Duffer's Challenge 18-Hole Mini Golf in Wildwood

Heading down to the south Jersey Shore? Will you be visiting Avalon, Stone Harbor, Wildwood or the Cape May area? Do you enjoy playing the game of miniature golf? If so, you'll want to head to the Duffer's Challenge Mini Golf in Wildwood, New Jersey.

Duffer's is a combination of full-service restaurant (serving breakfast, lunch & dinner), an ice cream parlor (serving homemade ice cream) and an 18-hole miniature golf course. Everything in one location for a fun, family outing while at the Jersey Shore.

You'll find them located at 5210 on Pacific Avenue in Wildwood. Their mini golf course has 18 fun, but challenging holes and is done in an underwater sea & ocean theme. This is one of the BEST miniature golf courses in the area with animated and moving obstacles that are fun for the entire family. Our 2 grandchildren love playing here!

This is a very popular miniature golf course to play by locals and visitors to the island. If you want to avoid crowds, try visiting during a weekday afternoon or early evening. During the in-season weekends, it can get extremely crowded with long lines. Dress appropriately and wear comfortable walking shoes for the best experience.

From start to finish...it took our party of 3 adults and 1 child approximately 70 minutes to play the entire course. On the day that we were there...they were moderately busy, but not overly crowded. Once we were done we headed to their ice cream parlor and enjoyed ice cream cones and sundaes before heading back to our hotel.

Looking for more places to play mini golf in the Wildwood area? You can find several reviews and recommendations right here on our travel blog and make sure you check out our mini golf board over on Pinterest for some fun ideas too!

Middletown - The Oldest Town in Dauphin County

Middletown is a borough in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania and sits along the banks of the Susquehanna River. It's roughly a 10 minute drive from downtown Harrisburg or Hershey. According to the 2010 Census, 8,900+ people called Middletown home.

It was founded in 1755 and was incorporated as a borough in 1828. When people think of Middletown, they often think of the Three Mile Island Nuclear Plant where the #2 Nuclear Reactor suffered a partial meltdown in 1979. The TMI #2 Unit Reactor is now closed.

While passing through the town we stumbled upon the "Middletown" historical marker that is located at the intersection of N. Union Street and Main Street. It's part of the Union Canal Marker series. Here's the information.

Middletown

The oldest town in Dauphin County; laid out in 1755 by George Fisher, Quaker. It was an important port at the junction of the Pennsylvania and Union Canals in the 19th century. Site of early flour, lumber, and iron industries.

By: 1952 by Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission.

As you drive through town you'll notice many different type's of architectural styles, from old Victorian Mansions, Log Homes, Colonial & Ranch Styles and more. I've included a few photographs with this post to give you a little sneak peek of what downtown Middletown looks like.

Millions of people drive by the historical markers all around the great state of Pennsylvania and never take the time to read them and to learn about past history. We're trying to bring awareness to these markers by documenting them here on our Pennsylvania & Beyond Travel Blog.

Bill Haley and his Comets Musical Icons of the Wildwoods Wall Mural

When I think of Doo Wop music, I think of the Wildwoods. Every where you go in Wildwood you'll see Doo Wop architecture, neon signs and you'll hear that famous Doo Wop music playing. Heck, you'll even find a Doo Wop Museum located near the Wildwoods Convention Center that is free to visit.

We try to visit the Wildwood Island at least three times every year. Every time we're down...we seek out some of the beautiful wall murals and street art that you can find all around the city. Almost every block or two has some kind of mural or street art piece that you can see.

Several years ago the Wildwoods started to honor some of the famous Doo Wop musical artists from the 1950's and 60's. The first mural featured Bobby Rydell and can be found up on the Wildwoods Boardwalk, painted on the side of a building. You can read all about it by visiting our original post here on the travel blog.

The second Musical Icons Wall Mural to be added was this gorgeous mural featuring Bill Haley and his Comets in 2014. According to the information I found online, it was selected to commemorate the 60th anniversary of their hit song, "Rock Around the Clock" which was first performed live in the Wildwoods in 1954. You'll find this mural on the side of a building located at Oak and Pacific Avenues.

