Travel Info.

Below you will find information about airports to fly into, things to do/see in the area, and history about Franklin, NJ.  Please scroll down for more:

I.)  AIRPORTS:
From Left to Right: Newark International (EWR), Lehigh Valley International (ABE), & Stewart International (SFW)

If you are flying into the wedding, there are three (3) airports in the general area that we recommend you  fly into: 1) Newark Liberty International, 2) Lehigh Valley International, and 3) Stewart International airports.   There are two (2) other airports in the area that we do NOT recommend: LaGuardia or JFK because even though it is inexpensive, they are about 1.5 hours way AND you will have to drive through New York City (yikes!).  Below are more details to help you decide which airport is right for you (all time and distances are from our “official” hotel, Mineral Resort and Spa):

1) Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR); Newark, NJ -->  1hour 7min (55.8miles)
Address: 3 Brewster Rd, Newark, NJ 07114
Phone: (973) 961-6000
Website: http://www.panynj.gov/airports/newark-liberty.html
 PRO’s – Closest airport to the resort; CON’s – Prepare for a potential long line at security.
Car Rental at EWR: Advantage, Alamo, AVIS, Budget, Dollar, Enterprise, HERTZ, National, Payless and Thrifty (More info, click here).

2) Lehigh Valley International Airport (ABE); Allentown, PA --> 1hour 35min (67.3miles)
Address: 3311 Airport Rd, Allentown, PA 18109
Phone: (800) 359-5842
Website: flylvia.com
PRO’s –Sometimes costs less frequent flier points; easy to get in and out of quickly; nice, clean airport; has a lot of interesting stops along the way to the resort (e.i. – the Crayola factory tours, and Cigars International Superstore & Lounge**); CON’s – A little further of a drive; if not using frequent flier miles it can be a lot more expensive.
Car Rentals at ABE: Alamo, AVIS, Budget, Dollar Rent A Car, Enterprise, HERTZ, National, Thrifty (Click here for more info).
**Scroll down for more information.

3)  Stewart International Airport (SWF), New Windsor, NY --> 52min (41.9miles)
Address: 1180 1st St, New Windsor, NY 12553
Phone: (845) 564-7200
Website: http://www.panynj.gov/airports/stewart.html
PRO’s – Close, convienent, small, clean airport; CON’s – Potentially more expensive
Car Rentals at SWF: AVIS, Budget, Enterprise, HERTA, National.  (For more info, click here).





II.)  THINGS TO DO (NEAR THE RESORT):

1.)  FRANKLIN MINERAL MUSEUM -
Franklin Mineral Museum
Franklin Furnace, also known as the Franklin Mine, is a famous mineral location for rare zinc, iron, manganese minerals in old mines in Franklin, New Jersey, USA. This locale produced more species of minerals (over 300) and more different fluorescent minerals than any other location. The mineral association (assemblage) from Franklin includes willemite, zincite and franklinite.

During the mid-to-late 19th century the furnace was the center of a large iron making operation. Russian, Chilean, British, Irish, Hungarian and Polish immigrants came to Franklin to work in the mines, and the population of Franklin swelled from 500 (in 1897) to over 3,000 (in 1913).

The Furnace mine which was adjacent to the actual furnace, was a 120+ foot vertical shaft just under Franklin Falls.

Other rare minerals include esperite, clinohedrite, hardystonite, and others. There are scores of minerals found only here, such as Johnbaumite (an arsenous apatite), McGovernite, etc.

Florescent minerals of the Franklin mineral district (left to right): franklinite (black), willemite (green), and calcite (red).
Website: http://www.franklinmineralmuseum.com/
Address: 
Franklin Mineral Museum and Nature center
32 Evans Street
Franklin, New Jersey 07416

Museum Hours (June/July):  Sat: 10:00 am - 5:00 pm; Sun: 11:00 am - 5:00 pm; Mon - Fri: 10:00 am - 4:00 pm.

Admission:
Museum Exhibits: Adults $7.00; Children (3-12) $5.00; Senior Citizen $6.00.
Rock Collecting: Adults $7.00; Children (3-12)** $5.00; Senior Citizen $6.00. (Poundage fee: $1.50 per pound.)
Combination Museum Exhibits & Rock Collecting:  Adult $12.00; Children (3-12) $8.00; Senior Citizen $10.00. (Includes collecting bag and 2 pounds per paid admission. Additional poundage fee: $1.50.)


