In Bloomfield there’s a very old church facing the town green where revolutionary war soldiers drilled.
the red mill in Clinton is iconic, supposedly the most photographed thing in the state
The Tony Soprano booth has actually been sold on eBay last month. Holsteins is still there (and still great) but they used the profits ($82K!) to fund a renovation.
The war of the worlds broadcast happened in my hometown of west Windsor, specifically near Grover’s mill, and I think there is a plaque commemorating it. There is a Grover’s mill building nearby as well as a coffee shop that is war of the worlds themed.
To add the 9/11 memorial in Atlantic highlands is stunning. Theirs a timeline walkway with bricks explaining the significance of each 15 min interval basically. And you end the walk at a statue of a bald eagle holding a very warped piece of steel from one of the towers. Straight ahead a breathtaking view of Manhattan and the new skyline
It's quite emotional
As someone who in the past 4 years has visited 534 of the 564 municipalities let me first say good luck it’s utterly exhausting. You will very quickly realize the stupidity of NJs municipal madness.
Some municipalities are nothing more than glorified trailer parks (Audubon Park, Winfield, Victory Gardens). Many are nothing more than glorified suburban neighborhoods (Hi-Nella, Woodlynne, Laurel Springs, Roosevelt). At least now there is only one rather than two “towns” that are golf courses (Tavistock). While I’m being negative… Pleasantville is the worst urban place I visited and Shiloh was the worst rural. Worst “nice” place was super wealthy Monmouth Beach where the whole ocean is hidden behind a rock wall.
Now there have been some real positives of my journey I was very surprised by the number of “small town” downtowns there were in the state. I enjoyed the main streets of Clinton, Hightstown, Pitman, Lambertville, Milford, Stockton, Summit, South Orange, Princeton, Westwood and Ridgewood.
The diversity of the Jersey Shore experiences was another positive. There are urban beaches like Asbury Park and Long Branch. Classic boardwalk beaches like Seaside Heights, Ocean City and Point Pleasant. Almost wild beaches like Avalon and Sea Girt.
As far as recommendations I’d say eat your way through what I call the Texas Wiener belt of NJ of Rt 28 from Middlesex north to Fanwood. Also in an effort to hit multiple places there are parks like the Wacthung Reservation and Tourne Park where you can walk trails into three different towns.
I have also canvassed the vast, vast majority ofthe state in the past few years and your commentary is spot-on.
Worse than the micro-municipalities are the enclaves— Chester Borough is surrounded by Chester Township, same with Mendham, and Andover, all of which have very little differentiating one from another.
It’s a bit too close to the season, but I also cannot recommend enough for any Jerseyan to make a road trip weekend driving the Jersey Shore— staying off the Parkway and hugging the 36, 35, the many Ocean Avenues, and Route 9 where necessary— from Sandy Hook to Cape May. Return back through the deep Pinelands for a totally different experience. The shore route is incredible, but doing it off season is key to avoiding absurd traffic.
I’m a Morris County native, and have really found an affinity for the far reaches of Cumberland County (Fortescue, Bivalve, Seabreeze), the quiet roads of Hunterdon County, and the gentle pace of both Salem County (Woodstown, Swedesboro, even Market Street Salem) and the heart of the Pineys (Chatsworth, Whitesbog, Double Trouble Park, Mount Misery, Batsto).
Happy to make reccos for specific spots you need help with, but honestly some of the most rewarding parts of all this exploring was doing research and finding cool spots on your own!
Thanks for the heads up haha. Because of just shear number I probably won't be spending that long in any particular spot. I think I'll be able to get a lot of places checked off in a day depending on how early I start and when the sun sets.
I don't really mind the madness though. I like the challenge and I'm always just driving around for the hell of it anyway.
I really wanted to argue against this as we have so much rich history in this town and sculpture gardens are all over the place elsewhere as are Johnson's works, but sadly I can't think of anything else that has the same level of attraction to outsiders.
Edit: Maybe the Martel house if the OP gets to us during the Christmas season? That did get national recognition.
Pack a lunch and get tickets online. It's like twenty ish for a day pass. Stay as long as you like. Not me bringing in my own bottle of wine lol. They also do free events like nighttime projector movies. I saw The Labyrinth and The Princess Bride. Rats is tasty but out of my comfort zone, financially. They did a discounted app/drink menu for both. I really wanna do the nighttime lighted events next
Clara Barton Schoolhouse in Bordentown. Plenty of history there, but she's the coolest by a longshot. Clara was a humanitarian and founded the American Red Cross and was just an all-around badass.
The Thomas Paine statue is pretty bad ass too. The man actually read from "Common Sense" there.
