rd. (Rt. 517), Long Valley. Open daily for lunch and dinner; Sun. brunch. A beautiful 200-year-old stone barn built by some of the region’s earliest settlers at the foot of Schooley’s Mountain is a lively pub and brewery. Their handcrafted ales—German Valley Amber, Grist Mill Golden Ale, and Black River Brown Ale—pay tribute to local icons. Eat outside in the summer, by the fireplace in winter. The American menu features traditional pub fare alongside creative dishes. Desserts are a collection of homey favorites, from the carrot cake with cream cheese frosting to the deep-dish apple crumb pie and warm brownie sundae. $11–30.
The Old Riverhouse (908-735-4141; www.oldriverhouserestaurant.com), 49 Main St., Clinton. Open daily for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Reservations are recommended for dinner on weekends. A casual café whose terrace is a prime spot in warm weather, with its lovely view of the Raritan River and Clinton’s historic Red Mill. Among the many great salads at lunch, a standout is the Café Salad, made with grapes, apples, toasted pecans, blue cheese, and bacon with mandarin orange dressing. Dinner is dressed up a bit, with satisfying and well-prepared steak, chicken, and seafood dishes. $14–28.
Sally Lunn’s (908-879-7731; www.sallylunns.com), 15 Perry St., Chester. Open Tues.–Sun.; closed Mon. This charming restaurant and Victorian tearoom has been a downtown gem for a quarter century. An interesting selection of light meals includes homemade soups, fresh salads, and sandwiches. For an unusual treat, try the traditional English-pub fare, from cottage pie to cornish pasties stuffed with ground lamb, turnips, potatoes, and leeks. Save room for one of the homemade desserts, especially the buttermilk scones (the recipe is a secret, so don’t ask) that come with clotted cream and strawberries. Don’t leave without browsing through the tea-related antiques, china, and collectibles. $8–14.
Redwoods Grill & Bar (908-879-7909; www.redwoodsgrillandbar.com), 459 Main St., Chester. Open for lunch Mon.–Sat.; dinner Fri.–Sun. They try to make everyone happy here, and according to regulars, they pull it off. There’s light pub fare, plus a long repertoire of steaks, chops, and seafood prepared on a six-foot-long wood-burning grill. In season, the patio is a delightful place to dine. $16–33.
Black Horse Tavern (973-543-7300), One W. Main St., Mendham. Dinner in the tavern Tues.–Sun.; lunch and dinner daily in the pub; Sun. brunch. In the 18th century, this was a busy stagecoach stop; today it’s a charming tavern and pub serving traditional and hearty American cuisine. You might start with smoked brook trout, chilled lobster cocktail, or baked stuffed clams. Dinner ranges from shrimp and lobster scampi to a variety of dry-aged steaks and grilled seafood. Locals frequent the convivial pub, which serves burgers, pizzas, seafood, and snacks, and hosts live music on weekends. $16–29. The Butler’s Pantry Trackside (908-234-9404), at the Far Hills train station, Rt. 202 North, Far Hills. Open Mon.–Sat. for breakfast, lunch, and dinner; closed Sun. A casual spot that bustles with commuters during the day, and packs in families later on for fried seafood platters and interesting specials at dinner. $10–20.
Frank and Sheri’s (973-285-5554), 19–21 Market St. (US 202 North), Morristown. Serving lunch Mon.–Fri.; dinner Mon.–Sat.; closed Sun. Reservations are recommended. A stylish and casual eatery whose specialty is the authentic cuisine of Portugal. Start with alentejana, a soup made with fresh garlic, crusty bread, and a poached egg; or grilled chourico, homemade smoked Portuguese sausage with port wine and brandy. Paella comes two ways—with seafood, or with lobster, chicken, and Portuguese sausage. Among the homemade desserts, their specialty is beirao, milk chocolate espresso mousse topped with white chocolate mousse and Portuguese herbal orange liqueur. BYOB. $16–27.
Basil Bandwagon (908-788-5737; www.basilbandwagon.com), 276 Rt. 202/31. A natural food store and café offering good-for-you vegan and vegetarian dishes. Smoothies come jam-packed with amino acids and antioxidants, by way of organic fruits and veggies. The store has a complete line of health food products and vitamins, as well as fresh produce and organic eggs.
