princeton festival

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.