Grab your partner, grab your friends, grab the kids, the possibilities for a fun day out and about in South Jersey are endless. Here are a few ideas to help you get started.
The Jersey Shore
Yes, the Jersey Shore does exist in the winter. And it can make for a fun day trip. If you’re up for braving the cold, there’s nothing like bundling up to walk along the not-so-crowded-anymore shores. Plus, light things up when you check out the Doo Wop Museum in Wildwood to see vintage signs and memorabilia from the Shore of years past before heading to the NAS Wildwood Aviation Museum for a crash course in military aviation – you can even sit in a fighter jet and climb to the top of an old air traffic control tower. Keep the historic learning going with the Harriet Tubman Museum, and for anyone looking to get in touch with their creative side, head to Atlantic City for the Noyes Arts Garage.
Under the sea
We could spend multiple days wandering around Camden’s Adventure Aquarium, but if we have to narrow it down to one day…fine. First, don’t miss the many touch tanks throughout the aquarium, where you and your kids can get up-close-and-personal with creatures including starfish, stingrays and sharks. And speaking of sharks, you won’t believe how many sharks you’ll find in the 550,000 gallons of saltwater in Shark Realm. If you’re feeling really brave, you can even swim with some of those sharks. For a less adventurous encounter, sign up to feed resident hippos, Button and Genny. Before you leave, be sure to see penguin park and watch our curious friends waddle around. Be sure to check the daily schedule for opening and closing times.
Cheers to the season
There’s nothing like cozying up with a glass of wine to beat the chill – except for cozying up with multiple glasses of wine throughout the day at a number of gorgeous wineries all over South Jersey. Start your day with brunch and live music at Sharrott Winery if you’re going out on a Sunday, or end your night there with live music on Thursdays and Saturdays. And if you love a farm, add Saddlehill – a former horse farm – to your list. Definitely stop by for lunch with tasty dishes using ingredients grown on the winery grounds. Plus, head to Amalthea Cellars in Atco, a nearly 50-year-old winery, for a cozy tasting by the fire and a peek at the historic wine making strategies that have been used right here in South Jersey. Make sure to choose a designated driver for this particular day trip, or grab a couple friends and grab a party bus to keep everyone safe. If you need help planning your route, check out the Garden State Wine Growers Association for a map of wineries in the area.
Shop small
We’re always here for supporting small businesses, and we love that there are so many great ones to support in South Jersey. One of our favorite day trip activities is doing a tour of small town main streets. You pick one for coffee and/or breakfast – we like picking up coffee at Lakes Coffee in Medford and walking around Historic Medford Village. One for lunch – eating at Haddon Culinary and exploring Kings Highway in Haddonfield is always fun. And one for dinner – you can’t go wrong with the eateries along Collingswood’s restaurant row (Haddon Ave.). If you’re feeling especially ambitious, stop by a bakery for a little afternoon snack to refuel. But in between all of those meals, explore the businesses of these small towns, pop into the shops, stop by museums (Haddonfield’s Indian King Tavern Museum was frequented by the founding fathers!) and art centers (Moorestown’s Perkins Arts Center frequently hosts community events), and see all that our local small businesses have to offer. And if you could use some more suggestions, check out our Best of SJ.