Vienna Bake Shop (908-788-2677), 26 Main St. The warm and sweet smell of freshly baked delicacies drifts out the door of this quaint little shop in the heart of town. They’re known for beautiful special-occasion cakes, but there’s a lot to offer someone wandering in. Homemade cheesecakes, tortes (sacher, mocha, linzer), cookies, and chocolate and vanilla cakes with rich hazelnut butter cream are among the temptations on display.
Lisa’s Deli & Restaurant (908-782-5253), 21 Rt. 12. Open Mon.–Sat. from 7 AM; closed Sun. A good stop for a hearty bacon-and-eggs breakfast, and deli classics like club sandwiches, hot and cold subs, burgers, hot dogs, and salads at lunch. Generous and filling portions, popular with locals. $5–12.
Country Griddle (908-788-8779), 285 Rt. 202. Open daily for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. An old-fashioned family diner that’s extremely popular on weekends. At breakfast, you can choose from the usual morning meal standbys, or go for it with omelets stuffed with goat cheese, asparagus, and other creative fillings. $8–15.
Wasabi (908-238-9300), Five Main St., Clinton. A tiny eatery that gets raves for its top-notch sushi and huge specialty rolls. Most regulars come in for take-out. BYOB.
Coco Luxe (908-781-5554; www.cocoluxepastry.com), 161 Main St., Peapack. Open Tues.–Sun.; closed Mon. Food-savvy locals flock to this boutique French pastry shop for its decadent cookies, cakes, tarts, and croissants. Not in the mood for sweets? There’s a menu of sandwiches, quiche, and soups, as well as espresso and tea.
L’Appetito (973-539-8844), 23 Washington St. Open Mon.–Fri. 7–4; closed Sat. and Sun. Daily soups and specials. Eat in or take to go. This little eatery bustles in the morning with the gourmet coffee-and-pastry crowd hurrying off to work; the breakfast sandwiches are delicious and filling. Lunch is equally busy, with gourmet salads, sandwiches, and wraps. The sloppy joes are a triple stack of ham or roast beef with turkey, topped with Swiss cheese, coleslaw, and homemade Russian dressing on rye.
Dani & Jonny’s Cappuccino (908-735-7737), Three Main St. As you’d expect, you can get a really good cappuccino here, but that’s not nearly all. They offer homemade pastries and healthy snacks, and a full menu of coffees, teas, and juices.
Citispot Coffee and Tea House (908-735-0307), 51 Main St. This heart-of-the-village shop is a good place to start the day, if only for its homey baked goods and excellent coffee. You can also get a good cup of tea or cocoa.
La Sierra Coffee Roasters (908-879-0313), 35 Perry St. A variety of delicious international and flavored coffees, specialty coffee drinks, and yummy treats to go with them.
K.C.’s Coffee Place (908-879-9932), 56 Main St. A gourmet coffee bar that’s fun, friendly, and popular with locals as well as shoppers from out of town. A full menu of lattes, espressos, cappuccinos, and other hot and cold coffee and tea drinks. Coffee-related items and lovely gift baskets for sale throughout the shop.
EntertainmentARTS CENTERS Printmaking Council of New Jersey (908-725-2110; www.printnj.org), 440 River Rd., Branchburg. An arts center devoted to regional artists pursuing the fine art of printmaking. Changing themed and juried exhibitions of original prints and artwork. In addition to the exhibits, many other programs are open to the public, from printmaking demonstrations and guided gallery tours to print-making classes and workshops and the center’s annual holiday sale.
Myhelan Cultural Arts Center (908-876-5959), 18 Schooley’s Mountain Rd., Long Valley. A local arts organization that celebrates the “cultural mosaic of our world,” mainly through art, music, and film. The year-round schedule features art exhibits, concerts, workshops, and an annual independent-film festival.
THEATER Famous Trials Theater (908-782-2610; www.famoustrials.com), 13 Chapel View Dr., Flemington. The kidnapping and murder of aviator Charles A. Lindbergh’s infant son, and the subsequent conviction and execution of Bruno Hauptmann, made for one of history’s most notorious courtroom sagas. The drama unfolded at the Hunterdon County Courthouse in Flemington, where today actors bring the Trial of the Century back to life in a dramatic reenactment. The play is based on original court transcripts, and the 6-week trial is whittled down to 2 hours, making for a dramatic, fast-paced performance. The audience sits in the original public stalls; seats are even available in the jury box. Other historic courtroom dramas and fictional plays are also presented, and tours of the courthouse and county jail are offered. A unique theater experience.
