Cherry Blossom Season at Essex County Branch Brook Park
Essex County Branch Brook Park has the largest and most varied collection of Japanese Flowering Cherry Blossom trees in the United States; with 5,300 in 18 varieties. Peak bloom predicted from April 9-16, 2026.
A Day in Manhattan
Taking the train from tournament/hotel to Manhattan (~1.5-hour total):
- Drive to Raritan Train Station
- Park car ($4 parking fee)
- Take the Raritan Valley Line to Newark Penn Station
- Transfer to NYC train track on Track 1, continue to New York Penn Station
- Roundtrip fares (check website/app for latest):
- $13 for anyone 13+ years old
- $5.75 for 12 and under
- free for 4 and under
- On weekdays outside rush-hour periods, no transfer is needed.
Empty Sky 9/11 Memorial in Jersey City, NJ
Photo by By Chris Light - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=42975305
The Empty Sky Memorial is easy to access by car. Go early to ensure a parking spot.