5 Weird and Wild Destinations to Visit in New Jersey
Disclaimer: Please abide by all rules for COVID19 safety precautions as well as any posted No Trespassing or Private Property signs. We do not condone trespassing on private property, removing items during your explorations, nor do we encourage you to visit places that look unsafe and dangerous. This guide is intended for entertainment and informational usage only. We do not accept responsibility for any issues or injuries you may experience if you choose to proceed with urban explorations to abandoned sites or roadside destinations. Some destinations may have public hours or require appointments for viewing or touring. Please be respectful on your visits and explorations.
The Paranormal Museum, Asbury Park, NJ
The Paranormal Museum in Asbury Park, NJ is sure to have you shrieking with delight! From seances to psychic readings to ghost tours and paranormal literature, there’s something fun for everyone. Choose from private ghost tours or hop on one of the weekly excursions and investigate unusual happenings and hauntings in NJ. Buy an admission to the museum, and get a 60-minute guided tour of haunted objects, lessons on cryptids, and more! When you’re done, you can shop the bookstore and their thousands of unique titles on hauntings, curses, and other spooky subjects.
Learn more by visiting their site here.
Ricky Boscarino’s “Luna Parc”, Montague, NJ
Luna Parc is an incredible site to see set in the woods of Sussex County, NJ. Once a small cabin discovered by local area artist Rick Boscarino, it has since been transformed into an ever-changing home of magnificent creativity. From sculptures to mosaics to handmade furniture, this place has it all! This is a private residence occupied by the artist, but once or twice a year he generously opens his doors to the public (Spring, Fall; check website for details.) In addition to his ongoing live-in art installation, Boscarino also creates unique sculptures, jewelry, and other art from reclaimed, recycled, and reused objects. His bizarro art pieces are available for sale online, at trade shows, and sometimes during open houses. This is certainly an instagrammable experience, and no two visits will ever be the same! So be sure to check back often for his next open house, you won’t want to miss it!
Learn more by visiting the website here.
Menz Restaurant and Bar, Rio Grande, NJ
Taking on the appearance of a shipwrecked adrift in south jersey, the Menz Restaurant and Bar is certainly worth the visit! Stop in for some delicious comforting bar food and classic Italian eats, and be sure to stay for the strange collection of oddities and absurdities. With an outdoor “sculpture garden” to stroll through while waiting for your table, and plenty of collected taxidermy sculptures, along with other artistic oddities like giant bears, strange men, and more! It’s also got a candy story and an arcade, and it’s kid friendly!
Learn more and book a reservation by visiting the site here.
The Devil’s Tower, Alpine, NJ
This grand stone tower was built on commission by Manuel Rionda, a sugar baron living in NJ in the early 1900s. The tower was connected to a series of underground tunnels with the purpose of Harriet Rionda being able to see the NYC Skyline from her property. Legend has it that a forlorn Mrs. Rionda flung herself from the top of the tower after catching her husband with his mistress, falling to her untimely death. Don’t walk backwards or drive in reverse when visiting this site, lest ye be doomed to contact malicious spirits or the devil himself! Do you believe the mysterious rumors, or do you think it’s a bunch of malarkey?
Learn more and view a map here.
The Spy House, Port Monmouth, NJ
Rumor has it that the Seabrook-Wilson Homestead may just be one of the most haunted destinations in America. Built in the mid-1600s, this site served as a tavern and stop off for soldiers during the Revolutionary War. Legend has it that the innkeeper would overserve the Redcoats in an attempt to get them to spill state secrets, and pass them along to the Colonial military. Visitors to the site have reported seeing the ghost of a young boy, items moving in the house, apparitions appearing in front of the windows, and even a person rocking out on the front porch! Do you believe the local legends?
Learn more about it by visiting the site.
By Ellen Avigliano
Twitter: @imaginariumcs
Instagram: @imaginariumarts @thejackalopes.warren
Website: www.imaginariumarts.com