Hunterdon Hills Playhouse (800-447-7313; www.hhplayhouse.com), 88 Rt. 173 West, Perryville. A former 80-acre country estate is a popular professional dinner theater featuring New York–area actors on stage. A full year-round season of musicals, comedies, musical revues, and holiday performances. Dinner is traditional American fare—roast turkey with stuffing, Yankee pot roast, and roast leg of lamb, followed by a buffet of homemade desserts.
Bickford Theatre (973-971-3706; www.morrismuseum.org), Six Normandy Heights Rd., Morristown. Award-winning dramas, comedies, and musicals presented by a local professional company in a 312-seat theater at the Morris Museum. A year-round schedule of performances for adults and children.
Community Theatre (973-539-8008; www.mayoarts.org), at the Mayo Center for the Performing Arts, 100 South St., Morristown. One of New Jersey’s premier arts centers for both local and touring performance artists and companies. A full season with a wide range of offerings: pop, blues, jazz, and classical artists, as well as comedy, dance, theater, symphony orchestras, children’s productions, and holiday shows.
Dover Little Theatre (973-328-9202; www.doverlittletheatre.org), Elliot St., Dover. A longtime community theater group—established in 1933—gives local actors, producers, directors, and volunteers the opportunity to be involved in theater, whether on stage or behind the scenes. Four plays a year are presented in Dover’s intimate 108-seat theater.
Lackland Performing Arts Center (908-979-0900; www.centenarystageco.org), Centenary College, 400 Jefferson St., Hackettstown. When this new state-of-the-art facility opens in late 2009, it will be home to the Centenary Stage Company, a nonprofit professional-equity theater group with a year-round schedule of classic revivals and new works.
Pax Amicus Castle Theatre (973-691-2100; www.paxamicus.com), 23 Lake Shore Dr., Budd Lake. This 200-seat theater was built on the shore of New Jersey’s largest spring-fed lake in the 1940s. When it was renovated in the 1970s, the new façade was modeled after a 15th-century French château, hence the name. The Pax Amicus (Latin for “Peace, Friend”) arts organization, founded in 1970, presents Broadway and off-Broadway revivals and comedies, and children’s productions.
The Growing Stage (973-347-4946; www.growingstage.com), at the Palace Theatre, Seven Ledgewood Ave. (Rt. 183), Netcong. In its early days, the circa-1919 Palace Theatre offered vaudeville and silent films. In the 1930s new works were tested on audiences here before heading to Broadway. Today, a theater group of professional and community actors stages high-quality productions for young people and families here, and has done so for more than 20 years. The season includes Shakespeare’s plays, staged versions of novels, and family classics like Alice in Wonderland and Babes in Toyland.
Selective ShoppingANTIQUES Washington Antique Center (908-689-1900), 44 E. Washington Ave. (Rt. 57), Washington. Antique furniture (primarily 19th- and 20th-century; some reproductions), as well as pottery, art, china, linens, rugs, and collectibles.
Long Valley Antiques (908-876-1333; www.longvalleyantiques.com), 20 Schooleys Mountain Rd., Long Valley. Fine vintage furniture, plus an eclectic assortment of antiques, architectural elements, and reasonably priced collectibles.
Chester Antique Mall (908-879-7836), 427 Rt. 24, Chester. More than two-dozen dealers sell a little of everything here. You can spend a good part of the day attempting to peruse it all, from furniture, antiques, and linens to jewelry, china, glassware, and primitives.
Chester Antique Center (908-879-4331), 32 Grove St., Chester. More than 30 dealers offer an extensive collection of American antique furniture, plus a variety of unique vintage lighting, including oil lamps, early electric chandeliers, and gasoliers.
Pegasus Antiques (908-879-4792), 98 Main St., Chester. A shop crammed with almost everything, from antique clocks and toys to Depression glass, silver, and vintage bottles and signs. A fun place to browse and reminisce.
