Things to do in New Jersey with Kids

After 15 years of exploring New Jersey with kids, these are our favorite things to do by region. Keep in mind that while New Jersey is known for its shore and for being the gateway to New York City (for good reason), it is also home to breathtaking mountains, beautiful rolling farmlands, and one-of-a-kind curiosities. Read on for more information about favorite destinations in each area.

Things to do with kids at the Southern New Jersey Shore

The southern Jersey Shore is a great family destination whether you are seeking quieter beaches, peaceful small towns, action-packed boardwalks, or even some education on the coastal environment. We have spent many happy weeks on vacation at the Southern New Jersey Shore.

Cape May

The town of Cape May is very charming with its Victorian homes, historic lighthouse, and wide, beautiful beach. Shoulder season is a nice time to go and beat the crowds (early June and September or early October.) The nearby Cape May County Zoo is a fantastic place to take a rest from the beach and enjoy the animals. The zoo is free, and donations are appreciated.

Avalon and Stone Harbor

Our favorite beaches to visit are Avalon and Stone Harbor, because they are almost never crowded. You won’t find chain hotels but there are lovely cottages and houses to rent, as well as a nearby campground for a more affordable stay. Part of the beach is a bird sanctuary, so you should be prepared for occasional flies, and a longish, nature-filled walk or bike to the beach.

Stone Harbor has a tiny boardwalk and shows movies on the beach on weekends. Visit the Wetland Institute to learn about the natural environment. You will often be able to see many crabs as well as ospreys and other wildlife. You can find nice playgrounds in Avalon at 39th St. or at the boardwalk in Stone Harbor.

Ocean City and Wildwood

If you’re looking for a bit more excitement, the Ocean City boardwalk to the north or the Wildwood Boardwalk to the south are both fun options. You can find all kinds of rides and treats at either one. In Wildwood, the Hereford Inlet Lighthouse includes a small museum and gift shop. Ocean City is known for being most family-friendly, perhaps in part because it is a dry town – there is no alcohol for sale, unlike Wildwood, where you’ll find a lot of nightlife.

Things to do with kids in the New Jersey Pinelands

About the Pinelands

The New Jersey Pine Barrens is a huge area in Southeastern New Jersey known for it’s sandy, acidic soil and abundance of pine trees. It got the name “Barrens” from the sandy soil, which is difficult to grow many crops in (but is excellent for specific crops, such as cranberries and blueberries.) It is also known as the Pinelands, and much of it is protected by the Pinelands National Reserve.

Because of it’s unique ecosystem, the Pine Barrens support many rare and endangered plants and wildlife which are specifically suited for this environment, such as the Pine Barrens Tree Frog. The water is often tea-colored from the presence of tannic acid and iron that comes from the cedar and pine trees so prevalent in the area. If you’re interested in outdoor and historic things to do with kids in this part of New Jersey, you won’t be disappointed.

However, due to it’s reputation as the “Barrens,” there are many remains of farms and villages that were left behind after colonization when Europeans were unable to farm it. It was also used for producing bog peat. When richer sources were discovered in the West, the barrens were left behind, and nature reclaimed much of the area.

There are many strange legends associated with the area, such as that of the New Jersey Devil, said to be the 13th child of the prominent Leeds family, who grew leathery wings and hooves and flew into the Pinelands soon after birth, and is still occasionally spotted there today.

Places to Visit in the Pinelands

Wharton State Forest and Bass River State Forest are two popular options for camping. You can rent a primitive campsite here for as little as $8 a night. If you prefer, camp with access to maintained restrooms and showers for a higher fee. There are many other options as well, including sites for RVs and trailers, in private campgrounds throughout this expansive region. You can find camp sites and make reservations on this website.

To find an excellent list of hiking trails, visit this website. You may see wildlife such as white tailed deer and river otters, coyotes, and even bobcats have been spotted.

The Pine Barrens Scenic Byway is a popular route for exploring the area’s beauty. It is a nationally recognized route of over 100 miles. Traveling through forests and wetlands, it passes through many of the villages and other historic sites.

We enjoyed visiting Whitesbog Historic Village, which includes historic buildings from the original town that once flourished there. You’ll find historical information about the area and a general store where you can buy local items. It is also co-located with a working cranberry farm.

Another popular point in the Pine Barrens is Batso Village. This deserted village includes a small museum, a nature center, and several historic buildings such as a general store, saw mill, grist mill, church, and more. There is plenty of hiking in this area as well.

