By Azalia Whitlock
Summers are supposed to be all about being outside and enjoying the nice weather with friends and family. If one lives locally, they are beyond over all of the cold weather that stormed through and are ready to dive into summer. Whether it is making a splash in the pool, sizzling burgers on the grill or venturing out into the world, many people try to make each and every summer more memorable than the last. However, with today’s society, teens are more frequently on their computers, phones and other devices posting about their summers rather than basking in the glorious sun and actually enjoying it. Get off that phone this season and make it memorable by adding and checking off some of these places to that summer bucket list in order to spice up the summer!
Central Park, N.Y.
At this notorious park, the activities are endless! No matter what time of the year, there is constant entertainment roaming the greenery whether it is musicians, artists, biking and more!
Have kids? No problem! There are 21 playgrounds for the little guys to roam as well as the overall park itself is their playground with all of the beautiful scenery. Molly Conway of Flanders, a junior at Mt. Olive High School, Flanders, recalls her first time going to Central Park: “I liked how there was so much to look at and how there were so many people just out and about. You don’t see that a lot anymore since everyone is always glued to their phones.” When asked about her fondest memory about her trip, Conway states “Definitely my favorite part was the carousel and just the nature itself. Especially the trees, everything was so pure and nature like.” Be sure to stop by the zoo and explore all of the different types of animals from sea lions to parakeets. Admission for the zoo is $18 for adults, $13 for ages 3-12, $15 for seniors, and free for those two and under. Rather take a more scenic route of the park? Rent a bike! Bike rentals start at $15 which includes a helmet, a basket, a lock and a map. To find out more information about the park itself, visit
http://www.centralparknyc.org.
Circle Bowl & Entertainment, Ledgewood
For those who aren’t the best at bowling, Circle Lanes has it covered. It’s the perfect spot for birthdays with their arcade with countless games, rock wall climbing, and laser tag!
Brandon Foushee of Budd Lake, a sophomore at Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, N.Y., often goes to Circle Lanes. He said “I really like Circle Lanes because of everything! I love to go bowling during the week and that is when it’s cheapest to go. I especially like to go back for laser tag. The laser tag arena is a great place where friends can play for a low cost.”
Its new renovations have helped them flourish into the place for anyone to go! Circle Lanes is a great place for birthday parties, date night or family gatherings! For kids 17 and younger, sign up for “Kids Bowl Free” so that they can go bowling for free all summer long! Purchase a reusable card for the arcade games. This card allows you to put as much money as you want on it and is reloadable. To play laser tag it costs $10 per person and ten people are needed in order to play. To find out more information about Circle Lanes, go to
http://www.circlebowlnj.com/index.html.

