Peek Into the Past

Thomas Edison National Historical Park, New Jersey
A recent multimillion-dollar preservation effort brought lots of upgrades to this historic park in West Orange. The grounds include 14 research and manufacturing buildings, along with Edison's 29-room home. You can listen to one of his original phonographs, walk through his photography studio, and peer into his desk's cubbyholes, complete with vintage soda mint tablets (antacids). An entire floor of the laboratory is devoted to shelf after shelf of items that Edison either owned or invented, from talking dolls and storage batteries to cameras and a pair of antique eyeglasses. Drive another mile to take a look at Glenmont, the inventor's estate, which boasts family autos including a 1922 Model T and three electric cars. And if you time your visit just right, you can participate in the fun and festivities of Edison Day, on the first Saturday in June (973-736-0550; nps.gov/edis).