Some of the best school trips in the memories of New Jersey's students involve the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia—and for good reason. Where there are usually, in most museum settings, a few examples from a lot of different fields of study and interest, the Franklin Institute almost literally has everything under one roof. It's a favorite of teachers and class chaperones, and Kat Stein, public relations director for the Franklin Institute, knows why: “Our exhibitions and experiences are created to appeal to all ages. There is literally something for everyone.” “The Franklin Institute has …

Record stores have undergone a necessary transformation over the last decade, as the entire music industry has changed. At first, the CD revolution in the early 1990s disrupted the vinyl record segment (and buried cassette tapes). Vinyl became fringe, the refuge for punk and alt-rock bands looking to distinguish themselves from the standard issue, but the cost of manufacturing became prohibitive and extinction loomed. In a way, the best things to happen to vinyl were the ascendance of the MP3 and new models (like Apple's iTunes) for buying music over the Internet. The backlash from …

New Jersey is very fortunate in the sense that even though it is no longer dominated by farms life, there’s still plenty to remind us why it is called the “garden state.” Because of farmers markets, we're still quick to think of apple cider, baked goods and arts and crafts as the holidays roll in—but we don't necessarily think of wine. And that's a shame: it can be a great gift for the host or hostess of your favorite holiday party. Terhune Orchards, 330 Cold Soil Road in Princeton, is a family-owned and operated destination with a long history. Gary and Pam Mount bought Terhune Orchards in …

To be fair, adults viewing the television commercials for Six Flags Great Adventure can't be faulted for thinking their favorite rides from their youth have disappeared. After all, the Six Flags company prides itself on being one of the most current amusement park chains, fully leveraging its partnership with one-time owner Warners, Inc. through rides that feature characters from its properties: Batman, Superman, and Green Lantern. These are all great thrill-rides, and Bugs Bunny, Foghorn Leghorn as well as many Cartoon Network icons dot the park. But what if you’re feeling nostalgic? There …

There is something about a model train set that brings out the children in people of almost any age. For some, the creation and execution of these big—yet, little—worlds appeals to side that still has a fondness for Tonka trucks and digging mountains among the molehills. For others, it is the attention to detail and the sheer craft of it all, not just the machinery but the displays that surround them, that offers landscapes you want to just fall into and live in for a while. Model train sets remind people of simpler times, quite often of Christmas, and of feeling big in tiny worlds when, more…

America's financial fortunes and its place in the world are, in many ways, thanks to products that didn’t innovate as much as they made it easy to move innovations from one place to the next. Think about the ease with which products are transported by roadways and over bridges. That convenience is attributable in part to John A. Roebling and his children. Roebling was a German-born American civil engineer. He is famous for his wire rope suspension bridge designs, in particular, the design of the Brooklyn Bridge, during the construction of which his toes were crushed, debilitating him and …

You are tired. So is your significant other. You both need a getaway, but can’t afford to go too far away, and it’s kind of an off-season time to take a traditional vacation anyway … what’s there to do? Here’s a thought. The grandparents say they don’t get enough time with their grandkids, so wrap them and their iPads and X-Boxes up, and head for Princeton’s Nassau Inn for the weekend. Lori Rabon, the general manager of the Nassau Inn (located at 10 Palmer Square in Princeton), has plenty of reasons why you’d want to shake off the late-winter blues at her establishment. “The Nassau Inn has …

Founded in 2009, Keno Auctions on 127 East 69th St., Manhattan, brings in many different types of visitors. Some have come specifically for an auction event, some to get a better understanding of the items the firm specializes in: fine art, jewelry, Asian art and furniture items. Others come to see if they can catch a glimpse of the auction house’s founder and president, Leigh Keno. Keno, with brother Leslie, have been fixtures of the perennial PBS favorite “Antiques Roadshow”for 15 years as volunteer appraisers, offering valuation on furniture both rare and, sometimes, not so rare. Recently…

Nestled in the shadow of the Tappan Zee Bridge, along the Hudson River in Tarrytown, N.Y., lies Sunnyside, the home of renowned author Washington Irving. The property, a registered national historic landmark, was purchased by Irving in 1835. Originally a two-room stone cottage, the writer, best known for "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" and "Rip Van Winkle," served as his own architect in expanding and remodeling the house to include many of the styles he admired during the 17 years he spent in Europe. A Spanish tile roof and tower, Tudor-style clustered chimneys, Dutch stepped gables, and …

Let's get one thing straight: This is a bad weekend for travel. With Hurricane Irene threatening most of the Garden State, the best thing most people can do is stay off the road. But the hurricane will pass. So this week, Day Tripper invites you to do a little longer-term planning, looking ahead to trips you can take in the weeks and months ahead. For instance: There was a period of time when the drive-in theater was a mainstay of every state in America with warm summer weather. In the late 1950s and early 1960s it was also an intrinsic part of the car culture. People could see and be seen. …

