Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
PINE BARRENS
Locals call this region the Pinelands - and like to carry on the lore about the one
million acres of pine forest being home to a mythical beast known as the 'Jersey
Devil.' Containing several state parks and forests, the area is a haven for bird-
watchers, hikers, campers, canoeists and all-round nature enthusiasts. Inland is
the
Wharton State Forest
( 609-561-0024)
, one of the good places to canoe - as well
as hike and picnic. To understand the region's early history, begin at the well-pre-
served village of
Batsto
founded in 1766 to forge 'bog iron' for the Revolutionary
War. The best-known trail is the epic 50-mile
Batona Trail
, which cuts through sev-
eral state parks and forests and passes by the
Apple Pie Hill Fire Tower
, from which
there are magnificent 360-degree views of hundreds of square miles of forest. A
good outfitter is
Micks Pine Barrens Canoe and Kayak Rental
( 609-726-1515;
www.pinebarrenscanoe.com
; 3107 Rte 563; per day kayak/canoe $37/48)
, which has maps and
other details about boating trips in the area. Further south along the coast is the
Edwin B Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge
( 609-652-1665)
, 40,000 acres of bays,
coves, forests, marshes, swamps, and barrier beaches and a paradise for bird-
watchers. A recommended camping spot is the lakeside
Atsion Family Campground
( 609-268-0444;
www.state.nj.us
; 31 Batsto Rd; tent sites $20; Apr 31-Oct 1)
in Wharton
State Forest; nearby, between Atsion and the town of Hammonton is
Penza's
(
609-567-3412; 51 Myrtle St, Hammonton; mains 5-$10; 8am-5pm)
, an old-fashioned cafe in a
red barn serving great omelets and homemade fruit pies.
Atlantic City
It's not exactly Vegas, but for many a trip to AC conjures up
Hangover
-like scenes of
debauchery. And inside the casinos, which never see the light of day, it's easy to forget
there's a sandy beach just outside and boarded-up shop windows a few blocks in the oth-
er direction. The 'AC' that was known throughout the late 19th and early 20th century
for its grand boardwalk and Oceanside amusement pier, and for the glamorous corruption
depicted in the HBO series
Boardwalk Empire
set in 1920 Prohibition-era AC, has been
thoroughly overturned. Gray-haired retirees and vacationing families are at least as com-
mon as bachelors and bachelorettes.
It's worth nothing that AC's famous boardwalk, 8 miles long and still the lifeline of
the city, was the first in the world. Built in 1870 by local business owners who wanted to
cut down on sand being tracked into hotel lobbies, it was named in honor of Alexander
Boardman who came up with the idea - Boardman's Walk later became 'Boardwalk'.
