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Travel + Leisure
3 days ago
- Travel + Leisure
This Charming Town Is an Easy Day Trip From NYC or Philadelphia—and It Has 70+ Miles of Scenic Trails, Americana Vibes, and a Gorgeous Riverfront
Frenchtown sits along the scenic Delaware River and hugs the D&R Canal towpath—perfect for walking, biking, tubing, kayaking, and even horseback riding in warmer months. The National Hotel, a renovated 1851 landmark, features cozy rooms, live jazz, and a speakeasy-style basement bar. Frenchtown's events, from the Mermaid Parade to the Aqualumina Festival, create a vibrant, community-centered vibe year-round. In addition to its outdoorsy activities, the town is an arts and culture haven, with a cutting-edge art center an independent bookstore that hosts renowned authors. Frenchtown is less than two hours by car from New York City and Philadelphia, making for an ideal day trip or weekend getaway. When I tell people I live in Frenchtown, New Jersey, I usually get a blank stare. But this tiny riverfront town—just over an hour's drive from both New York City and Philadelphia—is the kind of place that captivates. My parents moved here nearly 20 years ago after a weekend getaway. I loved bringing friends to stroll the pretty bridge, sip coffee from local roasters, and browse the bookstores and boutiques. It made for a perfect day trip from New York City, our home for more than a decade. Then, during the pandemic, my husband, dog, baby, and I moved here full-time. Now, our baby is 5, and we also have a 3-year-old. At first, I was skeptical—a city girl wary of small-town life. But over time, I fell fully in love. Frenchtown sits along the Delaware River and hugs the historic D&R Canal towpath, which stretches more than 70 miles and is popular with walkers, cyclists, and the occasional horseback rider. In the warmer months, you'll see tubes floating lazily downstream and kayaks tracing the edges of the river. It's an outdoor lover's dream. But it's also an arts and culture haven, home to unexpected delights: a world-class experimental art center, an independent bookstore that hosts renowned authors, and a speakeasy hidden under an 1851 hotel. "Frenchtown snuck up on me," says Jill Kearney, executive director of the town theater and art gallery, ArtYard. "But I discovered this remarkable convergence of urban refugees, longtime farmers, a vibrant queer community, and a human scale where you know the name of the cafe owner and pharmacist. It's not just beautiful—it's meaningful." Cara Lin, who owns The National Hotel (the town's only), Bamboo House restaurant, and the buzzy National Hotel restaurant and bar, adds, "The people are the best part of Frenchtown. There's something about the pace, the kindness, the support—it's a good getaway and a great place to live." Guest room in The National Hotel. This renovated 1851 landmark features 10 cozy, well-appointed rooms upstairs and a lively bar downstairs that serves thoughtfully crafted cocktails, a warm vibe, and, on many nights, live music, especially jazz. 'The music is so good, I don't feel like I'm working,' says Lin. It's a favorite of locals and visitors alike for its accessibility, charm, and unbeatable location in the center of town. Run by former Chez Panisse chef Cal Peternell, this sleekly updated historical inn starts to get busy for happy hour at 4 p.m. It keeps its buzz going through the surprisingly affordable, farm-to-table, funky-yet-elegant dinner service, and then to vinyl-spinning DJ nights. Bonus: 70 percent of FinnBar's profits go directly to the progressive art studio, Studio Route 29 (more on them below). In the wintertime, order a cocktail and cozy up by the fireplace. The sushi bar serves fresh fish and zingy flavors at reasonable prices, and the tonkotsu ramen is deeply satisfying. For a grungy vibe and plenty of local gossip, head downstairs to the basement bar, Rathskeller (a.k.a. 'The Rat.') This cozy BYOB spot dishes up some of the best Mexican food in the area. From fresh guacamole to flavorful enchiladas, everything is made with care and bursting with flavor. It's a great place to sit outside and people-watch, too. A community hub and cafe, Early Bird offers great coffee, light bites, and a selection of curated home goods. Locals gather here to chat, work, and enjoy the friendly vibe. 