We all know the most popular and iconic hotspots in New Jersey like Seaside Heights and Atlantic City, but not many know of the under the radar hotspots of the north. My whole life I grew up in the noisy, busy, and urban town of North Bergen, NJ, but it wasn’t until I moved to rural Sussex County that I discovered these awesome locations. If you live in the northern New Jersey or upstate New York area then you need to visit these locations!
- Lake Mohawk – Sparta, NJ
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Inspired by German architecture, Lake Mohawk is a half business district, half residential community development that surrounds one of the largest private bodies of water in New Jersey. There are various amounts of shops, boutiques, and restaurants that are always booming with business, especially during the summer season. If you ever visit Lake Mohawk, I highly recommend trying out the St. Moritz restaurant! My boyfriend and I dined there on our anniversary and the food was incredible! Community members also have the privilege of enjoying the lake and docking their boats alongside the boardwalk.
- Mountain Creek – Vernon, NJ
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This next one isn’t too under the radar but it really is a great hotspot to visit! Mountain Creek is a resort that is known for its beautiful snowy ski slopes in the winter and epic water park in the summer. In the 80s, Mountain Creek was called Action Park and was the most popular water park in New Jersey heavily known for its dangerously exciting water slides and cliff jumping activities. Action Park was so popular that there’s a comedy movie called “Action Point”, starring Johnny Knoxville, that’s based on the park. How cool is that? Fun fact: I used to be a lifeguard at Mountain Creek! If you like high thrill rides, I recommend trying out Colorado River, High Anxiety, and H2-Oh-No!
- Blairstown, NJ
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Blairstown is a popular town because it’s where the famous 80s horror movie, Friday the 13th, was filmed. The town still has its historical 1980s charm making it even more special. Although Camp Crystal Lake isn’t real, Camp No Be Bo Sco sure does! It’s a Boy Scout Camp that was posed as Camp Crystal Lake in the film. Lastly, the creepy diner that appears in the movie is really called the Blairstown Diner and is open to the public! Cool, right?
The next hotspot isn’t in northern New Jersey but it’s close enough to make the drive!
- Warwick, NY
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Only 20 minutes outside of Sussex County, NJ, Warwick is known for its apple orchards, wine vineyards, and drive-in movie theater. One of my favorite spots to go to in Warwick is the drive-in theater. It’s the best place to go for a cute date night or for a movie night out with your friends. It’s the only drive-in theater in the area which makes it unique and gives off all the classic 50s vibes. Another great spot to visit in the fall is the Pennings apple orchard. Besides the large apple fields, Pennings also contains a farmers market, live music, pony rides, and a beer garden. Lastly, another great spot to go to in Warwick is Main Street. There they have a strip of some of my favorite shops like a vintage and family-owned store called Frazzleberries, an old fashioned candy store called Fizzy Lifting Soda Pop Candy Shop, and a pet-friendly cafe called Fetch. Main Street gives me all the old fashioned vintage vibes. I know you’ll love it, too!