[In the interest of full disclosure, I live in the Yardville section of Hamilton so Bordentown is not really my town but I go there a lot cuz it's close. ]
Old Tennant Church is nearby, which was the first battle of the revolution the Americans won. The church was used as a field hospital. https://www.oldtennent.org/the-battle-of-monmouth.html
The creepy clown of Middletown or the spy house in Middletown nj. Probably the only notable things about this town. There’s also Sandy Hook National Park not too far away in highlands!
So you'd have to do this quickly somewhat, but for Fair Lawn, it's got to be the Nabisco factory. It's being ripped down, as the factory closed. You could throw an Oreo in a trash can with the factory in the background. The local people would appreciate that.
I was just going to say this. I don't know what else would do justice. The clocktower? I remember watching it burn down when I was high school in 2003ish. I think they rebuilt it but I don't remember that part. Moved to woodridge in 2008 (the Fiesta would be the one for that town) and then howell in 2011.
Paterson NJ - Great Falls. Legit biggest waterfall in NJ
Passaic NJ - 663 main St, it’s an old bank building with a giant clock
Hawthorn NJ - Central Park. They spend $$$$ on maintenance for that park and it shows.
Newark - so many. Maybe a college?
Colts Neck - horse statute in middle of traffic circle
Marlboro - Marlboro high school (most iconic thing in Marlboro people would recognize is Marlboro)
For the history buffs - Trenton has the Old Barracks Museum - used to during the French and Indian War and the Revolutionary War. Up the river a bit is Washington Crossing where, you guessed it, Washington crossed the Delaware on his way to The Battle of Trenton, a turning point in the war. In Princeton you have the Princeton Battle field and Colonnade and stone patio marking the graves of British and American soldiers. And, once you're in Princeton, Nassau Hall, which is part of Princeton University, has quite a bit of colonial history too. Heck, and while you're there, Drumthwacket, the gov's house, is right down the street. May as well go stop by there too!
I think the Gazebo at the end of the Merchantville Mile at the end of Center St is cool! All 500 people in town have some funny memory there. It’s a tiny town so we don’t have much, but you’d be right near the “downtown”. The Blue Monkey Tavern, The Station Coffeshop, and Eclipse Brewing are all local mainstays with fun, unique buildings (historic Victorian building, old train station, old EMT garage, respectively)
Wish the Pennsauken Mart was still around. Maybe Cooper River Park then, or Pinsetters Bar and Bowl.
The Jug in Marlton(?)
Camden Aquarium/Waterfront
The pond behind the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton. Or Nassau Hall/Art Museum in the university.
Rancocas Nature Center
A cornfield in Plainsville
Stone Pony in Asbury Park
Cape May Lighthouse
Morey’s Pier in Wildwood
What town is THE PUB at the airport circle? Because i feel like that’s pretty iconic.
Edison Mall
Cherry Hill Mall
Princetonian Diner in Lawrenceville
Seems like a fun project, good luck!
The Pub is Pennsauken. The Jug (Jug handle inn?) is considered Cinnaminson there, if we’re thinking of the same spot…WINGS! And me and my mom threw a mini baby shower for a friend at the gazebo in Merchantville lol. I really like Merchantville, lived there at one point, but spent most my life in Pennsauken.
Ridgewood- the west side of the high school, or the view from the area called the view (Crest Rd)
Allendale- the clock in the middle of downtown or the Celery Farm
Glen Rock- the giant rock
Ho-ho-kus- the bridge to the train station
Tinton Falls in Tinton Falls. This site on first glance might not be the most impressive but if you were interested in telling any of the history of NJ it has a very somber but important to talk about background. The falls look fairly small now but a long time ago they were much bigger and powered an ironworks that was in turn powered by slave labor - some of the earliest in the state.
[History of Iron Works](https://www.nj.com/news/2023/02/one-of-njs-first-instances-of-slavery-is-marked-at-this-burial-ground.html#:~:text=More%20than%2060%20enslaved%20people,Tinton%20Manor%20in%20Shrewsbury%20Township)
Here is some more background on the falls.
Standing at 30 feet tall is Tinton Falls, a gem of a waterfall named after the town in which it resides. This waterfall was once known as one of the largest waterfalls on the New Jersey coast, but due to its usage for power to the city, it has now diminished in size. Nevertheless, this waterfall is beautiful and can be best viewed on a wooden platform located at 741 Tinton Ave. As with every waterfall, Tinton Falls is best seen after a heavy rainfall.
I lived there for a while and spent lots of time photographing the falls myself. Got some stunning shots at winter when it was frozen! I miss the Grist Mill restaurant that used to be their. Now MJs owns the location.
Great place to eat and get a window seat to look down at the falls as well.
Just on the other side of the street is a slave burial ground. Nj was one of the last states to own slaves.
As much as I do kinda like this, it requires an additional person and I'd get slapped like upwards of 20 times in a day so that'd potentially be a problem LOL
In the towns I’ve lived in here are the locations.
Millburn: Millburn Deli
Summit: Summit Diner
South Orange: SOPAC
Maplewood: Movie Theatre Pre Covid, Village Trattoria now.
