This Incredible Flower Road Trip Through New Jersey Is The Ultimate Spring Adventure
By Raymond Goldfield|Published April 20, 2024
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Raymond Goldfield
Author
Raymond Goldfield is a life-long New Jersey resident and an avid traveler and foodie who can be usually found on the Jersey Shore during the offseason or checking out the latest seasonal flavors at The Bent Spoon in Princeton. He has been working for Only In Your State for since early 2022, where he writes for New Jersey and Iowa and edits the Mid-Atlantic region. He can also be found writing about pop culture for GeekDad. When at home, he enjoys reading comic books and is part of The Rabbitt Stew podcast team. While New Jersey is his home base, he travels regularly and has visited Virginia, Florida, Maine, Minnesota, and Canada as well as all of NJ's border states. Ultimate travel goal? Visit all the best buffets in the United States.
As spring reaches its peak through New Jersey, it’s impossible to avoid seeing the flowers springing up all around us. Some are more welcome than others – c’mon, dandelions in my front yard, take a day off – but they all add to the unique beauty of the Garden State. This is also the time when we’re all ready to get out of the house and shake off that winter inertia, and there’s no better way to do that than a spring flower road trip in New Jersey. We’ve put together an itinerarywith eight spectacular destinations across the Garden State, ranging from world-famous flower farms to hidden gardens and park trails. The trip will take around four hours of total driving, which makes it perfect for a one or two-day adventure. Come with us and discover why New Jersey is never more beautiful than in the springtime.
From South Jersey to the New York border, this flower road trip is around 180 miles and well worth the journey.
Dalton Farms is located in Swedesboro, a small town which celebrates its Scandinavian roots - and they're on full display at this massive tulip farm. A drive-through tulip trail is the farm's top spring attraction, but through the year you'll find fresh honey, fall sunflowers, and other attractions.
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2. Durr's Bluebox Produce (Wrightstown)
Durr's Bluebox Produce, 297 Monmouth Rd, Wrightstown, NJ 08562, USA
Best known as an acclaimed farm market, Durr's Bluebox Produce doubles as a quaint u-pick flower farm. They grow a wide range of flowers and offer several options for designing your own bouquet, so it's a perfect place to stop to pick up a gift for that special someone as well as farm-fresh fruits and veggies.
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3. Holland Ridge Farms (Cream Ridge)
Holland Ridge Farms, 108 Rues Rd, Cream Ridge, NJ 08514, USA
If there's a first name in NJ flowers, it's definitely Holland Ridge Farms. One of the biggest tulip farms in the United States, this Cream Ridge institution becomes a massive attraction in April when the fields are most abundant. Visit, take some incredible photos, and pick your own tulip bouquet!
Let's shift gears to a more laid-back flower destination. Greenway Meadows in Princeton is one of the state's best-hidden parks, and this urban gem is filled with small trails, carved benches, and charming wildflower fields that are especially beautiful when the sun hits them in the evening.
5. Rutgers Gardens (North Brunswick)
Rutgers Gardens, 112 Log Cabin Rd, North Brunswick Township, NJ 08902, USA
The most majestic botanical garden in New Jersey, Rutgers Gardens is open to anyone whether they go to the University or not. It's a massive park featuring dozens of unique gardens - including this stunning azalea path - as well as charming works of public art. You can easily spend all day here exploring the trails.
6. Reeves-Reed Arboretum (Summit)
Reeves-Reed Arboretum, 165 Hobart Ave, Summit, NJ 07901, USA
Daffodil Days at Reeves-Reed Arboretum may happen in early April, but the park and its massive daffodil fields are well worth visiting later in the season. Not only are the daffodils still beautiful, but they're joined by a diverse collection of plants and wildflowers. Combined with the historic buildings and exhibits, it's a must-see destination.
7. Brookdale Park Rose Garden (Montclair)
Brookdale Park Rose Garden, Montclair, NJ 07043, USA
Another well-hidden gem found in a small county park, the Brookdale Park Rose Garden is one of my favorite spots. It features over a hundred species of roses, including many the average person has never heard of. This means the garden is covered in unique shades of red in-season, and it feels like one of the most romantic spots around.
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8. Five Ponds Loop (Ringwood)
Ringwood State Park, 1304 Sloatsburg Rd, Ringwood, NJ 07456, USA
Let's end with a laid-back, 5.7-mile hike through Ringwood State Park. Five Ponds Loop takes you past several small bodies of water and some ancient rock formations, but during the spring it's especially gorgeous. You'll frequently come across little beds of wildflowers in full bloom, and this trail is rarely crowded.
Have you visited any of the destinations on this spring flower road trip in New Jersey? Let us know what you thought in the comments section! If you’re feeling more like a staycation, consider checking into one of these eight gorgeous waterfront Airbnbs in New Jersey. And if the last spot on this trip makes you want to explore some more trails, you definitely might want to subscribe to AllTrails + – this subscription-based service is perfect for avid hikers, making it easier to stay connected in remote areas with downloadable trail guides and step-by-step directions.
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