Apple Picking in New Jersey

It seems to be a tradition in the Northeast - as soon as a chill hits the air, we go apple picking! The Northeast has no shortage of farms with acres of fields filled with varieties of apple to choose from, but I like to stay right in the area and pick my apples from a regional farm.

OK, when I say 'right in the area', I really mean a good half an hour West at a farm that isn't too far off of Rt 80 called Longmeadow Farms. It isn't necessarily the coolest of the apple orchards that I've ever been to, but it's fun, fresh, and most importantly homegrown right in our great state.

In addition to a large variety of apples, the farm has pumpkins, berries, flowers, and honey that comes straight from the beehives that are cultured right on the property.

PS Even better than apple picking was the opportunity to take some awesome pictures. Check out some cool shots below such as the daytime moon, apple in the dew, and the fly apple. Enjoy!

Starland Ballroom

Concerts. Music. Shows. Performances. Entertainment. I love it all.

High ticket prices. $12 for parking. An idiot behind you kicking your seat. I dislike it all.

You with me? Read on, cause there's a place right in Sayreville with great music and low ticket prices. I know what you're probably thinking. "They can't have good bands", but you're wrong! Starland Ballroom has awesome bands, most of which you can see for less than $30. In the next month alone they have shows featuring Boys Like Girls, Cobra Starship, and Saving Abel. Over the past few years I've seen Papa Roach, 10 Years, Blue October, Yellow Card, and Jonny Lang.

What's the catch? There really isn't any. The shows are standing room only (with a few couches to lounge on and seating in the bar area) so it's really first come first serve for the best view. Shows are small with a few thousand in the crowd. Don't get me wrong, you probably aren't going to see Beyonce and Jay Z at Starland, but you will have a great variety to choose from including musical acts and comedy shows for entertainment.

Don't believe me? Check it out at Starland Ballroom.

New Jersey Devils

One of my all-time favorite things is the vast world of sports. And, while it isn't a sport that I can actively partake in, I am a huge fan of NHL hockey. I'm sure you can imagine my excitement as the 2009 - 2010 season began last week, even if my team hasn't had a stellar beginning (let's just say that my fingers are crossed that things will get better).

To add to the excitement of a brand new season, the second game of the year included one of the biggest rivalries in the tri-state area - the New Jersey Devils vs. The New York Rangers. The game was held at The Rock in Newark, which is ridiculously easy to get to via mass transportation. I will refrain from discussing the final outcome of the game, but all of they hype leading into the night created an awesome atmosphere and great pride for Jersey's Team. The pre-game festivities included balloons in fun twisty shapes, street hockey, promotions and radio stations. All of this in addition to an awesome new hockey statue that was designed by a New Jersey native that lives in the Champion Plaza in front of the arena.

Even more amazing? You can get tickets to any New Jersey Devils home game for as low as $35! Top tier not your style? Plenty of seats are still available for home games. Better yet, the Devils have several packages - guys night, college night, mini game plans, and a Family Four Pack that includes 4 tickets, 4 hot dogs, and 4 sodas for an insanely low price. For more ticket information check out http://devils.nhl.com/.

Fright Fest

October signifies many things. The official end of summer, an extra chill in the air, not to mention the darker skies on your nightly commute home. If there is one thing that helps to distract from the depressing wave of winter, it's the scary tales of ghosts and goblins and all that Halloween cheer.

This weekend I was fortunate enough to go to Fright Fest at 6 Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, NJ. Tickets, which are originally $49 at the door, can be purchased ahead of time online for just $39. We were lucky enough to have a discount code that reduced the price to $15 per ticket! You can't beat that. All of the rides were in full operation with the exception of the water rides, and lines were minimal for the early afternoon.

As the sun went down, the crowds picked up and the zombies started to come out of the woodwork along with clouds of fog and scary noises. Kids seemed to enjoy the creatures that perused through the park, and all children under the age of 10 were given a whistle they could blow to keep the creatures at bay in case they were scared.

Live performances with music and dancers rounded out the night. My only disappointment was the lack of the haunted hayride, which I had been fortunate to experience in previous years and was really looking forward to this year. Maybe it'll be a consideration for Halloween 2010.

Active NJ

Welcome to Active NJ, a resource for fun things that active adults can do in (and surrounding) the great state of New Jersey. This site is a result of too many conversations with friends that have started with the classic "I'm bored" and ended with "there's nothing to do around here" when there is, in fact, plenty to do, see, and explore all around us. I invite you to join me on this journey as we take a walk on the fun side.