During the Annual Sussex County Heritage Weekend, one of the first stops I made was to the Franklin Heritage Museum in Downtown Franklin, NJ. The museum was the house in one of the offices of the mining company. The museum was a glimpse into community’s mining past and how it shaped this area of the State of New Jersey.
The museum sign out front
The museum building was the old New Jersey Zinc Company ‘Time Office’. This meant that the miners had to punch into their shift at the mine through this building. The old turnstile is to the right of the building.
History of the Franklin Historical Society:
(From the museum pamphlet)
The Franklin Historical Society was organized and incorporated in September 1996 as a non-profit all volunteer education association. It was founded to preserve the heritage of the Franklin Borough to create awareness of both the County and Borough of Franklin and its rich history of culture and ethnic heritage.
The Historical Society’s Museum is located at 95 Main Street in the historic Franklin Mill complex of the former New Jersey Zinc Company.
The Heritage Museum was opened to the public in April 1997 and its displays include:
Iron and Zinc Mining
Railroads
Franklin’s Churches and Schools
Franklin’s Local History
The sign for the old New Jersey Zinc Company ‘Time Office’ historical sign
The history of the Franklin Mine and its place in New Jersey history
The smaller gallery off to the side of the building concentrates on the history of the NJ Mining industry and the many mining areas in Sussex County.
The room contains all sorts of artifacts related to the industry including both pictures and everyday equipment.
The pictures of all the miners at the company
The Mining Gallery
The Mining Gallery with equipment and artifacts for a day of working in the mines
Artifacts from home and work
This gallery was in transition with the volunteers working on the displays. This side of the museum with be on the local NJ Zinc Mine Company and its history.
The main gallery in the old Main Office space
The main gallery of the museum has a mixture of more mining artifacts and town objects that cover the history of the town.
The ‘250th Anniversary exhibition of the town and its mining past
For the ‘250th Celebration’ of our country, the museum created an interesting display of the formation of the community around the mining industry to its growth today.
The Mining and Equipment display
Community artifacts
Pictures of the police and fire department’s in this small mining community
The museum’s main emphasis is on the development of the mining industry both its early development up until when the mines closed in the 1980’s. The display above is on the early mining tools used by the workers.
The Mineral display
What I found interesting was all the minerals that are on display and the glow in the dark components that make these rocks special. When the lights go out, the true magic begins.
The old turnstile to enter the mining compound before the start of the shift
The back of the museum behind the fencing and the weeds, is the entrance to the old mines. Both the entrance building and entrance to the mine has been closed off for years but you can still see behind the fencing. This is the old turnstile off to the side of the building where the miners entered the complex.
Across the street from the museum is the old Hungarian Reformed Church, which is planned to be renovated.
The sign for the church
The old Hungarian church
Down the road from the downtown area where the museum is located is the Franklin Furnace Park, which is a beautiful picturesque park situated around a lake.
All along the highway facing the park and in the park itself was the most beautiful and colorful foliage. Plan to visit the park after the museum for a colorful and relaxing break.
The foliage around the park in early October
The lake view of the park from the highway
The views from every angle of the park are breathtaking.
The view from inside the park and the footbridge to the island
The view of the park from south of the park
A view of the islands in the park
A view of the islands and the foliage
The islands and the foliage in the beginning part of October
The small center pine island
Traveling back down the road back to Route 23 South to continue my tour of museums
The view of the islands to the north in the lake
The view of the lakes from the south
The view of the foliage from the south
For a small town, Franklin offered such an interesting look at this part of New Jersey’s mining past and its transition from a mining industry to tourism based around the mines. The series of museums and cultural sites offers so much for visitors to see and experience.
A start at the Franklin Heritage Museum offers a glimpse into that past and as the museum keeps developing their exhibits will tell that story to visitors.
I can’t believe that a whole year passed and I am back to Wildwood for the NJ State Firemen’s Convention. Time just keeps zipping by each year.
Just before the Convention, I left a couple of days before and visited my mother and her partner since I will not see them again until the Christmas holiday. This is when I give them both the first part of their Christmas present and take them to dinner at a restaurant of their choice. They chose Blue Coast in Rehoboth Beach as their present, the same restaurant we celebrated Mother’s Day. The food was really good but the service was a little off. I do not think they had enough help that evening. Still we had a very nice time.
Blue Coast at 30115 Veterans Way in Rehoboth Beach, DE
The food at Blue Coast is always wonderful and I am glad they made the choice. With the Christmas holidays here before you know it, getting one Christmas present out of the way makes things easier. Plus we had a ball!
My mother and I at dinner for her ‘early Christmas’ present
The Fried Calamari we shared
The food was really a standout. My mother’s partner and I shared the Fried Calamari, which they make really well and was perfectly cooked and not greasy and for my main entree, I had the Fried Shrimp with French Fries. I had not eaten this much fried food in one sitting in a long time and I considered it a rare treat.
The Fried Shrimp entree
Before I left my mother’s house for the Convention, she prepared an amazing French Toast breakfast for me while they enjoyed all the doughnuts and pastries I brought from Mills bakery. My mother still likes to spoil me at my age. This is when it is fun to have parents who care!
Having breakfast with my mother before the Convention and we talked through the meal
The Raison Bread French Toast was delicious
The it was off to the Lewes-Cape May Ferry Terminal for my annual trip from Lewes, DE to Cape May, NJ. The trip takes about an hour and forty-five minutes and on a nice sunny not only is quicker but the views are amazing. Dolphins traveling along side of us made the trip more interesting as the whole ferry moved to one side of the boat every time they passed by. I think they just wanted the attention and know what we were doing.
The Lewes Cape May Ferry Terminal on the Lewes, DE side of the ride
It was a beautiful day that morning and many of the patrons were either at the bar or eating an early lunch at the restaurant. It was also enjoyable to listen to music at the bar. I think many of the locals enjoy eating here just for the views and watching the ferries coming and going.
The restaurant and bar were really busy that afternoon
The ferry looks so graceful as it enters the port in Lewes, DE
I swear everyone makes a B line to the concession stand for snacks when I get on one of these ferries. During the holidays when I take the ferry over to Cape May, I have enjoyed their egg sandwiches.
They really stock this place and have a nice selection of snacks
Depending on the weather, it can take between an hour and a half to get to Cape May from Lewes or when the water is rough like in December, two hours. The views are beautiful
Entering the Cape May coastline during the late summer of 2026
The concert continued into the early evening and the end of the Summer brought darkness earlier in the evening. I could not understand why it was getting dark around 7:30pm. I was used to it at 8:30pm. The crowds kept getting busier as the evening wore on.
The Ramble in the evening
The audience really grew
The Ramble
I was not hungry after such a big breakfast and a snack, so I just wanted a slice of pizza but not much was open this late at night so I walked around the beach after the concert was over and found Blue Moon Pizza open late. It was really quiet and it must have been quiet for a while because the counter guy and the owner/pizza maker looked bored.
My dinner that night and the Cheese pizza was quite good for a slice that was warmed
The strange part of the meal was it was about 10:00pm when I finished and it looked like the restaurant had been quiet for a while. While I was eating a party of four came in and ordered a large pizza, then another gentleman walked in and ordered four slices to go and then another couple came in and ordered another four slices and they needed to make another cheese pie for the case. When I left, there were seven people eating in the pizzeria and another couple walked in as I was leaving. The owner came out into the dining room to see what was going on and then gave me a big smile like I brought all these people into his pizzeria. Even I was surprised by all this at this time of night.
I just walked along the shore line for the rest of the evening and then through Washington Mall (Cape May’s Downtown) before going to bed. I was exhausted both from work and the trip and needed a little R & R. When I got back to the hotel, it was later in the evening and it had that creepy, ominous look about it. Sometimes it looks like ‘The Overlook Hotel’ from ‘The Shining’.
The Chalfonte Hotel at night after ‘The Ramble’ was finished.
I was staying in one of the back rooms on the second floor. I felt like I was walking down haunted halls.
Especially with old pictures of the hotel and faded bathing beauties line the walls of the hallway. Late in the evening, you feel like you are in the “Overlook Hotel” in the “The Shining”
My comfortable room for the next three days of the Convention
I slept like the dead that night and even if there were a ghost haunting the halls they could not have woken me up. I slept for a solid eight hours and woke up to a beautiful sunny morning.
The morning of the Convention I got up at eight and got ready to head over to Wildwood. I had time before our 11:00am meeting a so I decided to treat myself to breakfast on the Veranda at The Magnolia Room, the hotel’s signature restaurant. It was a beautiful, sunny morning so it was perfect to eat outside.
Dining on the Veranda of the hotel on the first morning at The Magnolia Room
They have a nice but limited breakfast menu. I miss their breakfast buffet
I ordered the Challah bread French Toast with bacon
Though I miss the old Breakfast Buffet at the Magnolia Room before COVID, the breakfasts on the porch are part of my first day meetings ritual. On a nice warm morning, there is nothing like it and the French Toast was really good.
It did not look like a lot but I was stuffed after breakfast
The French Toast was excellent and I highly recommend ordering it
It was nice to just sit back and enjoy breakfast on this warm sunny morning before a long day of meetings. With all the grading, scheduling and driving and running around between the prior week and this week, I needed this break.
This is the way to dine in the morning
I got to the Convention Center early and checked in and wondered into the empty Convention Hall before the meeting. To start the meeting, the Wildwood Fire Department Honor Guard and the Bergen County Pipe and Drum performed to open the meeting along with a very loud and heartfelt ‘Pledge of Alliance”. You have never heard it recited until you are with over a thousand firefighters reciting it all at once.
