Given its long historical legacy in our country and its well-earned nickname as the Garden State, it’s no surprise New Jersey is chock-full of must-see landmarks. Parks, monuments, and historic buildings such as the Hermitage and Burlington County Prison are around every corner. The most famous landmark in New Jersey is the Atlantic City Boardwalk.
Other famous landmarks in New Jersey include:
1. Atlantic City Boardwalk
2. High Point Monument
3. The Hermitage
4. Great Falls of the Passaic
5. The Holland Tunnel
6. Thomas Edison National Historic Park
7. The Red Mill
8. Burlington County Prison
9. Sandy Hook Light
10. Cape May Historic District
Atlantic City Boardwalk
Easily the most iconic of the New Jersey landmarks, the Atlantic City Boardwalk is the oldest boardwalk in the world. It plays host to a wide variety of shops, eateries, and amusements.
You will want to visit the historic Steel Pier to enjoy the Ferris wheel, carousel, and other rides and attractions. Lucky Snake Arcade and Sports Bar is another great place to visit, and Atlantic City Mini Golf offers lots of family fun. Of course, there are also plenty of casinos available for those who are visiting sans kids!
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RVing to Atlantic City Boardwalk
While it is possible to drive an RV to the Atlantic City Boardwalk, you do have to go in knowing it can be a bit tight. Most of the casinos in the area allow RV parking. There are also a few paid parking lots that allow oversized vehicles. That said, most do not allow overnight parking, so you will need to find someplace else to park when it’s time for bed.
Rent an RV near Atlantic City Boardwalk!
Camping Near Atlantic City Boardwalk
As far as overnight parking goes, you have several options. Our picks include:
High Point Monument
Nestled about as far northeast as you can get within New Jersey state borders (close to where it meets both Pennsylvania and New York), High Point Monument is located inside High Point State Park—which, yes, protects and exhibits the highest point in the state of New Jersey.
Standing 1,804 feet above sea level, this viewpoint offers a sweeping scene of the surrounding greenery and hillsides, and is marked by the monument itself, which is dedicated to New Jersey’s veterans. The obelisk tower can be entered and climbed; the 291 steps to the highest viewing platform give visitors an even better vantage and also an opportunity to pay their respects.
RVing to High Point Monument
There is actually a campground in High Point State Park. The best way to take your RV to the monument? Book a campsite, of course!
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Camping Near High Point Monument
Camping in the onsite state park campground is definitely the way to go when visiting this New Jersey landmark. That said, the sites do not include hookups and are pretty small. If this won’t accommodate your needs, consider one of the following campgrounds instead:
The Hermitage
This fourteen-room Gothic Revival-style house has a lot more to offer visitors than its stunning historic exterior and interior—though those are well worth the photo op alone. Located in the borough of Ho-Ho-Kus, this now-museum bears the distinction of being visited by none other than George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, and Aaron Burr, who were invited to stop over during their travels by Theodosia Bartow Prevost.
Other famous historical visitors to this site include James Monroe, William Paterson, the Marquis de Lafayette, and Lord Stirling, and today when you visit The Hermitage museum, you’ll learn even more about this structure’s important place in American history.
RVing to The Hermitage
According to their website, The Hermitage does have free parking onsite, including parking for large vehicles such as buses. We recommend calling before you arrive, but it is likely that RV parking is available. Getting an RV to The Hermitage shouldn’t be a problem at all.
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Camping Near The Hermitage
Camping can be found relatively close to The Hermitage at the following wonderful campgrounds:
Great Falls of the Passaic
Think of it as New Jersey’s Niagara Falls—and an important natural and historical landmark all at the same time. The Great Falls of the Passaic are a stunning sight to behold even without any context, standing 77 feet high and bearing the distinction of being one of the largest waterfalls in America.
But beyond that, these falls were also important to the early industrial development of the state, providing hydro power for one of the world’s first paper mills, as well as additional enterprises like Rogers Locomotive Works and Colt’s Manufacturing Company (yes, as in the revolver).
Today it’s protected by the National Park Service as part of the Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park, and is also part of the Great Falls of Paterson–Garret Mountain National Natural Landmark.
RVing to Great Falls of the Passaic
There is a very limited amount of parking at this NPS site, so it is best that you don’t count on bringing the RV along. If you have to bring your RV, you might consider one of the nearby Paterson Parking Authority lots.
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Camping Near Great Falls of the Passaic
RV camping near this NPS site can be found in the following campgrounds:
The Holland Tunnel
An everyday marvel of engineering, the Holland Tunnel connects downtown Jersey City directly with New York’s Lower Manhattan—and given its original opening date back in November of 1927, it’ll soon celebrate its first centennial! These four lanes of traffic tucked almost 100 feet below sea level see thousands of vehicles each and every day of the year, and the tunnel remains open even as the lanes are being worked on and improved.
Although its destination is an obvious benefit of visiting this iconic landmark, the drive itself is worth taking note of. We might not give it a second thought today, but the math and architecture that went into designing such a useful route are actually pretty incredible, especially before the days when we all had high-powered computers constantly at our fingertips!
RVing to The Holland Tunnel
RVs might be allowed to drive through the Holland Tunnel. However, there is a height restriction of 12 feet 6 inches and there are restrictions on hazardous materials (including propane), and that might make it illegal to drive your RV through the tunnel. On top of that, the fee to drive the tunnel can get pricey when driving a vehicle with several axles, so keep that in mind.