Susan Daly, the very talented artist and owner of Masters Mural Studio painted the mural on the south wall of the Greater Wildwood Chamber of Commerce building. You'll find the artist's signature in the bottom right corner of the mural. As I previously stated, it's the second mural out of three (so far) in the Musical Icons series. The next time I'm down...I need to search out the third one which features Chubby Checker.

Note: All photos are clickable! Double right-click on each photo to have it open up in a new browsing window and in an enlarged size. This will allow you to see the details, while keeping our travel blog mobile reader friendly. Thanks!

The World-Famous Ocean City Music Pier in New Jersey

My family has been taking annual trips down to the Jersey Shore since I was a little girl and over the years, we've seen several shows and music concerts at the world-famous Ocean City Music Pier. It's the most iconic building on the entire Ocean City Boardwalk.

Construction for the Music Pier began in 1928 and it opened its doors on July 4th, 1929...just in time for the July 4th, Independence Day holiday. Over the years it has hosted a wide variety of entertainment events. You'll find concerts, comedy shows, pageants, sporting events, trade fairs, expos, festivals, craft shows and more!

Every time we attend an event or show at the O. C. Music Pier, it just gets better and better. I believe they had some re-design and remodeling that went on during the past few years. One of the things I enjoy about this entertainment venue is the simple fact that it sits right on the boardwalk and overlooks the beautiful Atlantic Ocean.

When it comes to events, you can often buy tickets online or purchase them at the door. You can find an online seating chart and use that to your advantage when purchasing tickets. In my honest opinion, we try to purchase our tickets online, so that we don't risk them selling out and we can obtain the best seats. I also recommend that you arrive at least 40 minutes early, before the schedule performance begins. This will allow you time to get it and seated, without feeling rushed.

Camelback Lodge & Aquatopia Indoor Waterpark Voted #1 by USA Today

Camelback Lodge & Aquatopia Indoor Waterpark, the Poconos’ premier adventure destination, has been named Best Indoor Waterpark in the country by USA Today. From the hundreds of indoor waterparks nationwide, Aquatopia secured the winning spot in USA Today’s 10Best Readers' Choice travel award contest for the second time since opening its doors in 2015.

The contest, which was launched on May 14 by USA TODAY, gave voters four weeks to vote for the candidate of their choice. This is the third time Camelback Lodge & Aquatopia Indoor Waterpark was nominated and the second time it has been voted #1.

“The results are in and we could not be more excited that Aquatopia has been ranked #1 as the best indoor waterpark in the USA,” said Ame Cameron, VP of Sales & Marketing at Camelback Resort. “We are grateful to everyone who voted and invite new guests to experience the thrills and amenities that set Aquatopia apart from the other indoor waterparks in the county.”

Committed to providing adventures for guests of all ages, the 125,000-square-foot indoor waterpark is housed under a Texlon transparent roof that immerses guests in natural sunlight year-round while providing protection from the sun’s harmful UV rays. Aquatopia features seven pools, 13 water slides and a multitude of thrilling water attractions, including: Storm Chaser, North America’s longest uphill water coaster; The Great Ka-Na-Gawa Wavepool; an indoor/outdoor hot tub; and Kartrite’s Quest, the world’s first themed “next generation” multi-level aqua play structure equipped with 84 interactive water effects.

10Best.com provides readers with original, unbiased, and experiential travel content for top destinations in the U.S. and around the world. At its core is a team of local travel experts: a well-traveled and well-educated group who are not only experts in their fields – and their cities – but discriminating in their tastes. These local experts live in the city they write about so the content is constantly updated. USA TODAY invites individuals and families from across the country to participate in these respective month-long “10Best Readers’ Choice” awards by voting for their travel favorites, including “Best Indoor Water Park.”

Earlier this year, Aquatopia Indoor Waterpark received the “Platinum International Aquatic Safety Award” from Jeff Ellis & Associates, Inc. International Aquatic Safety and Risk Management Consultants. This prestigious honor is awarded to aquatic facilities that epitomize safety excellence and exceed industry standards in risk management.