The start of the meeting as the Wildwood Color guard entered with the Bergen County Pipe and Drum
One of the main speakers was Donna Busch’s, whose husband the Buschio Exam is named after who helps so many firefighters with full medical exams.
After several hours in the meeting, we finished for the day and I walked down the Boardwalk for lunch. I knew where all wanted to go and made a beeline to Franconi’s Pizzeria on the Boardwalk.
Walking on the Boardwalk in Wildwood, NJ after the first Convention meeting
What really surprised me that afternoon was how quiet the Boardwalk was for lunch. Normally the Boardwalk is bustling with people but for some reason only the restaurants closest to the Convention Center were busy and that was it.
Walking around the Morey Piers whose staff was preparing for that evening when it opened at night
The second bend of the Boardwalk was very quiet that Friday afternoon
What was crazy was the number of restaurants loaded with food on their cases and extra staff all sitting around with cellphones waiting for people to come. I had never seen this before at a Convention meeting afternoon.
There was not a lot of people on the Boardwalk and when I got to Franconi’s Pizza. I was one of three customers at the restaurant after hundreds of guys had just attended meeting down the Boardwalk.
Franconi’s Pizzeria at Oak Avenue and the Boardwalk
I stopped in for lunch after the first set of meetings. I did not want to have a huge lunch because I had plans for dinner. So I thought I will just order sausage calzone. Big mistake, the thing was huge!
When the waitress brought it out, I thought she brought me the large one. This is the small!
I wondered how I would finish this thing
This calzone was the size of a small pizza
The calzone was filled with lots of cheese and sausage and came with the restaurants delicious red sauce. This could have fed two people.
It was delicious and what a lunch
After a meal like this, I needed a long walk on the Boardwalk and then walked the length of the Boardwalk to North Wildwood and back. When I walked back it seemed emptier than before.
I took a pit stop through Douglas Candies on the Boardwalk when I saw the candy demo in the window and the festive Halloween displays.
The one product I really like at the store is their candy bars especially their milk chocolate. They are a bit pricy but a once in a while treat is a good thing. You can always taste the richness in freshly made chocolate and their chocolate bars are the best. Their moi taffy was delicious too when they were sampling it.
The delicious taffy and assorted candies
The decorated Candy Apples
Each counter has a different type of candy and even in early September, the store was being decorated for Halloween. This smiling witch greeted customers at the door. There was all sorts of products being packaged for the Halloween when I was there and the store was creatively decorated for the holidays.
The store decorated for Halloween
The store was decorated early for Halloween
After I was finished with my walk of the Boardwalk, I planned on coming back later in the evening after dinner. I just wanted to get back to the hotel and relax for awhile.
When I got to Cape May, I put my feet in the ocean and enjoyed my walk along the beach. It was one of those beautiful sunny late afternoons. The water was a little rough as a Nor’easter was supposed to be heading up the coast later next week but for now the perfect late Summer afternoon.
Walking along the beach in Cape May
The beach was perfect and the water was so warm and because most of the kids were back in school at this point it was quiet on the beach.
The waves were so relaxing
The Ravioli House at 102 East Bennett Avenue in Downtown Wildwood, NJ
For dinner that evening I kept with my annual tradition on the first night of Convention and it was a trip to the Ravioli House in Downtown Wildwood. I dined there for a late dinner and ordered the Lasagna with a side of meatballs and came with bread and a House Salad. The meal was excellent.
The House Salad with fresh bread that I enjoyed before my Lasagna dinner
The Lasagna at Ravioli House is the type you might find in the Emilo-Romano section of Italy. It is layered with two different types of meat, two different types of cheese and slices of hard-boiled eggs baked between the homemade lasagna sheets and then topped with their homemade red sauce. It is decadent and delicious. They served it with two homemade Pork Meatballs that were excellent.
The Lasagna dinner also came with two homemade meatballs
They give you a sizeable slice of Lasagna loaded with meats, cheese and sliced hardboiled eggs
Yum!
The restaurant closes for the season on October 13th, so there will be no more trips until next year so I planned on dining here both nights of the Convention.
I was so stuffed from dinner, I had no interest in dessert and more interested in a long walk on the Boardwalk to work off both lunch and dinner. The lights had come on and the whole Boardwalk takes on a fantasyland look to it.
The Boardwalk was busier in the evening
The Boardwalk was much busier in the evening than it had been in the afternoon but still not what it once was in years past. It’s a sign of the times with this economy. I am used to it being much more crowded with families.
It got busier by the Morey Amusement Piers, where the park was celebrating Octoberfest
The Morey family extends their season for the Firemen’s Convention and the park was pretty busy that night with the young families. All the rides were full force and there was such an energy on this part of the Boardwalk. It is almost bittersweet because after this weekend, the piers close until next May.
The piers were lit like a fantasyland that evening
The rides were so colorful on that Friday night
The Garage bands they had that evening were good but not great. Some of the singers were a bit off key but still some of them brought energy to the park and it was a lot of fun that night. They really had the crowd moving around the dance floor in front of the stage.
The opening of ‘Octoberfest’ that evening
I stayed until about 9:00pm and then wanted to head back to the hotel. We had voting in the early morning and then after that I had to head up to Vineland to visit the Vineland Historical Society Museum in Downtown Vineland, NJ. So I had some running around to do the next day.
It was another good night’s sleep at the hotel and then back to Wildwood for breakfast and voting. It was another beautiful sunny morning and I love the drive between Cape May and Wildwood through the marshes.
The Chalfonte Hotel in the early morning. The wedding party who were in house the night before had filled up the patio for breakfast.
The drive between the two towns is beautiful in the late summer with the tall grasses and green trees. Fall had not hit yet so the last vestiges of Summer were still here. You have stop and look at their gracefulness. You can see all the birds digging for their breakfast.
The local highway between the two towns along the shoreline
The marshes in the late Summer
The views of the marshes are spectacular in the early morning
I got to the Convention Center for voting at 8:00am and was able to take a picture of the Wildwood Boardwalk when it was quiet.
The Boardwalk and the beach are quite beautiful in the early morning
I got to the Convention Center which I could not believe was that busy that early in the morning. I guess everyone else had the same idea to vote early and start their day as well.
The entrance to the Wildwood Convention Center in the morning
After I left voting and got back to the Boardwalk to go have breakfast, everyone on the Boardwalk stopped as they played the National Anthem at 9:00am sharp. If you want to see patriotism, watch hundreds of firefighter s and their families stop, remove their hats and sing ‘God Bless America’. It is quite a site.
Everything stopped for the National Anthem
I have to say that I was very impressed and proud to be a member of the fire service. With all the problems we have in this country, it is nice to see that some people still believe in it. The whole Boardwalk stopped for this.
This led to two more patriotic songs and then everyone went back to their morning. I walked down the Boardwalk to Franconi’s Pizzeria, who was having their annual Firefighters specials for breakfast.
I loved the Lorax sign on the Boardwalk
I love coming to Franconi’s for any meal. The food is so reasonable, the service always so welcoming and meals excellent. In all the years I have been coming here, I have never had a bad meal.
Franconi’s Pizzeria at 3300 Boardwalk on the second bend of the Boardwalk
The lunch was so good that I stopped in for breakfast the next morning. I had one of the Firemen’s Special Breakfast’s that had three eggs, your choice of bacon or sausage, hashbrowns and two blueberry pancakes (I paid three dollars extra for these but well worth it).
The Firemen’s Special of Three Eggs with Sausage and Hashbrowns and two large Blueberry pancakes
They did not skip on the blueberries in the Blueberry Pancakes
The Scrambled eggs were excellent and everything on the plate was perfectly cooked and spiced
I don’t what it is about Franconi’s that makes it so special to eat here. Maybe it is the location on the boardwalk so close to the beach and the sea air or the sounds of the ocean and the boardwalk or just people enjoying themselves.
What a breakfast!
I walked the Boardwalk for a bit since it was such a beautiful morning and then headed out to Vineland, NJ for a visit to the Vineland Historical Society Museum. The Museum Director had reached out to me about a year earlier to come for a visit and everytime I tried to go, it just did not work out. Before I left for Wildwood, I had Googled the museum for hours and it just happened to be open the weekend of the Convention so off I went up the back highways to Downtown Vineland, NJ.
I had not been to Vineland since my father had worked for Vineland Industries back in 1974, so it had been a long time and I hardly remember it. Downtown Vineland is still vibrant in some ways but could use some more businesses. The historical society was located just off the downtown area and located in a beautiful building that had been built for the museum around the turn of the last century.
The front of the Vineland Historical Society Museum at 108 South Seventh Street in Downtown Vineland, NJ
On my off time from the Firemen’s Convention after voting, I had planned to visit a group of small museums in Cumberland and Glouster Counties in New Jersey. Most of the small ones were closed or had changed their hours online but the Vineland Historical Society was open for touring and was having a speaker that day. I had been invited to come by the President of their Board of Directors about a year earlier so I was glad that I was able to visit this weekend where the schedules matched up.
What an interesting museum with its focus not just on the history of the Town of Vineland but of the surrounding communities and the impact that Vineland had and has on Urban Design, Farming, Manufacturing and Inventions that contribute to the whole country.
About the Museum:
The museum had been designed as a Historical Museum for community leaders who wanted to share their love of historical objects and the past history of the community. This is what built the collection over the years. Each section of the museum tells a different part of Vineland’s history from the community events like its “100th Anniversary” of the town, the history of the Police, Fire and Veterans of Foreign Wars, members of the community who contributed to Women’s Suffrage and to the number of everyday products we use like Grape Juice and Marshmallow Fluff that were invented here. Each section of the museum tells an interesting story.