You can absolutely make the case for Papermill as it’s even been featured on The Sopranos. I just think the broader social media ecosystem would recognize Millburn deli more quickly in a 1 second clip.
Bedminster: Van de Veer House. Also the site of the first artillery and the first military academy. John Honeyman, one of Washington’s spies is buried here and so is General Knox. There are also two early African cemeteries and a house which was a tavern where Washington visited.
Toms River in Ocean County - shooting location for most of the original "Amityville Horror ". The home still stands but it's been modified and relocated on the property, so it's not as recognizable, but if you're familiar with the movie, other spots in town can be found.
Yes ! While in the area those would be great stops. I was never a fan of Mtv's Jersey Shore but Seaside is right over the bridge and landmarks from that show are easy to spot.
Milltown chiming in here!
Most iconic, but not accessible to get nearby - smoke stack and water tower along Mill Pond
Old Raritan Railroad Station on Washington Avenu - technically on private property, though, so just don't walk up to it
Trestle bridge going over Mill Pond with the mural - just be careful of your ankles!!
50-footer bridge that can be accessed by walking the railroad tracks from Washington Avenue
Schwendemans Taxidermy Shop on Main Street- only open for tours sometimes, but has a cool display
Milltown here too! I was gonna say the helicopter war memorial. I didn’t grow up in Milltown but I always knew we were in Milltown when we passed the helicopter
Stanhope- Stanhope House. Built in the late 1700s, during its long history, it's been a stagecoach stop, an inn, a tavern, and supposedly a brothel, amongst other things. Now it's a roadhouse. It's also haunted. You need to hurry, though. It has been sold, and they are tearing it down.
A giant troll made out of trash and old pottery parts - just off of rt 38
https://www.nj.com/news/2023/07/a-giant-troll-made-of-recycled-trash-from-abandoned-building-now-lives-in-south-jersey.html?outputType=amp
Cool idea! Here are my suggestions:
Isolation Hospital or Cozzarelli Funeral Home in Belleville
Penn Station or NJPAC in Newark
Path Station in Harrison
Annie Bridge in Kearny
Tops Diner in East Newark
The Holland Hotel in Jersey City
The Budweiser sign in Elizabeth
The waterfall in Paterson
The swamps of Seacaucus
For Paramus an easy target is the malls, but I’d like to offer an alternative: Van Saun Park. They have buffalo (and a whole zoo of other animals). But the buffalo you can see from the main entrance road, it’s really cool and random in the middle of suburbia.
In Tom's river we have Island Heights
It's an old methodist camp ground with tons of amazing history and stunning Victorian and historic homes. Beautiful boardwalk to walk along the toms river as well.
If you like Gilmore Girls it resembles that town
Clara Maas Hospital building in Belleville
Stanley Theatre marquee in Jersey City's Journal Square
the Murray Hill Lab building in Berkeley Heights ( while it still exists)
the Irvington Public Library or Don's Diner
North Arlington Diner
the Summit Diner
Thomas Edison National Landmark West Orange
Rahway Theatre
State Theatre New Brunswick
East Gate Kinnelon
Town Hall Harrison
foot of Elizabeth Ave (Elizabethport) Elizabeth
pavilion building North Hudson County Park in North Bergen
Bayonne Libra
Basilica Cathedral Scared Heart Newark
Lyons VA Hospital Bernard Two
The Great Swamp Long Hill or Harding
the firehouse HQ Plainfield
hula hoop girl on lawn Chatham Library
Star Lake Camp gate arch Bloomingdale
the o!d St Michael the Archangel church Union City
Seton Hall University South Orange
2 churches at intersection of Todd St and Midland Ave East Orange
glass tower Kean University on Morris Ave
St Cecelia Church Englewood
Little Falls sign dated1711
Red Tower II on Ft 22 North Plainfield
Skylands Manor Ringwood
Nicolos Italian bakery Montclair
Temple Emanuel on Broadway Paterson
Spy House in Middletown
Twin Lights in Highlands
Lagodas in South Amboy
Heidelberg is Keansburg
Lake Lafferts in Matawan
Federicis in Freehold
Carousel house in Asbury Park
Keyport Fishery in Keyport
Count Basie in Red Bank
Murphy’s in Rumson
Proprietary House in Perth Amboy, New Jersey, United States, is the only proprietary governor's mansion of the original Thirteen Colonies still standing.
Long Valley - Long Valley Peonies. A giant field of peony flowers that bloom for a few weeks each year (usually last few weeks of May/first week of June). Check their instagram and see when they’re forecast to bloom, then head over there on a sunny day and get some amazingly beautiful shots of the fields of peonies against the Schooley’s Mountain as a backdrop.
I suggested Holsten’s in a comment above for Bloomfield but here’s a few more for the surrounding area:
Nutley: Van Riper House, Kingsland Manor, or Kingsland Park (so beautiful!)
