New to South Jersey? This is the place to start. Our South Jersey map breaks down the region into four counties, Burlington, Camden, Gloucester, and Salem, so you know what each one has to offer before you plan a single stop. Some of these counties sit close to Philadelphia, while others stretch out toward open farmland and quieter rivers, so the county you start in will shape the kind of trip you end up having.
Below, you’ll find a short overview of each county, a handful of South Jersey towns worth knowing by name, and links that take you deeper once you’ve settled on a direction. There’s also a practical section on getting your bearings, since the bridges and rivers around this region do a lot of the work in how it all connects. Use this guide as your starting point for planning your trip to South Jersey. The rest of the site fills in the details once you know which county to visit first.
Key Takeaways
- Four counties, one region: Visit South Jersey covers Burlington, Camden, Gloucester, and Salem counties, each with its own towns and character.
- Camden is closest to Philadelphia: Several bridges connect Camden County directly to the city, making it the easiest entry point for most visitors.
- Each county has a distinct feel: Pinelands trails in Burlington, waterfront attractions in Camden, farmland and wineries in Gloucester, and quiet historic towns in Salem.
- This map does not cover the Jersey Shore: Shore towns sit outside these four counties and are covered separately.
- A free Visit South Jersey visitor’s guide: If you want more detail than this page provides once you’re ready to plan further, we have a guide available.
South Jersey Map: Finding Your Way Around
Picture South Jersey as a wide stretch of land between the Delaware River and the New Jersey Pinelands, with each county holding a different slice of that terrain. Camden County sits closest to Philadelphia, directly across the water. Burlington County spreads out to the east, home to a large share of the Pinelands and a string of small river towns. Gloucester County sits south of Camden, defined by farmland and open sky, while Salem County anchors the southwest corner, quiet and close to the Delaware Bay.
Burlington County
Burlington is the biggest of the four counties, and most of the area is beautiful, untouched green space. Wharton State Forest and the wider Pinelands cover a large share of the county, so if trails, quiet lakes, and dark skies at night sound appealing, this is where to look first.
The county seat is Mount Holly, a charming, walkable town built around a historic core and full of local shops worth browsing. Moorestown and Medford round out the list of towns worth a stop, both known for tree-lined main streets and a slower pace than you might expect this close to a major city.
A few places to start:
- Batsto Village: Step back in time at this beautifully preserved ironmaking and glassmaking village inside Wharton State Forest, active from 1766 to 1867.
- Wharton State Forest: The largest single tract of land in New Jersey’s state park system, with trails for hiking, biking, and paddling.
- Downtown Mount Holly: Shops, cafes, and a historic Main Street anchored by the county courthouse.
If camping is part of your plan, our guide to camping in South Jersey covers several Burlington County spots in more detail.
Camden County
Camden County sits right across the Delaware River from Philadelphia, which makes it the easiest, most convenient place to start your South Jersey adventure if you’re coming from the city. The Camden Waterfront is the county’s biggest draw, home to the Adventure Aquarium, the Battleship New Jersey, and the Camden Shipyard & Maritime Museum, which together give the waterfront its mix of family attractions and maritime history.
Away from the water, Collingswood and Haddonfield offer a totally different vibe, charming, walkable downtowns packed with local restaurants, cozy bookshops, and lively weekend farmers markets. Both towns sit on a rail line into Philadelphia, so a single day here can pair a downtown stroll with a stop at the waterfront without much extra planning.
A few places to start:
- Adventure Aquarium: A must-see stop on the Camden Waterfront, packed with incredible fresh and saltwater exhibits the whole family will love.
- Downtown Collingswood: A compact, walkable main street known for its restaurant scene.
- Downtown Haddonfield: A historic shopping district with a small-town feel just outside Philadelphia.
For a fuller look at the waterfront area, see our Camden Waterfront overview.
Gloucester County
Gloucester County has real working-farm charm, and you’ll feel it the moment you leave its small downtowns behind. Roadside stands, family-run wineries, and open fields are common here, and that mix of farmland and small-town main street is really what defines the area.
Mullica Hill is the county’s don’t-miss weekend destination, with a historic district full of antique shops and galleries waiting to be explored. Woodbury, the county seat, and Swedesboro round out the list of towns with walkable centers worth a stop, each with its own small mix of local shops and restaurants.
A few places to start:
- Edelman Fossil Park & Museum: Built around a former marl quarry, the museum and dig site have yielded more than 100,000 fossils dating back roughly 66 million years.
- Downtown Mullica Hill: A historic shopping district known for antiques.
- South Jersey’s wine country: Several family-run wineries call Gloucester County home, most within a short drive of Mullica Hill.