The museum is a stop on the Woman’s Suffrage Tour
The Mission of the Museum:
The Vineland Historical and Antiquarian Society is the oldest local historical society in New Jersey and its museum is the oldest purpose-built museum in the State of New Jersey. The Society is dedicated to collecting and preserving artifacts and records related to Vineland and the South Jersey region, and to sharing that material with visitors through exhibits, programs and other appropriate venues. Vineland has a rich, culturally-diverse past that is reflected through our collections. To learn more, please contact us or make an appointment to visit.
The Rain Garden outside the museum
The Rain Water Garden sign
The Rain Water Garden outside the museum was in full bloom at the Summer and you could see that the garden was trying to attract butterflies and other insects that would help pollinize the garden. It must be very colorful during the Spring.
The first floor of the museum is the lecture room, the library and the gift shop along with local artifacts and the Glass Manufactured Gallery
The main gallery was set for a lecture later that afternoon. On all sides of the museum tell the story and the timeline of Vineland and the surrounding communities. There is the City of Vineland and Vineland Borough and Landis Township in 1952. So you see the artifacts of the farming communities and those of the developing City (Wiki).
The early views of the museum with the original heating unit and turn of the century shell art
Historical community information
The First floor collection of artifacts
The bust of Charles K. Landis, who founded the town
The display of the early Women’s Suffrage Movement in town, which helped women earn the right to vote. New Jersey was an early pioneer in the Movement.
The photo of Portia Kellogg Chase, an early leader in the Women’s Suffrage Movement in Vineland, NJ
Made in Vineland: A Celebration of Local Inventors and Their Creations:
The exhibition highlights the remarkable people and ideas born right here in Vineland. From everyday household items to groundbreaking innovations in transportation, food, tools, and telecommunications, this special 2026 exhibit tells the stories of local inventors whose creations shaped daily life far beyond our city. Visitors are invited to explore these inventions and the fascinating individuals behind them during our Open House held every third Saturday of the month.
The ‘Made in Vineland’ exhibition:
The inventions of the Flower vase, the Woodruff Train Car and the Self Adjusted Plane
The inventions of Angel Food Cake Marshmallow fluff
The inventions of the Grape Juice industry and Skee-ball game
The post office desk from the turn of the last century
Just off the side of the main room is the Blown Glass Room. The area is known for special sand that is used for glass making. This made the State of New Jersey one of the leading manufacturers of glass in the country at the time.
Each of the cases displays glass for different purposes and for different industries made by different companies. The museum has a very extensive collection of glass.
The Blown Glass Room
The Blown Glass Room
Since the other museums closed around 1:00pm, I decided to head back to Cape May. I would have to visit these small local museums on my next trip to the area. Both the Matchbox Road Museum at 15 Pearl Street in Newfield, NJ and the Clayton Historic Museum at 29 East Avenue in Clayton, NJ both had limited hours that I missed on my trip to the area. For the next time.
The Matchbox Road Museum at 15 Pearl Street in Newfield, NJ
Along the local highway coming back from the Clayton Historic Museum, I passed Twin Kiss, a small restaurant and ice cream stand that looked like time had passed by. One of these little establishments that dot parts of New Jersey that once well travelled roads.
The Twin Kiss Drive Inn at 25 South Delsea Drive in Clayton, NJ
Twin Kiss Drive In, at 25 S. Delsea Drive, has been a Clayton icon since 1955, when George W. and Mary Lillian “Lilly” Kasper opened the ice cream franchise. The couple borrowed $5,000.00 and bought into the brand-new Twin Kiss franchise, opening several locations throughout Pennsylvania, coming to CLAYTON opening that stand on May 19, 1955 .
In 1959, when Twin Kiss developed a sandwich unit, Lilly joined George full time, and they worked side by side for over 40 years. They ran it for 46 years until retiring in 2001. New owners, John and Stacey Chamberlin, took over in 2001.
Twin Kiss Drive Inn and their Mission Statement:
(from the restaurant website)
Welcome to Twin Kiss Drive-In, a beloved local staple in Clayton, New Jersey, where great food and classic drive-in charm come together.
Proudly owned and operated by Stacy and John Chamberlain, Twin Kiss Drive-In is built on a simple idea: serve quality food, create a welcoming atmosphere, and give the community a place to gather and enjoy. Whether you’re stopping by for a quick bite, bringing the family for a casual night out, or reliving a bit of nostalgia, Twin Kiss offers an experience that feels both timeless and uniquely local.
For years, Twin Kiss has been known for its friendly service, classic American favorites, and that unmistakable drive-in vibe. Stacy and John are hands-on owners who take pride in maintaining the tradition while continuing to make the space feel fresh, inviting, and community-focused.
More than just a place to eat, Twin Kiss Drive-In is a part of Clayton’s story—a spot where memories are made, from summer nights and after-game stops to everyday moments worth savoring. We’re grateful to be part of this community and look forward to serving you.
The front of the restaurant
The ice cream and dessert menu
The sandwich and sub menu
The delicious Salted Caramel with Pretzel Ice Cream I had that day and this was a small!
Twin Kiss Drive Inn is one of those classic New Jersey restaurants that every town should have in them. After my visit to Twin Kiss for dessert, I drove back to Cape May through the back roads, visiting towns that I had never been to and driving down roads that once had been the major highways in this region.
The funny part about traveling some of these local highways is that I felt like I wasn’t even in New Jersey anymore. I felt like I was in small towns in Alabama or something. This is the way I feel sometimes when I visit small towns in the Hudson River Valley.
Once you leave the more ‘popular’ tourism towns like Rhinebeck, you visit these more ‘local’ towns and you feel like you are visiting the place that time forgot. I will have to make a special road trip back next month to visit some of the local museums.
I got back to Cape May with plenty of time to walk around. Unfortunately the hotel was hosting another wedding and I just wanted to get away from that. Cape May was really busy that night now that the Convention meeting was over so couples and families were running around the town.
I changed my clothes and went back to Wildwood for dinner and to walk the Boardwalk to work off meals. My goal was to go to the Ravioli House for dinner one last time because I knew it would be closing in two weeks.
The town had quieted down since the Firemen’s Parade was over and I think a lot of people had headed home. I just wanted another night at the shore to relax now that my work was done. I had another excellent evening.
I was so happy with dinner the night before, that I decided to have dinner there again my last night at the shore. The restaurant closes for the season on October 13th, so there will be no more trips until next year.
What I really enjoy about the restaurant is starting with their house salad with homemade dressing
The salads are so crisp and fresh
Dinner was the Shrimp Scampi with homemade linguine
After several days of fried foods and heavy sauces, I decided to order something lighter and ordered the Shrimp Scampi, which came with a lemon and wine sauce. It blended in wonderfully with the fresh cooked pasta. The sauce had a creamy consistency.
The jumbo shrimp were perfectly cooked and were sweet and tender
The meal was delicious and the seafood was so fresh
After dinner was over and I was thoroughly stuffed from both the meal and dessert, I enjoyed another night of walking the Boardwalk and enjoying the lights.
I watched part of Michigan State-Notre Dame football game on the big screen TV at the Morey Pier. They kept it on low and I watched enough to goal at Notre Dame’s last touch down against us. It was depressing but we held our own for a team that is going through a rebuild.
The lights dazzled my last night on the Boardwalk
Before I left the Boardwalk that evening. I stopped by the Douglass Pavilion for some ice cream. I had never noticed this before and when the menu, it carried such unusual flavors.
The store has a complete ice cream store to compliment the sale of the pints of ice cream in the Douglass Candy store across the Boardwalk. This way you can taste the flavors before you buy them. The store was getting ready for the Halloween holiday season so it was all about pumpkins and Jack-0-Lanterns.
The Douglas Creamery is across the Boardwalk from the store
The menu and flavors of the ice creams that you can choose from. The ice creams are homemade and themed with some of the candy items in the store
I loved the selection of flavors and some included the candies that they sell in the store. The flavors were also geared toward the Fall with Pumpkin and Apple Cider Doughnut flavors.
The tables and the store were decorated for Halloween
I chose the Molasses Paddy (which is a candy they are known for) and the Apple Cider Doughnut ice cream
The ice cream is rich and delicious and they give you nice sized scoops
The store is getting ready for Halloween
I got back to the hotel as the wedding broke up and the hotel had that eerie late evening look to it. I love the look of this old hotel. It looks like the ghosts from the past still visit it.
The Chalfonte Hotel on my last evening
I woke up the next morning like I slept for a year. I got nine hours of sleep. It was overcast that morning and I was still full from dinner and the ice cream the night before. Since I didn’t foresee coming back to the shore, I decided to just have a piece of pastry at the Ravioli House Pastry Shop, take another quick walk on the Boardwalk and then head home.
The Wildwood Boardwalk on the last day of my trip
The Morey Pier was quiet in the early morning and I believe was closed for the season
I stopped at the Ravioli House for breakfast on my last morning of the Convention. I was getting tired of Pancakes, Bacon and Eggs and wanted something different. I had seen pastries in the case I had always wanted to try so I returned one last time before I headed home.
The Ravioli House Bake Shop has a wonderful assortment of bakery treats
The seating area in the pastry shop allows people to talk amongst themselves
Since my dinners were so filling, I never got a chance to try two of the desserts I had wanted in the last two visits to the restaurant so I stopped in the bakery and had breakfast here ordering a Cassata Cake and a Napoleon with fruit. I could just about finish the Cassata Cake because the pastry was so large and very sweet that I brough the Napoleon home.
The Napoleon and the Cassata Cake with some hot tea with lemon
The Cassata Cake at Ravioli House is very dense and rich and should be shared
The dessert is filled with a mixture of cake, nuts and liquors
The Napoleon I saved for later
I was on a major sugar high on the way home that morning. I knew this would be going on the three hour trip home. I was surprised how quickly I got home that afternoon. I figured everyone else had checked out the day before.