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Camping Near The Holland Tunnel
The RV parks listed above for those wishing to visit the Great Falls of the Passaic will also work well for those hoping to drive the Holland Tunnel. Another option is Skyline RV Camp, which doesn’t offer much in the way of amenities but does put you right in the middle of Brooklyn.
Thomas Edison National Historical Park
An amazing spot for history buffs and science nerds alike, the Thomas Edison National Historical Park plays host to the home and laboratories of Thomas Edison himself. Take a guided tour of the Glenmont and learn all about the Edison family, walk through the laboratories, and check out some of Thomas’ inventions. Explore garages with historic vehicles, the Edison family greenhouse, and more.
RVing to Thomas Edison National Historical Park
While this park does offer free parking, there is no designated RV parking. Therefore, it is unlikely you will be able to park an RV in the lot during a busy time. If you must bring the RV along, consider visiting on a weekday for the best chance of snagging a spot in the provided lot.
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Camping Near Thomas Edison National Historical Park
Unlike many NPS sites, Thomas Edison National Historical Park does not offer onsite camping. That said, there are some nearby options that we have actually mentioned already:
The Red Mill
Head west from the hustle and bustle of the big city and you’ll find yourself in New Jersey’s smaller, slower-paced towns—including Clinton, which is home to what’s now known as the Red Mill Museum Village. This historic four-story grist mill served this town’s growing population and aided its industry starting as long ago as the 1760s, and was purchased in 1960 by a group called Red Mill Five, led by a local artist named James Randall Marsh.
Adjoining properties were also purchased and donated that decade to the Clinton Historical Museum, and today the museum village offers visitors not only a look at the quaint, historic architecture of these structures, but also the ways of life they supported. (The Red Mill in particular is one of the most-photographed sights in America, and when you visit, you’ll certainly understand why!)
RVing to The Red Mill
Parking at the Red Mill is extremely limited, so parking an RV there is likely a no-go. There is parking available in the town of Clinton, but much of it is street parking and may not be ideal for an RV. Therefore, we highly recommend leaving the RV in a campsite if at all possible.
Camping Near The Red Mill
The good news? There is RV parking available very nearby. Consider making one of the following campgrounds your home away from home:
Burlington County Prison
Originally built back in 1810, the Burlington County Prison is today a museum that offers visitors a grim if insightful look into the history of incarceration in our country.
Before it was opened to the public, this edifice served as a prison continually all the way up until 1965, making it the oldest prison in the country at the time it ceased operations. That’s thanks in part to the structure’s smart design: Crafted of poured concrete, brick, and stone, it was essentially fireproof, and also offered progressive features like individual cells and good ventilation.
This place has been considered a National Historic Landmark since 1986.
RVing to Burlington County Prison
The Burlington County Prison Museum does have a small parking lot and there is plenty of street parking nearby. Unfortunately, large vehicles such as RVs are likely to have a hard time using either of these parking options. Driving only your tow vehicle might be your best bet in this instance.
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Camping Near Burlington County Prison
Of course, you’ll need a place to park the RV while you explore and a spot to sleep at night. These campgrounds should do nicely:
Sandy Hook Light
Nestled onto the well-known barrier spit that might be considered the north end of the Jersey Shore, the Sandy Hook Light is the oldest working lighthouse in the United States, originally built all the way back in 1764.
To this day it guides sailors through the sometimes-treacherous North Atlantic waters, though fascinatingly, the structure is in a significantly different position than it was originally: thanks to littoral drift—meaning, the long-term effects of the currents on the coastline—it’s now almost a mile and a half inland from the tip of Sandy Hook. That distance was originally only 500 feet!
Today the lighthouse is protected and managed by the National Park Service as part of the Gateway National Recreation Area, and guided tours allow visitors to both learn more about the place and enjoy the sweeping view from the top.
RVing to Sandy Hook Light
Visitors will be charged for beach parking at this NPS site beginning Memorial Day weekend and ending on Labor Day. The cost for cars is just $20 per day, but oversized vehicles such as RVs must pay $50 a day. You can save 50% of this fee if you have an “America the Beautiful” Senior Pass or Access Pass.
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Camping Near Sandy Hook Light
Camping is available at Gateway National Recreation Area, but RVs are not allowed. Instead, consider one of the following campgrounds:
Cape May Historic District
At the extreme southern end of the state, Cape May awaits with its beautiful beachside offerings—and it takes a special city indeed to land onto the National Register of Historic Places as a whole district.
Along with its stunning shoreline, Cape May boasts one of the largest collections of 19th-century framed buildings in the country, as well as several historic estates, the Cape May Lighthouse, the Higbee Beach Wildlife Management Area, wineries, and more. Trust us, it’s worth the drive!
RVing to Cape May Historic District
Driving your RV through Cape May is totally possible. That said, parking an RV is a completely different story. Honestly, this area is so crowded, it’s probably best to leave the RV in a campsite and drive the tow vehicle as much as possible.
Rent an RV near Cape May Historic District!
Camping Near Cape May Historic District
There are tons of awesome campgrounds in and around Cape May. We love the following:
Continue Exploring New Jersey
As you can see, there are plenty of amazing New Jersey landmarks—and honestly, this list is nowhere near exhaustive! An RV trip is a great way to string them all together.
Rent an RV today, pick a few landmarks from this list, add a few New Jersey bucket list destinations, and stop in at an amusement park, and get ready for the adventure of your dreams!
