The 7 Wonders of New Jersey

Cool Maps: 7 Wonders

Ellis Island

"Ellis Island, at the mouth of the Hudson River in New York Harbor, was at one time the main immigration port for immigrants entering the United States in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Ellis Island is within the boundaries of Jersey City, New Jersey, but is within both the states of New Jersey and New York. "

The Pine Barrens

"The Pine Barrens, also known as the Pinelands, are a heavily forested area covering 1.1 million acres.. of coastal plain across southern and central New Jersey. The name "pine barrens" refers to the area's sandy, acidic, nutrient-poor soil, which didn't take well to the crops originally imported by European settlers. However, these uncommon conditions led the Pine Barrens to develop a unique and diverse spectrum of plant life, especially orchids and carnivorous plants. The area is also notable for its populations of rare pygmy Pitch Pines and other plant species that depend on fire to reproduce (fire is very frequent in the Pine Barrens). The highly organic sandy silt that composes much of the area's soil is referred to by the locals as sugar sand."

Sandy Hook

"Geologically, it is a large sand spit or barrier spit, the extension of a barrier peninsula along the coast of New Jersey separated from the mainland by the estuary of the Shrewsbury River. On its western side, the peninsula encloses Sandy Hook Bay, a triangular arm of Lower New York Bay. The community of Highlands overlooks the southern part of the hook."

Seaside Heights Beach and Boardwalk

"Seaside Heights is a Borough in Ocean County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the borough population was 3,155. Seaside Heights is situated on the Barnegat Peninsula, a long, narrow barrier peninsula that separates Barnegat Bay from the Atlantic Ocean. "

Grounds For Sculpture Art Park

"Grounds For Sculpture is a 35-acre sculpture park and museum located in Hamilton, New Jersey on the former site of the New Jersey State Fairgrounds. "

Wildwood Boardwalk

"Wildwood is a resort city that is very popular with vacationers and tourists from New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York, Delaware and even nearby parts of Canada during the summer months. Its most notable features are its beach and 2.5-mile boardwalk, home to the Morey's Piers amusement complex and Raging Waters, a 2-location waterpark complex owned by Morey's Piers. "

Garden State Parkway

"The Garden State Parkway is a 174.8-mile (281-km) limited-access toll parkway that stretches the length of New Jersey from the New York Thruway at Chestnut Ridge, New York (just over the state line from Montvale, New Jersey), to Cape May at the southern tip of the state. Its name refers to the state nickname, the "Garden State"."