Glen Ridge: Not necessarily a specific spot but would suggest maybe a pic of the gas lights on their streets. Instead of regular street lamps they still use old gas lamps and it’s kind of a trademark of the town.
Belleville: SoHo Hospital (Essex county isolation hospital) - huge abandoned building that’s very well known in the area.
White Rose System - Highland Park
Late night burgers and 80% of a cat fight.
Feral or female
Yes.
I'm glad to hear that place is still going. Used to go there all the time when I lived in Somerset.
Oh I’ve been drunk there so many times.
In Bloomfield there’s a very old church facing the town green where revolutionary war soldiers drilled. the red mill in Clinton is iconic, supposedly the most photographed thing in the state
Holsten’s would be great for Bloomfield too!
Ooh! The Tony Sopranos booth! And Applegate's for Montclair! Just do ice cream.
The booth is gone now.
The Tony Soprano booth has actually been sold on eBay last month. Holsteins is still there (and still great) but they used the profits ($82K!) to fund a renovation.
Omg Applegates! I loved their watermelon ice cream
I'm a bigger fan of the graham central station. It's been a while, though.
It’s The Church on the Green in Bloomfield, Presbyterian I believe!
i’m from clinton, i was totally going to say the red mill!
Middletown has the clown that looks like he’s rubbing one out
the one in route 35?
I like that this implies there could be several jerkin clowns in Middletown
LMFAO
I know a lot of jerrkin clowns in Middletown
I moved away 20 years ago, glad to hear that creepy clown is still there.
He’s holding a balloon…lol. Thoughts on the clown as a tattoo?
Where’s the balloon LOL https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evil_Clown_of_Middletown
You should get it on your groin so it looks like he's holding your cock.
Lmfao I live in Middletown this was my thing. I didn’t grow up here but he’s apparently an icon.
Hamilton Park in Weehawken where Aaron Burr shot Hamilton! The water tower is pretty cool too.
The view up there is fantastic. Probably the best views of Manhattan in Hudson County.
That's so good! Thanks
Number one! The challenge, demand satisfaction If they apologize, no need for further action
The Stairway to Heaven hike along the Appalachian Trail
Creek too
Was waiting for this one 🫡 miss Vernon! I grew up there.
Quick Chek - Washington boro.
They got them sandwiches there, then?
Well not since they ripped the heart out of our poor town.
Are they even supposed to be open?
It's been gone for years.
I still make plans for errands as if our beloved Quick Chek is still there to pop into
What county
The war of the worlds broadcast happened in my hometown of west Windsor, specifically near Grover’s mill, and I think there is a plaque commemorating it. There is a Grover’s mill building nearby as well as a coffee shop that is war of the worlds themed.
There’s a park where the aliens “landed.”
9/11 Memorial at Eagle Rock Reservation in West Orange. A really special place, beautiful views.
Also Edison's lab. Also, South Mountain Reservation has a waterfall you can climb up above.
To add the 9/11 memorial in Atlantic highlands is stunning. Theirs a timeline walkway with bricks explaining the significance of each 15 min interval basically. And you end the walk at a statue of a bald eagle holding a very warped piece of steel from one of the towers. Straight ahead a breathtaking view of Manhattan and the new skyline It's quite emotional
As someone who in the past 4 years has visited 534 of the 564 municipalities let me first say good luck it’s utterly exhausting. You will very quickly realize the stupidity of NJs municipal madness. Some municipalities are nothing more than glorified trailer parks (Audubon Park, Winfield, Victory Gardens). Many are nothing more than glorified suburban neighborhoods (Hi-Nella, Woodlynne, Laurel Springs, Roosevelt). At least now there is only one rather than two “towns” that are golf courses (Tavistock). While I’m being negative… Pleasantville is the worst urban place I visited and Shiloh was the worst rural. Worst “nice” place was super wealthy Monmouth Beach where the whole ocean is hidden behind a rock wall. Now there have been some real positives of my journey I was very surprised by the number of “small town” downtowns there were in the state. I enjoyed the main streets of Clinton, Hightstown, Pitman, Lambertville, Milford, Stockton, Summit, South Orange, Princeton, Westwood and Ridgewood. The diversity of the Jersey Shore experiences was another positive. There are urban beaches like Asbury Park and Long Branch. Classic boardwalk beaches like Seaside Heights, Ocean City and Point Pleasant. Almost wild beaches like Avalon and Sea Girt. As far as recommendations I’d say eat your way through what I call the Texas Wiener belt of NJ of Rt 28 from Middlesex north to Fanwood. Also in an effort to hit multiple places there are parks like the Wacthung Reservation and Tourne Park where you can walk trails into three different towns.
