It’s officially fall, and I just love fall in New Jersey. Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing like the Jersey Shore each summer, but don’t sleep on New Jersey in Autumn. With some of the most beautiful parks, stunning fall foliage, and the cooler, crisper weather, fall in NJ is where it’s at.
The picture on top is from a recent hike I did with my family in the Watchung Reservation. We’ve lived in Union County for 7 years, but we’ve barely scratched the surface of all this gem has to offer. There are miles of hiking trails friendly for all ages. We did this hike with our 2 year old and 5 year old in tow, and they did great! The leaves are only just starting to turn, but as they blaze red, orange, and yellow, they are a sight to behold.
This fall, I hope to hike more, go apple picking at Wightman Farms, pick out our pumpkins from the pumpkin patch at Williams Nursery, and of course check out all the scarecrows in Downtown Cranford’s annual Scarecrow Stroll. The Scarecrow Stroll, an annual outdoor event where local businesses, Girl and Boy Scout troops, and individuals create a unique scarecrow to display on the downtown streets, remains one of my most favorite fall events. I can’t wait to walk the streets and check out the spooky and silly creations.
The one event I’ll be missing this year is the Hanson Park Rubber Ducky Race. If you’ve ever been, you know it draws quite the crowd. Everyone loves watching those ducks race over the waterfall at Sperry Park. As we’ve learned, crowds are a no-go this year, so the ducks will be racing in spirit, and I’ll be sporting my Unmask the Duck t-shirt instead.
In a year that has been so abnormal, I’m really looking forward to celebrating this new season in so many familiar ways. Can you believe I made it through an entire blog post about fall without saying, “This season, fall in love with New Jersey”? Whoops! ;)