2009 NEW JERSEY TRAVEL GUIDE SPOTLIGHTS GARDEN STATE GETAWAYS

02-11-2009

FROM ‘TRIED AND TRUE’ TO SOMETHING NEW

TRENTON, N.J. February 11, 2009 – The 2009 New Jersey Travel Guide, released today by the New Jersey Division of Travel & Tourism and available online at www.visitnj.org, provides a comprehensive look at the state’s diverse travel opportunities – from cherished favorites to activities and destinations off the beaten path.   

 

The 145-page guide, teeming with vibrant images and chock-full of listings for lodging and attractions, is the four-season “go-to” guide for both visitors to and residents of New Jersey.  The cover – featuring surfboards of all sizes, lined up and ready for the waves in Belmar – hints at the wealth of information on the famous Jersey Shore, and a quick review of the guide will reveal new adventures just waiting to be explored across the state.

 

“Each of us seeks something different when planning a vacation,” notes New Jersey Secretary of State Nina Mitchell Wells, “and we’re fortunate to offer a wide diversity of travel experiences here in New Jersey.  From the comfort and familiarity of a classic beach vacation to the unexpected surprise of an Olympic-sized snowboarding ‘Halfpipe,’ visitors and explorers will find new reasons to get away for a few days or a much longer trip every time they open the travel guide or access it online.”

 

Beyond the easy-to-use lodging and activity listings, the guide also features articles highlighting the latest New Jersey tourism news and developments.  Visitors without a car – or who simply want to reduce their impact on the environment – will enjoy “Car-Free & Carefree,” an article filled with tips for using bus, rail, and ferry service to uncover some of New Jersey’s hidden travel gems.  “Underwater Treasures” points out adventures just beyond the state’s 127 miles of beautiful beaches – artificial reefs and intriguing shipwrecks that entice sportfishing aficionados and divers alike.  “Surfing New Jersey” tells the story of some of the best surfing on the East Coast just off the Jersey Shore.

 

The new travel guide also puts the spotlight on some of New Jersey’s newest destinations.  The spectacular Meadowlands Xanadu, opening in the summer of 2009, is a 2.3 million-square-foot family entertainment, leisure, sports and shopping facility that will feature year-round indoor skiing and snowboarding, plus many of the nations “firsts,” such as the tallest Ferris wheel, with stunning views of the neighboring Manhattan skyline. 

  

Atlantic City continues to add new world-class hotels and dining options, with the addition of The Chelsea, a new boutique hotel on the famed “AC” boardwalk.  The Trump Taj Mahal recently opened a new 39-story tower, Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa recently completed The Water Club, with 43 stories of pure elegance, and Harrah’s Atlantic City added a year-round tropical paradise named The Pool. Conveniently, beginning February 6, 2009, weekend train service between New York’s Penn Station and Atlantic City will officially launch. Atlantic City Express Service (ACES) will offer customers direct service between the two cities through the comfort and ease of the ACES train.

 

New Jersey’s historical and cultural richness are well represented by monuments and museums in Trenton, the state capital.  After extensive renovations, the New Jersey State Museum’s main building displays everything from prehistoric exhibitions to fossils and fine art, quilts to comets and Native American tools to fine silver.  Trenton also boasts The Old Barracks, witness to the 1776 Battle of Trenton and a turning point in the Revolutionary War.  Housing British, Hessian and Colonial troops at different points in the conflict, the barracks now feature daily tours, a museum of artifacts and weapons and gift shop.

 

The new travel guide also underscores the terrific opportunities for outdoor fun and adventure to be discovered by families in New Jersey.  The state’s fabled beach towns each provide a singular setting and a distinct personality.  The Wildwoods feature an expansive beach, 38 blocks of exciting boardwalk attractions, a cornucopia of restaurants and shopping, and three incredible amusement piers offering more rides than Disneyland.  Seaside Heights offers a tempting combination of boardwalk, water park and nightlife; Point Pleasant Beach presents the classic combination of clean, wide beaches, boardwalk amusements, and traditional beach fare; and Ocean Grove and Spring Lake evoke the peaceful seaside elegance of a simpler time at the Jersey Shore.

 

The 2009 New Jersey Travel Guide is available online via the state’s tourism Web site (www.visitnj.org). The Travel Guide and other travel and tourism specialty guides are available at all New Jersey Visitor Information Centers free-of-charge or by calling the New Jersey Division of Travel and Tourism at 1-800-VISITNJ.

 

 

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