It was another successful trip for my Fire Department Convention work and my blogging for all the Travel sites. I got a lot accomplished this weekend. We got the voting for the Convention done that we wanted and I had another set of museums that I had visited or planned to visit in the future. Now on to Halloween.
I recently visited the Ogdensburg Old Schoolhouse and Firehouse Museum at 6 Passaic Avenue in Downtown Ogdensburg and discovered the community’s rich history of farming and mining in its past and its current destination as a weekend vacation spot and a up and coming bedroom community of New York City.
The County still has some farming and agriculture going on as the County continues to be built up with expats from the City, and Bergen and Morris Counties. The first floor is dedicated to the history of the Ogdensburg Fire Department with an old Engine and Ladders trucks, artifacts from the Sterling Mine just up the road and township property such as an old voting booth. You can read about the history of the Ogdensburg family as you head to the outside gallery.
The second floor has displays of various town departments including the Rescue, the Police Department and Fire Department. There are various displays of the town’s school system and various clubs in town. There are displays on the town’s mining and agricultural past with items such as farm advertising and mining equipment and minerals. Each display plays a role in the development of the community and how it progressed from farming to mining to manufacturing to the bedroom community it is today.
History of the Building:
“Built in 1910 as Ogdensburg’s fifth public school, it was adapted for re-use in 1930 as the Borough’s first firehouse replacing the one built in 1872. In 1984, with the aid of two state grants, the Ogdensburg Historical Society adapted it for re-use and dedicated it as the Old Schoolhouse and Firehouse Museum in 1987.
After 97 years, the Museum continues to serve the Borough of Ogdensburg as an historical learning and preservation center, and as a meeting hall. On June 10, 2006 it was dedicated as an Ogdensburg Historic Site.”
The historic sign of the museum
The Borough of Ogdensburg is the host of this marker commemorating the rich history provided by this building. This building has been maintained with much thought and care and remains as a museum and meeting place for the residents of the town. The marker is located in front of the building on Passaic Avenue just off Main Street by the Ogdensburg Elementary School. This marker was part of the 2008 placement (Museum website).
The outside of the museum which served as a school and a firehouse
The first floor of the building has the fire trucks, the history of the fire department and Ogdensburg’s 250th Anniversary of the United States on display.
The museum artifacts from the 250th celebration of the Country
The museum is on the heart of mining country of Sussex County, NJ and the museum has an interesting mineral collection along with their collection of mining artifacts.
The Mineral and Mining Collection
The museum being home to the Ogdensburg Fire Department contains the history of the local fire department along with vehicles and artifacts from the department.
One of the early pull hose beds pulled by men and then by horses
The first floor also contains the history of the Ogden family in the region.
The history of the Ogden family in the community
The town voting booth and a turn of the last century phone
The second floor gallery used to serve as offices and living space of the fire department.
The main gallery on the second floor
The gallery case lines are filled with memorabilia from different aspects of the community telling the story of the growth of the community that included Mining and Farming. It explains the growth into the modern suburbs of today.
The main gallery on the second floor of the museum
The main gallery on the second floor
The display case of Ogdensburg departments including school, fire and police departments
Blanket with historical sites and artifacts of the town of Ogdensburg, NJ
The businesses including schools and the domestic and farming industries
Each of the display cases represented different aspects of the town and has a variety of pictures and memorabilia from a variety of eras. The case lines show how the community changed over time from a mining community to the changes of a bedroom community of Newark and New York City.
The Entertainment display of recorders, phonographs, radios and early record players
The influence that Thomas Edison had on the community with new technology. Several pieces of Thomas A. Edison memorabilia are on exhibit to honor the ten years Edison spent mining iron ore at the old Edison Ore Milling Company on Sparta Mountain. Several of his phonographic inventions were created here (Ogdensburg Historical Society website).
Close up view of record players and Victrola’s
The School system display
The Ogdensburg Presbyterian Church display of artifacts from inside the church
The Sterling Mine display with minerals and equipment
The NJ Zinc Mine and Mineral display is a small s as molding of the museum down the street and the importance of the mining industry at the turn of the last century.
A closer look at the minerals display
A replica of a working mine operation. The machine shows how workers descending and brought up rock from the mines.
The Dedication to Mr. Waco Hadowantez, the town historian
The last display as you leave the museum is dedicated to the man who founded the historical society, Waco Hadowantez.
The museum tells an interesting story of the history of Ogdensburg and the surrounding area. It shows the importance of the Mining Community at the turn of the last century and how the community is pivoting towards tourism to tell its story.
Please contact the museum directly for seasonal hours and tours.
The sign that welcomes you to this local breakfast and lunch establishment
I was visiting New Vernon, NJ for the annual ‘Pathways Tour’ that the Morris County Historical Board sponsor’s twice a year. While visiting the Tunis-Eckllis House around the corner, I passed the Village Green Deli, a popular local sandwich shop while driving through this small downtown area facing the Village Green. I made note of it as it was getting closer to lunch time.
After the tour, I stopped by the deli, read the wonderful TripAdvisor reviews online in the parking lot and headed inside for lunch. I really liked the vibe of this small town deli where the owners knew everyone by name and I felt like an interloper at a private party.
The inside of the Village Green Deli
The deli has that small town feel to it, with local art and sports paraphernalia in the walls. The woman who worked the register was greeting everyone by name and the guys that worked the grill seemed happy to see me.
Looking at the menu at the grill
I looked at the extensive lunch menu of popular sandwiches and some wonderful combos. You could even still get breakfast as I saw some of the guys at the counter devouring as I decided on what I wanted to order.
The deli has a wonderful selection of sandwiches, hero’s and other delicious sounding items.
There were so many things I wanted to try that day that it was hard to choose. Was it a breakfast sandwich with local sausage? The Thanksgiving ‘Gobbler’ sandwich with turkey, stuffing and cranberry relish, that sounded so good? I decided on an Italian hero sandwich with a selection of deli meats with fresh lettuce, tomato and onion. The hero was excellent!
The Italian hero with a pickle
The sandwiches here are huge! One half of a sandwich a normal person could eat for lunch and save the rest for another meal. The sandwich was loaded with salami, bologna, ham, Swiss Cheese and fresh veggies. I could barely fit it in my mouth.
The sandwich was excellent
I was able to eat about half of the sandwich before I told myself I was finished and not to push anymore. I wrapped the rest up to go and went back to study the menu before I left. I definitely want to come back and try more. The food and the service were both excellent.
After lunch was over, it was such a beautiful sunny day and I walked over to the historic Green across the street and looked over the artifacts in the park. New Vernon is a very picturesque and beautiful little town.
The New Vernon Village Green in the early Spring
It was nice to have a place to walk and digest after that wonderful meal. It is worth the trip to visit this wonderful little deli in the small town. I really enjoyed my meal and the afternoon that followed.
The New Milford Village Green
I have to come back. There are so many sandwiches to try and I want to visit the Great Swamp which is a mile away. Until the next time.
The members of the Bergen County Firemen’s Association at the April Meeting
On a rainy Sunday afternoon, the members of the Bergen County Firemen’s Home added a little cheer to the residents of the NJ State Firemen’s Home with refreshments and entertainment.
We started with our monthly meeting with reports on our ongoing fundraising drive to raise money for the organization and the plans for our Summer picnics which are coming up quickly in both June and August. Hopefully the cold weather of these tough Winter months are behind us.
We are having a very successful fundraising year and want to say a big “Thank You” to all the fire companies in Bergen County who are donating to us. This is making a big difference in the programming and events that we can offer the residents here. It is your donations that help create all these wonderful events that the residents and their families enjoy.
The afternoon’s entertainment was performer Gigi, who sang country and contemporary hits, which the residents loved.
Gigi singing to the crowd
Gigi, who performed a songbook of country and contemporary hits that we along with the residents enjoyed. One of the crowd favorites especially to those residents, who have Italian blood in them was the song, “That’s Amore”. This really got the residents and their families pepped up!
‘That’s Amore‘
Gigi engaging the crowd
One of the contemporary songs she sang to the crowd was “You can’t hurry Love” by the Supremes. It was a nice send off for the afternoon.
‘You can’t hurry Love’
It was a really nice afternoon and everyone had a nice time. We are now looking forward to excellent weather and everyone having a nice time at the barbecue.
Here is Gigi’s business card and information to contact her if you like the video’s:
If you like the songs and concert, here is Gigi Onofrio’s contact information. We have such great afternoon concerts up at the home and the residents love her.
If you would like to make a donation to our organization, please send it to:
BCFHA
C/O Jeff Parma
277 Harriott Avenue
Harrington Park, NJ 07640
Please make the checks out to the Bergen County Firemen’s Home Association
Our 2026 Meeting Schedule:
All our meetings at the home start at 12:00pm at the NJ State Firemen’s Home in Boonton, NJ:
February 15th
April 19th
June 13th (June Barbecue)
August 15th (August Barbecue)
October 18th
December 6th (Annual Christmas Party)
A big “Thank you” from The Bergen County Firemen’s Home Association Executive Board 2026
When the second week is September comes and the Labor Day weekend is behind us, it is time for the NJ State Firemen’s Convention.
This was going to be a particularly long weekend for me as I was going to be extending my trip to include a series of visits to historical sites in Southern New Jersey to complete a blog on historical New Jersey. Most of these little sites are NEVER open.
My street was being ripped up with replacing the morning I left and with an 8:00am class, I decided to leave early for class and then leave for my mother’s right after my 11:00am class was over.