Walk around Morristown
Take a stroll through good ole Morristown for a casual and relaxing yet exciting day! Sitting in the square for a picnic, catching a play or concert at MPAC, or going to one of the many fine dining establishments within the heart of Morristown are some of the many activities.
Cody Batsides of Long Valley , a junior at West Morris Central High School, Chester, reminisces about one of the few times he went with his family and recalls “My favorite restaurant there is The Office, yes like the show. It has a really rustic feel to it and the burgers are amazing.”
Batsides continues “[Morristown] is a city-like place for us if we don’t want to travel too far like to the actual city. It has really good restaurants in the area and it just seems prettier than any normal kind of place around our area. It kind of reminds me of a small part of Manhattan!”
Batsides proceeded further about his love for the small city by stating “I like going there because it’s a place to always keep you busy. There a lot of things to do and look at while walking around.” For more information about what goes on in the Morristown Square, check out https://morristowngreen.com/category/events-in-morristown/.
Warwick Drive In Theater, Warwick, N.Y.
Throw it back to the 60’s with this nostalgic drive in movie theater! Warwick Drive In is an experience no one should miss and is perfect for all ages. Going to the movie theaters has become so mainstream, so why not shake it up with movie night in the car!
Jessie Grimes, a firefighter in Budd Lake states “I like it because you could do your own thing, like bring snacks/drinks and of course blankets, while watching a movie but more comfortably.
It’s under the stars and it’s more relaxing then a cold movie theater that the seats don’t recline.
It has such an old school feel and I think that’s why it’s so popular.” Right now, they are playing “Incredibles 2,” “The First Purge,” “Dead Pool 2,” “Tag,” “Jurassic World: A Fallen Kingdom,” and “Solo: A Star Wars Movie.” Coming soon to the theater, they are playing “Ant Man and the
Wasp,” “Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation” and “Skyscraper.” Admissions for the drive in are $11 for adults, $8 for ages 4-11 and seniors, and kids under four years old are free. Snacks are available at their snack shack for purchase. For an updated list of movies:
http://www.warwickdrivein.com.
Luna Parc, Sandyston
This beautiful art museum is actually the artist’s, Ricky Boscarino, home. Boscarino took a basic beauty and turned it into his personal art studio for many to visit and explore.
Savannah Jennings of Mt. Olive, an aspiring artist with her own YouTube page for her artwork, says that as soon as one walks into Boscarino’s house “You get a feeling of comfort and peacefulness. He is such a talented artist and it fills me with such inspiration! As an artist, I’m so
inspired and amazed by what Ricky has turned his home into. Every time I get a chance to visit, I will. I’ll always feel so happy and inspired every time I leave his house. Luna Parc shows you how creative you can be when you open your mind!”
Unfortunately, it is only open six times a year, this year it was opened this past June and it will be open again this October. Due to the fact that Luna Parc is a museum, they accept donations of $5 at the door in order to maintain and keep the parc sustainable for more people to come.
When one first arrives, there are stone oven pizzas made fresh and right in front of everyone which costs $3. Along with this attraction, the artist sells jewelry and other artwork from his house and his workshop as well as postcards. Prices of these items vary depending on the purchase. For more information, and pictures of the parc visit://www.lunaparc.com.
Jenkinson’s Boardwalk, Point Pleasant
If one lives in New Jersey, hitting up the beach is one of the top places to be during the summer. Why not go back to where everyone’s first beach experience all started by going to Jenkinson’s Boardwalk. This family friendly beach has numerous activities for all ages from arcades, mini golf and rides to restaurants, sweet shops and bars. Not to mention their
notorious aquarium and the beach itself!
Thaliana Dejesus of Mt. Olive, a sophomore at County College of Morris, Randolph, thinks back to her recent trip to Point Pleasant with her friends. “What a perfect way to kick off the summer!” said Dejesus. “I loved that we were able to be active and run around and do whatever we pleased. My friends and I enjoyed being able to be kids again by playing all the games that you wanted to but never did as a kid. And to top it all off, to end the night they had fireworks on the beach when we went! It makes me feel nostalgic and in comparison to living in the woods, I would go here all the time if I could.”
For more information on how to get there and the prices for things, go to:
https://jenkinsons.com.
Rocky Horror Picture Show, Aberdeen

Join the madness by seeing the Friday Night Specials company perform R

ocky Horror Picture show! FNS is a non-profit organization that performs thrilling Rocky Horror Picture Show every Friday night at twelve midnight. Fans for generations have gone and seen this movie both in

theaters as well as in the Village. Now people are able to see it again and relive the days with their teens and see this outstanding film.
M

adison Whitlock of Budd Lake, a junior at Mt. Olive High School, went

with her friends and family recently to this thrilling show. Whitlock raved “The show was a

mazing!

It was so much fun watching the movie come to life after watching it. I do suggest that for those who have never seen the movie, watch it before going to see the show in person so you get the gist of what’s actually going on. But I bought a prop bag and it was fun to get involved with

the cast as the show went on.” When asked as far as why she loved her experience, she said “It was fun getting ready and going out late to see the show with my friends and family. And once you actually got there, the people there are just so much fun and really make you laugh.”

Admission for the show is $7. Want to be a part of the show? Prop bags are $2 and allow the audience to interact with the show and cast. Friday Night Specials also create their own pins and sell them for $1. Since it is in a movie theater, snacks are available for purchase at the counter. To find out more information about the show, visit: http://fridaynitespecials.com.

These are only seven of the many things that could be a part of the summer bucket list, but it doesn’t have to stop there. The key to a truly great summer is to be open to new things and to do something that is exciting. Staying in and posting pictures on Instagram or Facebook of how
summer is going isn’t what summer is truly about. It’s about living in the now and enjoying the environment. So put the phone down, get up and get out. It’s time to get to it and checking off the list!