From the Beach to Wineries!

Just like basically everyone else I’ve been itching to take a vacation and just get away. Sometimes you must get a little creative and do a little research. Recently I went down to Long Beach Island and have a nice little weekend trip, the shore in the fall is probably one of the prettiest places to be ever. Also a fun like secret many probably do not know there are a ton of wineries close to LBI so you can get the best of both worlds, the fun shore vibes with the fall activities everyone loves to do.  

Friday night I went to Hotel LBI for dinner, the food is truly amazing, and they change the menu depending on the season so there is always something new to try whether its drinks or entrees. If you sit outside you will also have a pretty view of the sunset as well, I always love a good sunset.

Saturday was a day whole of wineries which was so much fun, the wineries are about an hour away from Long Beach Island. The first stop was to Tomasello Winery & Banquet Hall in Hammonton, NJ truthfully this may have been one of my favorite out of all the locations. We did a wine tasting where you had your choice of picking 5 different wines from a very long list for about $12, with coconut shrimp and a cheese board on the side.

Cheese board from Tomasello Winery

The second location was Plagido’s Winery also in Hammonton, NJ this place would be such a pretty spot for a bridal shower or event spot. You are actually allowed to bring your own food with you which is always a plus and sit at a picnic table. I had a frozen sangria which was good tasted like a grape ice pop.

Our third destination was Dimatteo Vineyards which also was in Hammonton, NJ. I loved the backdrop of this location, and they had this cut little food truck. We shared a briskets sandwich and a smore’s cupcake all of which was very good. They had a seasonal Pumpkin wine which was cute to see, though i did not personally try it.

One of the views from sharrott winery

The last location was my all time favorite the views, the food, the wine everything about this place. I truly want to go back to this place again with a bigger group at night when you can make smores around their fire pits. The name of this place is Sharrott Winery also in the same town as the others. You can pick three types of wine for your wine tasting and a really great treat is you get three basically whole glasses of wine. In regards to food we had a hummus plate and a sweet treat a pumpkin Donnoli which is a Donut and Cannoli mixed together with was worth every calorie i ended up eating.

Since all of the wineries are very close to each others it becomes very easy to make a full day of traveling to all different locations and trying as many places as you can. I truly has the best little vacation and i felt like i was in upstate New York when i was so close to the shore.

After a full day of wine tasting and traveling around Hammonton, i could not end my trip without watching the sunset by the Lighthouse in LBI probably one of my favorite stops when visiting Long Beach island and depending which side of the lighthouse you decide to stand on will depend on the type of sunset view you end up having.

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The Great Pumpkin

Everyone is looking for those fun fall activities to do right now, or at least i know i am anyway. I work all day in my house i am forever itching to get out and do things. A friend of mine invited me to The Great Jack O’Lantern Blaze, which is in Croton-on-Hudson, New York basically very close to Tarrytown and Sleepy hallow New York. I am not a huge Halloween person at all but i am so glad i did not pass on this event. The artwork in the pumpkins are so breathtaking i was so impressed with everything i saw.

It took me close to an hour to get to the location, the drive away not horrible at all and being able to see all of the leaves turning really helped to put me in the mood for fall. An adult ticket price is $48 and if you have a child with you under the age of 12 their ticket price would be $40, which truthfully is not bad once you see everything there is and how much work went into everything.

Each section had its own theme some even had movement which was so impressive to me, trying to figure out how each pumpkin carving was built or how they put multiple pumpkins together to make one piece. My group picked the 6:30 pm time slot which you would assume would not be the greatest with daylight, but by the time you park, check in and start going on the path it will start to get dark and then it becomes the perfect time frame. It becomes dark but not to chilly so its a good combination and you do not become miserable with the cold weather.

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