Can anyone suggest a place to stay for a couple and a Border Collie that is in the Pine Barrens? We are birdwatchers and beachcombers and like marshes, lakes, etc. Google was not helpful at all. Thanks for any help you can offer! Diana
A Pinelands Newbie - Where to stay?
- Thread starter dmanister
- Start date
Hrm. I think you'd have a hard time with the border collie. Maybe you could rent one of the cabins at Atsion Lake or at the Lebanon Campground.
There is a really nice B&B in New Egypt, but they have a no pets policy.
There is a really nice B&B in New Egypt, but they have a no pets policy.
If you are just looking for a regular hotel with no particular local flavor, I am pretty sure all Hampton Inns allow dog guests.
For birding and marshes you should look in the Cape May area. As you know Cape May is a world class birding area and you would also be close to the Delaware Bay region, more marshes than you can shake a stick at. There are also many good spots along the coast.
Unfortunately the Pine Barrens is not the best of places for birding. There are plenty of Turkey Vultures though. Not that there are not a lot of birds but I think because the forest is so vast and dense, they are hard to spot. I have seen Great Blue Herons and Egrets on occasion and I have seen a Bald Eagle twice in an area called The Forks near Batsto. Only once have I seen a Night Hawk. Most often I see Towhees, Pine Warblers, Pine Siskins and an occasional Gold Finch.
Steve (novice bird watcher)
Unfortunately the Pine Barrens is not the best of places for birding. There are plenty of Turkey Vultures though. Not that there are not a lot of birds but I think because the forest is so vast and dense, they are hard to spot. I have seen Great Blue Herons and Egrets on occasion and I have seen a Bald Eagle twice in an area called The Forks near Batsto. Only once have I seen a Night Hawk. Most often I see Towhees, Pine Warblers, Pine Siskins and an occasional Gold Finch.
Steve (novice bird watcher)
I guess it depends upon when you want to stay. If you're talking about sometime between now and memorial day you'll have a few choices. After that, things can get a bit tight. If you're coming in the summer, book ahead.
It sounds as though you want to be not too far from a beach but have the option to go into the forest as well.
You could stay on the mainland in the vacinity of Island Beach State Park and drive west to Brenden T byrne State Forest, Wharton State Forest, Penn State Forest.
North of Cape May might be nice. You'd have beaches, part of the Deleware bay shore, great birding, Belleplain State Forest.
Look at an online map of an area where you think that you might like to stay and do a google or other search for 'motels'. This one was for Woodbine.
http://www.google.com/local?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&q=motels&near=Woodbine,+NJ+08270&sa=X&oi=localr
You might consider doing a search for southern nj motels dogs and see what pops up.
Sorry I can't recommend something specific, I don't have a dog and I've never stayed in a motel around here. I just live here.
Gillian
It sounds as though you want to be not too far from a beach but have the option to go into the forest as well.
You could stay on the mainland in the vacinity of Island Beach State Park and drive west to Brenden T byrne State Forest, Wharton State Forest, Penn State Forest.
North of Cape May might be nice. You'd have beaches, part of the Deleware bay shore, great birding, Belleplain State Forest.
Look at an online map of an area where you think that you might like to stay and do a google or other search for 'motels'. This one was for Woodbine.
http://www.google.com/local?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&q=motels&near=Woodbine,+NJ+08270&sa=X&oi=localr
You might consider doing a search for southern nj motels dogs and see what pops up.
Sorry I can't recommend something specific, I don't have a dog and I've never stayed in a motel around here. I just live here.
Gillian
Thanks for all your suggestions!
I'm surprised that I received so many helpful answers so quickly! Thanks so much -- I'll look into your suggestions. We'll be coming down the third week in June when my husband has vacation. We are moving to central NJ soon and are looking for a getaway place "down Jersey" far away from jetskis and motorboats and casinos. We need a temporary base camp from which to scout the area. I'm a Jersey girl by birth, but don't know the Pine Barrens at all. We're also interested in possibly renting a house there next summer - is there a website or newspaper that advertises such things? Your help is very much appreciated!
Goldfinches and other "common" birds are not common on Staten Island since it got over-developed (although great blue herons, egrets, cormorants, wigeons and other water fowl are plentiful in our parks, believe it or not!) Again, many thanks! Diana Manister
I'm surprised that I received so many helpful answers so quickly! Thanks so much -- I'll look into your suggestions. We'll be coming down the third week in June when my husband has vacation. We are moving to central NJ soon and are looking for a getaway place "down Jersey" far away from jetskis and motorboats and casinos. We need a temporary base camp from which to scout the area. I'm a Jersey girl by birth, but don't know the Pine Barrens at all. We're also interested in possibly renting a house there next summer - is there a website or newspaper that advertises such things? Your help is very much appreciated!
Goldfinches and other "common" birds are not common on Staten Island since it got over-developed (although great blue herons, egrets, cormorants, wigeons and other water fowl are plentiful in our parks, believe it or not!) Again, many thanks! Diana Manister
I would think to find a place to rent, your best bet might be the Burlington County Times. You can search rentals on their website:
http://www.newspaperads.com/phillyburbs/category.asp?interfaceid=277&parent=Classified+Rentals
http://www.newspaperads.com/phillyburbs/category.asp?interfaceid=277&parent=Classified+Rentals
Thanks!
The State parks do not allow pets to set a paw in them, and the pet friendly motels I found were in Atlantic city and Absecon. I can't get anything closer to the Pine Barrens. Is Cape May near the Pine Barrens? I found one place there that will let our dog Shade stay with us. (He's hardly a dog, he's so smart and well-behaved.)
Thanks for the newspaper suggestion -- I can't even tell from the map what county the Pine Barrens are in. I thought it was Ocean. This is a very mysterious area -- not very defined on maps and such. It's slippery and hard to pin down, for an outsider. Maybe that's for the best! My sister works in Lakewood, and she's going to ask around among her co-workers to see if she can get info. Thanks again!
The State parks do not allow pets to set a paw in them, and the pet friendly motels I found were in Atlantic city and Absecon. I can't get anything closer to the Pine Barrens. Is Cape May near the Pine Barrens? I found one place there that will let our dog Shade stay with us. (He's hardly a dog, he's so smart and well-behaved.)
Thanks for the newspaper suggestion -- I can't even tell from the map what county the Pine Barrens are in. I thought it was Ocean. This is a very mysterious area -- not very defined on maps and such. It's slippery and hard to pin down, for an outsider. Maybe that's for the best! My sister works in Lakewood, and she's going to ask around among her co-workers to see if she can get info. Thanks again!