Aquatopia was also ranked among the top indoor waterparks in the world by U.S. News & World Report in an article that was published in March 2018.

Opened in April 2015, Aquatopia Indoor Waterpark is the most innovative waterpark ever constructed in the U.S. in a single phase. The award-winning leadership and cutting-edge innovations of Aquatic Development Group created the largest indoor waterpark in the Northeast with several never-before-seen attractions, such as the Venus SlydeTrap, a 608-foot-long, fully-enclosed family rafting experience with a record-breaking sphere and open ‘manta’ wall ride. Aquatopia was part of a $163 million project that also included the construction and development of the eight-story, 453-suite Camelback Lodge.

The Great Kanagawa Wavepool features a snowcap-topped mountain, complete with a real Sno-Cat that uses thousands of LED light and sound effects to create the illusion of an avalanche plummeting into the pool. Bombora FlowRider® lets guests ride the waves alone or with a partner. The Lost River is a vast departure from a typical lazy river, enthralling guests with an adventure river ride through the jungle into a mysterious temple to find clues before emerging into daylight and a 60-foot waterfall. Perched on its launching pad high above Flyboys, the adults-only swim up bar, is Kartrite’s DHC-2 Beaver Float Plane, affectionately named, “Spirit of Tannersville.”

Aquatopia perfectly complements the existing family-friendly adventures at Camelback Resort, including 36 ski trails; the biggest snowtubing park in the U.S.A. with 42 lanes and a nightly Galactic LED light show experience; Pennsylvania’s only Mountain Coaster; North America’s longest twin, 4,000 ft. zip-flyers; and Camelbeach, Pennsylvania’s largest outdoor waterpark.

Located just 90 minutes from New York City and two hours from Philadelphia, Camelback has wide appeal to a broad audience, including families and seasonal outdoor enthusiasts. Camelback Resort serves more than 1.7 million guests annually.

For more information about Camelback Resort or to make a reservation, call 855.515.1283 or visit www.CamelbackResort.com.

Top 5 Places to Play Miniature Golf in Wildwood

Heading to Wildwood in New Jersey for your next summer vacation? Do you enjoy playing the game of miniature golf? If so, we've got a list of our favorite places to play mini golf on the Wildwoods Island. Yes, Wildwood is a barrier island!

1. StarLux Mini Golf - is located on Ocean Avenue and is three courses in one! Each of the 3 courses is done in a different theme and each one has 9-holes. You can play one, two or all three courses! The three themes include: Boardwalk, Beach and Ocean. This is our favorite place to play! It can get crowded during the popular evening hours & weekends, so try going during the week or a weekday afternoon.

2. Hassles Mini Golf - is located on 21st Street and Beach in North Wildwood and is an 18-hole course. There are several stationary and moving obstacles to putt through and in my honest opinion, it's our second favorite course to play. This is a really nice course for families to play and young children really enjoy it. After playing a round (or two) you can enjoy some ice cream at their on-site ice cream parlor.

3. Harbor Light Mini Golf - is located on Pacific Avenue in Wildwood Crest and is an 18-hole course. Sometimes when we want to escape the boardwalk and crowds we will head to Harbor Light! It's a beautifully landscaped course with some pretty water features. Our grandchildren always enjoy playing here.

4. Dragon's Lair Mini Golf - is located at 3616 on the Boardwalk. This course is played indoors, in air conditioning and under black lights. While this is a great course for older children and adults, I don't recommend it for smaller children. My grandson is 3 1/2 and hates it...scares him since it's played under black lights with eerie looking props.

5. 3-D Glow Mini Golf - is located at 3414 on the Boardwalk. This is an indoor 18-hole course that is played underneath black lights. This fun course is better for adults and older children and is done in a Wildwood pirate's theme. They will provide you with the 3-D glasses so that you can play their course.

Added to the list on June 2019

6. Jurassic Adventure Golf - is located in North Wildwood on New Jersey Avenue. This mini golf course recently got a modern-day makeover and is really fun to play. What makes them unique is their Jurassic dials that you spin as you go around the course. They really mix up the game and make it a lot of fun. You can check out our official review to learn more about them and to see oodles of photographs that we took. Fun place to play!!!

