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movie, outdoor, zoo, museum, historical sites, zoo, garden, arboretum, new jersey, free things to do
Where to Find Free Outdoor Movies, Zoos, Museums and more in NJ
 Where to Find Free Outdoor Movies, Zoos, Museums and more in NJ 960 720 Emilie
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You may not know it, but Jersey actually has countless amazing, free things to do this summer! Best part? You don’t even have to travel far from home. Here is a list of all the best free activities to do in Jersey, from the northern tip to the southern end.

1. Outdoor Movies. Although it is difficult to find an official drive-in theater in Jersey driving-distance, there are many free outdoor movies all throughout the state during July and August. njfamily.com has a list of every free outdoor movie listed by county, date and which movie is being played. Take a look to find movies near you! Here are the various movies playing this weekend:

  • Pitch Perfect 2 – Burlington County
  • Purple Rain – Essex County
  • Creed or The Martian – Hudson County
  • Jurassic World – Monmouth County
  • The Peanuts Movie – Bergen County
  • Inside Out – Cape May County
  • Big Hero 6 – Essex County

2. Gardens and Arboretums. What’s better than walking around a beautiful garden or arboretum during the warm, summer months? Below is a list of large, well-manicured gardens that you can find nearby. Admission $0.

  • Presby Memorial Iris Gardens – Essex County
  • Willowwood Arboretum – Far Hills
  • Brookdale Park Rose Garden- Upper Montclair
  • Deep Cut Gardens – Middletown
  • Barton Arboretum of Medford Leas – Medford
  • Frelinghuysen Arboretum – Morristown

3. Zoos. NJ has two awesome zoos with admission free to the public! Check out foxes, bears, a white tiger and even a wallaby.

  • Cohanzick Zoo – Bridgeton
  • Cape May County Zoo – Cape May

4. Museums and Nature Centers. Not only can you find a plethora of museums nearby in NYC, there are also a huge number of free museums right here in Jersey. Take a look at all of the interesting places right near your house!

  • Princeton University Art Museum – Princeton
  • Marine Mammal Stranding Center – Brigantine
  • Warren E. Fox Nature Center – Mays Landing
  • New Jersey Naval Museum – Hackensack
  • Discovery Seashell Museum – Ocean City
  • Fort Lee Museum – Fort Lee
  • Howell Living History Farm – Lambertville
  • Heritage Glass Museum – Glassboro

5. Historical Sites. From Twin Lights, which boasts lighthouses over 300 feet tall built in the early 1800s, to Batsto Village which dates back to 1766, Jersey has many fantastic historic sites!

  • Somer’s Mansion – Atlantic County
  • Drumthwacket – Princeton
  • Batsto Village – Hammonton
  • Twin Lights – Highlands
  • Sea Girt Lighthouse – Sea Girt
national parks, centennial, bryce canyon, yellowstone, death valley, grand teton, zion, olympic, badlands, crater lake, sequoia, denali, great sand dunes, black canyon of the gunnison, redwood, glacier, petrified forest
The 15 Most Beautiful National Parks to Visit Before You Die
 The 15 Most Beautiful National Parks to Visit Before You Die 960 635 Emilie
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Here at United EVENTures we love getting outdoors, and we especially love the United States’ National Parks. This year is actually the Centennial of the National Parks service, so it’s the perfect time to start visiting some beautiful landmarks. Here are 15 of the most beautiful parks to put on your bucket list.