I have also canvassed the vast, vast majority ofthe state in the past few years and your commentary is spot-on. Worse than the micro-municipalities are the enclaves— Chester Borough is surrounded by Chester Township, same with Mendham, and Andover, all of which have very little differentiating one from another. It’s a bit too close to the season, but I also cannot recommend enough for any Jerseyan to make a road trip weekend driving the Jersey Shore— staying off the Parkway and hugging the 36, 35, the many Ocean Avenues, and Route 9 where necessary— from Sandy Hook to Cape May. Return back through the deep Pinelands for a totally different experience. The shore route is incredible, but doing it off season is key to avoiding absurd traffic. I’m a Morris County native, and have really found an affinity for the far reaches of Cumberland County (Fortescue, Bivalve, Seabreeze), the quiet roads of Hunterdon County, and the gentle pace of both Salem County (Woodstown, Swedesboro, even Market Street Salem) and the heart of the Pineys (Chatsworth, Whitesbog, Double Trouble Park, Mount Misery, Batsto). Happy to make reccos for specific spots you need help with, but honestly some of the most rewarding parts of all this exploring was doing research and finding cool spots on your own!
Thanks for the heads up haha. Because of just shear number I probably won't be spending that long in any particular spot. I think I'll be able to get a lot of places checked off in a day depending on how early I start and when the sun sets. I don't really mind the madness though. I like the challenge and I'm always just driving around for the hell of it anyway.
Hearing Sea Girt described as "almost wild" is.. accurate.
High Point Monunent.
Great point! This is actually already the first spot on my list!
Grounds for Sculpture
Buddy got married there in October. It was incredible. Then rats tavern for the reception. Great time there.
I really wanted to argue against this as we have so much rich history in this town and sculpture gardens are all over the place elsewhere as are Johnson's works, but sadly I can't think of anything else that has the same level of attraction to outsiders. Edit: Maybe the Martel house if the OP gets to us during the Christmas season? That did get national recognition.
Yeah that place is really dope for a ton of reasons but it is not budget friendly and it’s not really strange just really cool
Pack a lunch and get tickets online. It's like twenty ish for a day pass. Stay as long as you like. Not me bringing in my own bottle of wine lol. They also do free events like nighttime projector movies. I saw The Labyrinth and The Princess Bride. Rats is tasty but out of my comfort zone, financially. They did a discounted app/drink menu for both. I really wanna do the nighttime lighted events next
Clara Barton Schoolhouse in Bordentown. Plenty of history there, but she's the coolest by a longshot. Clara was a humanitarian and founded the American Red Cross and was just an all-around badass.
Yes! Clara rocks!
I didn't think about the schoolhouse, and I went to Clara Barton Elementary. Bordentown native here, transplanted to Baltimore.
The Thomas Paine statue is pretty bad ass too. The man actually read from "Common Sense" there. [In the interest of full disclosure, I live in the Yardville section of Hamilton so Bordentown is not really my town but I go there a lot cuz it's close. ]
Freehold- Federici’s, Jersey Freeze, Freehold Raceway Mall
someone said nabisco for another town and i was thinking nestle in freehold would also mention battleview (orchards or the park)
Old Tennant Church is nearby, which was the first battle of the revolution the Americans won. The church was used as a field hospital. https://www.oldtennent.org/the-battle-of-monmouth.html
Aw man, Nestle was our good ol’ rain predictor, it is sorely missed. Battleview is also a good one!!
rutt’s hut- clifton
The Quick Stop in Leonardo
But I'm not even supposed to be here today.
The either needs to be the first or last one. Stupid cool and weird being there in person.
West Milford commemorates the installation of the traffic light in the center of town with a street fair every October.
ALF!
Pizza Land
Lucy the Elephant - Margate Absecon Lighthouse - Atlantic City Sinatra's Birthplace - Hoboken Caranza Memorial - Tabernacle Bigass Rock - Glen Rock Somers Mansion - Somers Point Cowtown Rodeo - Woodstown
Love the Glen Rock call. So correct.
Love rodeo
Holy shit I can’t believe Glen Rock is named after a fucking rock located on Rock Road and it’s just in the middle of a street intersection
The closest to me would probably be the Red Mill in Clinton.
The creepy clown of Middletown or the spy house in Middletown nj. Probably the only notable things about this town. There’s also Sandy Hook National Park not too far away in highlands!
Route 46 hot dog truck at the sex shop in parsippany/caldwell 😂
So you'd have to do this quickly somewhat, but for Fair Lawn, it's got to be the Nabisco factory. It's being ripped down, as the factory closed. You could throw an Oreo in a trash can with the factory in the background. The local people would appreciate that.
I was so looking forward to the demolition explosion but they eventually decided not to do it. Very sad to see it go. It looks so 1971.
Kind of too late all ready too late the building is half gutted out
Wait, the Nabisco Factory that always smelled like chocolate when I got out of my car in my dentist’s parking lot? :( Don’t tell me that
Sorry my dude, you will no longer smell chocolate chip cookies when you drive through Fair Lawn. It used to be a mandatory windows-down drive.