Sayen Gardens in Hamilton Township offers 30 acres of flowers, trees and landscaping for reflection and enjoyment. And according to Tracey Destribats, who oversees Sayen Gardens and other spots such as Kuser Mansion, “A lot of people don’t even know it’s here.” Destribats describes Sayen Gardens as a “really unique hidden treasure,” and when the higher-profiled destinations are swarming with people, doesn’t that sound like a promising proposition? We thought so, which is why we've selected Sayen Gardens for this installment of Day Tripper, a weekly look at destinations that are out of town, …

There is a lot that is not readily understood about the Amish. Historical re-enactments and roleplaying have been featured occasionally in this column, but sometimes those aspects can desensitize visitors who experience a different culture in a headlong rush. Such may be the case with the Amish section of the Columbus Farmers Market, 2919 Route 206 South, in Columbus, Burlington County. While the Stoltzfus Barbecue takes up a major portion of the space and attention, the Amish section of this market also features handworked crafts (as well as a selection of Amish-inspired materials), a bakery…

The summer of 2011 had been, up until the middle of July, relatively calm and moderately warm in New Jersey. Then everything changed as the state, and in fact the entire country, saw a major spike in heat. Suddenly, families were no longer asking where they could spend a relaxing day, but where they would find water and shade—usually in that order. In the quiet Warren County town of Hope, the famed Land Of Make Believe  amusement park offers two in one: a traditional park with attractions like roller coasters and a brand=new ferris wheel, and a water park offering, as owner Chris Maier put …

It's hard to sum up Holmdel Park in Monmouth County. There's just too much there. Spread out over its 565 acres, there's Longstreet Farm, a functioning farm with animals and a farmhouse prepared for visits; the David C. Shaw Arboretum; fishing; picnic areas; four tennis courts; two large playgrounds with child-friendly cushion mats beneath the swingsets, jungle gyms and outdoor mazes; ice skating and sledding in the winter; and 10 miles of hiking and biking trails. "Holmdel is great, unless you run cross-country," said Brett Landry, a photographer from North Middletown. "The bowl (a zone with…

New Jersey prides itself on its varied arts programs and outlets. One of the most famed of these is the Paper Mill Playhouse, located on 22 Brookside Drive in Millburn. The playhouse, an actual paper mill when it was built in 1795, opened for its current usage in 1938. The productions found at the theater span all age brackets, and many state residents will tell you that their first school trip experiences were to Paper Mill. "Paper Mill Playhouse produces our theater from the ground up," playhouse press relations manager Shayne Miller said. "This sets us apart from the many presenting houses…

It was a dark day in the town of Pompeii, back in 79 AD. The evidence seems to indicate that the citizens heard the rumbling, saw the great Mt. Vesuvius crack open, and knew there was no time to run. Families gathered each other close, huddled together, and waited for the end. After two days of a rain of ash and pumice, the area disappeared. In 1749, the town was rediscovered, and excavations continued on through 1860. It was during this period of the work where holes in the floors of compacted ash were found, holes with very distinct patterns. Workers mixed and injected a plaster into the …

In a few days, summer will officially descend upon New Jersey. But we’ve already experienced summer-like heat, and all reasonable expectations suggest more to come. What to do about it? Some of the best options have something in common: large wading pools with their slides and rafts. But for parents of small children, that’s not an acceptable choice. Splash Zone Water Park in Wildwood has been specifically designed for the entire family, said marketing director Lisa Fagan. "Splash Zone is a fully gated, fully enclosed park for families with young children," she said. "All the pools in the …

When one thinks of Point Pleasant Beach, one automatically thinks of Jenkinson’s Boardwalk and Aquarium. The seaside attraction has been a constant at the Jersey Shore since it opened in 1928. Things have changed over the years, including the addition of miniature golf courses in the '60s and the arrival of the aquarium in 1991. But one thing has stayed the same—the combination of rides, games, food and family fun. Marilou Halvorsen, public relations associate for the Jenkinson’s organization, sums up the experience: “Jenkinson's has something to offer the whole family.  We have a state-of-…

This summer will find the fourth Pirates of the Caribbean film hitting theaters. The movie is famously based on the ride found at the Disney theme parks Disneyland and Magic Kingdom, but flying to Florida or California hardly sounds like an affordable daytrip. Luckily, beginning in May, New Jersey residents will be set to sail with a pirate crew of their own. We know them as Rob and Jessica Corring on dry land, but once they set sail, they become Captain Scurvy and Jezebel of the sailing ship The Sea Gypsy II. Setting sail from Riverfront Marina in Brick Township, the boat cruises down the …

Some of the best school trips in the memories of New Jersey's students involve the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia—and for good reason. Where there are usually, in most museum settings, a few examples from a lot of different fields of study and interest, the Franklin Institute almost literally has everything under one roof. It's a favorite of teachers and class chaperones, and Kat Stein, public relations director for the Franklin Institute, knows why: “Our exhibitions and experiences are created to appeal to all ages. There is literally something for everyone.” “The Franklin Institute has …