1. Bryce Canyon: Southwestern Utah

Bryce Canyon, Canyon, Usa, Sand Stone

2. Yellowstone: Wyoming, Montana & Idaho

Yellowstone, National Park, Wyoming, Hot Springs

3. Death Valley: Eastern California

Sunset, Death Valley, California, Landscape, Dark

4. Grand Teton: Northwest Wyoming

Grand Teton, Grand Teton National Park, National Park

5. Zion: Southwest Utah

Zion Park, Utah, Mountains, Landscape, Scenic, Sunset

6. Olympic: Northwest Washington

Landscape, Fog, Olympic Mountains, Mist, Countryside

7. Badlands: Southwest South Dakota

Badlands, Landscape, South Dakota, National Park

8. Crater Lake: Southwest Oregon

Crater Lake, Wizard Island, Oregon, National Park, Blue

9. Sequoia: Central California

Giant Sequoia Grove Near Auburn, California, Trees

10. Denali: Southern Alaska

Denali National Park, Mountain, Snow, Peak, Alaska

11. Great Sand Dunes: Southern Colorado

Colorado, Landscape, Scenic, Sand Dunes, Mountains

12. Black Canyon of the Gunnison: Western Colorado

Black, Canyon, Gunnison, Colorado, National Park, Usa

13. Redwood: Northern California

Redwood, Giant, Trees, California, Path, Natural, Tall

14. Glacier: Northern Montana

Montana, Glacier National Park, Lake, Water, Mountains

15. Petrified Forest: Eastern Arizona

Petrified, Forest, National, Park, Arizona, Usa, Nature

 

july fourth, weekend, new jersey, festival, fair, fireworks, independence day, parade
Best Activities in the Jersey Area for 4th of July Weekend
 Best Activities in the Jersey Area for 4th of July Weekend 960 640 Emilie
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Who doesn’t love Fourth of July weekend? Personally, it’s one of my favorite holidays. Fireworks, parades, food on the BBQ, sparklers, lawn games… the list goes on and on. So as we get excited about this coming weekend, we wanted to tell you about the best Fourth of July activities around New Jersey. We can’t wait!

Wildwood Fourth of July Celebrations: North Wildwood has a ton of awesome Fourth of July activities. Start your day at 9 AM with the Independence Day Parade, Yoga on the Beach, or the Wildwood Patriotic Beach and Boardwalk 5k. A free concert starts at 2 PM, and will showcase the incredible Tim McGraw and Hunter Hayes! McGraw is set to start at 8 PM, with fireworks at 10 PM, followed by an awesome after party.

26th Annual Oceanfest: Oceanfest is a huge and diverse festival for Independence Day located right on the Jersey shore. Oceanfest is comprised of live music, tons of food, a street fair, and all kinds of entertainment including dancers, jugglers, magic shows, balloon makers, and much more. The fair will open at 10 am on July 4th, and will close at 10 pm. There will also be an impressive fireworks display starting at 9 PM. This is not an event you want to miss!

Jersey City Freedom and Fireworks Festival: This festival is known for the beautiful fireworks display highlighting Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty, but the Freedom and Fireworks Festival is more than just this colorful display. It features a ton of amazing food vendors, including House of Cupcakes, Dellano’s Zeppoles, Coney Island Pizza and Bacon me Crazy. It also has free musical performances, carnival rides, and children’s entertainment. Fair is open from 1-10 PM.

State Fair Meadowlands: Looking for something to do this weekend before 4th of July celebrations on Monday? Check out the State Fair Meadowlands. Not only will they have a huge fireworks display on Sunday (starting at 11 PM), there will be tons of activities the rest of the weekend. Both days you will find racing pigs, magicians, a high dive show, an open air thrill show, and tons of food, booths, crafts and music. This weekend parking will be $5, with the fair opening at 2 PM and ending at 1 AM.

Ridgewood Fourth of July: If you are looking for something a little more low-key, try going to Ridgewood for the Fourth. This is the 106th year that Ridgewood is hosting a Fourth of July celebration, but this year they will also be celebrating 100 Years of the United States’ National Parks. Flag raising will begin at 9 AM, the parade at 10 AM, and evening activities including Illumination Twirlers and the Patriot Brass Ensemble will start at 6 PM. Fireworks will occur later at night.

 

 

 

festival, new jersey, new jersey beer and food festival, whitesbog blueberry festival, battleship beer festival, sip into summer, washington lake park wine festival, rocks ribs and ridges festival, state fair meadowlands
5 Great Fairs and Festivals in Jersey this Weekend
 5 Great Fairs and Festivals in Jersey this Weekend 960 686 Emilie
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Last week we brought you a list of our top picks for things to do in Jersey for the weekend. This weekend has so many amazing fairs and festivals going on, and we wanted to tell you about all the best ones!

