New Jersey

I don't watch much television. I tend to stick with my favorite few: House, NCIS, Top Gear, and a few Discovery Network shows. So I really don't know much about other series there are on TV. But I think I can safely assume that the shows out there about my state (namely Jerseylicious, the Jersey Shore, and Real Housewives of New Jersey) tend to paint the Garden State in a very ugly light.

Let me assure you, we don't all have big hair and Italian ancestries. (Well, I do, but that's beside the point.) There is a lot more to this gorgeous state than fashion-obsessed drunk club rats and Botox bimbos. We're not just odorous Elizabeth and begrimed boardwalks. This is a rich, intelligent, beautiful, and diverse place.

For such a small state, we have a lot to offer. There are six distinct tourism regions: the Skylands to the northwest, Gateway in the northeast, the Shore and Delaware River regions in Central Jersey, and to the south there is Atlantic City and the South Shore. Philadelphia and Manhattan are within easy reach. No matter what your hobbies may be, there is fun to be had here. History, outdoors adventures, shopping, sight-seeing, and so many other types of entertainment... It's difficult to know where to begin!

Plus we have some of the richest farmland in the country. Our Jersey Fresh program supports our farmers in cultivating some of the most delicious produce you'll find. New Jersey is also the home of the horse; we are not only the most densely populated state with people, but also with horses! Our farmlands provide beautiful scenery and opportunities for pleasure and business.

I could go on and on ad nauseum about the joys of New Jersey. It is a pleasure to live here. There is so much opportunity, and the people here are generally easy to get along with. Whatever you want to do, you can do it here. Want to go rafting? Try the Delaware or Hudson Rivers. Feel like seeing a baseball game? Check out the Trenton Thunder for an afternoon with a hot dog and a cold one. After the game, head down the road a bit and see where George Washington crossed the Delaware with his troops. How about a little gambling? There is Atlantic City, of course, or you could put some money on the ponies at one of our racetracks. Oh, and don't forget your sunscreen when you hit the beach; it's easy to lose track of time relaxing on our beaches.

You name it, you got it in New Jersey.

Please come visit us. Get up off the couch, turn off the boob tube, and see for yourselves how awesome the Garden State is.