October 18, 2026
Cowtown: A Covered Wagon Ride Through Jersey Wine Country
There is a moment, about an hour south of Bergen County, where the Garden State stops pretending to be a suburb and just admits it is farmland. That is Salem County, and this fall you can cross it the way people did in 1880: in a covered wagon, behind actual horses, with a glass of wine at the midpoint. It is the most New Jersey way to feel like you are in a frontier movie.
Nobody on this trip is in a hurry, and that is the point.
Getting There
About 2 hours. Take the Turnpike south and cut west toward Salem County — Cowtown is at 780 Route 40, Pilesgrove, and the wagon tours run weekends through November 22. Book a spot ahead; these are small tours and they fill up.
What to Explore
The tour runs about three hours through Pilesgrove's horse country and vineyards, with a tasting stop at Auburn Road Vineyards and a beer stop at Bullhide Brewery along the way. Tickets run roughly $35 a person. A van wine tour drops you at a tasting room and makes you feel like you are on a field trip; a covered wagon makes you feel like you have somewhere to be that is not on a clock, and the whole ride is the entertainment — clip-clop, rolling fields, a horse that has done this a thousand times and is not impressed by any of it.
The Drive Home Is Where the Planning Pays Off
Two hours back up the Turnpike with a car full of people who just spent three hours drinking wine in the sun is exactly when you want someone else doing the math on the drive. Bring a blanket, a camera, and a designated driver, because “tasting stop” is doing a lot of work in that sentence. A roomy, comfortable ride earns its keep on the way home — everyone naps, nobody navigates, and the only argument left is whose playlist was worse.
Rent Direct With Frosty Flame — Skip the Fees, Keep the Perks
Book through a marketplace and you pay a middleman on top of your rental. Book direct with us and the money stays where it should:
No marketplace fees — you pay the rate, not a platform surcharge.
Contactless pickup & drop-off in Bergen County, with delivery across North Jersey.
EZ Pass pre-loaded so tolls are handled before you reach the booth.
Custom protection plans built for your trip, not a one-size-fits-all add-on.
Curated in-ride playlists (Volumes 1–4) so the drive is part of the experience.
A real local host — Bergen County based, reachable, and obsessive about a clean, ready-to-go ride.
Book Direct With Us
Written by Frankie
Frankie is Chief Editor & Marketing Director for Frosty Flame Vehicle Rentals.
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