Kid-friendly adventures | Outdoorsy Newsletter

Still getting used to the time change? Me too. It’s not all bad, though. Shoutout to my colleague Tony Wood for sharing a few reasons to embrace the considerable bright sides of the lengthening nights, including (literally) lighter walks in the woods.

Outdoorsy reader Jaaron Ages recently wrote me to ask for family-friendly activities to enjoy with their two children. Thankfully, our region has no shortage of kid-focused outings and destinations, whether you’re interested in a low-key outdoor experience or a full-on amusement-park trip.

Let’s take on some family-friendly adventures, gaze up at the huge tree that will light up Philadelphia this holiday season, and learn why some New Jersey farmlands are at risk.

☀️ Your weekend weather outlook: There’s a chance of showers throughout Friday, but Saturday and Sunday should be mostly clear and sunny. Temps will reach highs in the mid 50s and lows around 30.

— Paola Pérez

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If you’re looking to get your kids outside for some quality time, we’ve got you covered. You won’t have to trek too far because these are all within about 100 miles of Center City.

🦁 There’s Elmwood Park Zoo, America’s very first zoo located in Philly, which makes for a lovely outing. Highlights include a large playground, the opportunity to hand-feed giraffes, and special events such as Dog Days, where you can bring your canine companion.

🌲 Go to Winterthur’s Enchanted Woods for a whimsical outdoor experience in Delaware. Youngsters can check out a three-acre fairytale garden with magical landscapes, fairy houses, and other bewitching sights.

🎨 Visit Grounds for Sculpture to see art and nature come together at this museum, sculpture garden and arboretum located on the former New Jersey State Fairgrounds. This is an engaging destination for all ages and a great intro to art for even the youngest visitors.

Keep reading for our full roundup of 17 kid-friendly experiences worth a drive.

🎤 Now we’re passing the microphone to Jason Nark. You’ll always find his work here.

The concolor fir was planted in the Finger Lakes region of New York about 70 years ago, right around when the Philadelphia Athletics baseball team left town.

Over the decades, it grew taller than Wilt Chamberlain, taller than the goalposts at Lincoln Financial Field, and taller than the Washington Monument at Eakins Oval. Finally felled at Yule Tree Farms recently in Hornell, N.Y., Philly’s official “Holiday Tree” stood 55 feet tall.

“This is a tree my grandfather planted,” farm owner Dan Stutzman said Wednesday.

While Pennsylvania is one of the nation’s largest suppliers of real Christmas trees — approximately one million are grown and sold here, annually — Stutzman said those are “house trees.” Philadelphia’s Christmas tree is anywhere from 65 to 70 years old, he said, and there are few farms in the country that grow trees that large. — Jason Nark

Keep reading to learn about Stutzman’s Pennsylvania Dutch roots and how the big tree is prepped for the city’s big holiday display after Thanksgiving.

In South Jersey, the development pressure is real.

In the past five years, New Jersey municipalities have approved building permits for more than 121 million square feet of storage space, according to an Inquirer analysis of Department of Community Affairs data. Storage includes warehousing, parking garages, and other types of facilities.

A lot of that is being built in the communities that gave the Garden State its nickname. Many of the counties have key farming communities that grow everything from peaches to tomatoes.

Of course, not all development, including housing, is built on farmland. And not all farmland is zoned for those uses. But New Jersey’s flat, ready-to-build-on rural communities are prime ground for developers if the zoning is right.

Keep reading about one 134-acre farm in Quinton, Salem County that recently entered New Jersey’s Farmland Preservation Program.

A stunning sunset from Decatur Street beach in Cape May.

We’ve explored so much of our region together. Since this newsletter began, we:

🍓 Went berry-picking, birdwatching and learned how to hit the trail safely

🏕️ Explored new campsites, chased waterfalls (against TLC’s advice) and took a dip to beat the heat

🐕 Got loose with our best furry friends and looked up at the stars while pondering our existence

🎃 Followed the pumpkin patch road and took on apple-picking adventures

🥾 Scoped out the best hikes of the season, went for a picnic in the park and took scenic bike rides down the Shore and in Philadelphia

We covered a lot more ground in between, but now I want to hear from you before time runs out.

📮 How many of these recommended activities did you try this season? Email me back and tell me about your experience for a chance to be featured as the most outdoorsy reader in the final edition of this newsletter. (Don’t forget some photos!)

Until next time.

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