15 Day Trips for Spring

The Olympics are over. The days are getting longer. The World Baseball Classic is underway. All the signs of spring are here. What will you do with more sunlight hours to fill? Below are 15 suggestions for short day-trips. Most destinations are in Sussex County; none are more than an hour away. In “Field of Dreams,” a Midwestern farmer was compelled to build a baseball field. In Hillsborough Township, a farming family is compelled to build corn mazes. Doyle’s Unami Farm maintains three mazes and changes their patterns every year. But the mazes are only part of the fun: Families and school groups are invited to plant crops, pet animals, enjoy hayrides and visit a Native American campsite. Opens in April. Hours vary by season. Admission is $10 per person; children under 3 are free. Off of Route 287. Call 908-369-3187 or visit www.doyles-farm.com. Enjoy canoeing, rafting, kayaking or tubing down the Delaware River. Observe the wildlife, fish, or visit the small towns you pass. You can start your trip from a number of places in New York, New Jersey or Pennsylvania. Visit www.delawareriver.net for a selection of rental companies on the river. Take a day off from modern life and visit historic Waterloo Village. The site includes a canal town and farm reconstructed to look as they did in the 19th century, as well as a Lenni-Lenape Village. Walk around at your leisure or attend one of their educational events. On May 21, learn how sheep’s fleece is turned into refined wool products. Hours vary by season. Admission is $9 for adults and $7 for children ages 6-15. Off of Route 80 in Stanhope. Call 973-347-0900 or visit www.waterloovillage.org for more details. Take a hike with the Palisades Interstate Park Commission. On March 11, go on a birding field trip through Liberty State Park. On May 7, head to a shad bake and tasting at the park’s Hooked on the Hudson event, featuring music, games and a fishing contest. The group also offers hikes at nearby state parks in New York and lectures on wildlife in the region. Off of the Palisades Parkway in Alpine. Hours vary by season. Call 201-768-1360 or visit www.njpalisades.org for a full list of events. Learn how to make bread and cheese during a half-day workshop, held throughout the spring and summer at Bobolink Dairy. Classes are $50 per paerson and are held most Sundays from May 21 through November from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. For the less ambitious, simply visit the farm for tastings. Wednesday through Friday 12 to 6 p.m.; Saturdays and Sundays 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Off of Route 94 in Vernon. Call 973-764-4888 or visit www.cowsoutside.com. Head to the Spring Fest Flower and Garden Show. The five-day festival kicks off on March 10 at the Sussex County Fairgrounds in Augusta. On March 11, attend the scholarship gala, a night of dinner and dancing that starts with a lecture by Ken Druse, a garden expert and New York Times columnist. The exhibits are open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. all five days. Admission is $8; $6 on March 14; children under 12 attend for free. Ticket packages for the evening events on March 10 are available by calling 973-579-8309 or by visiting www.springfestgardenshow.org. I know you’ve heard it, but did you believe it? Newark really is experiencing a renaissance. March’s calendar of events includes opera (Verdi’s La Traviata performed by an Italian company), ballet (Swan Lake performed by a Russian company), open-mic events (both poetry nights and “no curses” rap nights), and symphony (Boston Symphony Orchestra). To attend these events and the many more planned for the coming months, visit www.downtownnewark.com. Many hikers spend several months walking the length of the Appalachian Trail, which stretches from Maine to Georgia. Instead, why not spend several hours and take advantage of the spur that winds through High Point State Park? The park also encompasses a lake, a bog and 11 other trails. Visit High Point Monument at 1,803 feet above sea level for a spectacular view of the region. Before spring arrives, cross country skiing is also available. The park organizes programs for children under 5-years-old during the week. Park entry weekdays from Memorial Day to Labor Day is $5; weekends $10. No entry fee is charged to those enter on foot or bike. On Route 23, 7 miles north of Sussex. Call 973-875-4800 for more information. Check out the Space Farms Zoo & Museum. The zoo contains the largest private collection of North American wildlife in the world, as well as wild cats, monkeys and snakes. On the grounds, a museum to American life contains exhibits on Eskimo life, old cars and motorcycles, children’s toys, Native American artifacts and more. On Route 519 in Wantage. The zoo and museum are open from May 1 to October 31 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $11.95 for adults and $7.50 for children 3- to 12-years-old. Call 973-875-5800 or visit www.spacefarms.com for more information. Undeterred by cold weather, Mountain Creek will host a Luau on March 11, replete with a pig roast. Join in the fashion show: a mix of beach and slopes wear. Call Vanessa Peck for more information at 973-864-8096. During the summer, thrill-seekers can head to Diablo Freeride Park, where mountain-bikers take advantage of the resort’s clear slopes. Also on the property is a water park. On Route 94 in Vernon. Call 973-209-3388 for rates on Diablo packages and 1-888-767-0762 for information about the water park. Experience the Hudson Valley from above on a hot-air balloon ride. Above the Clouds flies twice a day, May through November. Off of Route 84 in Middletown, N.Y. For more information, call 845-692-2556 or visit www.abovethecloudsinc.com. Support community theater. The Growing Stage Theater Company has been putting on performances for and by children at the Palace Theater since 1994. “The Wizard of Oz” opened March 3. Route 183 in Netcong. Call 973-347-4946 or visit www.growingstage.com for more information. The Tri-State Actor’s Theater is staging a series of one-act plays at the Crescent Theater March 10-11. Visit www.tristateactorstheater.org for more information; or visit www.njtheater.com for a full list of local theater productions. Pick anything from berries to corn to asparagus at a local farm. Crop selection changes with the season. Many farms also offer classes and activities, including pony rides and petting zoos. Visit www.state.nj.us/jerseyfresh for a list of local farms and roadside produce stands in the area. Journey back to the Old West with a visit to Wild West City. The park recreates Dodge City, Kan., in the 1880s. The town’s shops are museums that commemorate frontier life. Live performances bring to life the Old West every 15 minutes and encourage audience participation. Visitors can also enjoy stores and rides. The park will be open weekends starting May 6 and during the week for school groups. Mid-June through Labor Day, the park is open seven days a week from 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Off Route 206 in Byram. Call 973-347-8900 for more information. Stroll through the New Jersey Botanical Gardens. Take a guided tour of the old Tudor manor house the first Sunday of every month. Beginning in May, follow a guided tour of the gardens every Sunday. Or wander the naturalized and formal gardens at your leisure from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. any day of the week. Off of Route 287 in Ringwood. Call 973-962-9534 or visit www.njbg.org for more information.