Travel Blue Book

Dream it. Plan it. Go there.

Getting a Taste of Local Flavor at Terhune Orchards

By Leave a Comment

Set in Princeton, New Jersey, Terhune Orchards is a charming farm and vineyard with a relaxing country atmosphere for both grown-ups and kids to enjoy.

Photo by: pdstahl via Flickr and Creative Commons

I recently spent a beautiful late summer afternoon at Terhune Orchards with my daughter, sister, and a friend. It proved to be a perfect outing for our little group. The orchard has wine tastings, friendly barnyard animals, and pick-your-own fruits, flowers, and pumpkins, among other things. Family owned and operated since the 1970s, this charming farm and vineyard is located in Princeton, New Jersey, with a relaxing country atmosphere for both grown-ups and kids to enjoy. [Read more…]

Assateague Island: Camping with Wild Horses

By 1 Comment

Assateague Island: Camping with Wild Horses

Photo Credit: By tramod [CC-BY-2.0], via Wikimedia Commons

When most of us think of going camping, we envision a wooded area filled with trees, dirt, and woodland creatures like bears, skunks, and squirrels. Camping on the beach at Assateague Island off the coast of Maryland offers you the opposite experience, allowing you to fall asleep under the stars to the sound of waves crashing on the shore. Rather than bears running by your campsite, you’ll keep your eyes and ears alert for the beautiful wild ponies that roam along the shoreline. [Read more…]

America’s Best Amusement Parks

By 2 Comments

A trip to the amusement park is one of those great American pastimes, providing hours upon hours of exciting interactive entertainment for people of all ages. They are especially attractive to the thrill seekers among us, and amusement parks consistently push the boundaries, in terms of ride design. Year after year, new gravity defying rides pop up in parks across the country. Here are some of America’s best amusement parks for thrill seekers: [Read more…]

4 Best Zoos in America for Families

By 3 Comments

4 Best Zoos in America for Families

Photo by Chuck Dresner/St. Louis Zoo

 

What makes a zoo great for families? Well, for one thing, the animal exhibits. They inspire awe, wonder, and curiosity among kids of all ages. Another feature of family friendly zoological parks is that they have interactive areas and plenty of space for play and exploration. These zoos are home to hundreds of species and exciting exhibits, and families can explore and make memories in these parks. So, without further ado, here’s our list of the “4 Best Zoos in America for Families.” [Read more…]

6 Best State Fairs in America

By 8 Comments

One of the things that makes America so unique is the individual identities of each of its states. From New Jersey to Wyoming, each state has its own heritage and sense of pride, and nothing quite captures the pride of each state like their individual state fairs. With the temperatures heating up, state fair season is just around the corner. So, grab a fried candy bar and let’s explore the “6 Best State Fairs in America.” [Read more…]

The Newark Museum – Where Art and Science Collide

By 1 Comment

The Newark Museum - Where Art and Science Collide

Photo Credit: By Jim.henderson (Own work) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Although some of the museums over in the Big Apple may garner more recognition, the Newark Museum in Newark, NJ rises above the fray as a top-notch museum itself. Originally located on the Newark Public Library’s fourth floor, the Newark Museum has grown into the largest museum in the state. As a visitor, you will find 80 exhibits featuring American and international art as well as several exhibits dedicated to natural sciences.

The Newark Museum’s impressive collection of American art includes over 12,000 works. American artists on display include folk art masters Edward Hicks and Ammi Phillips as well as impressionists Childe Hassam, Mary Cassatt, John Singer Sargent, George Inness and Winslow Homer. Furthermore, the museum boasts works by American modernist artists including Edward Hopper, Max Weber, Georgia O’Keeffe, Marsden Hartley, Robert Henri, John Sloan, Arthur Dove, Theodore Rozsak, Charles Sheeler and Alexander Calder. Works from Andy Warhol, George Segal, and Joseph Stella can also be found here. In addition, the museum’s American art collection also contains a large number of African American art pieces including works by Henry Ossawa Tanner, Romare Bearden, Jacob Lawrence and Robert Thompson.

As impressive as the American art collection is, the international art collections at the Newark Museum may be even more so. With pieces ranging from ancient Egyptian art to art from the Peruvian Amazon region, these exhibits are simply incredible. However, the Tibetan art exhibit may be the museum’s crown jewel. The collection includes over 5,000 objects and is considered by many to be one of the best collections of Tibetan art in the world. [Read more…]