Salem County
Salem County is the quietest of the four, and that’s exactly its charm. Wide farmland, riverfront wildlife areas, and a strong sense of local history define the county, which sits along the Delaware Bay in South Jersey’s southwest corner.
The town of Salem, the county seat, is home to one of the oldest historic districts in the entire state, with beautiful colonial-period homes still lining several streets. Woodstown is the other town most visitors get to know, with a small downtown built around local shops and restaurants, plus a slower pace suited to an unhurried afternoon.
A few places to start:
- Hancock House: A preserved colonial home with a documented Revolutionary War history dating back to 1778.
- Cowtown Rodeo & Flea Market: A long-running weekend rodeo and market that’s been part of Salem County life for decades.
- Downtown Salem: A historic district with some of the oldest buildings anywhere in South Jersey.
Getting Your Bearings
South Jersey sits just across the Delaware River from Philadelphia, which makes the region easy to reach if you’re coming from the city. Camden County is the closest starting point, connected to Philadelphia by three DRPA-operated bridges: the Ben Franklin, Betsy Ross, and Walt Whitman. A fourth crossing, the Tacony-Palmyra Bridge, lands just north in Palmyra, Burlington County, and offers another route into the region from Philadelphia.
From Camden, the other three counties spread out to the south and west. Gloucester and Salem sit further from the river, with more open farmland between towns, while Burlington stretches east into the Pinelands, where towns are smaller and spaced further apart.
A car is the most practical way to see more than one county in a single trip. Public transit, including the PATCO Speedline, connects Camden County to Philadelphia directly, but transit options thin out considerably the further south and east you travel.
Where to Go Next
Once you know which county fits your trip, these hubs go deeper:
- Things To Do: Browse by category, from outdoor recreation to arts and history.
- Plan Your Trip: Trip-planning tools and visitor resources for South Jersey.
- South Jersey By The Route: Themed itineraries, if you’d rather follow a route than plan county by county.
You can also request a free Visit South Jersey visitor’s guide, which is full of ideas for your next trip and covers far more ground than this guide can on its own.
Start Planning Your Trip
Now that you have a sense of the region, let the rest of the site take it from here. Use the Plan Your Trip resources above, or request a free visitor’s guide to start mapping out your own route across these four counties.
Frequently Asked Questions
What counties make up South Jersey, according to Visit South Jersey?
Visit South Jersey covers four counties: Burlington, Camden, Gloucester, and Salem. Some broader, informal definitions of South Jersey include additional counties further south and east, but this guide, and the organization behind it, focus on these four core counties and the towns inside them.
Is South Jersey close to Philadelphia?
Yes. Camden County sits directly across the Delaware River from Philadelphia, connected by the Ben Franklin, Betsy Ross, Tacony-Palmyra, and Walt Whitman bridges. The other three counties, Burlington, Gloucester, and Salem, spread out further south and west from there, so the distance from Philadelphia grows the further you travel.
Is South Jersey the same as the Jersey Shore?
No. South Jersey and the Jersey Shore are different areas, even though people sometimes use the terms loosely. If beach towns are part of your plan, Head for the Shore is a better starting point than this guide.
What towns should I visit first in South Jersey?
It really depends on what you’re after. Collingswood and Haddonfield suit a walkable downtown day trip. Mount Holly and Mullica Hill suit a slower, more historic pace. Salem and Woodstown suit travelers drawn to quieter, older river towns off the main routes through the region.
Is South Jersey good for a day trip?
It can be, depending on how far you’re willing to drive. Camden County works well for a single day, given its closeness to Philadelphia and the Camden Waterfront. Covering more than one county in a day takes more driving, since the region spreads out further than it first looks.
What is Camden County known for?
Camden County is known for the Camden Waterfront, home to the Adventure Aquarium and Battleship New Jersey, along with walkable downtowns like Collingswood and Haddonfield that sit just a short drive from Philadelphia across the Delaware River, connected by several bridges into the city.
What is Burlington County known for?
Burlington County is known for its size and its green space, including Wharton State Forest and the wider Pinelands, plus historic river towns like Mount Holly, the county seat, along with nearby Moorestown and Medford, both known for tree-lined main streets and local shops.
What is Gloucester County known for?
Gloucester County is known for its working farmland, small family-run wineries, and the historic shopping district in Mullica Hill, along with newer draws like the Edelman Fossil Park & Museum, built around a former marl quarry not far south of Philadelphia.
What is Salem County known for?
Salem County is known for its quiet pace, its farmland, and its history, including the Hancock House, the long-running Cowtown Rodeo & Flea Market, and one of the oldest historic districts anywhere in the state, found in the town of Salem itself.