'On a nice day, there's always a crowd out front with their dogs,' says Kearney. Exterior of the Frenchtown Bookshop. Founded by Kearney, ArtYard is an experimental arts center offering cutting-edge exhibitions, artist residencies, and beloved community events like Hatch (a nod to the site's early days as a chick hatchery) and Aqualumina (a festival of river-inspired light and creativity). A beautifully curated independent bookstore with a robust calendar of readings and community events, the Frenchtown Bookshop has quickly become a cultural mainstay. Don't miss the lively children's section and frequent signings with big-name authors. On a beautiful day, it doesn't get much better than sitting on the porch here and thumbing through books. With more than 70 miles of flat, scenic trail along the river, this historic route is ideal for walking, cycling, or even horseback riding. It's also dog- and stroller-friendly, making it perfect for family outings. 'Being near the river is very calming,' says Kearney. (Pro tip: Take a break for a small-batch ice cream cone from Sandy's Scoops. Their seasonal flavors change constantly, but don't sleep on the cherry chocolate chunk or the peach oolong tea sorbet.) During the warmer months, the Delaware River becomes a playground for paddlers and floaters alike. Several local outfitters, including Delaware River Tubing, offer rentals and shuttle services. From the quirky and colorful Mermaid Parade to Aqualumina Festival, where lanterns and performances light up the river's edge, Frenchtown's events bring locals and visitors together in joyful, unexpected ways. There's usually something fun happening at Wild Fern Brewing, too, from storytelling slams to pottery workshops—extra enjoyable with a Pinecone, their West Coast-inspired pale ale, in hand. Shelves filled with merchandise in Modern Love. The joyful, inspiring Studio Route 29 showcases work (paintings, zines, and more) from artists with intellectual and developmental disabilities. If you're around on a second Thursday, stay for the Films for Friends series and settle in for a fun movie screening, popcorn included. This impeccably curated boutique features beautifully designed home goods, jewelry, and gifts. With a serene, minimalist aesthetic and a focus on artisanship, Modern Love is a must-visit for design lovers. This charming floral studio doubles as a shop with plants and locally made treasures. The arrangements are elegant and whimsical, ideal for a thoughtful gift or simply bringing some beauty home. Frenchtown locals Beth and Nick Blatt quit their jobs to follow their dream of opening a bakery, and the lines at Honey Moon are proof of a sound decision. The charming shop offers baguettes, focaccia, a lineup of seasonal pastries and sweets (my kids are obsessed with their sticky cinnamon buns), and frozen sourdough pizzas (I'm always glad when I have one in my freezer). I struggle to leave without a cute little ramekin or a new pair of dangly earrings every time I visit Dalla Terra. This shop is also my go-to for gifts. With handcrafted ceramics, textiles, and glassware from artisans around the world, every item tells a story of beauty, craftsmanship, and a deep appreciation for nature and design. An old barn with fallen leaves in rural Frenchtown, New Jersey. Andrew Kazmierski/Adobe Stock The best time to visit Frenchtown is from April through October. Warm weather brings life to the Delaware River and towpath, and festivals like Aqualumina light up the calendar. Fall foliage is stunning along the river, and the town's small shops and restaurants shine with cozy charm. The Uhlerstown-Frenchtown Bridge from Frenchtown, New Jersey to Uherlstown, Pennsylvania. Frenchtown is under a two-hour drive from New York City and Philadelphia. The closest major airports are Newark Liberty International and Philadelphia International. Amtrak stops in nearby Trenton, from which a rental car or ride-share service can get you to town. While there's no direct train, the drive is scenic and pleasant. Frenchtown is walkable end to end, so park once and stroll to explore. For excursions to nearby river towns like Lambertville or Stockton, a car is helpful. Biking is popular and safe along the towpath and neighborhood streets. This charming little town on the Delaware River may not have the prestige of the Hamptons or the polish of Hudson—but that's exactly the point. Frenchtown is funky and warm. 'The best part of the town is its people,' says Lin. 'The countryside is beautiful and the people are kind.' Whether you're escaping for a weekend or falling in love for good, there's something here waiting for you.
