10 Great Day Trips

10 GREAT DAY TRIPS Ready to travel again? These fun destinations are near enough to visit without an overnight stay. By Sophia Doyle and Meredith Tamirian

Even as the pandemic eases, packing your bags for New Zealand or Kathmandu may still be out of your comfort zone. But you needn’t have a stay-at-home summer. Happily, you can indulge your inner vagabond much closer to your Bergen County base and still forge indelible travel memories. The 10 visit-worthy spots here, for example, are all within a two-hour drive; they’re listed with an approximate travel time.

VAN GOGH IMMERSIVE EXHIBIT New York, N.Y.

Distance from Bergen: 45 minutes

Distance From BC 45min

Highlights: This exhibit is a museum in itself. Created by visionary Massimiliano Siccardi, it offers high-quality videos and wall-length projections, combining the classic paintings of Van Gogh we all know and love with 21st century flair. Never again can your picky family members say art is boring. Relax, take pictures, take it all in. Moving music by composer Luca Longobardi accompanies this interactive exhibit. Bring the family or make it a date. Tickets start at $40; for children 6–16, $30. Things to do nearby: Because the exhibit is so popular, your journey through Irises and Starry Night will be timed. But don’t worry! The South Street Seaport is right nearby. Comprising some of downtown Manhattan’s oldest architecture and offering views of the Brooklyn Bridge and the city’s skyline, the Seaport District is a vibrant hub of culinary delights, outstanding entertainment and memorable fun. Stay for a rooftop movie at The Greens at Pier 17 or stop by Seaport Smorgasburg to enjoy delectable foods from any of its amazing vendors. For more information visit vangoghnyc.com.

SILVER CANOE & WHITEWATER RAFTING Port Jervis, N.Y.

Distance from Bergen: 1 hour, 15 minutes

Distance From BC 75min

Highlights: Here, water-filled fun will put the adventurer in you to the test. Choose from a variety of different trips—rafting, canoeing, kayaking, tubing or fishing—and spend the day on the Delaware River with views of the beautiful New York mountains. Book your trip today with prices starting at $50 per adult and $25 for children 50 inches and under when accompanied by two adults (subject to a few exceptions). Per-person prices continue to drop as your group gets bigger. Bring as many as 30 people! With clear-cut rules and many different experiences available, the company invites those of all experience levels and capabilities. Things to do nearby: You’re just 30 minutes from the lively town of Warwick, N.Y., which offers dining options that range from sit-down restaurants to small ice cream shops. Get a little shopping done at Warwick’s many beautiful boutiques, or simply enjoy a walk about the town. For more information visit silvercanoe.com.

Distance From BC 60min

GOVERNORS ISLAND New York, N.Y.

Distance from Bergen: 1 hour Highlights: This island is only a short ferry ride from the city. While there, visitors can rent bikes, have a picnic and tour a military base. Each season there are nearly 100 programs that include public art exhibits, “historic photo” walking tours, a “teaching garden” featuring an aquaponics system and (on July 24–25 this year) the New York City Poetry Festival, with free readings, workshops and open mics. Things to do nearby: While you’re at Battery Park, catch the ferry to enjoy majestic views of the harbor and the Statue of Liberty. Do you have kids? They will love the Sea Glass Carousel and the new playscape scheduled to open this fall. For more information visit govisland.com.

THE MET CLOISTERS New York, N.Y.

Distance from Bergen: 20 minutes Highlights: Calling all art and architecture lovers! This is the place for you—a branch of the Metropolitan Museum of Art that is focused solely on the art of the Middle Ages. This breathtaking, intricately designed historical museum overlooks the Hudson, displaying artwork alongside awe-inspiring architecture that mirrors a medieval European monastery. Here you’ll see famous art pieces such as the tapestry “The Unicorn Rests in a Garden.” The museum grounds also house a picturesque garden and a café in a courtyard setting for visitors to enjoy a relaxing lunch. Visitors may tour the museum on their own or receive an audio tour, available in multiple languages.Distance From BC 20min Things to do nearby: After enjoying the art, visitors can take a horse-drawn carriage ride in Central Park or stop by St. Patrick’s Cathedral, admire the architecturally magnificent church and sit in on a Mass. For more information visit metmuseum.org.

“The Met Cloisters has always been one of my favorite places in New York City. The architecture, the courtyards, the statues, the tapestries and other artwork transport the visitor to Europe in the Middle Ages.”

—Melinda Rabbia, Oradell

AMERICAN DREAM (LEGOLAND + AQUARIUM) East Rutherford, N.J.

Distance from Bergen: *Located in the county, 15 minutes from Hackensack Highlights: Find your escape right here in Bergen at the long-anticipated American Dream Mall, which opened in 2021. This is no typical mall. Complete with Sea Life Aquarium and Legoland, it promises to pique the interest of all ages. For $43.99 per adult and $38.99 per child, gain admission to both Sea *Distance From BC Life and Legoland for an all-day American Dream extravaganza. Legoland beckons youngsters to build in play zones, enjoy an interactive ride and 15min marvel at a show in the 4D cinema. child’s imagination and creativity. There’s no better place to foster your Things to do nearby: Shopping and dining are available to round out your day. For more information visit americandream.com.

“The Sea Life Aquarium is an immersive experience. I went with my little cousins, who had a blast watching the fish swim right over their heads!”

