Grounds for Sculpture: Explore Art in the Great Outdoors

Trenton’s gorgeous Grounds for Sculpture is one of the most unique outdoor art experiences in America. Featuring over 240 works by modern artists, this astounding year-round exhibition located on the former New Jersey State Fairgrounds was opened to the public in 2000 and has been an incredibly popular destination for art lovers and dilettantes alike for over a decade. Regulars recommend not going with any particular goal in mind. Just wander the sprawling grounds exploring the myriad paths that snake through groves of trees, encounter the occasional wild peacock, and feast your eyes on some truly astounding artwork. Equal attention is given to the plant life on the grounds, making this one of the best places to just lazily explore on a nice day. See if you can find the hidden hammocks by the side of the pond for an afternoon nap. The park also features a world-class restaurant in Rat’s, a spectacular eatery that launched the career of Top Chef winner Kevin Sbraga.

Grounds for Sculpture
18 Fairgrounds Road
Trenton, NJ 08619
(609) 586-0616
www.groundsforsculpture.org

Thomas Edison National Historical Park: See the Home and Work of One of America’s Most Famous Inventors

This National Historic Park isn’t just about trees and rolling hillsides. It celebrates and pays homage to one of America’s greatest minds—Thomas Edison. His laboratory complex, original recording studio, and original photography studio are all open to the public in Thomas Edison National Hisotical Park, and contain much of the original furnsihings so that guests can see these sites as they were during Edison’s time. Visitors can also see and experience the the beautiful, ornate Glenmont Estate, Edison's 29 room mansion, which he bought in 1886 when he married his second wife.

Tours of the laboratory complex are given Wednesday – Sunday, and Glenmont is open to the public Friday to Sunday from 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Visit Thomas Edison Park—where some of the world’s most cherished inventions were conceived—and truly be a part of nation’s history.  

Thomas Edison National Historical Park
211 Main Street
West Orange, NJ
(973) 736-0550
www.nps.gov/edis/index.htm

Carl Schurz Park: A Beautiful Park Overlooking the East River

If you’re looking for a beautiful place to go in Manhattan with lots of excitement on a beautiful day, the Carl Schurz Park on East End Avenue and 86th Street is a great place to go. The oldest community-based volunteer park association in the city, Carl Schurz Park offers fun activities year round. Park events range from Volunteer Gardening Saturdays and various children’s activities to summer concerts in the park and the Sunset Film festival (check the park's website to verify specific dates and times). If your four-legged friend is looking for a playmate, this is a great place to find one, as most events are pet friendly and the park offers a fabulous doggy runs for both big and small pooches. It’s also a great place to sit, relax, read a book and enjoy the view of the East River.

Carl Schurz Park
End Avenue and East 86th Street
New York, NY 10028
www.CarlSchurzParkNYC.org

Ground Zero Museum Workshop: Never Forget

The terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 have left a mark on New York unlike anywhere else in the country. When the twin towers of the World Trade Center fell, the city lost the largest buildings it had ever seen, and the skyline was permanently changed. As a nation, we’re still trying to come to terms with the repercussions of that fateful day. The Ground Zero Museum Workshop was founded in 2005 by Marlon Suson, an actor, playwright and philanthropist who was tasked in the days following the attack to document the disaster and recovery with photographs. His images of the days, weeks, and months following the crisis are striking and humbling, celebrating the heroism of the respondents who combed the wreckage for survivors. It’s important that we remember the horrific effects of global terrorism on a human scale as well as a national one, so this museum is a must-visit for any American.

Ground Zero Museum Workshop
420 West 14th Street
New York, NY 10014
(212) 209-3370
www.groundzeromuseumworkshop.com

Intrepid Museum: Visit a Floating Piece of History

When the USS Intrepid, a World War II-era aircraft carrier that participated in several key battles in the Pacific theater, was scheduled to be demolished, something had to be done. The intervention of New York real estate developer Zachary Fisher saw the boat moved to permanent moorage off of New York’s Pier 86, restored, and transformed into a fantastic piece of floating history. In addition to the Intrepid, the museum also boasts a sizable collection of other pieces, including the USS Growler, a submarine that performed nuclear deterrent patrols, a replica of the Aurora 7 space capsule, and a vast variety of jets, helicopters, and other vehicles. Military fans will relish the opportunity to get close to these awesome pieces of equipment. The museum also serves as the base of operations for the annual Fleet Week events that see our Navy men and women enjoy the Big Apple for a week every year.