Wildwood has a lot of great miniature golf courses to play, however...these are our top 5 favorites. If you don't mind driving, you'll find 2 really nice courses up in Stone Harbor (in the downtown business district) and down in Cape May you'll find Sunset Beach Mini Golf which gives you beautiful ocean and bay views.

Harrisburg Area Food Truck Festivals and Events

If you live in the Harrisburg area you've probably noticed that Food Truck Festivals and Events have become pretty popular over the past 2-3 years. In the past you would typically see them at carnivals, festivals and fairs. Nowadays you'll see them at all kinds of different events, at the workplace and even set up in the parking lots of your neighborhood mall.

Food Trucks have come a long way since their early days and now you can actually get a pretty good meal from them. Some of them can be expensive, while others are more affordable. One thing for sure is that they offer diners the convenience of not having to cook and getting something while on-the-go.

Fans of Food Trucks can follow the HBG Food Truck Feast page over on Facebook to be notified about upcoming events all over the Harrisburg area. According to their current information you'll find them at the following regularly scheduled events. Click on their EVENTS tab to see other events that are on their upcoming schedule.

First Friday at Colonial Park Mall April - Oct. 5 PM to 9 PM
Third Friday at First UMC 135 W. Simpson St. Mechanicsburg 5 PM to 9 PM

If you're a big fan you can find food trucks at some of our local flea markets, antique shows, carnivals, school sporting events, at concert venues, in downtown Harrisburg during events and parades, and so forth. They're becoming popular and trendy again!

Family-Friendly Accommodations at Jade East Motel in North Wildwood

The Jade East Motel is one of the nicest and most affordable motels located in North Wildwood, New Jersey. This small, family owned & operated motel sits on the beach block and is a short walk to the beach. You'll find free, off-street parking, one car per unit.

Steve and Jane Lawrence own the motel and are two of the friendliest people that you will ever meet. I recently had a total knee replacement and they were extremely helpful in accommodating my disability and found us the perfect room to stay in.

Contact Information:
Jade East Motel
510 East 4th Avenue
North Wildwood, NJ 08260
(609) 522-1867
Web: http://jadeeastmotel.com/

Our check-in process was quick and easy upon our arrival. Check-in time is 2 PM with check-out being 11 AM. If you need to make other arrangement, they will try to accommodate your request. A few of their rooms offer guests some pretty ocean views.

We reserved a 1 bedroom apartment with 2 full-size beds, a kitchenette, full bathroom and sitting area. You can browse their website to see room layouts, amenities offered and current reservation specials. As soon as we stepped into our room we were impressed with the furnishings and cleanliness.

If you reserve a room with a kitchenette you'll find a full-size refrigerator, microwave oven, stove-top, toaster, coffee maker, dinnerware and utensils that you can use. They provide liquid dish soap, dish cloth and dish towel. You'll need to provide your own paper towels and any disposable paper products that you think you'll need. There are no ice makers for guests to use, but they do include "filled" ice cube trays in your freezer. We opted to just go up to Wawa and purchase a bag of ice.

The bedroom has 2 full-size beds, a large dresser and a small hanging rack where you can hang some clothing. There isn't a lot of space in the bedroom, but then again...it's for getting dressed and for sleeping. My only issue with the bedroom is that it doesn't have a TV. Our family is used to laying in bed at night and watching some television before going to bed. Hopefully in the future they'll consider adding one, even a small one would be a real winner in my book.

Regarding the bathroom...it's small, but extremely clean! You'll have a toilet, sink and tub/shower combo. We did receive guest toiletries in our bathroom on a daily basis. If you use a hairdryer, you'll want to bring that along with you. Every day we were treated with a new supply of bath linens and plenty of them at that!

In the living room area you'll have a sleeper sofa, television, an extra sitting chair and plenty of room to stretch out. The grandchildren liked pulling out the sleeper sofa and watching TV and playing games at night. We had 3-4 guests in our room and all of us had plenty of sitting room and room to stretch out.