Medscape
5 days ago
- Health
- Medscape
The Nitty and Very Gritty of Wastewater Disease Monitoring
It didn't smell as bad as I thought it would. Sort of like going-bad ocean water but without the salt. It doesn't look as nasty as I thought, either, but it's important to maintain a sense of professional clinical distance even though I'm seeing and smelling the sewage of half a million people. Here's how this works: Every night in Chester, Pennsylvania, a Philadelphia suburb, an operator dons a white hard hat, heads outside, climbs a flight of metal stairs, and walks across a bridge above a tank of dirty, gurgling water. They enter a small shed-like structure and retrieve a large plastic jug from a refrigerated cabinet. The jug is filled with sandy brown untreated wastewater freckled with tiny, dark brown lumps that sink to the bottom. Wastewater flows toward treatment tanks at a facility near Philadelphia The wastewater flowing into this facility goes through a series of carefully coordinated steps — grit removal and primary settling, microbial digestion, clarification, disinfection — to transform it into clean water. How clean? Well, by the time it reaches its ultimate destination, the nearby Delaware River, this water is cleaner than what's in the river already. But this particular water jug, which contains samples collected at 15-minute intervals throughout the day, is going to the plant's in-house lab. A sample of untreated water is collected from this temperature-controlled unit each day An employee will gently shake the jug, mixing the solids and liquid within, and pour off samples into two 500-mL plastic bottles. Then they will carefully package, label, and seal the bottles and ship them to WastewaterSCAN, a nationwide tracking system based at Stanford University, Stanford, California, in partnership with Emory University, Atlanta, that tests wastewater for 11 infectious disease indicators. Treated water, left, compared to untreated water, right A vial of dirty water might be one of the most important tools in modern epidemiology. One simple reason, and it echoes the title of the classic children's book: Everybody poops . Samples are prepared for shipping to WastewaterSCAN 'Wastewater is so incredibly powerful because we don't have to do anything — the default is opt in,' said Lauren Stadler, PhD, an associate professor of civil and environmental engineering at Rice University, Houston, and a co-lead of Houston Wastewater Epidemiology. 'We just go around our daily normal business, and everyone's contributing to this sample, and it's so unique in that way in that it represents this aggregate of everyone that's contributed to the waste stream.' The Valuable Information We Flush Down the Toilet Scientists have explored viruses in wastewater for decades, but the technology went mainstream during COVID-19. 'At the beginning of the pandemic, there was a huge effort to see if we could use wastewater to monitor SARS-CoV-2 because there was limited testing available and different test-seeking behavior and access to testing,' said Alexandria Boehm, PhD, Richard and Rhoda Goldman professor in environmental studies at Stanford University and principal investigator at WastewaterSCAN. It turned out that infected people released SARS-CoV-2 RNA into wastewater in measurable amounts. 'I think we were all really surprised that we could use wastewater to figure out trends in disease occurrence, levels of disease occurrence and also the emergence of variants,' said Boehm. 'That was a huge surprise, and something that had never been done before.' To check wastewater for disease surveillance, scientists use polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to detect and quantify RNA or DNA. That genetic material enters wastewater through our urine, feces, blood, saliva, skin cells, phlegm, anything we flush down the toilet or scrub from our bodies in the shower or sink. Viral RNA is hardy enough to withstand its miles-long journey through pipes, tumbling alongside the other muck flowing through the sewer system. 'We've rubbed some wastewater on a surface in our lab, inside of a hood, let it dry and come back 10 days later and sampled it again, and we still get a lot of SARS-CoV-2, or at least half of it, so it's pretty robust,' said Jordan Peccia, PhD, Thomas E. Golden, Jr. Professor of Chemical and Environmental Engineering at Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut. PCR can detect a wide range of germs in wastewater. WastewaterSCAN tracks COVID-19, influenza A, influenza B, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), human metapneumovirus, enterovirus D68, norovirus, candida auris, hepatitis A, and two clades of mpox in wastewater. When the WastewaterSCAN team receives a sample from one of its nearly 150 partner sites, they remove the solids — food particles, fecal particles, and everything else we flush and forget — from the liquid. That solid sludge is where the viruses live. Next, they extract the viral nucleic acids and place them in a droplet digital PCR machine equipped with primers and probes specific to the target they're looking for. They press start, and a PCR thermocycler machine generates amplicons, or pieces of RNA, if the target is detected. The team converts the numbers into units of copies per gram solids of the wastewater and then shares the data to their online dashboard. The CDC gathers PCR testing data for COVID-19, influenza A, RSV, and mpox from 879 sites participating in its National Wastewater Surveillance System. Some states and municipalities have their own systems, too. To see which infections are rising and falling in your area, you can check the WastewaterSCAN or CDC maps, or in some communities, your local public health department's website. You'll see peaks and valleys, but these maps can't tell you how many people are infected in each place. We don't yet know how much virus in wastewater equals one infection. Such a calculation would require more data on how many viral particles the average person sheds from body fluids when they're sick — data that is surprisingly scarce. Boehm hopes future research can address these questions. 