You don’t have to be a tourist to enjoy South Jersey’s roadside attractions. Take a staycation and check out these stops that are a must-see for residents too.
Shamong
Mighty Joe is hard to miss, seeing as he’s a 25-foot tall gorilla. His home base used to be the Wildwood Boardwalk, but the Valenzano family transported him to the Pinelands as a memorial for their late son, Joe, and to welcome travelers to the family business.
Tabernacle
In 1928, Mexican aviator Captain Emilio Carranza Rodríguez was flying from NYC to Mexico City when his plane crashed in the Pinelands. He was completing a good faith flight, a response to a similar one performed by Charles Lindburgh the year before. Today, a memorial stands at the site of Carranza’s crash to mark his efforts.
Hindenburg, Jersey Devil, Stuffed Dog
Lakehurst
The Lakehurst Historical Museum may on the surface seem like a collection of odds and ends from a quaint town, but it holds lots of surprises. Like remnants from the tragic Hindenburg crash – photos, a menu, flight schedule, silverware. Other mementos of the town include the town’s only jail cell from 1940, a Jersey Devil display and “Stuffy,” a stuffed dog with boots who was the mascot of the town’s hardware store in the 1950’s.
“Haddy” the Hadrosaurus Foulkii
Haddonfield
When “Haddy,” the Hadrosaurus Foulkii, was first unearthed in 1858, it was the world’s most complete dinosaur skeleton. Today, the Hadrosaurus Foulkii is the state dinosaur of New Jersey, and a statue honoring that first skeleton stands along Haddonfield’s Kings. Highway. His name is “Haddy.”
Wildwood
A visit to Wildwood Dog Park is for you and your dog. It’s hard to miss the 25-foot-tall bright red fire hydrant, and you’ll both enjoy some time on the sand with the sound of waves as your backdrop.
Margate
Animals might just be bigger in South Jersey. Drive through Margate and one of the first things you’ll see is a giant elephant with some pretty impressive decoration on its back. Plus, you can go inside Lucy during a guided tour. Learn the history and see some pretty unique sites in the World’s Greatest Elephant.