I had never planned a trip like D-Day before. The laundry had to be done, the house cleaned, the bills paid, the dishwasher run and I had a series of repair work being done around the house. Plus knowing I had to be out of the house early meant that I had to wake up at 4:00am to get out of the house then to work then to drive the four hour trip to my mother’s.
I was in the middle of perfecting my students resumes, which is always the toughest project in my class. It is a challenge every semester but worth it if it will help them get a job. So I had been extremely busy at work.
After my last class was over, I decided to get on the road and head down to Rehoboth Beach. As I passed my house on my way to the New Jersey Turnpike, I saw the workers completely ripping apart my street and thank God, I had left early.
It was a really nice day as I traveled to Delaware. I had planned on visiting a new museums in Bethany Beach before my ferry ride to Cape May the next day, so the trip would be more of a working business trip and vacation.
Because of my schedule with work and the holidays, I take my mother to dinner for her birthday on Convention weekend. It’s less rushed and we have a good time.
I got down the Rehoboth Beach about an hour before dinner and was able to relax a bit. My mother chose the restaurant, Harvest Tide in Lewes, DE for dinner, which I had been before and enjoyed.
The Harvest Tide at 410 East Savannah Road in Lewes, DE
The food was excellent and we all enjoyed our dinner. I started with a delicious Caesar Salad with fresh greens and a homemade dressing.
The Caesar Salad at the Harvest Tide
For my main meal, I had the Lobster Pasta, which was excellent. The pasta was perfectly cooked and was loaded with pieces of sweet lobster in a light cream sauce.
The Lobster Pasta
For dessert, I treated myself to a giant piece of their Ten Layer Cake. I forgot how big these slices were and I just about finished it.
The Ten Layer Cake at the Harvest Tide is a treat
I was a very laid back evening and we had a nice time catching up. It was going to be a quick trip this time and I had to be in Bethany Beach at 11:00am the next morning so I had to be out the door early. I slept like the dead that night.
The next day over breakfast, my mother and I spent the morning catching up and laughing at past holidays. It was a really nice overnight stay and it was fun to have that time together.
I left after breakfast and headed to my appointment at the Dinker-Irvin House Museum in Bethany Beach. Who knew the whole morning would be spent visiting cultural sites in Bethany Beach.
The Dinker-Irvin House Museum in Bethany Beach
The front of the Dinker-Irvin House at 318 Garfield Parkway
I toured the house and the grounds with members of the Board and they gave me the full history of the house and its place in Bethany Beach. It really is an excellent little museum representing town history.
The history of the shore
The shore kitchen with some of the original items
The front gallery of antiques
The museum was really unique and the Historical Society does a nice job displaying and interpreting all them.
After my tour was over, I had plenty of time before taking the ferry over to Cape May, so I visited both Bethany Beach History Museum and the Bethany Beach Nature Center. I did not know that either of them even existed.
The museum is located in the main floor of Bethany Beach City Hall. It has some interesting displays on the towns’s history. There are also displays on artifacts from different aspects of the town’s past.
The displays of the museum and shelves of artifacts
The displays of town artifacts on display
The main exhibition was the history of their Life Guard Squad
After I finished up in the two museum’s, I walked a bit of their downtown and saw the statue of Little Owl at the entrance to downtown.
The statue of Little Owl at the beginning of the Bethany Beach downtown
After that tour, I visited the Bethany Beach Nature Center. The center consisted of the main building which was a historical home and then the gardens and grounds.
The inside of the Nature Center there were all sorts of displays on turtles and fish and tables for students for games and drawings. The real draw are the gardens and nature trails in the back of the building.
The entrance to the Baldwin Trails
The entrance to the gardens
The gardens in full bloom
The back trails led to the marshes and to the wooded areas. The views were breathtaking.
The back pathways to the marshes
Looking over the watering hole
To end my tour of the Nature Center, I toured the front gardens of the building which had a Butterfly Rain Garden.
Part of the Rain Gardens
I was touring the garden when a Monarch Butterfly flew in and landed on a flower. It would not open up and I wanted to take a picture of it so I yelled at him to open his wings so I could take a picture. He did!
The butterfly landing in the garden. I yelled at him to open his wings for a picture.
The butterfly must have heard me and opened up his beautiful wings
After I took the picture, I showed it to him and he flew away. Everyone is a critic! Still, it was a beautiful butterfly.
I really had a nice time not just visiting the Nature Center, but the other two museum’s as well. I could not believe all these hidden gems in such a small town of Bethany Beach. They really have a nice selection of museums and cultural sites for such a small town.
Before I headed to the ferry to Cape May, I stopped in Ocean View to visit their Historical Village. This tiny historical street of had many historical buildings but the complex was closed so I just took some pictures around the neighborhood, stopped at an antique store across the street and then headed to the ferry.
The sign for Historic Village in Ocean View at 40 West Avenue in Oceanview, NJ
The historic buildings on the edge of the property
Ocean View Park in the summer of 2025
What I love about the Cape May-Lewis Ferry on a nice day is the ferry complex on the Lewis side has some nice restaurants that are partially outdoors and on a calm day, the views are amazing. Because the waters were so calm, we got over to Cape May fifteen minutes early and that meant I could check into my room by 5:00pm and relax.
Checking out the snack bar on the ferry on the trip to Cape May
I got to the Chalfonte Hotel in Cape May in a half hour and checked in. The hotel was preparing for that night’s entertainment which was ‘The Ramble’, a local group who performs there every Thursday night during the warmer months
My room for the next four nights was a tiny room on the second floor with a shared bathroom, perfect for someone who is never in his room.
Parts of the Chalfonte Hotel look like the ‘Overlook Hotel’ in ‘The Shining’
My home away from home for the next four days
I rolled into bed and had a long nap before ‘The Ramble’ started. When I woke up later, the crowds had swelled all over the front lawn and street and they closed the side streets off as well. I never saw crowds like this before for the concert.
Joining the rest of the crowd for the weekly ‘Ramble’ on the Chalfonte Hotel porch
Part of ‘The Ramble’ concert that evening
The Ramble on the porch of the Chalfonte Hotel
The concert on the porch
After the Ramble was over, I walked into downtown Cape May for dinner. This particular weekend was all about the pictures. I had to go back in time and retake pictures of all the meals and places I had been to on previous trips to update older blogs. So on top on my duties for the fire service, I would be working to update all my older blogs.
So all my meals and museum visits my this a ‘working vacation’ on top of visiting new places to add to the treasure trove of great hidden spots to visit.
I would be having several meals at the Ugly Mug and Uncle Bill’s in Cape May and the Ravioli House in Wildwood. I even stayed an extra day in Cape May to complete my pictures with breakfast at the Magnolia Room dining on the porch.
My return meal at the Ugly Mug at 426 Washington Street in the Washington Mall was a favorite of mine and a specialty of their’s, the Cheesesteak.
I sat at the bar watching the Mets and Philly fans duke it out watching the playoff game. Even though we are all from New Jersey, you see the difference once you pass Long Beach Island. South Jersey is all about Philly not New York.
The inside of the Ugly Mug’s bar area
I just ordered my Cheesesteak and sat back and relaxed and enjoyed my meal and my time off. It was fun watching the exchange from people from North and South Jersey and see how the alliances change at the border of Hunterdon County.
Now this is a Cheesesteak!
You can not get this in North Jersey
It was a nice evening talking with the bartender and watching a game I couldn’t care less about. After dinner was over, I worked off dinner by walking around the Washington Mall and walking by the beach. The weather the whole weekend was amazing and we had sunny days everyday.
The beaches of Cape May are amazing at night
After a good night’s rest, it was off to the Convention meetings. Our meetings don’t start until 10:00am, so there is enough time for a good breakfast. That meant two mornings at Uncle Bill’s.
Uncle Bill’s Pancake House in Cape May at 261 Beach Avenue
I love coming to Uncle Bill’s. The service is always so friendly and the food wonderful. This weekend was about the picture and I was eating the meals of the past that I needed photos of for past blogs so that meant ordering the French Toast special (I so hate my job as a travel blogger).
The French Toast special at Uncle Bill’s
The French Toast and Sausage here should not be missed
After a good breakfast and walk back to the hotel, I headed to Wildwood for the first day of meetings. It was a spectacular sunny day and since I got there so early, it gave me the opportunity to walk on the boardwalk and get some ocean air before our first meeting.
Walking on the Wildwood Boardwalk before the morning meetings
The Wildwood Boardwalk would not look like this for long
The first day of meetings for the NJ Jersey Firemen’s Convention is full of pump and circumstance, but with 9/11 being the first day of the Convention, we respected our Brothers who gave their lives that terrible day. There was a lot of emotion in the Convention Hall as a lot of these members are of the age where a lot of them volunteered in New York to assist and still have lingering health issues.
While it is a somber time for firefighters when we remember the 24th Anniversary of 9/11 we still have to carry on the traditions of the fire service. Time has a way of marching on and while we remember our fellow brothers with dignity and respect, we can only honor them by continuing our craft and building on the things that made them successful at their jobs. So delegates from all over the State of New Jersey met from September 11th to the 13th for the annual NJ State Firefighters.
Getting to the Wildwood Convention Hall early
I am starting to see some of the same faces over and over again as I have been attending these meetings. What I am beginning to notice is that the crowd is getting older and thinning out. The younger firefighters don’t seem to be taking over from their predecessors. The average age of the people in that room had to be at least 45 years old.
Still we carry on with our mission of making the first service the best it can be. This means a lot is going on the State organization. We started the morning out with the Bergen County Pipe & Drum performing with the Wildwood Fire Department’s Color Guard.