Things to do with kids in the Greater Atlantic City Region

The grownups in our family have enjoyed playing and seeing concerts at the Casinos in Atlantic City. But people often wonder if Atlantic City, New Jersey also has things for kids to do, and the answer is yes! The kids will love the Atlantic City Aquarium, which is small and perfect for the younger set. They will also enjoy the boardwalk and beach.

At the north end of the boardwalk, a little past the Steel Pier, you’ll find a playground. Next to it, the Absecon Lighthouse offers tours for a small fee. There are also some pretty natural areas near to Atlantic City, including Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge and Birch Grove Park.

For a quainter stop along the way in or out of Atlantic City, Historic Smithville is an interesting retail area. It hosts various seasonal events throughout the year, such as Christmas lights and train rides in December, a visit from the Easter Bunny and Carousel rides in spring, car shows, and antique shows.

Find more ideas at our post on Family Fun in Atlantic City.

Things to do with kids in the New Jersey Shore region

There are lots of lovely beaches along the norther shore region, but there are also nice parks and museums. We have greatly enjoyed exploring Monmouth County in this region.

Seaside at the Shore

If you’re looking for quiet and clean, Sea Girt is lovely. The surrounding area is really cute and nice. You won’t find a lot of chains or any high rises – everything looks really pristine and well cared-for. This is probably because they have so many rules! So, if you don’t like a lot of rules at the beach, this might not be your place. There are no tents, pets, or loud music allowed. We liked it. Beach tags are $12 for adults between 9 and 5, and there is free parking, concessions, outside showers and restrooms.

If you like a little more action, the beach at Point Pleasant around Jenkinson’s Boardwalk is a good choice. There is tons to do and the beach is nice and wide. It does get very crowded! The boardwalk is really cute and has rides and food and shops, but also an aquarium with seals and penguins.

Seven Presidents can get crowded as well, but it has a really fun playground. We used it one evening when the surf was rough and we were tired of catching sand crabs. Complete with climbing walls, a pirate ship, and separate areas for younger and older kids, it entertained our kids for quite a while.

Road trip tip: If you like ogling homes of the rich and famous, you will enjoy the drive from Sea Girt to Seven Presidents!

Parks in the Shore Region

Another beautiful destination is Sandy Hook Gateway National Recreation Area. You can look through the quarters at the former Fort Hancock, built in defense of New York Harbor. Tour the Sandy Hook Lighthouse, built in 1764 – the oldest operating lighthouse in America and a National Historic Landmark. Between November and April, you can sometimes spot seals on the rocks just off the beach.

Our son is into military history, so we visited the small National Guard Militia Museum of New Jersey. The best part was looking inside a submarine called the Intelligent Whale. It is free, and right on the base, but you don’t actually have to enter the base to go in.

Allaire State Park is a pleasant place to walk a trail or learn some history. Our favorite part was the historic village. It features a museum in the former row homes of the workers who mined iron ore out of the bog.

We enjoyed the train ride, which is on an original steam train from the 1840’s. Tickets were quite cheap, and it lasted less than a half hour, just doing a couple loops around the park. It leaves every half hour on weekends between 11 and 3:30.

Manasquan Reservoir is a really beautiful place with a 5 mile trail, ample parking, a playground and a really nice environmental center, all for free. The relatively large environmental center includes a “muskrat nest” your kids can tunnel through, and some great bird watching opportunities. (There were also plenty of chipmunks we could watch from our pleasantly air conditioned view). You can also rent a canoe or kayak for a fee.

Things to do with kids in the Gateway Region of New Jersey

This region includes Newark, Edison, Jersey City, and other cities with easy access to New York City. We have visited a couple of nice concert venues in Newark, and it is easy to take a trip into NYC from there. It is also easy to access Ellis Island from here and you can actually get a closer view of Lady Liberty from Liberty State Park than anywhere else, though it is not a view of the front of the statue.

Located in East Rutherford, the American Dream Mall is packed with family attractions. Prepare for crowds, especially on the weekends, and proximity to NYC also means premium prices. But there is an enormous variety of options for fun, including indoor skiing, a water park, a skating rink, multiple theme parks and museums, mini golf, an aquarium, many food courts, stores, and more.