Intrepid Museum
Pier 86 (W 46th St and 12th Ave)
New York, NY 10036
(212) 245-0072
www.intrepidmuseum.org

Ellis Island: Where The American Story Begins

New York has long been regarded as the first stop for the waves of immigrants that poured into America from Europe over the last few centuries. From 1892 to 1954, Ellis Island was the busiest Federal immigration station in the entire country, processing over twelve million individuals before it closed. In 1965, Ellis Island was added to the Statue Of Liberty National Monument and the disused buildings were transformed into the Immigration Museum, where the history of America can be traced through the footsteps of its immigrants. The museum has extensive genealogical resources for visitors to explore, as well as a 45 minute self-guided tour that is highly recommended. Stop for a while at the Wall of Honor, which boasts a flabbergasting 700,000 names of immigrants inscribed by their friends and family. Ellis Island is also located close to Liberty Island, home of the famous Statue of Liberty.

Ellis Island
www.ellisisland.org

Chelsea Piers: New York's Sports Complex

New York’s west side used to be a bustling port, with almost the entire shore of Manhattan composed of piers in which ships would dock and depart day after day. Many of those piers are now used for other purposes, and one of the most notable is Chelsea Piers. Formerly used for cruise ships, in 1994 the West Side Highway’s recreational area construction took over the abandoned land and constructed a massive sports and entertainment complex there. While New York boasts hundreds of gyms and fitness clubs, none of them can offer the facilities that Chelsea Piers does. A year-round outdoor driving range for golf nuts. A 10,000 square foot rock climbing wall. New York’s only sand volleyball court. Two year-round ice rinks. Basketball courts. No matter what you do to get in shape, Chelsea Piers has it. Membership rates for the gym are very steep, but luckily you don't have to be a member to use the other facilities at the Piers—casual visitors can pay for the day as well. If you’re serious about sports, this is most definitely the place to be.

Chelsea Piers
62 Chelsea Piers
New York, NY 10011
(212) 336-6666
www.chelseapiers.com

Metropolitan Museum of Art: A Legendary Temple Of Culture

When you talk museums in New York City, your options are broader than almost any other place on earth. But one museum stands above the rest as a true must-visit. Nestled into the east side of Central Park on the famous “Museum Mile,” the Metropolitan Museum of Art—or the Met, as the natives call it—is one of the most expansive and successful museums in the world. With a permanent collection boasting a staggering two million works of art, the Met can take days to explore. The museum stretches a quarter mile in length, with over two million square feet of floor space. The collection is divided between permanent exhibits organized by seventeen curatorial departments, and a number of popular thematic exhibits that rotate through every year. A visit to the Met is guaranteed to open your eyes to art you’ve never considered before. It’s a shame for any visitor to live in the vicinity of Manhattan and not see the Metropolitan.

Metropolitan Museum of Art
1000 5th Avenue
New York, NY 10028
(212) 535-7710
www.metmuseum.org

Take an Adventurous Weekend Getaway with Urban Escapes

Looking for a little adventure? Urban Escapes offers social adventures for young professionals, and features several exciting and inexpensive getaways from hiking and yoga to brewery tours and ski trips. Each unique itinerary embraces a fun and active lifestyle, and a tour experience that has been praised by CNN, Forbes, and Self.

New York’s branch of Urban Escapes includes everything from Trails and Ales (hike the day away and then cool off with a tour and tasting at a local NY brewery); to Snow Tubing (the best in the Northeast) and Beer Tasting; to the ultimate thrill ride: Skydiving. It’s a great way to try something adventurous and new and meet a lot of cool people in the process. Interested? Check it out the details at www.urbanescapesnyc.com!

New Jersey Symphony Orchestra: A Classical Music Experience in NJ

Composed of the world’s finest musicians, the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra offers a cultured night out for music lovers all over New Jersey. The company performs at seven different venues throughout the state in an effort to bring classical music to as many people as possible. Conducted by Neeme Järvi, and with Jacques Lacombe serving as their Music Director Designate, the orchestra deftly plays compositions by famous musicians like Tchaikovsky and Mahler and features Broadway’s best like Patti LuPone. The Symphony also runs programs designed to promote youth involvement with musical instruments and music education like the Newark Early Strings Program, Greater Newark Youth Orchestra, and Concerts for Young People (performances geared to students grades K-8). Can’t wait to hear the sounds of the orchestra? Check out the schedule of performances here, or on Tuesday's at 8 p.m., listen to radio concerts from the orchestra’s 2008–09 season on WQXR.

New Jersey Symphony Orchestra
60 Park Place, 9th Floor
Newark, NJ 07102
(973) 624-3713
www.njsymphony.org

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