ART GALLERIES Clinton Falls Frame and Art (908-735-7220), Main and Lehigh streets, Clinton. As the name implies, this gallery is next to Clinton’s picturesque falls. Original works and limited-edition prints by local artists, as well as fine handcrafted furniture, gifts, and framing and restoration services.
Johnson Gallery (908-234-2345), 2020 Burnt Mills Rd., Bedminster. The Somerset Art Association hosts several exhibitions a year, featuring the work of local and regional artists. Galleries, workshops, classes. Call for a schedule.
Grace Fine Art Gallery (973-538-6700), 142 South St., Morristown. An elegant gallery with an extensive collection of American and European oil paintings, with an emphasis on 20th-century impressionists. Four rooms in the gallery display more than 100 paintings.
BOOKSTORES Twice Told Tales (908-788-9094), 14 Bloomfield Ave., Flemington. Marilyn Theile’s bookshop carries a good selection of new titles plus thousands of used books. Trade-ins are accepted. She also runs Moonstone Mystery Bookstore, a bookshop next door that specializes in mysteries, and used and new titles.
Clinton Book Shop (908-735-8811), 33 Main St., Clinton. An independently owned bookstore at the heart of Clinton’s Victorian downtown. They have an impressive selection of books on New Jersey, from glossy coffee-table books with Garden State images to travel guides, books on New Jersey history, and titles published by local independent publishers.
Old Book Shop (973-538-1210), Four John St., Morristown. Browsing the old books, magazines, postcards, and catalogs is akin to a trip back in time. Used books, some rare and collectible.
The Book Worm (908-766-4599), 99 Claremont Rd., Bernardsville. A friendly shop with lots of events and book signings.
FACTORY OUTLETS Liberty Village Premium Outlets (908-782-8550), One Church St., Flemington. Open daily. This is the first factory-outlet village of its kind in the country. A former artisan’s village now has more than 60 shops in an old-fashioned setting, and hosts a summer music series featuring New Jersey musicians. Top designer retailers include Brooks Brothers, Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger, L.L. Bean, Jones New York, and an L.L. Bean Factory Store. The outlets are conveniently within walking distance of Flemington’s downtown restaurants. Next to Liberty Village is Turntable Junction (908-782-7071), another complex of specialty shops, outlets, and eateries at the heart of Flemington’s historic district.
FLEA MARKET Dover Flea Market (973-989-7870), 18 W. Blackwell St., Dover. Open Apr.–Dec., Sun. 9–4. A large outdoor flea market stretching through several blocks in historic downtown Dover.
Schooley’s Mountain General Store (908-852-4943), 250 Schooley’s Mountain Rd., Long Valley. The oldest continuously operating general store in New Jersey. The old-fashioned red-clapboard building with a wide front porch houses a post office and store with a deli, gifts, and groceries.
Black River Candy Shoppe (908-879-1233), 44 Main St. An old-time sweet shop featuring more than 600 varieties of candy—from gourmet lollipops and Lindt chocolates to rock candy and saltwater taffy. Customers love the huge selection of nostalgic candy—when was the last time you had red-hot dollars, candy buttons, circus peanuts, or a Sugar Daddy? They stock them all, plus hard-to-find goodies like chocolate-covered molasses paddles and Fruit Stripe gum. More than 200 varieties of bulk candy can be bought by the pound; other goodies fill nostalgic gift tins.
Mangel’s Homemade Chocolates (908-879-5640), 115 Rt. 206. Since 1959, Mangel’s has been making old-fashioned chocolates by hand using natural ingredients and their own tried-and-true recipes. Today the shelves in this local institution are lined with chocolate-dipped cherries, truffles, and other traditional favorites alongside novelty and seasonal chocolates. Vintage photos of Chester and work by local artists on the walls add to the charm and nostalgia in this quaint shop, which is frequented by many longtime regulars.
Chester Crafts and Collectibles (908-879-2900), 28 Main St. Fine crafts by more than 70 regional artisans are on display in a gallery-like setting. The ever-changing selection of unique handcrafted pieces includes furniture, sculpture, framed art, jewelry, pottery, clothing, porcelain dolls, and traditional crafts.
The Whistling Elk (908-879-2425), 44 Main St. A sophisticated shop with European country-style home furnishings, art, and decorative objects. You can find beautiful antique and reproduction furniture here, but the real gems are the accessories that lend a home its signature style. Luxurious throws, pillows, and bedding; elegant lamps and chandeliers; and scented aromatherapy candles are some of the finds.