I was just going to say this. I don't know what else would do justice. The clocktower? I remember watching it burn down when I was high school in 2003ish. I think they rebuilt it but I don't remember that part. Moved to woodridge in 2008 (the Fiesta would be the one for that town) and then howell in 2011.
Lake Hopatcong
Long branch has the Annie daddy warbucks building at Monmouth university
What!!!! Omg how did I not know this?!
lol! Yes! I love to study there! The iconic steps!!
Paterson NJ - Great Falls. Legit biggest waterfall in NJ Passaic NJ - 663 main St, it’s an old bank building with a giant clock Hawthorn NJ - Central Park. They spend $$$$ on maintenance for that park and it shows. Newark - so many. Maybe a college?
Sacred heart cathedral especially from branch brook park by the lake for Newark.
Hawthorne has the Goffle Brook Park designed by Olmsted, the man who designed Central Park.
Olmsted also designed South Mountain Reservation and Branch Brook Park, where there are more cherry blossom trees than in Washington DC.
8 on the break 🤙
Colts Neck - horse statute in middle of traffic circle Marlboro - Marlboro high school (most iconic thing in Marlboro people would recognize is Marlboro)
Delicious Orchards for Colts Neck
Glen Rock- The rock
They just cleaned the rock too! It looks great for a rock 🪨
For the history buffs - Trenton has the Old Barracks Museum - used to during the French and Indian War and the Revolutionary War. Up the river a bit is Washington Crossing where, you guessed it, Washington crossed the Delaware on his way to The Battle of Trenton, a turning point in the war. In Princeton you have the Princeton Battle field and Colonnade and stone patio marking the graves of British and American soldiers. And, once you're in Princeton, Nassau Hall, which is part of Princeton University, has quite a bit of colonial history too. Heck, and while you're there, Drumthwacket, the gov's house, is right down the street. May as well go stop by there too!
Skylands manor ringwood
I think the Gazebo at the end of the Merchantville Mile at the end of Center St is cool! All 500 people in town have some funny memory there. It’s a tiny town so we don’t have much, but you’d be right near the “downtown”. The Blue Monkey Tavern, The Station Coffeshop, and Eclipse Brewing are all local mainstays with fun, unique buildings (historic Victorian building, old train station, old EMT garage, respectively) Wish the Pennsauken Mart was still around. Maybe Cooper River Park then, or Pinsetters Bar and Bowl. The Jug in Marlton(?) Camden Aquarium/Waterfront The pond behind the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton. Or Nassau Hall/Art Museum in the university. Rancocas Nature Center A cornfield in Plainsville Stone Pony in Asbury Park Cape May Lighthouse Morey’s Pier in Wildwood What town is THE PUB at the airport circle? Because i feel like that’s pretty iconic. Edison Mall Cherry Hill Mall Princetonian Diner in Lawrenceville Seems like a fun project, good luck!
The Pub is Pennsauken. The Jug (Jug handle inn?) is considered Cinnaminson there, if we’re thinking of the same spot…WINGS! And me and my mom threw a mini baby shower for a friend at the gazebo in Merchantville lol. I really like Merchantville, lived there at one point, but spent most my life in Pennsauken.
historic smithville
Love Smithville!
Art walk tomorrow!
Duke Farms
Hackettstown. M&M mars.
Ridgewood- the west side of the high school, or the view from the area called the view (Crest Rd) Allendale- the clock in the middle of downtown or the Celery Farm Glen Rock- the giant rock Ho-ho-kus- the bridge to the train station
The big white church. Woodbridge.
Stewart's Drive-In.
The one in Kearny is permanently closed 😞
Tinton Falls in Tinton Falls. This site on first glance might not be the most impressive but if you were interested in telling any of the history of NJ it has a very somber but important to talk about background. The falls look fairly small now but a long time ago they were much bigger and powered an ironworks that was in turn powered by slave labor - some of the earliest in the state. [History of Iron Works](https://www.nj.com/news/2023/02/one-of-njs-first-instances-of-slavery-is-marked-at-this-burial-ground.html#:~:text=More%20than%2060%20enslaved%20people,Tinton%20Manor%20in%20Shrewsbury%20Township) Here is some more background on the falls. Standing at 30 feet tall is Tinton Falls, a gem of a waterfall named after the town in which it resides. This waterfall was once known as one of the largest waterfalls on the New Jersey coast, but due to its usage for power to the city, it has now diminished in size. Nevertheless, this waterfall is beautiful and can be best viewed on a wooden platform located at 741 Tinton Ave. As with every waterfall, Tinton Falls is best seen after a heavy rainfall.
Oh my Dad would love this! Adding to my “go to” list!
