It's wonderful to enter this beautiful, 100+ year old museum just one block over from Landis Avenue…read morein downtown Vineland. It changed from when I first visited a few years ago -- and all for the better! History hasn't changed, but one can see how an expanding knowlege of its details has broadened the scope of explaning Vineland's history. Skeeball is a Vineland native's invention? Vineland's founder wrote a science fiction book? A huge sufferage movement started there? More than likely there will be a display that you will be intrigued by and the curator/administrator, Patricia Martinelli, will give an in-depth background on all that is before your eyes. I've noticed upgrades of a new entrance ramp, doors and lighting, and new exhibits showcase recently discovered artifacts of earlier times.

From the owner: The Vineland Historical and Antiquarian Society is the oldest local historical society in New…read moreJersey, headquartered in the oldest purpose-built museum in the state.

THE BEST TIME WITH THE BEST PEOPLE! We had such an enjoyable visit to Lucy. It was so refreshing…read moreto see that they are still keeping this a low-priced, family friendly activity. Few things stand the test of time, but Lucy at 145 years young is one of them. The gift shop is lovely as well as the beachside restaurant. We were lucky enough to have the grand niece of the woman who started the save Lucy campaign take our picture.

I've heard of Lucy the Elephant for years, she has a lot of History and has been around since the…read more20th Century. I didn't know she was so close to Atlantic City about 5 miles. She was closed today so we couldn't take the tour. But I got some nice outside pictures. She's big and colorful and stands out amongst the Neighborhood.

The World War II Lookout Tower Museum & Memorial was a great stop for anyone interested in history…read moreor wanting to experience another side of Cape May. It's a reminder of the important role this area played during World War II, and I appreciated being able to learn more about the history while exploring the area. It's not the longest stop, but it's worth visiting if you're already exploring Cape May Point, the lighthouse, and nearby attractions. A great educational stop that adds more depth to your Cape May experience. Would I come back? Absolutely. It's also on sunset beach if you want to stop by, near gift shop and a restaurant on the beach.

It doesn't take long to see it (even if you read every sign and plaque), but still one of the most…read morefun things to do in the Cape May area. The history of the tower and the network it was a part of is interesting and little known. Parking easy in a dirt lot across the road. Entry is paid (and it's probably not "worth it" but you're helping preserve a piece of history) but you can buy a combo entry to the lighthouse to safe a few bucks.

Wonderful site educating and celebrating NJ history. Handicap friendly. Tour guide was…read moreincredible 5/31 @ 1300. I don't recall his name but he was awesome. Friendly, knowledgeable and accommodating to those with special needs. I will definitely visit again to learn more.

Atsion Village and Mansion is one of the best kept secrets in South Jersey. The mansion itself is…read morevery well preserved, and you can take tours of it on the weekend in the summer. Many people do not know about the furnace/iron industry in South Jersey that thrived in the early 19th Century, and you can come here to learn all about it. Our tour guide was 80 years old and lived in the area her whole life. She knew EVERYTHING about the history of Atsion, and we both loved listening to her talk. The park service officer who greeted us in the historic general store also filled us in about the history of the village. The cemetery and church are really cool, too. You can combine your visit with lying on the beach on the lake, too.

Wow. What a unique, random gem and historic property. What is Fonthill and why is there a castle in…read moreDoylestown, Pennsylvania? Fonthill Castle was the home of archeologist and tile maker Henry Chapman Mercer. (Also in Doylestown are two more Mercer buildings you can tour - the Mercer Museum and the Moravian Pottery and Tile Works building, the business Mercer ran and where most of the tiles in the castle were produced.) Henry Mercer seems like he was an interesting guy, and you can see that in his home - 44 rooms, 18 fireplaces, 200 windows, who knows how many staircases...! And designed and decorated in a way I've never seen anywhere else. The castle is an early example of poured-in-place concrete building and is a mix of Medieval, Gothic, and Byzantine architectural styles. And there are, of course, Moravia tiles (and some historic and international tiles that he collected during his life) throughout the house - almost more than you could imagine. We visited last Saturday to experience their "Fonthill Castle Holiday Lights Meander Experience," which allows you to visit the castle through a self-guided experience (there were staff in various rooms who were happy to answer questions) and enjoy a series of Christmas trees on display throughout the home. I definitely enjoyed the experience but am definitely planning a return visit to see the castle in better light (not at night in the dark - which was perfect for the Christmas tree experience) - they offer 60-minute guided tours though the house for most of the year! The castle is pretty wild, and I look forward to visiting it again and experiencing it in a new way. If you are interested in architecture, art, crafts, the Arts and Crafts design movement, or just quirky, unusual places, definitely add Fonthill to your list and check it out!