Clothes Call (908-879-4130; www.clothescall.com), 58 Main St. Stylish women’s apparel and accessories.
Caravan Traders (908-879-2064), Perry St. An eclectic collection of gifts and home décor from around the world. They specialize in handmade American and European furnishings, from armoires and cedar chests to rustic farm tables, plus a huge selection of high-quality area rugs.
Enjou Chocolat (973–993-9090), Eight DeHart St., Morristown. Check your willpower at the door. The shelves of this shop are lined with all manner of gourmet temptations—some homey and nostalgic, others delicate works of edible art—all smothered in gourmet chocolate. Truffles, nonpareils, chocolate-covered Oreos and pretzels, and chocolate caramel apples by the piece, by the pound, or arranged in a basket for the ultimate gift.
Oldwick General Store (908-439-2642), 57 Main St., Oldwick. A local gathering spot for homemade meals, baked goods, and the morning papers.
Ort Farms (908-876-3351), 25 Bartley Rd. Open daily 9–7. An old dairy farm—in the family for six generations—now grows tomatoes, corn, and other fruits and vegetables for sale at the farm stand. In the fall, look for the enormous pumpkin sign—that’s when gourds, Indian corn, apples, and hardy mums are ready, and visitors can take a free tractor-pulled hayride to the pumpkin patch. Kids love the donkey, goats, lamb, ducks, and other residents of the barnyard.
Valley Shepherd Creamery (908-876-3200; www.valleyshepherd.com), 50 Fairmount Rd. Shop open Thurs.–Sun. 10–5; guided tours Sat. and Sun. From some 460 sheep come artisan cheeses using Old World techniques and recipes. Ask about monthly cheese-making classes. A small shop is stocked with cheeses, wool blankets, and sheepskins. Tours touch on milking, cheese making, and sheep shearing. In the fall, a wagon ride takes visitors to the cave where cheese is aged.
Alstede Farms (908-879-7189; www.alstedefarms.com), 84 Rt. 513. Open year-round, Mon.–Sat. 9–6; Sun. 10–5. A lovely family farm where you can pick your own strawberries, peaches, raspberries, pumpkins, and apples in-season. They grow and sell a staggering amount of fruits and vegetables, from the earliest asparagus in May to the berries, peaches, corn, and tomatoes of summer to autumn’s gourds, Indian corn, and winter squash. Kids love the friendly farm animals and, in autumn, the corn maze and weekend hayrides. The farm store also sells freshly baked fruit pies as well as annuals and perennials.
Riamede Farm (908-879-5353; www.riamede.com), 122 Oakdale Rd. Open daily 9–4:30 in fall. A scenic farm where you can pick your own apples in an old-fashioned 50-acre orchard, take a free weekend hay-wagon ride, pick pumpkins, and enjoy freshly pressed apple cider.
Stony Hill Farm Market and Gardens (908-879-2696; www.stonyhillgardens.com), Eight Rt. 24. Open daily 9–6. Two farms selling fruits, vegetables, and seasonal garden plants. There are 18,000 square feet of greenhouses spread across 40 acres, with the area’s largest selection of orchids (as many as 700 in bloom at one time), as well as annuals and perennials from early spring well into summer. Pick-your-own pumpkins, plus hayrides and a massive corn maze (300,000 cornstalks and 10,000 feet of pathways) in the fall; poinsettias, wreaths, and Christmas trees around the holidays.
Melick’s Town Farm (908-439-2318; www.melickstownfarm.com), 472 Rt. 523, Califon. Open Apr.–Dec., daily 9–6. The farm stand features the bounty of the fields, from fruits and vegetables to pies, apple cider, honey, jams, farm-fresh eggs, and other dairy products. In-season, you can pick your own peaches (summer), and apples and pumpkins (fall).
Donaldson Farms (908-852-9122; www.donaldsonfarms.net), 345 Allen Rd., Hackettstown. Open May–Nov. Pick your own strawberries, flowers, and pumpkins, or simply visit the farm stand for just-picked produce.
