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by Melissa and Richard TerrisHave you ever wanted to visit Amsterdam during tulip season, but don’t have thousands of dollars for a plane ticket and hotel accommodations? If so, I have the next best thing and it won’t cost you nearly as much - Holland Ridge Tulip Farm in Cream Ridge, New Jersey.
When you first enter the family owned farm you’ll see acres of tulips, 8 million tulips to be exact. The farm provides many touches of Holland like the signage, bikes, and even a huge wooden yellow clog. You’re allowed to pick any of the millions of tulips you see at a cost of $1 a stem. There is also a small animal farm, pony rides, and food vendors. You’ll have an amazing backdrop for any social media or personal photographs that you like. I highly recommend a stop at the Holland Ridge Tulip farm. Unfortunately the season just ended during the first week of May but put it on your list for next spring.
Prior to heading to Holland Ridge Tulip Farm, I was already in the state of New Jersey, and had a desire to go to Las Vegas without taking a flight or driving across the country, so I decided to go to Atlantic City for the first time.
I’ve heard many great things about Atlantic City and felt like taking a small road trip to see what the place had to offer. I took my niece and mom, since my niece was on spring break, and made it a girls trip. The drive took about two and half hours from New York City. I decided to stay at Bally’s Hotel and Casino which, steps away from the Tanger outlets, was a great location and had great restaurants. We went mid-week so many resturant’s in the hotel were closed, but this also meant that the city wasn’t busy. We were also able to get an ocean view room for FREE just by asking the front desk staff! Had it been later in the week or the weekend, I’m not sure my request would have been accommodated.
Since a lot of the resturants were closed we decided to venture out and see what was good to eat in the neighborhood. We stumbled on a Mexican restaurant called El Tacuate on Atlantic Ave. The food was great and the service was quick. The majority of patrons appeared to be locals, not guests from the hotels.
Since I don’t really gamble and we were traveling with a nine year old, I decided to look at different attractions nearby. Besides breaking the bank shopping, the boardwalk had a lot to offer including Steel Pier, the beach, arcades, the Ferris wheel, and more. We spent hours playing games at the arcade which was reasonably priced. There were also tons of restaurants and food trucks around as well.
Another gem and piece of history that was located nearby included the Abescon Lighthouse located on Rhode Island Ave. This well preserved piece of history was first lit in 1857 and later decommissioned in 1933. This is a must stop on any trip to Atlantic city; The 228 spiral stairs you need to climb to get to the top are well worth it for the spectacular views.
The workers that keep this place running include, but not limited to, staff members Jean and lighthouse historian Milt, both of whom were knowledgeable and welcome all their guests to come and learn. The former living quarters at the base of the light house is now a museum filled with interesting facts and stories that you’ll definitely want to stop and read about.
Overall, my trip to New Jersey made me feel like I was both oversees and across the map on the west coast while only spending a few dollars on tolls. Depending on where you live a trip over to New Jersey is definitely worth it especially during this time of year. You can catch a glimpse at the acres of beautiful tulips or hang out at Atlantic City, which ever you decide you wouldn’t be disappointed.
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