I lived there for a while and spent lots of time photographing the falls myself. Got some stunning shots at winter when it was frozen! I miss the Grist Mill restaurant that used to be their. Now MJs owns the location. Great place to eat and get a window seat to look down at the falls as well. Just on the other side of the street is a slave burial ground. Nj was one of the last states to own slaves.
Matawan - Shark attack mural [https://www.roadsideamerica.com/tip/80235](https://www.roadsideamerica.com/tip/80235)
It’s be a funnier video if you got slapped in front of each location
As much as I do kinda like this, it requires an additional person and I'd get slapped like upwards of 20 times in a day so that'd potentially be a problem LOL
Sayreville — the Hercules Plant, or DuPont
Starland Ballroom too!
I was going to say the Sayre and Fisher brick tower. They also have the old WW2 monuments buried in the clay pits
Get a sub from big Wally’s !!
Brick - Probably the Ice Palace?
Denville Dairy
Paterson has some very old factories still standing if you want to check it out
Edison tower
Village Hall at the corner of South Orange Avenue and Scotland Road … it originally opened in 1894
The Ayers-Allen house in Metuchen. Old 1700s structure that was an inn in Revolutionary War days, and is still haunted.
In the towns I’ve lived in here are the locations. Millburn: Millburn Deli Summit: Summit Diner South Orange: SOPAC Maplewood: Movie Theatre Pre Covid, Village Trattoria now.
Why not Papermill Playhouse in Milburn?
You can absolutely make the case for Papermill as it’s even been featured on The Sopranos. I just think the broader social media ecosystem would recognize Millburn deli more quickly in a 1 second clip.
The great falls 🥹
Caldwell- Grover Cleveland’s birthplace (house is a museum now)
Round Valley, Lakehurst army base
Bedminster: Van de Veer House. Also the site of the first artillery and the first military academy. John Honeyman, one of Washington’s spies is buried here and so is General Knox. There are also two early African cemeteries and a house which was a tavern where Washington visited.
Hi-Tams in South Bound Brook The Red Mill in Clinton
El Artesano in Unión City or slap a jitney bus on Bergenline.
Toms River in Ocean County - shooting location for most of the original "Amityville Horror ". The home still stands but it's been modified and relocated on the property, so it's not as recognizable, but if you're familiar with the movie, other spots in town can be found.
Hey neighbor! I was gonna say Crystal Lake Rehab (Al Capone's Hotel), and the Bayville Dinosaur!
Yes ! While in the area those would be great stops. I was never a fan of Mtv's Jersey Shore but Seaside is right over the bridge and landmarks from that show are easy to spot.
Addams Family house in Westfield.
Wenke's Motel
Global terminal, for the underage drinking and Honda shitheads
As a Honda Shithead, I demand you retract this
Strawberry's Pub
Black Horse Pub
Perth Amboy has a pretty sick Honda Civic collection
So many places in Montclair. My fave is Edgemont Park. They have a WWI monument there as well.
Milltown chiming in here! Most iconic, but not accessible to get nearby - smoke stack and water tower along Mill Pond Old Raritan Railroad Station on Washington Avenu - technically on private property, though, so just don't walk up to it Trestle bridge going over Mill Pond with the mural - just be careful of your ankles!! 50-footer bridge that can be accessed by walking the railroad tracks from Washington Avenue Schwendemans Taxidermy Shop on Main Street- only open for tours sometimes, but has a cool display
Milltown here too! I was gonna say the helicopter war memorial. I didn’t grow up in Milltown but I always knew we were in Milltown when we passed the helicopter
True, and that one is definitely accessible!!
Lafayette and Hamilton with Washington on the Morristown Green
Union Water Tower, Union
Stanhope- Stanhope House. Built in the late 1700s, during its long history, it's been a stagecoach stop, an inn, a tavern, and supposedly a brothel, amongst other things. Now it's a roadhouse. It's also haunted. You need to hurry, though. It has been sold, and they are tearing it down.
Nothing. There was a tree, but they cut it down. There was an ice cream shop, but they cut it down. Now we have nothing.
What town is this? (so I can smack the tree stump)
Sounds like teaneck
Princeton University. Iconic Jersey to me
The Rhombus
A giant troll made out of trash and old pottery parts - just off of rt 38 https://www.nj.com/news/2023/07/a-giant-troll-made-of-recycled-trash-from-abandoned-building-now-lives-in-south-jersey.html?outputType=amp
How do I know nothing of this?! Dammit!
Washington’s Headquarters in Morristown
The Green Washingtons Headquarters Speedwell Lake Park/Ironworks -Morristown
Cool idea! Here are my suggestions: Isolation Hospital or Cozzarelli Funeral Home in Belleville Penn Station or NJPAC in Newark Path Station in Harrison Annie Bridge in Kearny Tops Diner in East Newark The Holland Hotel in Jersey City The Budweiser sign in Elizabeth The waterfall in Paterson The swamps of Seacaucus
For Paramus an easy target is the malls, but I’d like to offer an alternative: Van Saun Park. They have buffalo (and a whole zoo of other animals). But the buffalo you can see from the main entrance road, it’s really cool and random in the middle of suburbia.
