October 2024: Fall Day Trips | New Jersey Monthly

October 2024: Fall Day Trips

There’s nothing like a beautiful, crisp fall day spent outside in the Garden State. That’s why our October issue is dedicated to fall day trips throughout New Jersey. Right now is the perfect time to set out in your car to explore a part of New Jersey that is simply wonderful during this time of year.

We highlight several day-trip ideas that span the state, from Fort Lee Historic Park and Museum in Bergen County all the way to Beach Plum Farm in West Cape May.

Have you ever spent a day at Grounds for Sculpture exploring the beautiful grounds and the larger-than-life art? Perhaps. But have you ever gone on one of the park’s eye-opening behind-the-scenes tours? Find out all about how the sculptures at this wonderland are created, and book your own tour now. If you love to bike, head to Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park, a 70-mile-long linear park that crosses five counties (Middlesex, Mercer, Burlington, Somerset and Hunterdon) and 32 towns and is a bona fide biker’s paradise. There are plenty of great places to stop along the way as well.

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GARDEN VARIETY

luna parc

Welcome to the Quirkiest Home in New Jersey

Luna Parc, the Sandyston home of artist Ricky Boscarino, is full of kitsch and whimsy, inside and out.

The Alonzo F. Bonsal Wildlife Preserve is on the Clifton/Montclair border.

Bonsal Wildlife Preserve is a Hidden Gem on the Clifton-Montclair Border

The 21-acre Alonzo F. Bonsal Wildlife Preserve has a rich array of native plants, animal life and walking paths, and is celebrating 50 years.

Chloe Troast

Chloe Troast Says NJ Roots Helped Launch Her Comedy Career

This week, news broke that Chloe Troast would not return to SNL for the upcoming 50th season.

Woman in black dress in graveyard

‘Pastries With the Dead’: How Cemeteries Became a Source of Solace for This NJ Writer

Katie Calautti, who chronicles her cemetery trips on Instagram and Substack, says she’s tapping into the “death-positivity movement.”

Table to Table volunteers

NJ’s First Food-Rescue Nonprofit Celebrates 25 Years of Feeding the Hungry

Table to Table has served millions of meals using food that would otherwise have been wasted. Its easy-to-use app allows for super-flexible volunteer opportunities.

Poet Patrick Rosal reads from his book "The Last Thing."

Dodge Poetry Festival Returning to Newark This October

The largest poetry event in the country will draw thousands of creatives to NJPAC for performances, panels and other activities.

Ronald Reagan

Remembering Ronald Reagan’s 1984 Visit to NJ—and His ‘Born in the U.S.A.’ Blunder

A new biopic and a book about former president Reagan fail to mention his gaffe about “Born in the U.S.A” on a campaign stop in New Jersey.

Woman in trench coat and jeans

Everyday Luxury: Build a Chic Wardrobe With Just a Few Basics

These hardworking staples go a long way!

FEATURES

Collage illustration showing various symbols of Hackensack, New Jersey, in popular culture, including Billy Joel and Superman

Why Hackensack Is the Most Name-Dropped NJ City in Music, Movies and TV

The “city in the shadow of the city” is referenced in Billy Joel lyrics, Superman and so much more.

The Prallsville Mills along the Delaware River in Stockton.

The Best Fall Day Trips in New Jersey

Autumn is all about exploring the Garden State’s outdoor pleasures—from a peaceful biker’s paradise to the charms of West Cape May’s Beach Plum Farm.

bikers on a wooden bridge in a park with fall foliage

D&R Canal State Park Is a Peaceful Biker’s Paradise

Delaware & Raritan Canal State Park is a 70-mile-long, car-free nature preserve, with historic towns to stop at along the way.

Entrance of corn maze

New Jersey Fall Festivals and Fairs You Won’t Want to Miss

From Oktoberfest celebrations to family-friendly events, the Garden State has a plethora of fun fall happenings.

A giant ceramic piece at Grounds for Sculpture in Hamilton

Go Behind the Scenes at Grounds for Sculpture’s State-of-the-Art Workshop

Inside the creative wellspring of Grounds for Sculpture in Hamilton.

Beach Plum Farm in Cape May in the fall

Why You Must Visit West Cape May’s Beach Plum Farm This Fall

Pick pumpkins, produce and flowers. Visit the animals. Enjoy a meal made with locally harvested ingredients.

A scene along Moorestown Historical Society’s annual ghost tour

These New Jersey Ghost Tours Are a Scary Good Time

Head to Asbury Park, Princeton and Moorestown for a fright—and a history lesson.

The Ford Mansion in Morristown

Peep Fall Foliage at NJ’s Revolutionary-War Sites

Walk in the footsteps of George Washington and his tenacious Continental Army.

Illustration depicting deer leaping off of a deer-crossing side and crossing a road via an overpass

New Jersey’s Animal Crossings Protect Our Wildlife From Dangerous Traffic

Elevated overpasses and tunnels allow turtles, snakes, frogs, raccoons, foxes and more to reach their destinations unharmed.

A diamond terrapin in Stone Harbor

How Jersey Shore Scientists Rescue Thousands of Terrapin Turtles

Biologists from the Stone Harbor-based Wetlands Institute crafted a robust program to protect diamondback terrapins and their eggs.

HOME & GARDEN

A colorful, heavily patterned bedroom in a Lumberton home

18th-Century Lumberton Farmhouse Gets an Eclectic Makeover

A redesign of this Revolutionary-era home is respectful of the past while acknowledging a modern lifestyle.

EAT & DRINK

Herb-crusted cod at F1rst in Hawthorne

F1rst in Hawthorne Is a First-Class Dining Experience

Chef Adam Weiss’s bravura solo debut reinvents bistro favorites with full-throttle flavor and flair.

Gnocchi con burrata, with cherry tomatoes and basil, at Girasole in Atlantic City

Girasole Offers a Delectable Taste of Italy in Atlantic City

Worth the venture outside of AC’s restaurant-studded resorts, it lends a sunny Mediterranean approach to classics.

Boschetto owners chef Joseph Sergentakis, Robert Spina and Ryan Held at the counter.

Boschetto in Montclair Leads the ‘Fine Fast-Casual’ Dining Movement in NJ

This spot offers high-quality Italian food with counter service and is able to turn tables around quicker.

George and Anoush Georgiades of SQ Pizza

How These NJ Restaurateurs Manage to Serve Healthy, Fresh and Affordable Food

The owners of SQ Pizza and EONS: Greek Food for Life are bringing cleaner ingredients to fast-casual dining.

A combo platter at Manouche & Co. in Bloomfield

Bloomfield’s Manouche & Co. Dishes Up Delicious Lebanese Cuisine

From classic savory platters to delectable pastries, the menu at this eatery is bursting with flavor.

Hash bowl from Hash House in Lamberville

Potatoes Run the Show at Hash House in Lambertville

Hash bowls. Hash browns. Hash chips. There’s plenty of potato perfection—plus many more creative offerings—at this brunch spot.

Empanadas from Lula's Empanadas

Homemade Dominican Delicacies at Lula’s Empanadas in Haddon Heights

The empanadas at Lula’s are cleverly sealed and branded so you know exactly which fillings are inside—from cheese steak to buffalo chicken to curry chickpea.

EXIT RAMP

Illustration of a statue of Grover Cleveland in front of the White House surrounded by Trump election signs

If Trump Wins a Second Term, Grover Cleveland Will Lose This Claim to Fame

The upcoming election puts our Jersey-born president’s unique distinction in jeopardy.