On-site you can enjoy a sundeck located up on the 3rd floor of the hotel. Each guest room has 2 sitting chairs outside their unit, so you can sit out on the balcony and enjoy the fresh air. There is a gas barbecue grill located down near the pool area with a patio table & chairs that guests can use. When using that area, please be courteous and clean-up after yourselves.

My family, especially my grandchildren really enjoyed the motel's swimming pool. It's a heated pool with the water being heated around 82 degrees on most days that we were there. The pool closes at 6 PM daily and on some days we had wished that it was open a little bit later. Let's face it, the kids loved being in the pool and on extremely HOT days, it would of been nice to have it open just a little bit later into the evening.

This was our first time staying at the Jade East Motel in North Wildwood, New Jersey and it won't be our last! We've been coming down to Wildwood multiple times every year since 1999 and were really impressed with Jade East. If you're looking for motel & hotel accommodations in Wildwood, we highly recommend that you check out the Jade East Motel.

Abraham Lincoln Gettysburg Address Historical Marker

For the past 5 years we've been documenting some of the historical markers that we find when we travel. Millions of people pass by historical markers every day and never stop to read them. They're a wonderful source of information about some of our forgotten historic past.

On a weekend trip down to Gettysburg in Pennsylvania, we located several historical markers. The one that we're featuring and documenting today is the famous Abraham Lincoln Gettysburg Address historical marker that's located right outside the fence line of Soldiers' National Cemetery. It marks the famous Gettysburg Address that President Abraham Lincoln gave...just a few yards away.

During the American Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln traveled to Gettysburg to give a speech during the dedication ceremony at Soldier's National Cemetery. On Thursday, November 19th in 1863, President Lincoln gave a brief speech at the dedication, the Gettysburg Address.

Gettysburg Address Historical Marker

Nearby, Nov. 19, 1863, in dedicating the National Cemetery, Abraham Lincoln gave the address which he had written in Washing and revised after his arrival at Gettysburg the evening of November 18.

If you're looking for the exact spot of where Abraham Lincoln gave the infamous Gettysburg Address, you'll find that spot in Soldiers' National Cemetery. The spot is marked by an information plaque provided by Gettysburg National Military Park. That plaque gives you a lot of information about it and marks the approximate spot where it was given.

Nearby the spot you'll find the Soldiers' National Monument. They started construction on the monument back in 1865 and then held the official dedication of the monument with a ceremony that was held on July 1st, 1869. The monument is pretty tall and on each of the four corners you'll find four marble statues representing: history, plenty, peace and war. The statue "Genius of Liberty" crowns the monument's shaft. It's one of the tallest monuments in the cemetery and is pretty close to were President Lincoln gave the Gettysburg Address.

At the Gettysburg Military Park Museum we took a photograph of one of their exhibits that gives the wordage of Lincoln's Gettysburg Address (shown above). Here's what it says.

"Four Score and seven years ago, our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal...

We here highly resolved that these dead shall not have died in vain - that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom - and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."

Abraham Lincoln, Gettysburg Address, November 19th, 1863.

We felt it was important to document the historical marker, the spot the Gettysburg Address was given and the important speech that went along with it. By doing so, it puts it all into context for our readers.

Here's an additional "fun fact" for you. Gettysburg was named for James Gettys, one of the first settlers. The town was founded in 1780. 

As your driving around the great state of Pennsylvania...take a look around you. If you see any historical markers sitting along the road, in front of a building, etc. Take a few minutes out of your day to stop and read it. (We like to photograph them). Once at home...take a few more minutes to look up information online to learn more about it.

Exploring The Natural Bridge Caverns in Virginia

The Caverns at Natural Bridge is a family-friendly attraction located in Natural Bridge, Virginia. The caverns were discovered early in the 20th century and then officially opened as a park in 1977. It is open seasonally from March through November, depending on weather. You'll find the caverns, the Natural Bridge, a gift shop, walking trails, a picnic area and more...all located here!