We stand for the performance
The performance as they entered the Convention Center
Then the welcome from the Executive Team to the Convention started. If you ever want to see a prouder group of Americans it is fire fighters. When do the Pledge of Alliance, you never saw a whole convention center do it in unison. That is where I am very proud of being a firefighter. Is the dedication these men and women give to their communities that mantle people do not appreciate.
After the initial introductions and welcome, the Pipe & Drum and the Color Guard left. It’s pomp and circumstance when they leave as well.
The closing ballad before they left the Convention Center
It was an afternoon of business talking on current issues of the fire service and items that we were dealing with the state. There were many bills on the Governor’s desk to be signed and line items we were fighting for our membership. There would be a lot of State and local issues to vote on the next day.
After the first day of meetings were over withI had to travel around Cape May County to visit various cultural sites and revisit farms for my picture taking mission. The first place I visited was the Sam Azeez Museum in Woodbine, NJ.
Touring the fire equipment displays at the Convention after the first meeting
During my four day stay in Cape May, I had appointments to see many historical sites that are normally never open or open at specific times where I can never visit. So I either made appointments to meet people or set my schedule to meet with the precious hours these places were open. I planned this trip like D-Day. You had to hit each spot at a specific time or else the window closed.
The Sam Azeez Museum of Woodbine Heritage at 360 Washington Avenue in Woodbine, NJ
The Sam Azeez Museum is a look at the Jewish community that was established well heeled Jewish businessman that established for new immigrants. They built a successful community assimilated the population to become Americans.
The history of the Jewish community in Woodbine, NJ
The museum was an interesting look at the successes and failures of the community but the museum shows a community that keeps changing. I thought this was fascinating that a community like this once existed.
There is a synagogue on the second floor
The Americanization of children through baseball
I thought this was a fascinating museum because the museum itself does not tell this story in its website. It is such an interesting look at a community and it asks the question ‘how do you become an American?’ It is a rich history that most of New Jersey does not know.
A self sustaining community
The new Americans playing America’s past time
After I returned from my tour of the museum from Woodbine, I relaxed and walked along the beach near the hotel. We really lucked out with the weather that weekend and it was sunny and clear. It was starting to cool down a bit but it was still nice to be outside at night.
Meals on this weekend trip were all about the pictures so I headed to The Ravioli House at 102 East Bennett Avenue in Downtown Wildwood, NJ for dinner. This is my favorite place during the Convention to eat and is one of my popular sites on my blog, LittleShoponMainStreet@Wordpress.com.
I was here so many times without a cellphone to take pictures of all the wonderful dishes that I had eaten and this weekend I was going to have them again. This is when my job gets tough!
I always enjoy seeing the owners daughter when I walk in. She is always in the same spot greeting people. I get one of the booths in the back and stretch out. I got there a little late so it was just starting to wind down. The service is always excellent so I got my food pretty quickly.
Tonight I had the dinner I had five years ago, the Manicotti with homemade meatballs with a fresh salad. It was just as delicious as I remembered.
The start of the meal is a fresh green salad with their homemade Creamy Italian dressing and the freshly baked bread
The fresh salad is always a treat
The freshly baked bread makes it is easy to devour a few baskets
The entree was excellent and all the pastas, sauces and meatballs are made in house. You can taste the quality.
The Manicotti with meatballs was excellent and I love their red sauce
The homemade meatballs should not be missed
The meal was incredible and I topped it off with a St. Joseph pastry with vanilla cream. It was from their pastry shop and was wonderful (see my review on TripAdvisor and LittleShoponMainStreet@Wordpress.com).
My dessert, the St. Joseph pastry
All the desserts are baked in house
After the amazing dinner, the restaurant was closing for the evening and I needed to work off dinner so I parked closer to the Wildwood Boardwalk and walked the length of it back and forth. I was so surprised that on the first night of the Convention it was so quiet. Many businesses were still open that evening to very little crowds. I think the merchants were surprised by this as well. When I got back to the hotel, I slept like the dead.
We did not have to be at the Convention Center to vote until 9:00am, so I could sleep in a bit. I planned breakfast on the Boardwalk so I was fine either way time. It was a beautiful sunny morning and I got up to blue skies and warm weather.
The Chalfonte Hotel in the morning
The Magnolia Room set up on the porch in the mornings. I would find here my last morning at the hotel.
I got on my way to Wildwood for voting and then breakfast. When I got to the bridge to get to Wildwood, I had to stop as a boat was passing by and I got the best pictures taken.
Getting to the bridge
The marshes
The boat was coming
The boat passed by so gracefully
The boat passed by so gracefully like in the movies
It only took a few minutes but I thought it was one of the most enjoyable things to watch in the morning. In this age of rushing around, something so simple as this could be so much fun to watch.
I got to the Convention Center, voted, signed in and talked with some other delegates. Then we were done with our meetings for the day and I left for breakfast to my favorite spot on the Boardwalk, Franconi’s Pizzeria at 3318 Boardwalk. All meals are excellent at Franconi’s.
My breakfast was amazing! Biscuits with Sausage Gravy, Hashbrowns and a homemade Cinnamon Twist (they did not get the Cinnamon rolls that morning). This feast was my breakfast and lunch for the day.
Don’t miss these decadent Biscuits with Sausage Gravy
The Cinnamon twist is not on the menu but the owners daughter made it special for me because there were no cinnamon rolls. What a delicious treat and I highly recommend ordering it!
After a meal like that and Voting over, I had to walk the Boardwalk again just to work some of it off.
The Boardwalk got busy after Voting was over
The weather was fantastic that morning and the amusement piers would be opening later that evening
There were many museums and cultural sites I would be visiting in the area and I did not want to spend my entire morning on the Boardwalk, so off I went again visiting museums. My first stop was just off the Boardwalk at the Doo Wop Preservation League Museum at 4500 Ocean Avenue.
The Doo Wop Preservation League Museum at 4500 Boardwalk
This unique little museum unfortunately gets drowned out by the fire department displays and beer garden and people really don’t appreciate it for what it is, a glimpse of Wildwood’s Motel past that is quickly disappearing in the wake of the real estate boom and gentrification. I don’t give the remaining motels more than five years before they all sell out.
The museum is bright and shiny
The museum shows the progress made after WWII and the optimism of the electric age after the war with foreign travel part of a dialogue that most people could not afford yet but wished to attain. So these motels brought that to them. As the era passed, these relics show the progress we had made and then what we left behind. I think it is one of the most clever small museums I have visited down the shore.
While searching for the Cape May Maritime Museum (which does not exist except in some of the members wanting for a physical space), I came across the Garrett Family Preserve, which was a large wetland preserve just outside Cape May proper.
The Garrett Family Preserve at 801 Wilson Street in Cape May Creek
The Preserve is acres of wetlands that is refuge for birds, butterflies and wetland creatures.
The Butterfly sculpture at the end of the paths
When you enter the Preserve, you have the option to follow several paths that take you through the woods, the wetlands or down paths of wildflowers. It was unfortunate that it had not rained in a month and the preserve was very dry.
The sign had said in the Spring that the preserve was alive with colors of flowers. Still it offers a glimpse into the mating areas and refuge for these insects and birds on the path to warmer climates.
Searching for the Maritime Museum, which will have a physical building in the future the President of the organization assured me when he called me later that afternoon, I headed back to Cape May to walk along the beach after a long day of meetings and cultural visits.
The beaches were busy on this warm late summer evening
It was a beautiful afternoon just walking the shoreline trying to get my mind off everything
Please join me for my walk at the shore
The views of walking that Cspe May shoreline
I am never sure where these tubes come from
The shore works its own magic
The view on the Boardwalk at Cape May Beach
It was still early in the evening so I decided to head to Sunset Beach in West Cape May and watch the sunset before going to dinner. That is always a treat to watch!
Sunset Beach in West Cape May arc502 Sunset Boulevard
There is nothing more beautiful on a clear night than seeing the sunset before set on this beach. The crowds were huge. Being Convention weekend, people were packed all over the place. I had to park about a mile up so that I could drive back out.
The restaurant that had once been a simple snack shop and was now a higher end restaurant with views of the bay and that did not help the parking situation. The crowds a families set up blankets and chairs all over the beach and then we stood back and let the magic take place.
Going
Going
Going
Going
Going
Gone
Gone
Then all the beautiful colors of the sun
The beauty of the sun set
I set on the beach with the locals while everyone else fought to get out of the parking lot and headed back to Cape May for dinner. It was such a spectacular night.
The Washington Street Mall was packed with people that night. With the Convention meeting now over, many fire companies were having their get togethers that night. A lot of the older firefighter couples though I could see opted for a quieter night strolling the Mall.
On the third night of my dining picture taking it was back to the Ugly Mug for dinner and for the elusive Bacon Barbecue Cheese Burger (dinner four years ago).
My dinner at the Ugly Mug, the Barbecue Bacon Cheeseburger (and yes, it is as delicious as it looks)
After the wonderful dinner, I took a long walk along the Mall, the Boardwalk and beaches to work the dinner off. What spectacular views of the town.
The Washington Mall later that evening
I went back to the room and slept soundly as I had a long day of work ahead of me. After the Convention was over, I had arranged an extensive day of touring with members of the Board of the Upper Cape May Township Historical Society to tour all three of their historic sites, the Gandy Farmstead, the Friendship School and the Tuckahoe Train Station, plus an additional tour of the Endicott-Reardon Family Museum. It would be a long day.
Waking up to the sun the next morning
When I woke up the next morning and checked my schedule for the morning and afternoon, and then checked the weather report, I decided to extend my stay in Cape May one more night.
I arranged for the additional night and walked down to Uncle Bill’s Pancake House for the second day of picture dining. It was another sunny afternoon and I was going to need a lot of energy. I ordered an Omelet with a side of sausages, potatoes and rye toast (breakfast from Christmas time 2021). The breakfast was excellent.
