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Making it memorable: 7 things to do this Memorial Day Weekend

  • Published
  • By Chief Master Sergeant Paula Paige
  • 87th Air Base Wing, Public Affairs
JOINT BASE McGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. --  There's no better time for military families to visit some of the tri-state area's landmarks than this Memorial Day weekend. Offering a diversity of free or low-cost activities, there's something in the region for singles and families alike. If you're short on ideas on what to do this long weekend, here are some suggestions: 

1. HONORING HISTORY: In case you missed the Joint Base's annual Parade of Wreaths Memorial Day tribute on May 21, there are several activities being held around the state that pay tribute to fallen heroes. Here a few: Memorial Day observance at 2 p.m. May 24 at Monmouth Battlefield State Park; call (732) 462-9616. Memorial Day ceremony at 1:30 p.m. on May 24 at Stafford Municipal Complex, Manahawkin, N.J.; call (609) 597-1000. Our pick: Tribute to Military Night, New Egypt Speedway; all active-duty military free, with ID; call (609) 758-1900 or go to www.newegyptspeedway.net.

2. I LOVE A PARADE: Marching bands, the red, white and blue of Old Glory blowing in the wind, 21-gun salutes...parades are as American as apple pie. For those who can't get their fill of this time-honored tradition, here is a list: Memorial Day Bicycle Parade from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. May 23 (rain date May 25) at Veterans Memorial Park, Point Pleasant Beach; call (732) 295-8495. Keyport Memorial Day Parade at 2 p.m. May 23 in Keyport; call (732) 739-0690. Memorial Day Racing at Monmouth Park Racetrack, Oceanport; free; call (732) 222-5100. Memorial Day ceremony at 11 a.m. at the New Jersey Vietnam Veterans' Memorial, Holmdel; call (732) 335-0033. Memorial Day parade and ceremonies on Main Street in Medford; visit www.medfordtownship.com. Farmingdale 36th Annual Memorial Day Parade at 1 p.m. on Main Street, Farmingdale; call (732) 938-4077. Decoration Day Celebration at Historic Longstreet Farm from noon to 3 p.m. at Holmdel Park, Holmdel; event is free; call (732) 842-4000, ext. 1. Our pick: Edgewater Park will host a wreath-laying ceremony at 12:30 p.m. on the hill at Memorial Field at the Cooper Street entrance. Representatives from the American Legion and VFW will participate in the wreath presentation with members of the Township Committee. The event will feature local officials, the Burlington City High School band and Jr. ROTC.

3. CLOSE TO HOME: If you're ready for something beyond the flora and fauna of the Garden State, then head to the Big City, as in New York City. New York is home to some of the country's most recognizable iconic landmarks, such as the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, the Empire State Building and Harlem's Apollo Theater. Our pick: Besides interesting museums, the choicest restaurants and the popular theater district, the city also offers Fleet Week--a joint venture between New York City and the U.S. Navy-which kicked off May 20. More than a dozen Navy, Coast Guard as well as other ships from all over the world visit New York Harbor each Fleet Week. There will be military demonstrations, free public tours of the ships, athletic competitions and other activities over the course of seven days. Go to www.nycgo.com for more information. Dubbed the City of Brotherly Love, Philadelphia is rich with jazz venues, such as Zanzibar Blue, North by Northwest, the Painted Bride Art Center, and the Clef Club. Our pick: Located in Philly's downtown Historic District, the Independence Visitor Center is near to some of Philadelphia's most popular attractions, including the new Liberty Bell Center, Independence Hall and the National Constitution Center. Go to www.gophila.com for more information. 

4. NO KIDDING: The next time you hear "we're bored," round up the kids and rush them to an amusement site, far, far away, such as Pennsylvania's Hershey Park, which features more than 60 rides and attractions and 36 holes of distinctive golf. The park says Saturdays are the busiest days, and recommends Memorial Day Monday and Sundays to avoid crowds. Go to www.hersheypark.com. Complete with whirling rides, water slides, colorful shows and furry characters, Sesame Place is 30 minutes north of Philadelphia. For more information, go to www.sesameplace.com. Not as far away as Pennsylvania, is Six Flags Great Adventure. The theme park suggests riding its most popular rides--Kingda Ka; Superman: Ultimate Flight; Nitro; Batman: the Ride; Batman & Robin: the Chiller; and the Great American Scream Machine--during the off-peak hours early in the day or after 6 p.m. Many of these parks offer military discounts. Our Pick: Camden's Adventure Aquarium features more than 8,400 animals and nearly 2 million gallons of water. Guests can touch sharks in the Touch-A-Shark exhibit, walk through a 40-foot suspended Shark Tunnel that offers stunning views into the 560,000-gallon Shark Realm exhibit and observe sea life, such as sea stars and sea cucumbers, shrimp, jellyfish and freshwater sting rays. 

5. THAT'S FOR SHORE: There's something for everyone at the 127-mile Jersey Shore. From Sandy Hook to Cape May, the Shore attracts crowds with its five lighthouses, amusement piers and aquatic activities. Go to www.state.nj.us/travel/shr.html and click on "shore" on the Jersey map for more information. Our pick: On May 23, the Historical Society of Ocean Grove hosts its Memorial Day Weekend Auction at the Young People's Temple in Ocean Grove. Preview is at 9 a.m.; the auction begins at 11 a.m. Items include: cuckoo and vintage clocks, vintage furniture, toys, vintage children's books, pottery, Depression glass, dolls, baseball collectibles, paintings, mirrors, vintage clothing and postcards.

6. SINGLE SPACE: No money? No need to stay in the dorms sulking. Pool your resources with other singles and create a theme party, such as Hawaiian Luau. Borrow a flowery shirt, purchase coconuts and food at the Commissary, put a wanna-be Bobby Flay in charge of the grill and Aloha boredom. Our Pick: The Airmen's Firehouse, the Joint Base's recreational facility provides a family-friendly environment where you can play a variety of games, such as Ping-Pong, video games and air hockey.

7. NOTHING TO IT: What's wrong with vegging out? Buy some popcorn, go to your favorite video-rental store and get an entire season of "CSI: Miami," "West Wing" or "Grey's Anatomy." Don't even bother cooking, just head over to the Airmen's Firehouse and crash the singles' potluck. Our Pick: Kevin Bacon plays Lt. Col. Michael Strobl in "Taking Chance," an HBO drama that looks at the military's rituals for honoring its war dead. Since several scenes were filmed right here at McGuire, you may just see someone you know.

Ms. Angel Lopez and the 87th Force Support Squadron contributed to this report.