'Having information on human shedding of these viruses will actually allow us to gain more insight into maybe how many people are sick or shedding the virus,' said Boehm. 'Right now, we can only say the trend is increasing, there are more people getting sick, or levels are very high now compared to before, so there are more people sick now than before, but we can't say it seems like maybe one out of 100 people have the flu.' Still, the trends reveal a lot. A Treasure Trove of Data Here's how some healthcare providers and patients are using wastewater intel to promote public health: Aiding clinical decision-making and situational awareness. Doctors have told Boehm they find wastewater data useful for clinical decision-making. 'I've also heard people say that they call it situational awareness, as a healthcare provider or public health professional, having a sense of what is happening in the community right now, so that when people present with different symptoms, there is this background knowledge of what is circulating and what might be going on,' said Boehm. For example, say a patient presents with flu-like symptoms. If influenza levels are high, a healthcare provider might consider flu testing and prophylaxis. If flu levels are low and human metapneumovirus levels are high, they might suspect the latter virus instead. 'Although each patient individually is different, this will never replace the care that an individual patient needs, especially someone who's severely ill, but it can help with situational awareness,' said Boehm. Considering wastewater data when staffing and supplying healthcare facilities. Some hospitals adjust their schedules and supply orders when disease levels start ticking upward, said Helena M. Solo-Gabriele, PhD, a professor of engineering at the University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, her team shared wastewater data with a local health system to help them model staffing and supply needs. Reducing the need for routine testing during outbreaks. Solo-Gabriele's team at the University of Miami found that wastewater monitoring could help reduce the frequency of clinical testing needed to monitor the spread of COVID-19 on college campuses. 'The good thing about it is that it's one sample or a series of samples that can represent thousands of people,' said Solo-Gabriele. Wastewater sampling could be particularly valuable in detecting rising levels of infections that are often asymptomatic or stigmatized. 'Some diseases, such as monkeypox, for example, have a stigma associated with them,' said Solo-Gabrielle. 'People may intentionally not go to the doctor or may intentionally not report it for concerns of being stigmatized, and so the wastewater gets around all of those issues that rely on people being diagnosed.' Keeping schools healthy. Stadler and Houston Wastewater Epidemiology collaborate with about four dozen schools in the Houston area to monitor schools' wastewater for flu, COVID-19, RSV, and vaccine-preventable diseases like measles. 'If we have a detection of, for example, RSV or flu in the wastewater, if you're a parent who subscribes to the text alert system, you get a push notification being like, there's a there's RSV in your school — here's what you can do about it,' she said. If flu is detected multiple weeks in a row, the health department offers free, optional vaccines at the school. Parent feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. Reprioritizing healthy habits. Once people know infections are increasing in their school, neighborhood or community, they might mask up or wash or sanitize their hands more often, said Solo-Gabriele. 'If we have rapid, accurate ways to know when an outbreak is going on, it can inform people for all sorts of things, from holding events for people who are immunocompromised to just thinking about being careful in your classroom if you're a teacher,' said Peccia. Monitor new (or newly resurrected) viral outbreaks. In Houston, Stadler's team has been monitoring the city's wastewater to mitigate and prepare for a potential outbreak of measles. Boehm's team is working on technology to monitor bird flu. Pinpoint hotspots before infections spread. When researchers at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) sampled wastewater from airports and other spots frequented by tourists, they found viruses early — before they showed up at the main wastewater treatment plant. 'As we increased that resolution and got closer to some of these locations, we realized that the near real-time intelligence that we could get could mirror what we were seeing at the clinical case level, and if not predict much earlier, what we were going to see at the clinical case level, and especially at the zip code level,' said Edwin Oh, PhD, a professor in the UNLV School of Medicine and College of Sciences. Tourists are good at spreading germs — so are college students. Oh's team has detected chlamydia and gonorrhea in wastewater around the UNLV campus to help the student health center prioritize where on campus to offer free testing or provide information about these diseases. 