The State Fair Meadowlands. This weekend is the first weekend for the state fair meadowlands! The fair extends from June 23rd to July 10th, however it is closed this Sunday. Saturday the fair opens at 2 PM and will close at 1 AM (although the box office closes at 11:30 PM). Saturday is offering several free shows, including the Steve Bayner Hypnotist Show, Rosaire’s Royal Racing Pigs, Commerford’s Education Petting Zoo, and free concerts throughout the day. The fair also has a huge variety of games and rides. Tickets are $9 for 12 and under, and $11 for 13 and over. It is located in East Rutherford, NJ.

7th Annual Rock, Ribs and Ridges Festival. As the name suggests, this festival is devoted solely to the enjoyment of Rock and Roll and delicious ribs. Both Saturday and Sunday doors open at 11:30 AM, and bands start playing at 12:30. Bands include Kansas, Blues Traveler and The Outlaws, and “ribbers” include Texas Smoke BBQ, Butch’s Smack Your Lips BBQ, Pigtails BBQ and Skin & Bones. Cost of entry is $45 per day in advance, $50 at gate, or $80 in advance weekend pass (tickets do not include cost of food). The festival is located at the Sussex County Fairgrounds.

“Sip Into Summer” Washington Lake Park Wine Festival. With samples from some local Jersey wineries, food trucks, arts and crafts, and live music, the Sip Into Summer festival is sure to be a great event. The festival will be open from 12 PM- 6 PM on Saturday, and 12 PM- 4 PM on Sunday. 21+ tickets are $15 in advance or $20 at the gate, below 21 are $5 each. Visit their website for more information and a list of participating wineries. Festival is located in Sewell, NJ.

Battleship Beer Fest. The Battleship Beer Fest this coming Saturday is aboard the Battleship New Jersey, the oldest battleship in our country, and allows people free access to tour the ship. Gates open at 12:30 PM and the festival ends at 4:30 PM. Tickets are $45 and include 15, 4 oz. samples of local craft beer. The battleship beer fest is located in Camden.

33rd Annual Whitesbog Blueberry Festival. This Saturday and Sunday you can attend the Blueberry Festival from 9 AM to 5 PM at the Historic Whitesbog Village (in Pemberton Township). Each day you will experience festival food, arts and crafts, vendors, food trucks, wagon tours, and live musicians playing everything from country to folk to blues. And of course, there will be blueberry picking and all of the blueberry pastries and foods you could dream of! The festival will go on rain or shine!

The New Jersey Beer and Food Festival. Located at Crystal Springs Resort in Sussex County this Saturday, the festival offers a range of craft beer (over 150 types) and food (cooked open fire style). Enjoy your beverages and meals as you listen to music by  Philly Cover Band and Lima Bean Riot, all while playing lawn games and enjoying activities like hot air balloon rides. Tickets for the festival are $75, but other events include a Chef and Shorts event, Beer and Chocolate Seminar, and Hops and Yoga, all of which occur before the actual festival and each cost $45. The actual festival is from 3-7 PM.

 

 

getaway, weekend, vacation, new haven, connecticut, chesapeake bay, maryland, rehoboth beach, deleware, washington DC, quinebaug & shetucket rivers valley
Best Weekend Getaways if You Live in Jersey
 Best Weekend Getaways if You Live in Jersey 960 623 Emilie
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We all wish we could go on more vacations than we actually do, but work and school tends to get in the way. But here at United EVENTures we believe in getting in short and fun vacations wherever we can. So we comprised a list of the best weekend getaways that are easy to reach from NJ. Pack your bags and head out Friday night, and come back before work Monday morning!

Washington, DC. DC has so many things to do and see, from national monuments, to great museums, to shopping, to trying to find the best cupcake in the city (try the famous Georgetown Cupcake, as shown on the TLC show DC Cupcakes, Sprinkles, or The Sweet Lobby). The best part? Amtrak offers direct train rides to DC from several places in NJ (such as Trenton and Princeton), and the train rides are only slightly more than 2.5 hours long.

Rehoboth Beach, Deleware. One of the most well visited places in Deleware, Rehoboth has amazing coastline. The beaches have great boardwalks, and the city is full of amazing seafood (Henlopen Oyster House and Fins Fish House & Raw Bar are particularly amazing). Fishing is also very prevalent, and there are many great hotels and inns to stay at. Rehoboth is also well known for their Jazz Festival in mid October, so if you can’t go this summer, head over to Rehoboth then!

