Base Camp
After three weeks of staying in privately owned campgrounds, we were excited to return to a state park for week 65. Turkey Swamp Park, tucked into the heart of New Jersey, became our home base. The sites were spacious pull-throughs nestled among the trees, offering a quiet, woodsy retreat. The restrooms were surprisingly air-conditioned (something we rarely see) but the showers were in more of a locker room style, lacking privacy. Location-wise, this was the closest affordable park we could find to New York City, and it also gave us access to Philadelphia and the Jersey Shore. Not a bad trifecta.
Monday, July 21st
This evening we headed into Trenton to check out the state capital, but we hit some traffic that delayed our arrival into the perfect golden hour. We circled the Capitol building a few times, trying to find a good angle for photos, but between the weird street layout and the buildings in the way, it proved surprisingly difficult. Eventually, we gave up and settled for the few decent shots we managed to capture from afar. Afterward, we swung by the grocery store near camp and called it an early night.
Tuesday, July 22nd
Another day, another round of rush hour traffic - this time on our way into Philadelphia. Even though we spent time in Pennsylvania earlier in our trip, we never made it to Philly, so we wanted to finally check it off the list. We arrived just after 7 p.m. and walked into the field in front of Independence Hall as the clock chimed the hour. From there, we crossed the promenade to see the Liberty Bell, which, unfortunately, was housed in a closed building and visible only through a very smudged window. Still, it was fun to glimpse such an iconic piece of history, and I couldn’t help but think of National Treasure.
Next, we headed to the Philadelphia Museum of Art where Zac ran up the steps in true Rocky fashion.
Wednesday, July 23rd
Zac and I took the day off to explore New York City. We left camp around 6:30 a.m., drove to Trenton, and caught a train into Penn Station. From there, we took the subway down to Battery Park and boarded the ferry to see the Statue of Liberty. She was more beautiful (and somehow shorter than imagined) in person, and this felt like a true New York City bucket list item that we were able to check off. Afterward, we grabbed a slice of New York pizza and popped into the shop next door for what turned out to be the best bagel I’ve ever eaten. We devoured it while walking past Wall Street, making our way toward the 9/11 Memorial. The weight of the space hit me hard, and I was quietly relieved when it was time to move on. We hopped on another subway heading north to Central Park. Though we didn’t make it far into the park, we did manage to see the end of a little league baseball game, part of a volleyball tournament, some street music and the iconic Bethesda Fountain. It was the perfect, peaceful pause from the bustle of the city that we needed to break up our day. Our final tourist stop was Times Square, and surprisingly, it wasn’t too chaotic - maybe the Wednesday timing worked in our favor.
To wrap up the day, we met my friends Liam and Vic at Rudy’s for beer and hot dogs. It was so good to catch up on their lives while also reminiscing about silly high school memories. It’s something special to see people flourishing in their new homes rather than just when they come back to visit Michigan.
Liam shared how he’s working on his portfolio and shifting away from the corporate world to focus on his passion projects. We also talked about his role as an uncle and how he’s trying to navigate being a positive influence from afar. Vic told us about the two acting companies they’re involved with and a Shakespeare adaptation currently in the works. They’re even thinking about writing their own play, and based on the storylines they hinted at, I absolutely can’t wait to see what they create. I feel lucky to know such creative and thoughtful people and to get a glimpse into their lives in New York.
Thursday, July 24th
A long day in the city yesterday meant that we were eager to do absolutely nothing this evening.
Friday, July 25th
We decided to check out the Jersey Shore and ended up at Avon-by-the-Sea just as a storm rolled in. The dark clouds didn’t stop us entirely, Zac got in up to his knees and I dipped my toes in before retreating to my lawn chair to read - but the rain eventually pushed us back to the truck. We sat and watched the storm over the water for a while before heading home. Later that evening, I joined a call for my virtual book club, which just kicked off.
Saturday, July 26th
Today was dedicated to time with family! We met up with my cousin Jack and his lovely wife Kim in the Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn, for an impromptu food tour.
We started at a cozy downtown coffee shop, then walked to an open-air market offering cuisines from all over. Each of us grabbed food from a different tent after a few laps to see what was offered. With full bellies, we wandered over to a combined thrift and art market, stopping to admire any booth with cat-themed art. Next was a stop for ice cream, where we talked about Jack and Kim’s honeymoon plans and their valuable insight into planning a wedding.
Our dinner stop was at a Vietnamese restaurant Kim wanted to try. She’s been disappointed with Vietnamese food on Long Island and hoped Brooklyn would deliver. While it wasn’t quite as good as their current top spot in Madison Heights, Michigan, it was definitely a step up from what they’ve found near home. To end the night, Zac found a swanky basement Irish bar. Jack tried a Negroni, Kim ordered a fun cocktail, and Zac and I attempted to split the G on a Guinness. It was the perfect low-key vibe to wind down the evening before catching the train back to New Jersey. Delicious food and great company, what more could you want for a Saturday in the city?
Sunday, July 27th
We packed up quickly this morning but got delayed waiting in line at the dump station. Our next stop was a campground in Delaware, which our GPS routed us to by way of Philadelphia. Since we missed trying a Philly cheesesteak during our earlier visit (and Zac’s dad specifically asked about it) we decided to make a quick detour. We stopped at Joe’s Steaks and Soda Shop, where I ran in to grab a sandwich while Zac circled the block with the trailer. Back on the road, we split the cheesesteak and… well, it was underwhelming. We actually had to add salt just to give it flavor. Honestly, we’ve had better versions in Michigan.
We didn’t stop much on our way into Delaware, assuming we’d have the whole week to explore the small state. But as you’ll find out in next week’s post, our plans didn’t quite go that way. Stay tuned!
Thanks for following along this week. I’ve been dragging my feet on writing lately, but I know these posts will be a time capsule we’ll be grateful for later in life. Check out the reel below to see the week from our point of view.