—Chris Barkachi, River Edge

NEW HOPE Pennsylvania

Distance from Bergen: 1 hour, 30 minutes

Distance From BC 90min

Highlights: This small artists’ haven offers amazing dining and shopping for the whole family. Antiques, boutiques and custom jewelry await you. But no worries if shopping isn’t your scene; other activities abound too. Take a relaxing and educational trip on a historic train through the Bucks County countryside, for example. Have a rebellious or curious teen? Stay after dark for the historic town’s famous ghost tours. Your tour may stop right outside the restaurant where you ate dinner. May we suggest the Logan Inn? Things to do nearby: Stay all day or walk the scenic bridge over the Delaware River to the charming, walkable little town of Lambertville, N.J.; when you reach the middle, straddle the New Jersey–Pennsylvania state line and snap some family pics. For more information check out visitnewhope.com.

“New Hope has art, antiques, good food and a lively nightlife. In addition, there are many historic areas for the curious to explore.”

—Paul Florio, River Edge

Distance From BC 55min

STORM KING ART CENTER Mountainville, N.Y.

Distance from Bergen: 55 minutes Highlights: This 500-acre outdoor sculpture garden is located in New York’s Hudson Valley. Visitors can enjoy enlarged art pieces while traversing the hills, meadows and forests within the outdoor museum’s grounds. Multiple sculptures tower into the sky, including Mark di Suvero’s E=MC2, 92 feet high. While inside the garden, visitors may rent bicycles to more easily maneuver the expansive area or catch a ride on the several shuttles. Multiple picnic tables are available throughout, giving visitors perfect spots to enjoy the art and eat their lunches, either brought from home or purchased at the onsite café. Things to do nearby: After enjoying nature and the exhibits, head over to the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor, only seven minutes from the sculpture garden, and learn about military history and those who have earned this award. For more information visit stormking.org.

“Storm King is one of my favorite places; each and every visit is a different experience. Whether I am seeing new art or more familiar pieces, walking the paths and trails gives me a new perspective. It’s a great way to spend an afternoon outdoors with friends.”

Distance From BC 25min

TURTLE BACK ZOO West Orange, N.J.

Distance from Bergen: 25 minutes Highlights: This expansive zoo sits on 20 acres and houses a multitude of animals, including Masai giraffes, African lions, jaguars and kangaroos. For those who want to get extra close to their favorite critters, the zoo offers behind-the-scenes tours of the giraffe barn and one-on-one conversations with the giraffe keepers. Things to do nearby: Located in the same parking complex is the South Mountain Ice Arena, where children and adults can go ice skating and beat the heat. Want to soar through the sky? Try out the TreeTop Adventure zipline and obstacle course next to the zoo. And if you’re tired from a long day of adventure, walk on over to the nearby Orange Reservoir, where you can relax by the water and take a leisurely paddle-boat ride. For more information visit turtlebackzoo.com.

“I purchased an animal experience, and it was a once-in-a-lifetime event. I have never been so close to a giraffe, and I learned so much about them.”

—Olivia Gropler, Emerson

Distance From BC 90min

GROUNDS FOR SCULPTURE Hamilton Township, N.J.

Distance from Bergen: 1 hour, 30 minutes Highlights: This spectacular, 42-acre garden combines well-maintained foliage and contemporary sculptures created by world-renowned and local artists, providing beauty and art education to visitors just as founder Seward Johnson intended. Tickets are $18 for adults; free for children under 5. Discounts are available for students, healthcare workers and military veterans upon presenting ID. Besides guided tours of the sculpture garden, many educational and hands-on programs for children and adults are offered year-round; a list can be found on the company’s website. Sure, all the walking around that goes on in the garden could make you hungry—so we suggest Rat’s Restaurant, conveniently located right inside the garden. The restaurant itself is a work of art, with a building and landscape that suggest you’ve walked right into one of Monet’s paintings. Things to do nearby: Just 20 minutes away from the campuses of Princeton University and The College of New Jersey, Grounds for Sculpture is the perfect place to make a day out of a college visit. For more information visit groundsforsculpture.org.

“I visit this spot in fall when the leaves turn colors and in spring when the flowers are pretty. It’s perfect for a family outing.”

—Marina Katznelson, Township of Washington

ADVENTURE AQUARIUM Camden, N.J.

Distance from Bergen: 1 hour, 47 minutes Highlights: Want to “swim with the fishes?” Now you can. Adventure Aquarium, formerly known as the New Jersey Aquarium, houses over 15,000 aquatic animals and proudly claims the Northeast’s largest collection of sharks. Guests who yearn for a special experience can enjoy once-in-a-lifetime encounters with the aquarium’s hulking hippos, petite penguins, soaring sea turtles and other mammals, birds and reptiles. Things to do nearby: Only a short walk from the aquarium sits the Battleship New Jersey, which shelled targets on Guam and Okinawa during World War II and served

Distance again in the Korean War. It’s transformed into a museum and memorial open to guests From BC 107 min interested in learning about the ship’s history. The aquarium is also only a 15-minute drive from Philadelphia and its many historical landmarks, including the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall. For more information visit adventureaquarium.com.

“The aquarium is a truly awesome place and provides a unique experience for people of all ages, with plenty to see and lots to learn. My daughter especially loves the shark bridge and the shark tunnel!”