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Joel Katz

What are New Jersey’s 2 Favorite Locations to Celebrate Their Wedding?

Author Joel Katz
The newly married Mr. and Mrs. Michael Donahue celebrate their wedding in Riverside, NJ

I recently attended the wedding of my nephew Michael, and his wife, Rhiannon over the weekend. It was a beautiful ceremony followed by an unbelievable reception at The Madison in Riverside, NJ. I thought everything was perfect, and while we did stay the night, it was close enough to drive home after the reception.

While many prefer tying the knot locally, the desire to have a destination wedding seems to be a very popular choice recently.

The engagement ring company, Shane Co., wanted to find out Americans’ views on destination weddings. They polled over 3,000 people from 44 states over a two-week period in April of this year. The survey asked them about the domestic and international destinations where they’d be most interested in getting married, what the most important considerations were when planning a destination wedding, and the barriers they expect to face when invited.

The survey found that New Jersey’s most popular U.S. destination is Honolulu, HI and the most popular international destination is Paris, France. I have never been to Paris but we did spend two weeks in Hawaii for our honeymoon. I caught up with a couple of friends at the aforementioned wedding who just moved to the Aloha state, and they absolutely love it there. Actually, I don’t think I’ve ever heard anybody say anything but great things about Hawaii. The survey also found that 70% of residents in New Jersey prefer a destination wedding and ranked 31st across the country for wanting a destination wedding.

Pennsylvania’s grooms and brides mimic New Jersey’s preferences with Honolulu, HI, and Paris, France.

The survey also found that New York’s most popular U.S. location for a wedding is New York itself. New Yorkers, like New Jerseyans, are partial to Paris for an international destination wedding.

Honolulu was chosen as the most popular U.S. destination overall with more than 60% of respondents preferring a beach. So what do Hawaiians choose? When it comes to destination weddings, almost 85% of Hawaiians never fly eastward.  They opt for either a Tokyo destination wedding or a Honolulu wedding in the U.S.

11 Most Beautiful Lakes in America

America is known for many good things, from fast food to NFL football to land as far as the eye can see. Of course, you’ll also find many beautiful lakes in America.

With so many lakes across the United States, you’re probably within driving distance of a fantastic lake of some sort. So, which lakes are the absolutely best in America? It’s a tough question. I mean, everyone looks for something different in a lake. Some people love large lakes that look almost like the ocean, while other thrive at small, inland lakes where you can always see the shore. But, there are some lakes that stand above the rest when it comes to beauty and popularity.

I’ve put together a list of the “11 Most Beautiful Lakes in America,” offering a little bit of something for everyone. These lakes are found all across America, so wherever you live, one of these probably is relatively close to you. We’re heading into the perfect season to visit a lake, too. For those who aren’t lucky enough to live near the ocean, going to a lake is the next best thing. So, get your sunscreen, hat, sunglasses and bikini or trunks and check out 11 lakes to visit. Find a USA travel guide here.

  • Seneca Lake, New York

    Seneca Lake is the biggest of the 11 glacial Finger Lakes. It’s 38 miles long and more than 618 feet deep, making it one of the deepest lakes in America. What’s extra cool is that the U.S. Navy even does some testing for submarines in this lake, because of its depth.

    Seneca Lake

    Seneca Lake is the largest Finger Lake by volume. Take boat tours or discover the Seneca Lake Wine Trail. Learn more about what this lake has to offer here.

  • Yellowstone Lake, Wyoming

    If you’ve ever been to Yellowstone Park, you’ve probably visited Yellowstone Lake. The massive lake is a part of Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming. It’s actually the biggest lake in the park and one of the biggest highly elevated freshwater lakes in North America.

    Yellowstone Lake - Yellowstone National Park (U.S. National Park Service)

    Yellowstone Lake

  • Lake Tahoe, California and Nevada

    The famous Lake Tahoe is located right on the state line between California and Nevada. It’s stunning, as it is surrounded by the glorious Sierra Nevada Mountains. This is the largest alpine lake in North America, making it a must-see lake.

    Visit Lake Tahoe | The Official Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority

    The official guide for everything you need to know about Lake Tahoe. Browse hotels, things to do, restaurants, events & more in South Lake Tahoe. Lake Tahoe, California/Nevada has adventure during all seasons, so check out everything Tahoe has to offer and book your stay now.

  • Lake Santeetlah, North Carolina

    Here’s a special lake located within the Nantahala National Forest and surrounded by the Great Smoky Mountains. This is also a very pure lake, as its shoreline is mostly protected from development. It’s a beautiful destination for fishing, jumping in a canoe or kayak or a picnic.