The omelet with potatoes and sausage
The breakfasts here are amazing!
You can create two breakfasts from the meal
On the way back to the hotel, I had to walk along the shore just to work some of breakfast off before my roadtrip. They give you so much.
It was a beautiful morning and a perfect shore day
God creates these beautiful days for us to enjoy
After my walk, it was time to meet the Board Members of the Upper Township of Cape May Historical Society at the Gandy Farmstead, my first historical stop.
The Gandy Farmstead at 26 Tyler Road in Oceanview, NJ
I was met by two of the Board member who had just arrived and we did an extensive tour of the house, the outer building and the grounds.
The first floor kitchen, storage and wash area of the house
The kitchen and heating area of the house
The second door bedroom
The attic loft area
We then took a tour of the grounds that included the well, the smokehouse, the outhouse and extensive tour of the barns. The organization did a nice job preserving the integrity of the home and life at that time period.
The back part of the grounds with the various buildings
We did an extensive tour and discussion of each building (you can see the full tour on my blog VisitingaMuseum.com). The barn was the most interesting.
The barn on the Gandy Farmstead
The inside of the barn
The inside of the barn
The tour was really nice and what an interesting home. The displays were so well organized and laid out. Each of the buildings told their own story.
The grape arbor behind the house
We discussed the Gandy family whose ancestors live across the street and who had donated the home a grounds to the committee. We also discussed to upcoming “Apple Festival coming up in two weeks.
Please read my blog on the Gandy Farmstead Apple Festival:
After the full tour of the house and grounds, we headed to the Friendship School down the road and up the highway from the homestead. Another fascinating look at the areas past.
The school just showed me how things have not changed in over a hundred years.
The front of the Friendship School
The school has the most interesting look both inside and out. You see the way students lived and learned at the turn of the last century.
The old water pump outside the school for classroom use
The classroom reflects education of the various levels of students between the ages of Kindergarten and High School.
The classroom set up is still similar to today
Instead of computers and laptops they used slates, chalk and books
The Friendship School showed how much we have progressed in education but it also has stayed the same. The ladies explained to me that the school is open at certain times of the year to show children how the classroom still reflects its main purpose, to learn and to educate.
The Outhouse
On my way to the last historic site on the Historical Society’s list, the ladies took me to the Frog Hollow Bakery for the most mindblowingly delicious doughnuts.
The Frog Hollow Bakery at 140 NJ 50 in Ocean View, NJ
We just stopped in for a doughnut and I tasted on of the best fried sugar doughnuts I had had in a long time. Everything on the counter was made from scratch and looked so good.
The delicious looking buttery breads and cakes inside of the bakery
Do not leave this bakery until you have tried one of their fried sugary doughnuts
This is such a unique and wonderful little bakery. It has a nice selection of not just baked goods but a gift items and produce.
The next historical site I visited was the Tuckahoe Train Station in Tuckahoe, NJ. This Victorian structure was once the hub of shore transportation. Now it houses all its treasures of the past.
The Tuckahoe Train Station at Railroad and Market Street in Tuckahoe, NJ
The Board member who met me at the museum was an expert on the station and gave a very in-depth tour of both the inside and outside of the station.
The old Waiting Room and Gift shop
Most railroad museums I have visited in the past have been dark and dusty but the Tuckahoe Station, which is brightly lit, beautifully organized and has engaging displays.
Each display case showed a different aspect of life on the rail system from arrival to departure
We toured both floors of the station which showed not just the life of passengers coming to and from the shore but the life of the station manager. It was a very demanding job where you have to wear many hats.
The room of the station manager on the second floor
The station manager’s office
We then toured the Baggage Room and Receiving Room
Each room built on the other showed the day of the passengers as they arrived at the station with their luggage and then had to be transported to their destination at the shore.
Then we toured the outside rail yard where many of the old train cars are being or have been restored. We discussed train travel with some lines being very luxurious for the time and others just regular transportation.
The outside rail yard on the old tracks
The Blue Comet railcar was once the ultimate in luxury travel to the shore
The last place we toured in the complex was the Repair and Transport building next to the rails. This is where everything was maintained at the depot.
The Repair Shop
The station stop at the end of the tour
I was really impressed by the Tuckahoe Station with such an interesting and thorough tour. I could not believe almost two hours went by. I said my thank you and sang my praise of how organized and fascinating the museum was to tour.
My last museum tour of the day was the Endicott-Reardon Family museum at 3036 Shore Road in Ocean View,NJ. This brand new museum houses the artifacts of both sides of Endicott and Reardon families.
The front of the Endicott-Reardon Family Museum at 3039 Shore Road
The beauty of the museum is that the last direct family descendant never threw anything out and carefully organized things for years anticipating that she wanted to open a museum. It is a fascinating look at the life of an Upper Middle class family from the turn of the last century to today.
The beauty of the museum is that the last direct family descendant never threw anything out and carefully organized things for years anticipating that she wanted to open a museum. It is a fascinating look at the life of an Upper Middle class family from the turn of the last century to today.
The inside of the museum and its extensive collection of family artifacts
The curator of the museum met me in the late afternoon for the tour. Instead of a musty house, this recently built museum is bright and airy and the well lit displays showcase the collections. Each section of the museum is broken down by collection and life style.
The family artifacts at the entrance of the museum
The Living Room set up
The bedroom set up
The Dining Room set up
The Founder’s Doll Collection
The founder of the collection even had a collection of dolls and toys she loved and the display was replicated in the museum with all the original toys.
The founder as a little girl in her bedroom
The exact replica of the picture with all the original toys
Family items from father and uncles
What amazed me about the museum was how meticulous the owner kept all the family items including everyday items like irons and dishes. The woman never threw anything out.
Everything from her childhood into adulthood had been carefully documented and preserved much to the benefit of us the visitors. We get a glimpse into the life of an Upper Middle class family at the turn of the last century. I thought this was fascinating and for people interested in history, it is a nice museum to visit.
After my tour I talked with the curator and thanked her for all her time and promised a wonderful write up (please read my blog on all these museums). Then I headed back to Cape May
On my way back I stopped at an ice cream stand that had become part of my tradition on my trips, the Icd Cream Station at 809 US 9 in Cape May Courthouse. The ice creams are all made in house and are delicious.
The ice cream here is amazing. It is so dense, rich and creamy. It is a lot of fun to just sit in the courtyard and just relax.
The courtyard of the Ice Cream
The Cookies and Cream and Moose Trakes ice cream
The delicious selection of ice creams
The props of the property that you can eat at and climb
I love coming here for a snack. The name has changed twice over the years but quality of the ice cream has stayed the same. Consistently delicious.
I headed back to the hotel to relax for a while before dinner. I had never crammed so much into one weekend when attending the Convention while answering emails for work each night for my students. I went from morning to night.
I returned to the Ravioli House that night for dinner again for another night of picture taking. This time dining on a dinner that I ate four years earlier. I love doing this type of research.
The meal started off with an order of homemade Fried Mozzarella, which was served with their delicious red sauce. They looked like fancy fried mozzarella sticks. They were excellent. Gooey and stringy at the same time.
The Fried Mozzarella
Then a crisp salad, which I always enjoy with their homemade dressing.
The house salad with Creamy Italian dressing
For dinner I ordered a dish the I have enjoyed here twice before, the homemade Linguini with Bolognese sauce. Talk about a wonderful dinner. The rich combination of freshly chopped meats and tomatoes is excellent. I never have a bad meal here!
The pasta is delicious
The dinner was excellent
For dessert I indulged the Pastry shop next door and enjoyed a Delishioso cookie. This is a short bread cookie filled with hazelnut filling.
The Pastry shop at the Ravioli House
The assorted cakes and pastries to choose from in the case
The inside of the pastry shop
My dessert, the Delishioso cookie
This sweet indulgence is two buttery shortbread cookies with hazelnut filling and rolled in chopped hazelnuts
What a sweet treat!
After a day of running around for both jobs, I decided to extend my stay by one night. I was so tired from all the driving and touring and trying to cram everything into one trip, I went back to my room and had the best nights sleep in a long time.
The next morning I had a relaxing breakfast at the Magnolia Room, the Chalfonte Hotel’s restaurant. It was such a nice warm sunny morning, that I ate out on the porch. It was nice to sit back and relax and do nothing.
The Chalfonte Hotel my last morning
The inside of the Magnolia Room set up for breakfast
Dining on the porch is what you want to do when the weather is warm. The views are wonderful and it is so relaxing.
The views from the porch at breakfast
Admiring the views at breakfast
My breakfast, the Chalfonte Breakfast with scrambled eggs, bacon, hash browns and toast
The breakfast at the Magnolia Room are excellent
Went back up to my room to relax for a bit before check out. I had a long trip home and decided this time to take it easy and not rush back. I decided to follow the shore towns up and make stops at places I wanted to visit again. Getting myself motivated after a relaxing night and morning was tough.
Checking out of my room late the next morning
I left Cape May later that morning and heading up the shore highway with a stop in Stone Harbor first. I took my time and took various stops along the highway to take pictures.
The marshes along the highway to Stone Harbor, NJ
The lone fisherman in the early morning
The views of the coastline
The view of the marshes
The marshes in Stone Harbor
When I got into Stone Harbor, I tried to see if the historic Life Guard station was open but it was closed for the season. That is when I came across the Stone Harbor Bird Sanctuary. I must have passed this dozens of times over the years and did not know what it was.
The entrance to the Stone Harbor Bird Sanctuary at 11400 Third Avenue in Stone Harbor, NJ
I toured the main path through the park and got lost in walking through the woods which drowned out traffic and all you could hear was the birds chirping. It was a quiet and peaceful walk admiring the woods and the sounds of nature around me.
