By Pat Kinckiner Moyer
Connection Writer

Ahhhh!  The beach!  Sun, sand, and surf.  But wait.  There is more to do down the Jersey shore than sun, sand, and surf.  For you garden lovers, this writer found some great stops in southern NJ that will make your heart sing.  The footprints lead us to five stops on this vacation trip.  This article is the first in a series of four – Footprints Along the Shore.

My family loves Ocean City, NJ.  So when we go to the shore, we often stay in that friendly little family town.  From that spot, we drive up and down the Garden State Parkway to other attractions we deem worthy.  The adults in the family want to foster a love of nature with the younger set so I found some great places to head out.

On our first outing I suggested we visit the Hereford Inlet Lighthouse in North Wildwood.  My sister wasn’t so sure this would be an interesting place for our whole group.  Our menagerie included my two sisters, my 82 year old father, two teenage boys, a 19 year old young lady, and a four year old; quite a varied group to please.

We loaded up the Aspen and headed south.  It had been several years since I had last visited this spot and I had no idea they had made so many improvements to the garden.  It was a site to behold.  When we opened the car doors we all went “Oooooh” and “Ahhhh”.   Right away we were greeted by a huge display board which listed many varieties of butterflies which can be found in the garden: Cabbage Butterfly, Pearl Crescent, Viceroy, Painted Lady, Red Admiral, and Tiger Swallowtail were some.  And to the left of it was a display that explained the life span of butterflies and pictured each stage from egg to the emerging adult.

The garden greeted us just beyond that with a varied color spectrum that comes from about 200 species of plants.  I noticed Lantana, Zinnia, Hollyhock, Germander, Daylilies, Malva, Coleus, Pentas, Rudbeckia, and the most beautiful Hydrangeas I ever saw.  They had both two types of Hydrangea: mophead and lacecap, and in a variety of colors.  They also had an herb garden which included Dill, Fennel, Rosemary, Oregano, Mint, and Sage. 

The main gardens have grown each year and most recently have been used to hold wedding ceremonies.  The herb garden is a reminder of what the Lighthouse Keepers of the past might have grown for their families way back in 1874 when the Lighthouse was first completed.  This Victorian era Lighthouse was designed in the “Swiss Carpenter Gothic” style or the “Stick Style”.  This is the only Lighthouse of its type on the East Coast.  The boys enjoyed the climb up the winding staircase and the tour which explained the history of the Lighthouse and the life lived by the Keeper and his family.  The climb was rewarded by a breathtaking view of the gardens and the sea beyond.

Our whole menagerie enjoyed leaving our footprints on the path at the Lighthouse.  From the stroll through the gardens to the stone path walk around the inlet, every one of us was refreshed by the morning adventure.  My sister liked it so much that she wanted to go back the next day.  But I had more adventures planned and we had footprints to leave at other locations.

I know you’ll enjoy a trip to visit this spot on the New Jersey Coastal Heritage Trail.  The Hereford Inlet Lighthouse is also listed on the National and State Registers of Historic Places.  It is about 25 miles from Ocean City and took us about 35 minutes to get there.  Their address is 111 North Central Avenue, North Wildwood, NJ 08260.  They are open all year but their main hours are 9am to 5pm daily from mid May through mid October.  The admission fee is $4.00 for adults and $1.00 for children 11 and under.  You can reach them by phone at 609-522-4520 or visit their Web site at  www.herefordlighthouse.org.