    Lake Santeetlah | RomanticAsheville.com

    Explore pristine Lake Santeetlah in the Nantahala National Forest near Robbinsville with boating, camping, beach, fishing and more.

  • Hanging Lake, Colorado

    Hanging Lake is so glorious. It’s located in the middle of Glenwood Canyon in the White River National Forest, and it’s actually part of the Southern Rocky Mountains. This lake “was formed by a geologic fault which caused the lake bed to drop away from the valley floor above,” according to the USDA Forest Service, and is a designated National Natural Landmark.

    Hanging Lake Trail Permits & Reservations - Official Page

    The official page for Hanging Lake reservations and hiking permits. Shuttle, biking or off-season reservations. Plan ahead and book now!

  • Lake Superior, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan

    The Great Lakes are, of course, some of the most famous lakes in the world. One that’s often left of best-of lists is Lake Superior. It’s the largest freshwater lake in the world and has a whopping 10% of the world’s surface freshwater. Drink up.

    Lake Superior

    Known for its sparkling waves and rugged shorelines, Lake Superior contains more water than the other Great Lakes combined. Superior is the northernmost lake and the least affected by invasive species, habitat degradation, and other human-driven changes. The deepest and coldest Great Lake, Superior's nutrient-poor waters have allowed native coldwater fishes to flourish.

  • Lake Michigan, Wisconsin/Michigan/Illinois

    Lake Michigan is simply a landmark. It’s actually the most deadly lake in America, due to the high volume of drownings. But, aside from the scary, it’s a beautiful and large lake. The lake is spread over more than 307 miles, and there are many beach towns across those miles.

    Pure Michigan

    Whether you are traveling with your family or making memories with friends - you are on the brink of planning a vacation so unique, it can only be classified as Pure Michigan.

  • Lake Lanier, Georgia

    Located in the northern part of Georgia, Lake Lanier runs nearly 40,000 acres. It stems from the construction of the Buford Dam. This lake is known for its super clear water. The water is actually crystal blue. How beautiful, right?

    Welcome to Lake Lanier, Georgia!

    Lake Lanier is one of America's favorite lakes. With several million visitors annually enjoying its recreational facilities, Lake Lanier is the most popular lake in the southeast. You will enjoy the time you spend at Lake Lanier. We guarantee it. Lanier is the largest lake ...

  • Lake Jocassee, South Carolina

    Lake Jocassee is in the Appalachian Mountains, and it’s actually a man-made reservoir. Its water flows from the mountains. This is another lake known for its very clear water, so you get to see all the fish and underwater creatures when you look down into the water flow.

    Devils Fork

    Hiking trails, sightseeing at waterfalls and some of the best South Carolina trout fishing in Lake Jocassee await you at Devils Fork State Park.

  • Lake Okeechobee, Florida

    Lake Okeechobee is the biggest freshwater lake in Florida. It’s a very popular spot for largemouth bass fishing. Those who visit the lake get to learn the history and today’s experience of the Seminole community at the Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum, which is a bonus.

    Lake Okeechobee

    Lake Okeechobee means "big water" in the Seminole Indian language, an appropriate name for a water body whose opposite shore can't be seen from the water's edge. With a surface area of 730 square miles, it is the largest lake in the southeastern United States.

  • Lake Erie, Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania, New York

    The Lake Erie shoreline touches Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania and New York. The body of water offers some of the warmest waters you’ll find in the Great Lakes. Lake Erie also offers some fantastic areas to swim, making it a popular vacation lake.

    Great Lakes - Lake Erie

    It is the smallest of the four Great Lakes that touch Michigan's shores and accounts for a stretch of coastline from the Ohio border to the mouth of the Detroit River in the southeast region of the state.

 

Joel Katz is the Morning Show Personality, Assistant Program Director, Podcast Host, Voiceover artist, audio producer, and Digital Content Writer for Magic 98.3. Joel has been working in New Jersey radio since college and started at Magic in 2002 as the Morning Show Host, “I can’t think of another place where I’d fit more perfectly; it’s just a great company with awesome people.” Joel is married to Kathleen, his elementary school sweetheart (they were each other’s first dates at age 9), shares a birthday with his oldest son, Ty, and has twins, Kiera and Liam. Joel runs at least 3.1 miles every day and enjoys playing basketball, doing laundry, saving his turn signal for when he really needs it, kissing dogs through a fence, using coasters, making that cool noise by rubbing his fingers on balloons, and chasing after ping pong balls on a windy cruise ship.

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