The world’s largest lightbulb is located in the Gateway Region near the intersection of I-95 and Rt 287, on top of a tower and next to a tiny but interesting museum at Menlo Park. The Center is open only Thursday to Saturday, but there is a nature trail at the park, and of course, it’s always fun to pose in front of a tower with a 13 foot lightbulb on top, even if you can’t go in.

Outdoors in the Gateway Region

If you’re in the region in the spring, there is an annual Cherry Blossom Festival in Long Branch Park in Essex County, NJ. The park is in the midst of the city of Newark, and often crowded, but it is very spacious with playgrounds and numerous attractions, in addition to tons of cherry trees.

Finally, the largest waterfall in New Jersey, located in the city of Paterson, is worth a visit. The 77 foot falls are located in the historic district, with a parking lot across from the falls with a viewing area, and a walkway up and across the river. Designated as a National Historic Park, the park is free to enter, and offers ranger led guided tours, self guided tours, a welcome center, and children’s programs.

You may notice the statue of Alexander Hamilton. This is because he founded the town of Paterson, named after it’s governor, William Paterson, as the first planned industrial city. In the late 1700’s and throughout the 1800’s, the power of the falls was used at different times to spin cotton; make paper, weapons, and silk; power a train; and even used in the creation of the Holland Submarine. Prior to colonization, the falls were located in the homeland of the Lenni Lenape Indians, and visitors came from far and near to witness the beauty and power of the falls.

Things to do with kids in the Skyland Region of New Jersey

An absolutely beautiful collection of mountains and parks, anyone who loves the great outdoors will enjoy the Skyland Region. It is a wonderful place to find things to do with kids in New Jersey. The Appalachian trail runs for 72 miles through the region and there is ample room to hike, fish, or ski.

Along the border with Pennsylvania runs the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, with many popular waterfalls and trails, such as the well-loved Tammany Red Dot trail. We only made it to the first overlook, but it was a beautiful hike and we enjoyed exploring the area.

Not far from the trail is the Lakota Wolf Reserve, where you can see wolves in their natural habitat. The wolves are free to roam in a large area separated from the visitors by a barrier. It is a treat to hear them howl together with the encouragement of their keepers. There is much more to explore in the Kittatinny Mountains in this region.

At the other end of the region, in the West, lies Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, where miles of woodland and boardwalk trails over swamp land can reveal an abundance of birds and other wildlife. There are several wildlife viewing platforms and a visitors center that doubles as a nature center. This showcases a different but equally important ecosystem from much of the Skyland Region.

Family Activities in the Delaware River Region

This part of New Jersey is where you will find beautiful Princeton University, and cities such as Camden and Burlington, with an abundance and variety of things to do with kids. One of our favorites in Camden is The Adventure Aquarium, one of the best on the East Coast. It has touch tanks and lots of beautiful sea life, of course, but you will also find more unusual exhibits including penguins, hippos, and a walk-through shark tunnel.

In Mt Holly, visit the Burlington County Prison Museum for a taste of history with a dose of the paranormal. Located quite close to the New Jersey Turnpike, this historic prison (complete with gallows) is a good place to get your ghost hunting on, and also contains some interesting historic information and touching displays. Notice some of the original graffiti on the walls behind glass plates. Open Thursday through Sunday, $5 per adult.

Outdoors in the Delaware River Region

There are many lovely lakes in New Jersey, and some of them are near the highway and have restrooms and playgrounds – the perfect combination if you need to stretch your legs and burn some energy while traveling through the state. Crystal Lake Park and Etra Lake Park are two good options near I-95 with nice little walking trails, and we were even able to spot a bald eagle at Etra Lake once.

You’ll find Red Bank Battlefield Park in Gloucester County, NJ. This is a nice spot to enjoy a little history in a pretty, natural setting. Several monuments and signs describe the fort that protected this strategic spot during the Revolutionary War. There are playgrounds, tables, pavilions, grills, and historic gardens.

In Pilesgrove you will find one of the most fun rodeos this far north at Cowtown. The rodeo happens every Saturday evening during the summer months, rain or shine.  Enjoy the excitement of barrel riding, calf-roping, bull riding, and more. There’s also an outdoor flea market open daytime hours on Tuesdays and Saturdays where you can get all kinds of junk for a few dollars, and some tasty food.

Finally, Diggerland is a construction-themed amusement park located in West Berlin with plenty of great activities for littles, especially those who like to ride and practice operating tractors. Once you’re hot and sweaty from the construction side, you can head over to the waterpark side to cool down.