Ashley & Joseph
Things To Do
Kennedy - Dells County Park
Need a short walk to shake off the hangover before the Sunday BBQ? Have some kids who need to expend some energy? Then this is the place for you! A short 5min drive from our house.
Harriman State Park
Joe and Ashley spend a lot of time at Harriman. Fun Fact: it’s where Joe tested Ashley’s claim of being “outdoorsy” on their third date and also where Joe proposed. There is a lake where you can lay in the sun or go swimming (navigate to the Lake Sebago Boat Launch, Southfields, NY 10975) There are also lots of hiking routes for all levels here. You’ll need a car to visit Harriman.
The High Line
The High Line is a fun New York City attraction. It’s an old elevated railroad which was converted into a walking path above the city. There are often pop up art installations as well as vendors. Fun Fact: the High Line used to be Joe’s go to date spot before he met Ashley. The High Line is a great place to visit in between attractions. The Whitney Art Museum is a block from the south end (https://whitney.org/). There’s a cool place to grab a beer by the south entrance: the Standard Biergarten. Ganesvoort Market is by the south end also. It’s an indoor food market. If you’re getting lunch, we’d recommend here over the Biergarten (http://www.gansevoortmarketnyc.com/). The Vessel (https://www.hudsonyardsnewyork.com/discover/vessel) is at the north end. You’ll need tickets to walk along the inside, but the outside is cool as well. You can access the High Line from the NYC subway or the New Jersey PATH. If you’re already in the city, you can get to there by foot or Uber/Lyft.
Ramapo Valley County Reservation
Ramapo is another fun hiking location. Fun Fact: this is where Joe went hiking on his first day in America. There are a variety of options for different experience levels. Check out the trail options here: https://www.nynjtc.org/map/ramapo-valley-county-reservation-brochure-map You’ll need a car to access Ramapo.
Ridgewood
Fun Fact: this is where we lived! We love this town. It’s a great place to wander through. There are lots of shops and some really amazing restaurants. Our favorites are S. Egidio (amazing wood fire pizza), Sakura (sushi), Lisa’s Mediterranean, Raymond’s (great brunch), and It’s Greek to Me (Greek food). Almost all of the restaurants in Ridgewood are BYOB, so be sure to bring your own wine, beer, or spirits. (Each place will have openers for you to use). There are many liquor stores to stop at, but we recommend Super Sellers; they have a great selection of everything as well as free beer tastings on Fridays (5-7pm) and wine tasting on Saturdays (2-5pm). Ridgwood is a short drive from both hotels. It’s also on the same train line as the Allendale train station by the Residence Inn.
Liberty State Park
Liberty State Park is a great day trip activity. Fun Fact: this is where we took our engagement photos. Challenge: try your best to recreate one! The park is a great place to explore or just sit and enjoy the scenery. Definitely check out the CRRNJ Terminal. It’s the old train station that people would travel from once cleared through Ellis Island. You can pick up tickets here for the ferry that goes to both Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty (https://www.statuecruises.com/#/). We’d recommend ordering tickets in advance. Both Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty offer free guided tours (check times at each location), which we highly recommend. Free self-paced audio tours are also available. The park is most easily accessed by car, but you can get there by train (Take the NJTransit train to Hoboken Station. Then switch to the Bergen-Hudson Lightrail to the Liberty State Park Station) (https://www.nj.gov/dep/parksandforests/parks/liberty_state_park/liberty_directions.html)
Financial District
The Financial District is a fun place to walk around. Fun Fact: Joe and I did a scavenger hunt through Puzzling Adventures here as one of our first Christmas gifts; it was a great way to explore. While in this part of NYC, you can visit the Charging Bull and Fearless Girl statues. Battery Park is here as well. It used to be a fort, but was transitioned to the immigration entrance point prior to the creation of Ellis Island. One World Trade (aka Tower One) is also in this area. We highly recommend the guided tour of the 9/11 Museum, which is inside (https://www.911memorial.org/). The top, One World Observatory, offers tickets for a bird’s eye view of the city. A new subway/PATH station was recently built at the World Trade Center Station, called the Oculus which is quite cool as well.
Greenwich Village
Greenwich (pronounced Gren-itch) Village is a neighborhood of NYC. This is one of our favorite parts of the city. It’s a great escape from the touristy parts of Manhattan. Feel free to stroll around, do some window shopping, and grab a drink or a bite. There also also tons of comedy clubs here, if you’d like to check out some up-and-coming talent. We recommend The Comedy Cellar.
Central Park
Central Park is an iconic part of NYC. Surprisingly, at 843 acres it’s only the 5th largest park in NYC. The Central Park Conservancy offers guided tours (some free, others for $15 — Ashley really loves guided tours...). It’s a great place to wander or sit and watch the world go by. The Central Park Zoo could be a fun trip too, although we’ve never been.
