Free Garden Tours in NJ: Hereford Gardens

Dear Reader,

I had always envisioned taking my mom on a trip to Britain or Greece, one of the places in the mysteries we both like to read. But I came to the realization that my mother wasn’t getting any younger, and that the window to take that kind of trip was gone. My mother’s health seemed to be declining. She had trouble walking and breathing short distances. In fact, not long after, she had to be hospitalized with fluid around her heart. But as the summer of 2018 approached, I still wanted to do a girl’s trip with her. So we stayed in a hotel in Wildwood, New Jersey, and drove each day to Cape May where there are many benches. It was a lovely, little trip and a highlight for me was taking her on a carriage ride for her birthday and going to the Hereford Gardens in North Wildwood.

If you’re planning a vacation, or day trip, to the Jersey shore I highly recommend a visit to the Hereford Inlet Lighthouse. You can easily spend a morning or afternoon exploring the historic lighthouse and gardens, and admission is free! The garden tour was low key and easily navigated by my mom.

The lighthouse was built in the 17th century at the mouth of the Hereford Inlet, and is a museum containing artifacts of the lighthouse keepers who lived there over the years. The lighthouse, maintained by the coast guard, is still working to keep vessels safe.

Photo: Terry Tunkel

Hereford Lighthouse is connected to a scenic walkway, with gorgeous views of the beach and ocean, where visitors may relax, picnic, and walk their pet. The lighthouse is listed in the National and State Registers of Historic Places. Best of all, Hereford Gardens, a beautiful Victorian style garden surrounds the property. This is not a grand scale garden, but with over 200 types of flowers and plants it will provide you pleasure and inspiration. A perfect spot to take your mom, daughter, or sister, we spent a leisurely morning exploring and then enjoyed brunch at a nearby diner.

Learn more about the Hereford Inlet Lighthouse and Gardens online at https://herefordinletlighthouse.com/.