7 things to love about spring in New Jersey

New Jersey is home to 45 wineries from Westfall Winery in the northwest corner to Willow Creek Winery at the tip of Cape May. Many of them offer festivals and activities throughout the spring and summer.

New Jersey has some amazing golf courses including the top rated course in the world, Pine Valley near Clementon. We're also home to the USGA Museum in Far Hills. There are plenty of smaller courses for the beginner all over the state. We now have a Topgolf in Edison with another coming to Mount Laurel by the end of the year. This modern version of the game is sweeping the country and now it's here in New Jersey.

With 130 miles of shoreline along the Atlantic Ocean and even more along the Delaware Bay, New Jersey offers a wide range of saltwater fishing options. Not to mention the hundreds of fresh water lakes, ponds, rivers and stream that offer great fishing too.

From the Point Pleasant Beach Offshore Grand Prix boat races to the Wildwood International Kite Festival this month, things are heating up at the shore already. Don't miss the Bordentown Street Fair later this month too. They're all free and family friendly.

From Six Flags Great Adventure to Action Park to ALL of the amusement parks along the Jersey Shore Boardwalks including my first love, Steel Pier in AC, they're a great treat in the spring. You get there before the sweltering  heat and smothering crowds of summer.

My parents took me as a kid and I took my kids on a sunny spring weekend to pick strawberries. It's great family fun and delicious too.

It's the Garden State for God's sake! If you've never planted your own tomatoes, basil, cucumbers and peppers, the you're really missing one of the joys of living in New Jersey in spring and summer. This time of year garden centers and nurseries are loaded with starter plants and tools to make it happen.