Peaceful Valley Orchards (908-730-7748; www.peacefulvalleyorchards.com), 150 Pittstown Rd., Pittstown. Pick your own strawberries in the spring; the farm market sells freshly baked pies and produce from the fields.
Wightman’s Farms (973-425-1727; www.wightmansfarms.com), 1111 Mt. Kemble Rd., Morristown. Depending on the season, you can pick your own apples and peaches, or explore a corn maze. The farm market is well stocked with produce, baked goods, and locally produced food items, from honey to wine.
Special EventsFebruary: Morristown Antiques Show (973-682-4844), at the National Guard Armory, 430 Western Ave., Morristown.
April: New Jersey Daffodil Show (973-326-7600), Frelinghuysen Arboretum, Morristown. Hundreds of daffodils and other flowers in competition and on display. Civil War Era Weekend (908-735-4101), Red Mill Museum Village, Clinton. Union and Confederate reenactors set up camps, demonstrate weaponry, and other period skills; live Civil War–era music.
May: Warren County Heritage Festival (908-453-4381), Oxford. The Raritan River Music Festival (908-213-1100) takes place at various locations in northwest New Jersey. Musicians play at historic venues in a variety of country settings.
June: Morristown Fine Arts and Crafts Festival (973-267-1722), Vail Mansion, Morristown. More than 100 artists and artisans. Bonnie Brae Polo Classic (908-580-0051), Fieldview Farm, Pittstown. Spring Chester Craft Show (973-377-3260), Municipal Field, Chester. One of the top crafts shows in the country, featuring more than 150 regional artisans and their fine art and country crafts, from furniture and handmade paper to watercolors and pottery. Entertainment and live crafts demonstrations.
July: New Jersey Festival of Ballooning (800-468-2479), Solberg Airport, Readington. This long-weekend celebration, which features more than 125 hot-air balloons and some 175,000 spectators, is the largest summertime balloon festival in North America.
WELL-SWEEP HERB FARM
(908-852-5390; www.wellsweep.com), 205 Mount Bethel Rd., Port Murray. Open year-round, Mon.–Sat. 9–5; closed Sun. and holidays. Call ahead Jan.–Mar. The Hyde family’s nationally known gardens boast a staggering variety of herbs and one of the largest herb collections in the country. They grow around 1,700 varieties of herbs here, from common kitchen herbs to many rare and exotic species. There are more than 100 kinds of thyme and more than 80 types of fragrant lavender. Brick walkways meander past a variety of display areas, from butterfly gardens and rock gardens to perennial gardens. The quaint garden shop has dried wreaths, garden supplies, and books on herbs and gardening.
During the day, family activities, live entertainment, and an arts-and-crafts marketplace; at night fireworks and a stunning balloon glow.
Independence Day Celebration (973-539-2016), Morristown. Fireworks, family activities, and a public reading of the Declaration of Independence.
Family Film and Fun Festival (908-284-0121), Flemington. On Wednesdays in July, a family film on the Flemington Green follows live music. Spectators bring lawn chairs, blankets, and picnics.
Morris County Fair (973-285-8301), Chubb Park, Rt. 24, Chester. A traditional fair with agricultural exhibits, horse shows, a petting barn, a pet show, a talent show, hayrides, and kiddie rides.
August: Anderson House Seafood Festival (908-534-5818), Deer Path Park, Flemington. Live entertainment, crafts, children’s rides, and lots of seafood, from lobster and clam cakes to fish-and-chips.
Scandinavian Fest (610-868-7525; www.scanfest.org), Vasa Park, Budd Lake. Entertainment, kids’ activities, crafts, and food.
September: Fall Festival (973-455-1133), Morristown. Community celebration with food, entertainment, rides, and historic exhibits on and around the Morristown Green. Fall Chester Craft Show (973-377-3260), Municipal Field, Main St., Chester.
October: Apple Harvest Festival, Chester.
December: Holly Walk (973-539-2016), Morristown National Historical Park, Morristown. Tour historic homes decorated for the holidays and depicting traditional holiday festivities of the 18th, 19th, and early 20th centuries. Holiday Crafts at Morristown (973-455-0338), at the National Guard Armory, Morristown. Nationally recognized artists and artisans.
First Night Morris County (973-455-0708), on the Morristown Green, Morristown. Family activities and entertainment on New Year’s Eve.