HEART O' THE PINES TRIP

You can end your day now and head home, but why not make it a mini-vacation and stay at the beautiful J.D. Thompson Inn (609-294-1331) in Tuckerton? You can go back to your room for a hot shower, then enjoy a delicious dinner at one of several local restaurants. Innkeepers Catherine and Lorenzo Lauro will be happy to recommend one!

Day Two: After a delicious breakfast at the Inn and depending on your homeward route, the following stops are suggested.

Returning North - Garden State Parkway to Exit 69; take Rt. 532 west, look for signs to Wells Mills County Park, located on 1,800 acres in Waretown. Visit the Nature Center, and if weather permits, take a short hike on one of many trails.

Returning South - Garden State Parkway to Exit 10B, to Route 657 East (Stone Harbor Blvd.) to Stone Harbor and The Wetlands Institute, where you'll learn all about coastal ecology. The book and gift shop here is fantastic!

Returning West to Trenton area - From Route 72 West, take Route 532 about 4 miles west to Chatsworth, and stop in Buzby's Chatsworth General Store (call 609-894-4415 for hours). This historic building in the "heart of the Pine Barrens" has a large selection of handmade items, including jams made on the premises, as well as a large selection of books.

Returning west to the Philly area - Take Route 9 south to Route 542 west; follow to Historic Batsto Village, where you can tour the village, or just visit the museum and gift shop and learn about the fascinating history of Iron in the Pines, the importance of the area during the Revolutionary War and more.

Getting Here

From Philadelphia: Route 76/676 to Route 42/Atlantic City Expressway, then North on Garden State Parkway. Get off at Exit 50 to Route 9 North. Continue about 7 miles to Little Egg Harbor Township and Tuckerton.

From Trenton: Take Route 206 to Route 70 east to Route 72 east. Look for traffic signal at Route 539; turn right. Follow Route 539 south (becomes Green Street) to Route 9 (Main Street) in Tuckerton.

From North Jersey: Take the Garden State Parkway south to Exit 58 (Tuckerton/Little Egg Harbor). Make a left at end of ramp onto Rt. 539 South. Follow Route 539 to Route 9 in Tuckerton (Main Street).

From South Jersey: Take the Garden State Parkway north to Exit 50 (New Gretna/Route 9 north). Follow Route 9 north for approximately 7 miles through New Gretna and into Little Egg Harbor Township and Tuckerton.

Drive Times

From New York City: 106 miles - 2 hours15 minutes

From Philadelphia: 73 miles - 1 3/4hours

From Baltimore: 162 miles - 3 1/2 hours

From Long Beach Island: 15 miles - 30 minutes

From Atlantic City: 28 miles - 35 minutes

From Cape May: 58 miles - 1 hour

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You can end your day now and head home, but why not make it a mini-vacation and stay at the Hammonton Inn? (609-561-5700) Continue on Route 542 West, passing huge fields of blueberries! After all, Hammonton is the Blueberry Capital of the WORLD! At Route 30, continue west about a half-mile to the hotel.

Check into your room, freshen up, then enjoy dinner at a local restaurant.

Day Two: After checking out of the Hammonton Inn, take Route 30 East to Route 206 North. Continue north on Route 206. You'll pass Atsion Lake on the left. Immediately after, on the right, you'll see the Atsion Mansion, which is currently being restored by the State of NJ. Atsion is also part of Wharton State Forest.

If you'd like to savor your visit to the Pine Barrens via a local wine, a stop at Valenzano Winery is a must! From Route 206, look for "Old Indian Mills Road (Route 648) which will fork to the right. Continue about a mile to the Winery. A bottle of cranberry wine is a great gift, but this winery boasts many other great wines, several award-winners among them! (check website for tasting hours)

From Valenzano, continue on Old Indian Mills Road, back to Route 206 and home, but if you're hungry, head to the village of Tabernacle - just a minute or two from Valenzano's - and stop at Nixon's General Store for a delicious deli sandwich and a hot or cold beverage before you head home. It's a step into yesteryear, including the friendliness of the staff!

Right across the street, you'll find Russo's Farm Market, brimming with fresh local produce from Easter through Christmas - and be sure to try the apple cider donuts! Their produce prices are very reasonable. Whenever I visit, I'm amazed at how much I can get for so little!

Depending on your home location, you can continue east back to Chatsworth and Ocean County, or take Route 206 north to return home.

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Getting Here

From Philadelphia Area: Route 70 East to Route 72 East. Look for Route 563 on the right; this will take you right into Chatsworth.

From Trenton Area : Take Route 206 South to Route 70 east to Route 72 east. Look for Route 563 on the right; this will take you right into Chatsworth.

From North Jersey: Take the Garden State Parkway south to Exit 69 (Waretown) and turn onto Route 532 WEST. Continue about 5 miles; turn RIGHT at Route 72. Continue on, passing the Pygmy Pine forest. Turn LEFT at Route 532 WEST/Chatsworth and continue about 4 miles. This will take you right to Buzby's Chatsworth General Store, located at the intersection of Routes 532 and 563.

From South Jersey: Take the Garden State Parkway north to Exit 58; turn onto Route 539 NORTH. At Route 72 intersection, turn LEFT/West; Continue on, passing the Pygmy Pine forest; turn LEFT at Route 532 WEST/Chatsworth and continue about 4 miles. This will take you right to Buzby's Chatsworth General Store, located at the intersection of Routes 532 and 563.

Drive Times to CHATSWORTH (Starting point)

From New York City: 103 miles - about 2 hours 3 minutes

From Philadelphia: 39 miles - about 1 hour

From Baltimore: 131 mi – about 2 hours 35 mins

From Long Beach Island, NJ - 24.9 mi – about 40 mins

From Atlantic City, NJ- 49.3 mi – about 59 mins

From Cape May, NJ: 80.3 mi – 80.3 mi – about 1 hour 31 mins

From Albany, NY - 245 mi – about 4 hours 10 mins

From Boston, MASS - 306 mi – about 5 hours 39 mins

© PineyPower LLC