The entrance to the Stone Harbor Bird Sanctuary
Walking through the woods hearing nature
The woods were beautiful in the late Summer
The outside of the park on a early Sunday morning
I continued up the coastal highway to my last stop on my way home. I decided to stop in Margaret, NJ to visit Lucy, the Elephant. I had not visited this famous structure in years and I wanted to update my pictures.
Lucy the Elephant at 9200 Atlantic Avenue in Margate, NJ
The weather was so nice that we were able to tour the whole elephant and the nice part about the tour was that it was just myself and the tour guide. Items great to visit here on Mondays when it is quiet.
Heading up the stairs
The belly of Lucy
The inside of Lucy was once real estate offices
The tour guide explained to me that the elephant was used to attract real estate buyers of shore land back at the turn of the last century. The structure had through many owners before it fell into disrepair after WWII. The effort to ‘Save Lucy‘ became the battle cry of the community much to the benefit of all future visitors. The elephant needs constant maintenance and visitors are how it benefits the community.
The view from the top of the Huto
The view from the Huto of the ocean
The view of the City of Margate, NJ
Lucy the Elephant from the parking lot
After the tour was over, I had a wonderful conversation with my tour guide about her going to high school in Atlantic City. Those battle scars were interesting to talk about.After I left , I went to explore downtown Margate and see if the Margate Historical Society was open. It was closed for the afternoon.
The Margate Historical Society at 1 South Washington Avenue
The museum has limited hours and was not open that day. So I had lunch and headed home.
Between my work for the fire department and my work on my travel and dining blogs, it was an extremely productive weekend. There will be more of this area to explore in the future.
I could not believe how much of the shore I covered for my travel blog and was still contributing to the future of the fire service. We have to do what we need to do to promote the great State of New Jersey.
The front of Frog Hollow Bakery in the summer of 2025
I was on a historical tour of the Gandy Farmstead up the road from the Frog Hollow Bakery and one of the Board members suggested we stop for a doughnut. I was fine with that and what I discovered about Frog Hollow Bakery is their warm, freshly made doughnuts are excellent. I had a Sugar doughnut that was still warm and was out of this world. I would have ordered more but I was going to have lunch later. When I returned a few weeks later, they had just closed for the afternoon and I had wanted to get one of their butter cakes.
The grounds of the bakery on NJ 50
This tiny bakery sits on a quiet part of Route 50 near a quiet lane at the intersection of Route 50 and Tyler Road.
I thought their sign was very clever
It’s a beautiful little place in the Summer of 2025
The front of the bakery has a nice seating area in a quiet garden and you can take your purchases and eat them out here. On a warm sunny afternoon, it is a nice place to stop for a snack. When it is warm out, they have this wonderful shaded area off to the side of the bakery that you can sit and enjoy your baked treats.
The even have a small series of tables to enjoy your baked goods
The bakery has all sorts of delicious goodies to choose from with cakes, cookies and twists. I was eyeing the gooey butter cake but the bakery only accepts cash and I did not have enough to get it. For the next trip I figured.
The inside of this wonderful bakery has the most interesting collection of wonderful treats
They also carry all sorts of breads and rolls and I forgot to ask the woman if this changes on a regular basis. They have a nice selection of artwork and tee shirts for sale.
The nice selection of gifts for sale inside the bakery
They have a nice area to dine inside as well
We took our doughnuts to the Gandy Farmstead Museum up the road which I was touring that afternoon. I got to enjoy my doughnut while on the tour of the grounds. These delicious fried doughnuts have a cake like texture and were still warm when we bought them.
Their fried Sugar doughnuts are spectacular
The store was also selling different variety of tomatoes outside the bakery I figured from the farm next door.
They even sell tomatoes and strawberries when they are in season outside the store. I am sure that there is more produce on sale when it is season.
I love the clever sign in the parking lot
The bakery does have limited hours and the only bad thing is that they close at 1:00pm, so you have to hurry to get there. It is well worth the trip.
Open: The hours for the structure change throughout the year, so please check the website for time availability of the park and structure.
Admission: $8.00 Adults/$4.00 Children/Children under 2 free
Group Tours & Information:
Lucy is available year round for groups of 10 or more by appointment. For special holiday hours and weather closings, please call or check our website.
How to get to Lucy:
It is best to check the website for your location to the structure. For detailed instructions, please visit http://www.lucythe elephant.org.
I visited Lucy the Elephant in the fall of 2015 right before Christmas on a tour I was taking of Southern New Jersey and the shoreline. This unique structure was built to attract people to the shore to buy land and for development.
The view from the parking lot
There were two other ‘Lucy’s’ built one of them being the former ‘Elephant Hotel’ in Coney Island that burned down in the last century.
The front view of the elephant
This well preserved building has been renovated and part of the Jersey shore lore. It is well worth the visit in the off season on a nice day. I unfortunately visited on a rainy day in 2015 and was not able to go to the top and still have a free pass to go whenever I want to visit again.
Entering the elephant through the winding stairs
Still I was able to take the spiral staircase to her belly to learn the history of the structure and that is very interesting.
Lucy the Elephant in its full glory
I started my tour in 2025 at the door of her base
I visited Lucy again in 2025 and was finally able to visit the top of the statue, the howdah, and able to take in the view of the ocean and the surrounding area. Try to visit “Lucy” when it is a sunny day out. You will be able to take in the spectacular view of the ocean.
The tour starts in her inside, looking over the displays and where the bar was located where the owner would ply investors with liquor to have them invest in beach real estate.
Inside of Lucy the Elephant: the history and displays
The inside of Lucy on a recent tour
Touring the inside of Lucy
I was able to take my time because I visited in the off season on a nice day and since J was the only one on the tour, I got to take my time and talk with the tour guide.
I got to look through Lucy’s eyes and see the views of the ocean and of the surrounding areas was interesting.
Lucy’s eyes and truck
Lucy’s left eye
Lucy’s right eye
The former bathroom inside of Lucy
The inside displays of Lucy
The skylight that illuminates the inside
Then it was time to walk up to the howdah and enjoy the view. It was a somewhat over cast day but you could still enjoy the view.
The view from the howdah on the top of the elephant
The roof of the howdah
The view of the beach from the howdah
The view of Margate from the howdah
The view from the howdah showcases the view of both the beach and the City of Margate. You can see from mikes around and on a hot day, the breezes are amazing.
The restored wood work
The video of the views
The tour of Lucy is about an hour but the history of this shore landmark and its influence in shore real estate and the development of these towns is so interesting.
Leaving the elephant we could see her behind
The History of Lucy the Elephant:
Lucy was built by a real estate speculator who owned a great many parcels of open land at the Jersey shore. In order to attract visitors and potential buyer, he built Lucy as a novelty amusement. He patented his idea, ensuring that Lucy would remain a unique piece of architecture.
Eventually, a popular hotel business was built around Lucy. Presidents and royalty came from around the world to stay at the neighboring Elephant Hotel and climb the stairs to Lucy’s howdah.
Lucy facing the ocean
During her history, Lucy has survived hurricanes, ocean floods and even a fire accidentally stated by some inebriated party-goers when she served as tavern. However, by the 1960’s, it became apparent there was one disaster Lucy could not overcome-neglect. By that time, the once proud jewel of the South Jersey Isles had become an almost hopeless, condemned structure.
Eventually a developer purchased Lucy’s lot and intended to build a new condominium building on the site. The beach and the ocean could stay-but the elephant had to go!
Lucy the Elephant near the wrecking ball
To the rescue came the Save Lucy Committee. Within weeks, this small, concerned group of ordinary citizens had raised enough money to move the entire decaying structure two blocks away to a new site owned by the city. Thirty years and over one million dollars later, Lucy has been completely restored to her original splendor, inside and out.
In 1976, Lucy was designated a National Historic Landmark by the United States Government as the oldest surviving example of a unique form of “zoomorphic” architecture. Today, she is every bit as popular and beloved as she ever was.
The history of the elephant
The history of the park
The history of Lucy
The history of the park and who saved it
About the Park:
Lucy the Elephant is located along the beach in Josephine Harron Park (named for our co-founder) in Margate, NJ. Lucy is six stories high and is listed on the National Park Registry of Historical Landmarks. Our park is fenced and contained, making child supervision easy. Picnic tables are on site for eating outdoors. We also have friendly, trained volunteers and staff to assist you during your visit. On the tour, you will learn about Lucy’s unique architecture and her colorful history.
Lucy facing the sea
You will get to climb a spiral staircase through her insides and all the way up to the howdah on her back, providing a spectacular 360 degrees view of the surrounding shore area. Kids and adults alike are sure to enjoy visiting the only elephant in the world “you can walk through and come out alive”.
Lucy is also available by appointment for schools, groups and special events such as weddings or birthday parties. There are guided tours, a gift shop, free parking and all major credit cards are accepted.
Lucy the Elephant symbol of the town
Lucy from the front of the parking lot
Lucy from the ticket booth across the street
This information was taken from the pamphlet from The Save Lucy Committee. For more information, visit the online website at http://www.LucyTheElephant.org
*Disclaimer from author: All this information is located both on the pamphlet and on the website. Visiting Lucy is a treat and should be visited by all residents of New Jersey.
The gift shop the supports raising much needed funds for restoration.
Visit downtown Margate for lunch after your visit
Downtown Margate after my tour
I went to Pierre’s Pizza at 7 North Washington Avenue for lunch. Their cheese pizza is wonderful. The restaurant is two blocks from Lucy.
Pierre’s Pizza at 7 North Washington Street in Margate, NJ
