Enjoy a hydrobike tour through Lake Hopatcong Adventure Company this summer.
Explore the great outdoors in New Jersey’s beautiful Sussex Skylands Region this season.
If you’re looking for some great escapes close to home this summer, look no further than scenic and spacious Sussex County. Tucked away in the state’s northernmost county and offering a plethora of great outdoor adventures sure to please every palette, New Jersey’s famed Sussex Skylands Region is the ultimate destination this season.
“What makes summer in the Skylands so special? In a word, it’s the ‘outdoors,’” confirmed Tammie Horsfield, president of the Sussex County Chamber of Commerce and Sussex Skylands Destination Marketing Organization in Newton. “If being outside gives you a happy heart, then the Sussex Skylands is just the place for you.”
Following are some of the not-to-miss outdoor activities that Sussex County has to offer this summer:
Make Time for Mountain Creek — “Mountain Creek is summer central,” said Horsfield of this four-season “mountain playground” located in Vernon (mountaincreek.com). “Head to the waterpark that’s carved out of the mountainside or the Mountain Creek Bike Park where rentals are available.” Need breeze and speed? “Zip over to the Mountain Creek ziplines, which range from 200 to 1,500 feet in length and are suspended high above a mountaintop lake,” she said.
Savor the State Parks — “State parks are ‘the gold mines of good times’ in the Sussex Skylands and this summer they’re all free,” Horsfield said. “Hit the parks for swimming, fishing, picnics (some parks have charcoal grills), hiking, kayaking and more, and also be sure to explore hidden treasures like Kittatinny Valley State Park’s beautiful Butterfly and Hummingbird Garden in Andover,” she said. Walkers and hikers also will relish the Skylands Regions’ tons of trails, including miles of the famous Appalachian Trail.
Enjoy a cruise around Lake Hopatcong on the 57-foot Miss Lotta.
Don’t Miss Nolan’s Point on Lake Hopatcong — The scenic drive up to Nolan’s Point opens up to a range of fun adventures on and around Lake Hopatcong, the largest lake in New Jersey. Among the fun activities there, “check out Lake Hopatcong Golf, where you’ll enjoy playing mini golf among miniature replicas of the lake’s historical landmarks,” Horsfield said. “Take in magnificent views of Lake Hopatcong aboard the ‘Miss Lotta’ (lhcruises.com), a state-of-the-art, 57-foot Skipper liner which offers a variety of themed, meal and private cruises.” If you’re interested in fun activities around the lake, Horsfield recommends checking out the Lake Hopatcong Adventure Company, where you can get out on the water and enjoy nature on a Hobie Mirage Eclipse stand-up pedal board, which enables effortless aquatic adventures without a paddle. “Thirty- and 60-minute water adventure tours are led by experienced guides and combine fitness and fun,” she said, noting that pedal-powered hydrobike and kayak tours as well as biking and hiking adventures also are available.
Get Wet and Wild — Enjoy water rides, a picnic grove where you can bring your own cooler full of food, water slides, a sand beach featuring a crystal-clear 20-acre lake for swimming and boating and an 18-hole miniature golf course at the 200-acre Tomahawk Lake Waterpark in Sparta (tomahawklake.com).
A featured work by Elizabeth Belz at ‘Making Matters: Fresh Perspectives in Fine Craft,’ an exhibit on display at Peters Valley School of Craft in the Delaware Water Gap through Aug. 7.
Enjoy the Arts — Through Aug. 7, enjoy “Making Matters: Fresh Perspectives in Fine Craft,” a wonderful exhibit on display at Peters Valley School of Craft (petersvalley.org), an immersive craft school in the Delaware Water Gap. Held in the school’s Sally D. Francisco Gallery, “the exhibit showcases the talented visiting instructors and artistic staff who will be teaching the variety of classes offered in each of the studios at Peters Valley,” Horsfield said.
Cascade Golf Course, one of six golf courses at the 4,000-acre Crystal Springs Resort in Hamburg.
Spread Your Wings at Crystal Springs — “Crystal Springs Resort (crystalgolfresort.com) offers the ultimate staycation, no flights required,” said Horsfield of the 4,000-acre destination in Hamburg that features two hotels (the Grand Cascades Lodge and Minerals Hotel), great golfing, 10 restaurants (including its Crystal Tavern, 4-star Restaurant Latour and seasonal farm-to-table Chef’s Garden), two spas and a variety of seasonal activities. “There’s golf galore on six unique courses, amazing indoor and outdoor pools (including the Biosphere Pool at the Grand Cascades Lodge), canoeing, kayaking, hiking, basketball, tennis and a range of special on-site activities this summer, including fishing, archery, horseback riding, animal educators, art classes, goat yoga, axe throwing, paint and sip events, and much more,” she said.
The patio of the famed Windlass Restaurant overlooking Lake Hopatcong.
Enjoy the Culinary Scene — Sussex County offers a wide variety of cuisine and culinary experiences, from lakeside dining at The Windlass in Lake Hopatcong, Andres Lakeside in Sparta, or The Carriage House in Branchville to The Biergarten at the St. Moritz Grill and Bar in Sparta or beautiful meadow views at The Walpack Inn in Walpack. This summer, diners will also enjoy expansions to popular Krogh’s Restaurant and Brew Pub in Sparta that will include a new rooftop bar (“The Krogh’s Nest”), a new patio and additional indoor/outdoor dining.
Sample Nature’s Bounty — Enjoy the best of the Garden State’s farm-fresh produce at the Sparta Farmer’s Market, the Sussex County Farmer’s Market in Augusta or the Farmer’s Market at the Shoppes at Lafayette.
Settle in to Fun Summer Events — Summer in the Skylands Region is all about special events, including the 12th annual Rock, Ribs & Ridges Festival at the Sussex County Fairgrounds in Augusta June 24-26, the New Jersey State Fair at the Sussex County Fairgrounds on Aug. 5-13, and a great lineup of summer performers at the Newton Theater in Newton (skypac.org).
For More Information
The Sussex County Chamber of Commerce and Sussex Skylands Destination Marketing Organization are located at 120 Hampton House Road in Newton and can be reached by calling 973-579-1811 or visiting sussexskylands.com for travel information.
