The pandemic era brought new attention to Central Jersey for its agricultural bounty and craft beverages, and earned it a reputation as a mecca for outdoor recreation and bicycling. This holiday season, why not share some Central Jersey goodness with friends and family on your gift list?
The Gift of Bicycling
NJ Bike Tours offers a great way to combine bicycling with the bounty of Central Jersey. Help a friend “think spring” all winter with a gift card for a small-group bike tour on a theme such as Farm to Table, Pastry and Pathways, or Vineyards. The guides at NJ Bike Tours take all the hassle out of your experience, ensuring you see, taste, and experience the very best of Central Jersey without having to worry about a thing. It doesn’t matter if you are an experienced rider or a beginner. These tours are customized to interest and ability.
Enjoy the farms of the Garden State by bicycle.
Is somebody on your gift list looking for a new bicycle? The folks at Sourland Cycles in Hopewell are true experts on nearly every type of bike, including hybrids, family bikes, trail bikes, cruisers, and electric—and they’re inventory has recently improved considerably. Their shop in Hopewell has become a popular gathering place for cyclists exploring the hills and dales of the Sourland Mountains.
Gift Buying On-Farm or Online
Many Central Jersey farms offer opportunities to gift shop on-farm or online.
Bobolink Dairy & Bakehouse, an organic farm in Milford can ship its award-winning cheeses, gift baskets, and even bacon, sausage, and charcuterie, usually frozen and packed in dry ice, to any destination nationwide!
Terhune Orchards gift basket
Cherry Grove Farm, operating sustainably in Lawrence, offers gift boxes of local organic cheeses and gift baskets of artisan foods available for online purchase and shipment.
Dogwood Farms in Basking Ridge is a certified organic farm offering both fresh and prepared foods from their on-farm store on a farm that dates back to before the American Revolution. We especially like their bottled tomato products, such as vodka sauce for pasta, hot sauces, and Bloody Mary mix.
Griggstown Farm in Franklin offers some of the finest holiday-style fruit pies, pot pies, and shepherd’s pies you’ll find anywhere. If you’re lucky you may even find they have an old-fashioned Christmas goose, along with locally grown chicken.
Gorgeous Goat Creamery in Stockton has a fun-filled herd of goats that produce some exquisite cheeses, soaps, and lotions. They have recently launched online holiday shopping, including gift boxes shipped via USPS within 3 days of ordering.
Hidden Spring Lavender Farm in Skillman is open weekends and offers online shopping anytime with a wide variety of holiday gift options made with lavender, including plush animals, lotions, soaps, candles, and fragrances, plus products made from the wool of its adorable alpacas.
Norz-Hill Farm in Hillsborough is offering Holiday Light Tours starting at dusk Friday through Sunday through December 19th. They also have an on-farm market open Saturdays, all winter long, form 10 AM to 2 PM, weather permitting.
Terhune Orchards and Winery near Princeton, NJ offers an enormous variety of gift baskets and boxes, plus gift wine shipments to many locations. Their “Taste of Jersey” baskets include farm fresh apples, Terhune made fruit bread, cookies, shortbread cookies, New Jersey pasta, honey, organic popcorn, and locally made chocolates. Their farm store is open every day except Christmas and New Year’s, with lots of entertainment, food, and drink available on weekends.
Holiday Lights at Norz-Hill.
We also highly recommend gift buying from Central Jersey craft beverage makers, such as Flounder Brewing, Jersey Cyclone, Lone Eagle, Old York Cellars, Sourland Mountain Spirits, and Unionville Vineyards.
If a special experience is what you’re looking to give, consider a gift certificate to one of Central Jersey’s fabulous farm-to-table restaurants, such as Brick Farm Market or Tavern in Hopewell; Eno Terra in Kingston; or Jammin’ Crepes, Meditera, or Teresa’s in Princeton.
For a really special experience, why not book a romantic Central Jersey getaway weekend at one of our great places to stay, such as the 100-room Chauncey Hotel near Princeton the gorgeous 5-room Glencairn Inn in Lawrence.
Whether you live in Central Jersey or nearby, last two years have taught us the value of local businesses and experiences. Why not share some of your own special Central Jersey discoveries with somebody you love?
Click on the map to Discover Central Jersey.