2.)  STERLING MINE - 
The Sterling Hill Mine, now known as the Sterling Hill Mine Tour & Museum of Fluorescence, is a former iron and zinc mine in Ogdensburg, Sussex County, New Jersey..
Mining began at the site in the 1630s, when it was mistakenly thought to be a copper deposit.[2] George III of the United Kingdom granted the property to William Alexander, titled Lord Stirling. Stirling sold it to Robert Ogden in 1765. It went through several owners until the various mines were combined into the New Jersey Zinc Company in 1897.
Sterling Hill Mine was the last working underground mine in New Jersey when it closed in 1986. It became a museum in 1989. Along with the nearby Franklin Mine, it is known for its variety of minerals, especially the fluorescent varieties. [1]
[1]  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sterling_Hill
Website: http://sterlinghillminingmuseum.org/#sthash.IhtIPPdk.dpuf

Address:
The Sterling Hill Mining Museum,
30 Plant Street,
Ogdensburg, NJ 07439

Phone: 973-209-7212
Email: info@sterlinghillminingmuseum.org

Hours -
Museum Store: Open daily, 10:00 am - 3:00 pm.
Group Tours: By appointment only. Call 973-209-7212 for info and bookings.
Public Tours: Held at 1:00 pm, 7 days a week.
Mineral Collecting: Permitted daily on the Mine Run dump, 10:00 am - 3:00 pm.

Admission:  $5 admission plus $1.50/lb for all material taken. Please call ahead.


3.)  NEW YORK CITY, NY -

New York City, NY Skyline and the Statue of Liberty
 Franklin is only one (1) hour away from New York City, NY.  There are so many things to do in NYC.  You could spend the week in NYC and drive to Franklin on Friday, or just do a day trip.  

 If you decide on the day trip, we recommend you drive to Weehawken and take the ferry.  We like the Weehawken ferry because there is parking there and the ferry ticket price includes a free bus transfer in NYC from the terminal to where ever your heart may take you.  Please click the link below for parking, prices and ferry times.  
Port Imperial Ferry Terminal, Weehawken, NJ 
For more information on Weehawken's Port Imperial Ferry:
Address: 4800 Avenue at Port Imperial, Weehawken, NJ 07086


4.)  CRAYOLA FACTORY - 
 
 Only 1 hour and 30 minutes from the Mineral Resort & Spa, the Crayola Factory has tours that the whole family will enjoy.  Chip and I have heard that a lot of people enjoy their tours.  For more information please visit their website: http://www.crayolaexperience.com/easton/plan-your-visit/landing-page.aspx

Address: 
Crayola Experience
30 Centre Square
Easton, PA 18042

Hours: 
Monday - Friday:  9:30am - 4:00pm.
Saturday & Sunday: 10:00am - 6:00pm
*They recommend 3-4 hours so that you can visit all 4 floors and see all the attractions.

Admission: Adults & Children (2yrs - 65+yrs): Regular Price-$18.99, Online Price-$16.99


5.)  CIGARS INTERNATIONAL SUPERSTORE & LOUNGE - 
Cigars International Superstore photos of their building, cigar selection, and lounge.

Also, only 1 hour and 30 minutes away from Mineral Resort & Spa, Cigars International Superstore offers a wide variety of premium handmade cigars, a comfortable cigar lounge, and all the cigar accessories you can dream of!  Their unique 100+ year old building has also been completely retrofitted so that it is now fully-humidified.  If you are into cigars, this is the place for you.

Website: http://www.cigarsinternational.com/retail/store/ci-bethlehem-super-store/

Address: 4078 Nazareth Pike, Bethlehem, PA 18020; 
Phone: (484) 895-3933; 
Hours: 
Monday - Friday: 10:00 am – 9:00 pm, 
Saturday: 9:30 am – 9:00 pm, 
Sunday 10:00 am – 5:00 pm.;





III.)  ABOUT FRANKLIN, NEW JERSEY:
 Franklin, known as the "Fluorescent Mineral Capital of the World," is located over a rich ore body containing more than 150 minerals, many of them fluorescent and 25 of which are found nowhere else on earth. Settled in the 17th century, the village known as Franklin Furnace after Benjamin Franklin, developed near iron mines and iron smelting operations located along the Wallkill River. In the early 19th century, zinc deposits in the area began to be developed commercially. For most of the century many small companies mined zinc and iron in the Franklin area. In 1897 all zinc mining efforts merged into the New Jersey Zinc Company, which was a major controlling factor in the development of Franklin. Immigrants from Russia, Britain, Hungary and Poland joined the work force at the mine. The population, 500 in 1897, had swelled to 3,000 by 1913. On March 18, 1913, the Borough of Franklin was incorporated from portions of Hardyston Township, based on the results of a referendum held on April 23, 1913. [1]
Other rare minerals include esperite, clinohedrite, hardystonite, and others. There are scores of minerals found only here, such as Johnbaumite (an arsenous apatite), McGovernite, etc. [2]
Sterling Hill, a very similar ore deposit, is located a few miles away in Ogdensburg. [2][3]

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franklin,_New_Jersey
[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franklin_Furnace
[3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sterling_Hill

City Website: http://www.franklinborough.org/

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