National site lists NJ's 12 best towns—see if yours made the cut

Travel & Leisure, arguably America's most trusted travel magazine, has just released a list of the 12 best towns in New Jersey — so naturally, I had to see how I felt about the winners.

Lately, people have been in search of small and cute towns to visit instead of a bustling city, and New Jersey seems to be the perfect place for that.

Downtown Ridgewood via Google Maps

The first town named was Montclair, specifically for The George Hotel, which is a 31-room boutique hotel owned by none other than makeup artist, Bobbi Brown.

This hotel has brought a lot of visitors to Montclair as they want to explore the restaurants and shopping that led the hotel to open in such an unknown area to anyone outside NJ.

For beer and music lovers, Red Bank was acknowledged as a go-to area. With nostalgic and retro arcades and views of the Navesink River this is a great summer destination.

Red Bank via Google Maps

West Cape May was also recognized as a destination for those looking to have some relaxing summer fun.

(Photo by Dan Mall on Unsplash)

For nature lovers, Tenafly was named as a place to add to a bucket list, with several parks and nature centers to explore it’s almost impossible to not have something to do.

It also isn’t too far from New York City, meaning a trip to NJ could be jam-packed with activity.

To no one’s surprise, Millburn was recognized as one of the foodie hotspots in NJ. The town is filled with bakeries, cafes, farmers markets that will leave a visitor completely stuffed.

In addition to these towns, the others named were Ridgewood, Westfield, Spring Lake, Lambertville, Flemington, Cranbury, and Bayhead.

Westfield via Google Maps

Opinions expressed in the post above are those of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Judi Franco only.

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Cape May, NJ: 15 wonderful places to visit

These are the best hiking spots in New Jersey

A trip to New Jersey doesn't have to be all about the beach. Our state has some incredible trails, waterfalls, and lakes to enjoy.

From the Pine Barrens to the Appalachian Trail to the hidden gems of New Jersey, you have plenty of options for a great hike. Hiking is such a great way to spend time outdoors and enjoy nature, plus it's a great workout.

Before you go out on the trails and explore some of our listeners' suggestions, I have some tips on hiking etiquette from the American Hiking Society.

If you are going downhill and run into an uphill hiker, step to the side and give the uphill hiker space. A hiker going uphill has the right of way unless they stop to catch their breath.

Always stay on the trail, you may see side paths, unless they are marked as an official trail, steer clear of them. By going off-trail you may cause damage to the ecosystems around the trail, the plants, and wildlife that live there.

You also do not want to disturb the wildlife you encounter, just keep your distance from the wildlife and continue hiking.

Bicyclists should yield to hikers and horses. Hikers should also yield to horses, but I’m not sure how many horses you will encounter on the trails in New Jersey.

If you are thinking of bringing your dog on your hike, they should be leashed, and make sure to clean up all pet waste.

Lastly, be mindful of the weather, if the trail is too muddy, it's probably best to save your hike for another day.

I asked our listeners for their suggestions of the best hiking spots in New Jersey, check out their suggestions:

Source: National site lists NJ’s 12 best towns—see if yours made the cut

Filed Under: Red Bank, Flemington, Cranbury, westfield, Montclair, Tenafly, West Cape May