If you live in New Jersey and are looking for day trip ideas, you have come to the right place. New Jersey and the surrounding states like Pennsylvania and New York are filled with amazing towns to explore. Whether you are looking to hike an incredible trail, stroll through a charming town, visit New York City, or wander through a beautiful flower field, there are so many different day trip ideas. In this guide, I have rounded up fun day trips from North Jersey that you can plan in the upcoming year!
Day Trips from North Jersey in NJ
Princeton
One of the day trips from North Jersey that you can do is visit the town of Princeton, NJ. Princeton is more than just an Ivy League University. It is a cute and charming town filled with so many things to do and it is only an hour drive from North Jersey.
Princeton has a great downtown with a bunch of different shops. You can walk around Palmer Square. This is where you will find brand-name retailers, clothing and home boutiques, cafes, bars, and restaurants. One of the best things to do in Princeton is to get ice cream at Bent Spoon, located right in Palmer Square. It was actually named one of the world’s greatest ice cream shop by Financial Times.
You can’t visit Princeton without walking through the Princeton University campus. It is a beautiful campus filled with historic buildings and amazing architecture.
Near Princeton, you can visit the Grounds for Sculpture museum. Explore their 42 acres and check out their 300 contemporary sculptures. They also have six indoor galleries that you can wander through.
If you want to explore more of the outdoors, check out the Institute Woods trail. This is an easy walking trail that features a swinging bridge over a stream and the historic site of a revolutionary war battle called Battlefield State Park.
During your Princeton day trip, you can also take a visit to Terhune Orchards . It is a family owned farm where you can pick your own berries, flowers, apples and pumpkins depending on the season you visit.
Check out my Princeton Travel Guide for more details!
Happy Day Farm
Happy Day Farm is a cute flower farm located in Manalapan, NJ (only an hour drive from North Jersey). It is such a fun day trip from North Jersey and the best time to visit is from June through October. In June, they have a gorgeous lavender farm. Throughout the summer, you can pick raspberries and blueberries and visit their sunflower and zinnia flower fields.
Check out my post on the Best Lavender Farms in New Jersey
My favorite time to visit Happy Day Farm is in the fall. They have pumpkin picking, a corn maze, and Pumpkinville which consists of a bunch of cute pumpkin houses. They also have fall festival days where you can participate in over 35 fun family activities.
Click here for more Fun Fall Activities in New Jersey
Holland Ridge Farm
Holland Ridge Farm is one of the most beautiful farms to visit in New Jersey. And it is only an hour drive from North Jersey! In the spring, it is known for its stunning tulip fields. This farm makes a fun day trip from North Jersey and if it is your first time visiting, I recommend going in April during their tulip festival! During the fall, they also have flower fields filled with sunflowers, gladiolus, calla lilies and dahlias. You can pick your own flowers and create a bouquet to bring home with you.
Click here for more information on New Jersey Tulip Festivals
Somerset County
Somerset County has so many fun activities that make a perfect day trip from North Jersey (about a 50 minute drive)! You can find historic sites, beautiful gardens, breweries, and tons of shops.
Somerset County has a beautiful garden called Cross Estate Gardens. During the early summer, you can see a perennial garden, a wisteria-covered pergola and rhododendron archway, a garden of native plants, and even a water tower. The grounds also have a few different hiking trails.
A fun activity to do in Somerset County is visit Bluebird Farm Alpacas. At their farm, you get to learn, meet, interact with, feed, and take photos with alpacas. I loved their Farm and Halter Training tour. You get to learn about the farm, feed the alpacas, and even explore the farm by taking an alpaca on a walk! It’s an amazing experience and I love that you are able to interact with all of the alpacas.
Click here to read more about my experience at Bluebird Farm Alpacas!
In Somerset County, you can take a fun plant and sip class at Spotted Leaf Plant Company. This is a plant shop that sells a range of tropical indoor plans, pots, and other plant accessories. You can build a terrarium, paint your own pot, or create a kokedama.
Another fun event is Sip & See Somerset. You get to visit five of Somerset County’s craft beverage destinations. Pick up a passport at any of the participating locations and get your passport stamped at each place! You can visit Bellemara Distillery (Hillsborough), Burnt Mills Cider (Bedminster), Flounding Brewing (Hillsborough), Jersey Cyclone Brewing (Somerset), and Village Brewing (Somerville). Once you get all five stamps, you get to win a free Sip & See Somerset T-shirt!
Click here for my Somerset County travel guide!
Jersey Shore
During the summer, one of the best day trips from North Jersey that you can do is hang out at the Jersey Shore! Enjoy the boardwalk attractions, beach activities, and local seafood. Some of the best beaches to visit are Asbury Park, Point Pleasant, Island State Beach Park, and Lavalette. These beaches are a 1-2 hour drive from North Jersey.
If you are looking to spend a weekend at the Jersey Shore, check out my Cape May Travel Guide!
Day Trips from North Jersey in New York
New York City
I love how close New York City is from New Jersey. It’s one of those day trips from North Jersey that you can keep planning and always do something different. There are so many things to do in New York City all year long. Explore the highlights like Times Square, Central Park, Empire State Building, Top of the Rock, Hudson Yards and One World Trade. You can enjoy world-class museums such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Museum of Modern Art, and the Natural History Museum. You can catch a Broadway Show, walk the Brooklyn Bridge, and go shopping in Soho! If you are feeling adventurous, you can even go on a doors off helicopter ride over the city!