When visiting, you'll want to plan ahead and wear comfortable clothing and footwear. You'll be doing a lot of walking through the park and then descend down 34 stores into the cavern. They recommend that you wear tennis sneakers and bring along a light-weight jacket or sweater. The caverns maintain a year-round temperature of around 54 degrees.

The guided tour will last for approximately 46 minutes and new tours begin every 30 to 60 minutes, with the last tour leaving at 4 PM EST. These tours can fill up fast, so during the peak of the tourist season & on weekends, you'll want to arrive early. If you plan on visiting ONLY the Natural Bridge Caverns the admission price is as follows: Adults $18.00 and Children ages 6 to 12 years of age $12.00 each.

While you're there I recommend that you visit the nearby Natural Bridge. If you plan on doing that, you can purchase an adult combo ticket for around $20.00, which includes Cedar Creek Trail and the Monacan Indian ​Exhibit. You can get all of the pricing details and tour schedule directly on The Caverns at Natural Bridge website.

I took my camera down into the caverns and frankly, I didn't have any luck in grabbing some nice photographs. I should of taken my larger, more professional camera down there with me, instead of my easy-to-use point-n-shoot. If you have a nice camera, you should be able to get some decent photographs, but you'll need to use your flash because it's dimly lit in most areas.

During our visit I really enjoyed walking the Cedar Creek Trail (beautiful walk) to reach The Natural Bridge. It's amazing that nature can create beautiful things like the Natural Bridge formation. It was a fairly easy walk and one that the entire family would enjoy.

If you're going to be visiting the great state of Virginia or just passing through...a visit to The Natural Bridge and Caverns would be a great family-friendly activity for you to enjoy. We spent about 2 1/2 hours there before hitting the road again.

Naval Air Station Wildwood Aviation Museum

The Naval Air Station Wildwood Aviation Museum is located at the Cape May County Airport in Cape May, New Jersey inside Hangar #1. The site used to be the old Naval Aviation Base during World War II and is listed on the National and State Registers of Historical Places.

You'll find free parking right in front of the museum with handicap parking spaces available. You'll want to head to the entrance and walk into the gift shop to pay your admission into the museum. They will then give you a wristband which gives you the entire day to explore everything that they have to offer.

We started our visit by sitting down to watch a museum orientation film. It's a short film that gives you a lot of the history on the surrounding area and the importance that it played during World War II. We found it to be very interesting and it held our attention. I suggest you watch the short film because it puts everything else into perspective that you're going to see once you enter the actual museum to see the exhibits.

Hopefully you wore comfortable clothing and walking shoes because you'll be doing a lot of walking! You'll have the opportunity to walk up short flights of stairs to climb into various fighter jets, airplanes, helicopters, boats, etc. Of course, if you're disabled, you can totally skip those parts and still have an awesome museum experience.

As we walked around we were really impressed with the variety of fighter jets, airplanes, helicopters, military vehicles, coast guard boats, jeeps, etc. that they had on exhibit. As you walked from one exhibit to another, you'll want to stop and read the provided information, so that you're learning along the way.

Our grandchildren were along with us and I really appreciated the photograph opportunities that are sprinkled throughout the museum. You'll find some life-size cut-outs, open-air vehicles, sitting areas, etc. that make for fun family photographs. The lighting can be a little "iffy" in certain areas, so I recommend using a decent camera with a flash when needed.

We spent a total of 2 hours exploring the NAS Wildwood Aviation Museum and it makes for a great rainy day, educational activity for the family to do while visiting the south Jersey Shore. Once you're done in the museum you can head back into their gift shop to pick up some souvenirs and/or light snacks.

Save your receipt that you received when you paid for your admission. You can use that receipt to receive a discount (I think it was 10% off) your purchase at the diner that sits across the parking lot. We weren't hungry, so we didn't go into the diner...but I wanted to mention keeping your receipt if you plan on getting food after your visit.

You can learn more about the Naval Air Station Wildwood Aviation Museum at the Cape May Airport by visiting their official website online and by following them on Facebook and/or Twitter for updates and current specials.