'These are such treatable conditions, and perhaps because such testing is a cost, or is a cost associated with a parent's insurance, that such diseases, such infections, will be overlooked,' he said. Wastewater can provide intelligence and encourage service in areas that need it most, he said. The goal isn't to police behavior — it's to share information and provide choices. Wastewater data isn't traceable to individuals. The Future of Wastewater Monitoring Researchers are working on ways to extract even more useful information from wastewater. Someday, the benefits could extend to:
CBS News
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CBS News
Free Memorial Day parades, events in Philadelphia area
There is an array of events scheduled across the Philadelphia region as the nation honors our bravest heroes on this Memorial Day. Here is a guide to what events you could attend for free. Blue Cross RiverRink Summerfest (101 S Christopher Columbus Blvd, Philadelphia, PA) Blue Cross RiverRink Summerfest is one of the Philadelphia Waterfront's favorite summertime traditions. It features roller skating, outdoor boardwalk games and rides, mini-golf, and great food and drinks, all set against soaring views of the Delaware River and the Ben Franklin Bridge. Admission to RiverRink is free and open to the public, while mini-golf, games, rides and concessions are pay-as-you-go. The Museum of the American Revolution (101 S. 3rd Street, Philadelphia, PA) On Memorial Day, the Museum of the American Revolution plans to honor the men and women who lost their lives in service to their country during the Revolutionary War and celebrate the freedoms they fought to secure for future generations. Veterans, military, and Blue Star Families are able to get in for free throughout Memorial Day Weekend. Free Parking on Philadelphia streets Street parking is free in Philadelphia on Memorial Day, the Philadelphia Parking Authority announced. The PPA said no meters or residential parking time limits will be enforced on Monday, and they will only enforce parking regulations that impact safety and traffic flow. Philadelphia Vietnam Veterans Memorial (Front and Dock streets and Front and Spruce streets, Philadelphia, PA) The Philadelphia Vietnam Veterans Memorial is hosting a Memorial Day ceremony on Memorial Day from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m.
CBS News
25-05-2025
- CBS News
Child's heroics saves child in New Jersey after accidentally falling into Delaware River, police say
A child was rescued from the Delaware River Friday afternoon after accidentally falling into the water at a boat ramp in Burlington, police said. The City of Burlington Police Department said just before 3:00 p.m. on May 23, a child accidently fell into the river. Another child nearby immediately jump into the water to hold the fallen child above water, helping the child stay afloat and remain calm. A passing boater witnessed the situation and helped both children return safely to shore, authorities said. The police department thanks the swift response of both the child and boater that no one was injured. "We commend the bravery displayed by the juvenile who acted without hesitation and express our appreciation to the boater who intervened," police said in a press release. All individuals involved have been identified. No emergency services were required, and authorities said no further investigation is needed.
CBS News
25-05-2025
- Climate
- CBS News
Families enjoy Memorial Day Weekend in Philadelphia despite chilly weather
It was a cooler-than-normal start to the long holiday weekend along the Delaware River Waterfront. Many people were wearing sweatshirts and jackets Saturday night as they skated around the Independence Blue Cross RiverRink. "A little dreary, but I'm glad it's not too hot because I'm really bad at this and I'd be sweating if it was," Dariel Johnson said. CBS Philadelphia CBS Philadelphia CBS Philadelphia After a quick rain shower, a rainbow appeared over the river. Memorial Day Weekend is considered the unofficial start of summer, but with gusty winds and chilly temperatures, it felt more like a Saturday in fall. "It's like windy and cloudy but then eventually it gets sunny, and you can go out and do stuff like get ice cream," said Kennedy Parker. "It's been a little drizzle here and there, cloudy, it gets cloudy and then sunny," Saul Maldonado said. "It hasn't been the greatest, but at first it started off a little gloomy and it kicked up suns out now everybody is relaxing, so it's nice," Ayden Kane said. The sun did poke through the trees at times over Spruce Street Harbor Park. CBS Philadelphia CBS Philadelphia CBS Philadelphia Some people relaxed in a cozy hammock, while Ciara Salerno took the less-than-perfect weather in stride and enjoyed a game of Jenga with her mom, visiting from Maine. "I've been going from park to park all day today, so it's been really nice hiding underneath the trees here and there when the showers start," Salerno said. It may not feel like late May, but many families are still getting outside to enjoy the holiday weekend. "Enjoying the sights walking around, enjoying the view, family everywhere, it's a good day to enjoy the weekend," Maldonado said.
