The roots of New Jersey are as old as the existence of humanity itself. The presence of paleolithic tools indicates life before the Ice Age. Later, ancient glaciers inched their way across North America endowing New Jersey with natural riches. Explored by the Dutch in 1609 and settled in 1620, heritage here is as old as any European settlement on the continent. Over the years, the state has belonged to the Swedish, the Dutch, the English, the Quakers, and finally, the United States. George Washington moved his Revolutionary War headquarters here in 1778 to be strategically located at the center of the action in New York and further south. Being so close to New York City, and covered by so large a metropolitan area itself, you’d think that New Jersey is mostly city. Yet, you’ll be amazed about how much of the state is still rural farmland, growing the luscious crops that make it the Garden State. Carefully preserved quaint towns feel like they are light years away from urban hustle and bustle. The original townships in Morris County still host a collection of buildings dating from the era of America’s 13 colonies. Even though it has required massive historic preservation efforts, today, you can delight in historic towns that appear not to have changed much in three centuries. Meandering in the pastoral quiet, it will be hard to believe you are only 30 miles from the city. Cape May, known as the “Nation’s Oldest Seashore Resort” is flourishing with gentle breezes from the Atlantic, with 16 communities woven together by 30 miles of outstanding, white sandy beaches. To arrive there, you have to travel through the Pinelands, known for stunted evergreen trees that grow in sandy soil, in an area that preserves it’s colloquial heritage at all costs.