Amazing property, it is a hidden gem. Went with my family for the tour and everyone enjoyed it!read more

This is a rather special Yelp. Its not for a restaurant or hotel or cafe or salon. Its for a ghost…read moretown. Yep. In New Jersey. In the Pine Barrens. Scared? No need to be. Its a superb day trip--a place unlike any other. You wont find tourists here; or probably any other living soul for miles around. Its just not that well-known enough. Its not an excursion accompanied by a lot of tourist-board support, advertising, or fanfare. There are no audioguides, no pamphlets, no maps. There's also no fees, gates, ticket-stands, trinkets, permits, or clerks. You can just park on the shoulder of the expressway, and mosey right in off the roadside. Its just a tract of deserted woodland. Its a part of New Jersey only a few people ever have reason to explore; its for the imaginative and intrepid. In the course of a year, the site probably only gets a couple photographers, an artist or two, or perhaps an author once in a while. Some 4WD-nuts pass by occasionally. [And this Yelp won't change that--even if I told you about great dining here, this place will always be forlorn and neglected.] Its the location of a vanished Piney town which sprang up in the 1800s around an iron-smelting furnace; and which has now almost completely disappeared from above-ground. Iron? There were iron mines in New Jersey? Not exactly. Its a strange chemical process, organically-occurring, whereby it forms in the swamps and bogs around here. You'll notice all the water is naturally 'tea'-colored. But all the left-behind equipment and abandoned buildings are now, just as if they never were. You might only notice some strange shapes --hummocks, berms--in the terrain and that's about it. This is where your imagination comes to the fore. You're strolling around on top of a village. Chalk one up for NATURE! If it doesn't grab your fancy, then..no matter--just wandering around in the Pine Barrens is in itself, ethereal and stupefying. Take care not to get lost; because the trees have an eerie manner of all looking exactly the same. A few unmindful steps can get you turned around. The Pine Barrens are just a fabulous and unique environment. People love to discredit the Garden State without ever having heard of forests like this. To try to explain: the soil is flat, level, and sandy and without underbrush--covered only with a carpet of pine needles. Thus, with the trees racing up so tall and straight--like columns in a church--and also branching so high; the effect is quite cathedral-like. Sun slants through as if coming through high windows. And its uncannily quiet. Like a big empty room. Just the coolest. Bring boots (its occasionally muddy) and a survival knife *just in case* of feral dogs. I recommend this excursion to all the Yelpers who like to make a fuss over their daring and adventurous, active lifestyles. You're not impressing me with your tour-guide led whitewater rafting adventures. Try exploring the Pine Barrens. .

Cute little town about an hour north of Cape May. Lots of historical buildings and cemeteries that…read moreadd to its charm. There is a great free zoo here as well.

While the mansion is still undergoing renovations so we were not able to include that and so my…read morereview may change in the future. Don't expect to take even a full afternoon visiting but it is a lovely preserved estate around the city. There's some goats, and the grounds are enjoyable to take an hour or so to walk with nice historical signs for context. There is some parking but it likely gets packed in high traffic times. I can't put it in my top gardens available for Philadelphia, it's good to have treasures like these to keep the sense of history and love of horticulture the area has long held.

This is a really cute hidden local treasure - very charming and pretty. We had some wedding photos…read moretaken here, so it will always have a special place in our hearts! Lots of cool spots outside for photos, and the inside is really cute as well. I'm not sure they usually open the house, but the grounds are very nice to walk around. We stopped by again recently and had some time to reminisce before heading out because it was too cold.

Locally know as the David Sheppard House. Restored historic home in the heart of Bridgeton,…read moreoperated as an education center by Rutgers Institute of Marine and Coastal Sciences, as part of the Jacques Cousteau National Estuarine Research Reserve. Hours by appointment only.

The Old State House is on a quaint little street in a cute part of town. There was plenty of nearby…read moreparking when I went. The tours were free, but it wasn't crowded and we basically interrupted the guide's phone call. She did give us a personalized one-on-one tour after debating if she should wait to start the tour on the hour and said she'd be mad if someone else came in. She did give off a vibe like we were interrupting her sitting around time. Despite that, she was very knowledgeable on the history of the building, and it was nice to be able to look around with someone and ask them questions. The inside really seemed a lot like Independence Hall in Philadelphia. It's amazing the small, perfunctory building was in use until like 1933. There was a really nice painting of George Washington in one of the rooms and good information on early delegates. If you are in the area, it's a free stop and there's free parking, and there's good information and not too long to see. It was worth visiting. No gift shop though.

I really like old buildings and have enjoyed visiting Philadelphia and Washington DC old historic…read morebuildings. This building and the furniture inside of the Old State House were uninteresting to me. Though the stairs were enjoyable to see inside and outside. I posted a picture of the marble stairs on the outside. There was a volunteer finishing up with some people who liked history, and they said he was very knowledgeable. I was mainly there just to see the building. I would recommend if you are interested in Delaware politics and history go here.