Hoboken
Hoboken is a fun waterfront town which looks onto NYC. There are tons of restaurants and bars here to enjoy. Washington Street is the main strip, but there are lots of places to enjoy the view of the waterfront as well. There are a few parks that offer great views of NYC. Hoboken just rolled out Lime scooters, which are electric scooters you can rent through an app for a period of time. You can also take a ferry from Hoboken to NYC. Be careful, because some routes only run during the week, but there is an option from 14th St to Midtown on the weekend (https://www.nywaterway.com/Hoboken14thRoute.aspx#weekend). You can access Hoboken via the NJTransit.
Nyack
Nyack is a cute waterfront town in NY that doesn’t require you to travel into NYC. There are lots of shops and restaurants to enjoy. If you’re looking for a quaint place to spend your afternoon, Nyack is a great choice. Nyack is best accessed by car, although there are ways to access it by public transportation. It’s also about 15 minutes from our home, which makes it a convenient stop if you’re joining us on Sunday!
Nyack Beach State Park
Beautiful easy walk along the Hudson with an optional hike along the top of the palisades to make it a more strenuous loop hike.
New Jersey Beaches
NJ has lots of beaches to offer. Asbury Park (pictured above & the home of Bruce Springsteen) is a quiet beach town, as are Belmar and Ocean Grove. Point Pleasant Beach is the place to go for the complete “Jersey Shore” experience. Be sure to check out the boardwalk. Each of these are best accessed by car. Also, be prepared to have to pay to access the beach as well as possibly have to pay to park.
Woodbury Common Premium Outlets
Looking to do some shopping during your visit? If so, the Woodbury Outlets are the place to go. AAA members can pick up a coupon booklet for free from the Customer Service desk. The mall website offers the same coupons as well. Woodbury is best accessed by car. However, if you’re staying in New York, the MetroNorth train does offer some access. Check out the Woodbury website for more information.
New Jersey Botanical Garden
The New Jersey Botanical Garden is a beautiful place to spend a the afternoon. There are some hiking trails accessible from the Garden as well. Park admission is free, but on weekends there is a $5 parking fee. The Garden is best accessed by car.
Storm King Art Center
Storm King is an outdoor art museum. There are lots of art exhibits and sculptures to explore. It’s a fantastic day trip if you’re planning to stay in the New York area for a while. Storm King is accessible by car. You can also take NJTransit to the Salisbury Mills /Cornwall Station and then Uber/Lyft/Taxi the last 3 miles.
Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park
The Patterson Falls can be a great short activity, especially if the weather isn’t great. You can spend as little as 30 minutes here or as long as 2 hours if you also check out the Patterson Museum right by the falls. We don’t recommend exploring other parts of Patterson; so this is used best as a quick in-and-out activity. You can get here by NJTransit or by car (this would be our recommendation).
Warwick Valley Winery & Distillery
The winery is a great place to taste some local cider, wine, and spirits. Our favorite is Doc’s Dry Hopped Cider. There’s a little restaurant where you can order lunch (cash only!) and there are pretty outdoor seating options if it’s a nice day. Sometimes they have live music as well. Apple picking usually starts around the end of August and can be a fun activity at their orchard. Accessible by car.
Allendale Wine Shoppe
Staying at the Residence Inn? Fancy a drink? Then this is the closest place to buy beer, wine and spirits. Feel free to consume them in the common areas at the hotel.
Defiant Brewing Co.
Defiant Brewery is a cool local craft beer spot (cash only!). On Thursday night they have trivia, but it’s also a fun place to stop into for lunch or just a drink. The town it’s in, Pearl River, is a quaint place to wander through. Gentle Giant Brewery is also in town and has some good beers. Fun Fact: Ashley’s bridesmaid, Anastasia, grew up in Pearl River. Pearl River is accessible by NJTransit, but is on a different train line than Allendale (where the Residence Inn is). It’s also accessible by car.
Industrial Arts Brewing Company
We love Industrial Arts beer! Their brewery is in Haverstraw in an old factory which has been renovated. You’re up close and personal with the brewing process here. It’s a great place to go enjoy a few beers, especially if you’ve spent some time at Harriman. We strongly recommend Wrench, but try out some others as well!
District 96 Beer Factory
Our town brewery, some great food and drinks!
Rockland Bakery
Do you like bread?? Then this is the place for you!
Dead Man’s Curve Wild Hot Rod Weekend - Sheraton Mahwah Hotel
Every year on Labor Day weekend, the Sheraton hosts a huge car show. We’ve never been, but if you’re into cars, this could be a fun thing to check out!