New Haven, Connecticut. New Haven is the perfect weekend getaway if you’re looking for some outdoor recreation. The city is located alongside the coast, where beaches and boardwalks are plentiful. Additionally, there is a ton of walking, hiking, and biking trails. Or, if you want to see the Connecticut Open (Warm up for the US Tennis Open), come visit between August 19th and 27th.

The Chesapeake Bay. The Chesapeake Bay area has an endless number of things to do. Try visiting Annapolis (Maryland’s capitol) complete with great dining and a view of the city’s waterfront. There are also many historical sites located nearby, like Fort McHenry (which is approximately a 37 minute drive from downtown Annapolis). For more ideas of what to do in the Chesapeake Bay Area, take a look at VisitMaryland.org.

Quinebaug & Shetucket Rivers Valley. Located in Connecticut, Quinebaug & Shetucket is listed as a National Heritage Corridor, and encompasses 35 towns within the valley that help preserve the land. It is a great place for hiking and biking, and also has nearby historic sites and museums. For information to help you plan your trip, visit The Last Green Valley.

 

weekend, jersey, drive in movie, strawberry picking, hiking, tubing, deleware river, princeton festival
5 Things to do in Jersey this Weekend
 5 Things to do in Jersey this Weekend 960 640 Emilie
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With the weather getting warmer, we can’t wait to get outside in our spare time. So we decided to bring you our top 5 favorite things to do this weekend in NJ that will get you fresh air in the outdoors.

1. Go tubing on the Deleware. With the warm weather expected this weekend, why not go tubing on the Deleware River? Just like a giant “Lazy River,” tubing is a fun way to cool down on a hot day (it’s going to be 87 degrees this Sunday)! On the Deleware you’ll hit a few small rapids, just enough to make you speed up through a few sections of the river. However, it’s still very gentle, and the small rapids are easily avoidable. Both double and single tubes are available, as well as different length trips. You can go tubing with River Country Tubing, located on the PA side of the river, or Deleware River Tubing located on the Jersey side. Whichever group you tube with, you can stop for icecream, hotdogs and snacks at The Famous River Hot Dog Man, located on the side of the river and accessible only from the river.

2. Take a hike. Jersey has so many great hikes, and many of us have hiked so few of them! Perhaps my personal favorite jersey hike is Pinwheel Vista, which offers a lookout from Wawayanda Mountain. It’s cool because you get to see so many different things on the same hike. You will start on a boardwalk through a marshy area, cross a suspension bridge, go through cow fields, cross a train track, and eventually, hike up the actual mountain. The difficulty ranges greatly, with a lot of the hike being a casual stroll. But once you hit the mountain, it will rise steeply and quickly. However, it’s still very doable for those who don’t regularly hike. This is a well traveled hiking trail (with everyone from casual day hikers to AT thru hikers) so it’s a good one to do before high schools let out for the summer and the summer hiking season gets really busy. Length: 7.3 miles. Parking: N41 14.084 W74 28.852. If you aren’t interested in Pinwheel Vista, try a hike at the Delaware Water Gap, Hacklebarney Park, or a range of other nearby trails.

3. Go to a Drive-In Movie. While not technically in Jersey, Becky’s Drive In sits right on the edge of Pennsylvania. One of the few drive-ins left in the area, Becky’s has multiple screens and each ticket will allow you to stay through multiple movies. This weekend, screen 1 will be showing Finding Dory and Alice Through the Looking Glass, and screen 2 will be showing Central Intelligence followed by the Conjuring 2.

4. Strawberry Harvest Festival. This is the last weekend for Alstede Farm‘s Strawberry Harvest Festival! Both Saturday and Sunday, Alstede will open at 11 AM and close at 5 AM. Here you can pick your own strawberries or buy some of the farm’s fresh made treats: including strawberry shortcake, pies, fudge and icecream. There will also be pony rides, hay rides, a moon bounce and more!

5. Princeton Festival. Head over to the Princeton Festival in central Jersey. This weekend you can listen to the opera performance by Peter Grimes, or listen to the organ recital by Kristiaan Seynhave. After attending the performances, walk around the beautiful town and Princeton Campus, go shopping, or grab some icecream at The Bent Spoon.

 

 

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