Visiting New York City during the holidays is so magical! You can see the Christmas tree in Rockefeller Center and Lotte Palace, wander through the holiday markets in Bryant Park and Union Square, stroll through 5th Avenue’s stunning window displays, and watch the Saks Fifth Avenue Light Show.
Check out my New York City blog posts:
- The Best NYC Instagram Spots
- Dumbo Brooklyn Instagram Spots
- Doors Off Helicopter Experience
- Best Brunch Spots in New York City
Cold Spring
Cold Spring is a charming village located along the Hudson River that is only an hour drive from North Jersey. It is known for its historic charm, scenic views, and outdoor activities. You can take a walk along Main Street and explore the unique shops, boutiques, and art galleries. If you enjoy hiking and are up for a challenge, check out the Breakneck Ridge Trail. It is considered the hardest hike in the Hudson Highlands! After the hike, treat yourself with some ice cream at Moo Moo’s Creamery.
Minnewaska State Park
If you want to spend the day in nature, visiting Minnewaska State Park is one of the best day trips from North Jersey that you can do! It is an hour and half drive from North Jersey. You will find over fifty different hiking trails that range in length and difficulty.
A couple easy hikes in Minnewaska State Park is the Minnewaska Loop Trail where you get to see different viewpoints of the lake and the Awosting Falls Trail if you want to see a waterfall. For a more challenging moderate hike, I recommend hiking Gertrude’s Nose Trail. It is a long strenuous loop but it is completely worth it for the amazing views over the Hudson Valley.
Mohonk Mountain Preserve
Near the town of New Paltz, there is a beautiful resort called the Mohonk Mountain House that sits on the Mohonk Mountain Preserve. Similar to Minnewaska State Park, this is also an hour and half drive from North Jersey. Even though this is a resort, they offer day passes to explore the property. They have a Hiking Trails pass for $35 per person that gives you access to all the trails on the property and boat rentals.
An awesome and unique hike in Mohonk Preserve is the Labyrinth Trail. It is a difficult 45 minute rock scramble where you have to go under and through various rock formations and climb ladders. The last part of the hike is the Lemon Squeeze where you walk through a narrow crevice and climb up to the top. You are rewarded with such an amazing view! This is an awesome hike and I think it’s one of the most unique hiking trails in Upstate New York. This is one of my favorite day trips from North Jersey!
Read more about my Upstate New York Weekend Getaway here!
Catskills
The Catskills are only a two hour drive from North Jersey and it’s filled with adventures, breathtaking views, and beautiful mountains. It is made up of a bunch of cute towns like Phoenicia, Woodstock, Tannersville, Hunter, and more. The Catskills is a great day trip if you want to spend the day surrounded in nature. This is one the day trips from North Jersey that is great to visit all year long!
In the Catskills, you can visit a beautiful two stage waterfall called Kaaterskill Falls and go on one of their cool hiking trails like Overlook Mountain. If you want to get breathtaking views without hiking, you can enjoy a scenic ride to the top of Hunter Mountain on their skyride.
A fun activity in the Catskills is taking a tour with Catskills Rail Explorers. This is a pedal powered vehicle that rides on railroad tracks and you pedal through nature. During the fall it’s so pretty with the fall foliage. The Catskills is also home to one of the longest and highest zipline tours in North America.
Click here to see more of my weekend getaway in the Catskills!
Day Trips from North Jersey in Pennsylvania
New Hope
Pennsylvania is filled with cute and charming towns that make perfect day trips from North Jersey. New Hope is a picturesque and historic town nestled along the banks of the Delaware River. It is only an hour and half drive from North Jersey. It is filled with history and art and there is so much to see and experience.
You can stroll through historic downtown New Hope and explore all of their cute boutiques and antique shops. Hop aboard the New Hope Railroad where you get to ride through the hills and valleys of Bucks County. Stand in two states at once by crossing the bridge between Pennsylvania and New Jersey. On the New Jersey side, there is the town of Lambertville that you can also explore. You can see a play or musical at Bucks County Playhouse or go wine tasting through the beautiful acres of vineyards on Bucks County Wine & Art Trail.
Click here for my New Hope Travel Guide
Peddler’s Village
Pedler’s Village is a historic village in Bucks County, PA that is filled with colonial style buildings, gardens, and unique shops and restaurants. This town is great to visit all year round but it is so much fun to visit during the holidays. Peddler’s Village is only an hour and a half drive from North Jersey.
One of the highlights of spending a day at Peddler’s Village is the shopping experience! The village has over 60 specialty shops where you will find everything from clothing, home goods, books, toys, art, and more! During the holidays, Peddler’s Village also has Christmas-themed boutiques. I also love that Peddler’s Village has fun seasonal events throughout the year.
Click here for my Peddler’s Village Travel Guide
Jim Thorpe
Jim Thorpe is a cute and charming town in eastern Pennsylvania that is two hours from North Jersey. This town is known as the “Switzerland of America” and is filled with historic attractions, many cool and eclectic shops, and great restaurants.
One of the best things to do in Jim Thorpe is to ride the Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway. It takes you through nature where you travel over rivers, bridges, and through a tunnel. If you go during the fall, you will see gorgeous fall foliage.
You can explore the outdoors at Lehigh Gorge State Park and check out beautiful waterfalls and great hiking + bike trails. If you love history, visit the Old Jail Museum where you can learn about the history of the Molly Maguires and the region’s industrial and mining heritage.
Check out my Jim Thorpe Travel Guide
Hope this post gave you lots of inspiration on ideas for day trips from North Jersey!