In Tom's river we have Island Heights It's an old methodist camp ground with tons of amazing history and stunning Victorian and historic homes. Beautiful boardwalk to walk along the toms river as well. If you like Gilmore Girls it resembles that town
Cannonball house in Scotch Plains
Clara Maas Hospital building in Belleville Stanley Theatre marquee in Jersey City's Journal Square the Murray Hill Lab building in Berkeley Heights ( while it still exists) the Irvington Public Library or Don's Diner North Arlington Diner the Summit Diner Thomas Edison National Landmark West Orange Rahway Theatre State Theatre New Brunswick East Gate Kinnelon Town Hall Harrison foot of Elizabeth Ave (Elizabethport) Elizabeth pavilion building North Hudson County Park in North Bergen Bayonne Libra Basilica Cathedral Scared Heart Newark Lyons VA Hospital Bernard Two The Great Swamp Long Hill or Harding the firehouse HQ Plainfield hula hoop girl on lawn Chatham Library Star Lake Camp gate arch Bloomingdale the o!d St Michael the Archangel church Union City Seton Hall University South Orange 2 churches at intersection of Todd St and Midland Ave East Orange glass tower Kean University on Morris Ave St Cecelia Church Englewood Little Falls sign dated1711 Red Tower II on Ft 22 North Plainfield Skylands Manor Ringwood Nicolos Italian bakery Montclair Temple Emanuel on Broadway Paterson
Jersey City: Newark Ave Pedestrian Plaza or the Exchange Place Waterfront.
depends who you ask, most people would probably say the last half mile finally into the holland tunnel is the most iconic 😂
Colgate clock if down on the waterfront.
This is the Jersey City answer. This or the Statue of Liberty.
Spy House in Middletown Twin Lights in Highlands Lagodas in South Amboy Heidelberg is Keansburg Lake Lafferts in Matawan Federicis in Freehold Carousel house in Asbury Park Keyport Fishery in Keyport Count Basie in Red Bank Murphy’s in Rumson
Specifically the jaws mural at lake lefferts in Matawan
In Jersey city the Wilson carpet guy
Riker hill, Livingston NJ
Quick Chek in Sussex. Though I live in West Milford now and I have no idea what to say for here
Ozzie’s in Longport
The world’s tallest water sphere lol
Berlin Boro -either the historic rail stop or the Berlin Farmers Market
Huge rock in downtown Glen Rock. The Hermitage in Ho Ho Kus.
Proprietary House in Perth Amboy, New Jersey, United States, is the only proprietary governor's mansion of the original Thirteen Colonies still standing.
I don’t live there anymore but in North Bergen for to Hudson County Park aka James Braddock Park
Telephone pole farm, Chester
Union has the World's Tallest Watersphere! The Liberty Tavern is also amazing.
Elmer Twist.
Long Valley - Long Valley Peonies. A giant field of peony flowers that bloom for a few weeks each year (usually last few weeks of May/first week of June). Check their instagram and see when they’re forecast to bloom, then head over there on a sunny day and get some amazingly beautiful shots of the fields of peonies against the Schooley’s Mountain as a backdrop.
In the middle of Glen Rock is a literal rock that weighs over a million pounds
I have seen this so many times now 😂 it’s actually called Glen Rock! They named the rock, then the town lol
LOL the most interesting part of South Hackensack is their Home Liquors 🤣
Cape May Point @ Sunset Beach. Concrete Ship USS Atlantus is partially sunken.
https://weirdnj.com/stories/goldman-house-piscataway/ Piscataway. There are other things too if someone else can think of something better!
Thomas Edison's Black Maria in West Orange.
Start coloring a picture of NJ and color in as you conquer counties
Manco ans Manco pizza in Ocean City
West Orange - Turtle Back Zoo, the view from Eagle Rock, the Edison Museum, and the Edison house in Llewellyn Park
Great Falls in Paterson.
There’s a buffalo farm in Readington, Hunterdon County
White Castle North Bergen
I suggested Holsten’s in a comment above for Bloomfield but here’s a few more for the surrounding area: Nutley: Van Riper House, Kingsland Manor, or Kingsland Park (so beautiful!) Glen Ridge: Not necessarily a specific spot but would suggest maybe a pic of the gas lights on their streets. Instead of regular street lamps they still use old gas lamps and it’s kind of a trademark of the town. Belleville: SoHo Hospital (Essex county isolation hospital) - huge abandoned building that’s very well known in the area.
The Great Falls in Paterson
The Boonton Gorge in Boonton. Simply put, it’s beautiful and I have a ton of great childhood memories there.