An Afternoon in Burlington County

The Evergreen Dairy Bar 

A small, green-and-white oasis on the side of Route 70 West in Southampton Township, the Evergreen Dairy Bar looks like a portal to an earlier place in time. Equal parts unassuming and intriguing, this eatery has been on my radar as a spot to try for quite a while.

A Step Back in Time

The Evergreen serves up breakfast all day, plus lunch and ice cream. I was overwhelmed with the menu choices of old-fashioned classic diner dishes, plus cheesesteaks, hoagies, hot dogs, and daily specials. With so many options, I just couldn’t decide. I asked my server to tell me about the most popular lunch dishes.

Her recommendation was a club sandwich. My options included turkey, ham and cheese, grilled chicken, chicken salad, tuna salad, hamburger or cheeseburger on my choice of toast. I went with a classic turkey club on rye, but I upgraded the standard fries, which come with the order, to onion rings.

My made-to-order lunch came quickly. My sandwich was just as it should be, with crisp bacon, just the right amount of turkey, and slathered with mayo. The onion rings were battered, whole slices and super crispy. It was a simple lunch, and when simple food is done well, you just can’t go wrong.

Room for Dessert

A trip to a dairy bar just would not be complete without ice cream. The Evergreen Dairy Bar serves Hershey’s ice cream by the scoop in cups, cones, sundaes, and banana splits. With a dozen delicious flavors to choose from, this was another tough decision! My choice of a banana pudding ice cream sundae with caramel sauce and chocolate jimmies really hit the spot—and made me smile.

Looking for More?

Full and very happy with my lunch, my next stop of the day was the Woodford Cedar Run Wildlife Refuge. Located in Medford, NJ, the Woodford Cedar Run Wildlife Refuge is a 170-acre, not-for-profit wildlife refuge and rehabilitation hospital with a nature center, picnic pavilion (with facility rentals), educational programs, and special events. The refuge also offers hiking trails and a view of the animals currently in rehab within their natural habitat. (See website for hours and information.)

Ready to Explore

After arriving at the Refuge, I checked in at the nature center, where I visited a small reptile and amphibian room. I learned about local snakes, turtles, and frogs, and then headed outside. After crossing a footbridge with a beautiful view of the lake I was able to visit a number of “residents” of the refuge including Hallie the bald eagle, a number of native owls, hawks, falcons, and vultures, and even a friendly mallard duck who calls the refuge home.

I also saw a white-tailed deer, a raccoon, and a striped skunk relaxing. They stayed in their enclosures, outside of the warm sun.

You can really spend quite a while observing the creatures and reading about each species. Some of the displays even have information on how to symbolically adopt the animals. This helps with the cost of their care.

The three trails offer views of the lake as well as informational plaques. Check them out to learn about the trees and vegetation native to the Pinelands. The trails are well marked and well maintained, and have a few benches in case visitors need a place to stop and take in the peaceful surroundings.