Day Trips & Destinations
FOR FALL 2015 Great ways for NJ families to enjoy fall with their families
Welcome Fall! You’ve sent the kids back to school. Part of you is excited to get them back in the routine and have some quiet time to yourself. Part of you still wants those days of summer when you and your family could take off for a day or more on another family adventure. You can do both. Use those long weekends like Columbus Day and school holidays like NJEA and school conferences to do something exciting together and still enjoy the quiet days when your kids are at school. This guide is packed with events, activities, and ideas for family travel both close to home and a little further away. We said this past summer was our biggest guide at 88 pages, but with this guide we’ve topped that. We’ve packed it with 105 pages filled with ways to have family fun with your kids. Whether it’s a day trip or a weekend vacation we hope you have a fantastic fall. We also can’t let this fall slip by without saying thank you. This October marks our fifth year of doing business. Thank you for all of our support. We hope you’ll join us at one of our birthday celebrations we are planning. Our first is listed on page 13. Thank you to our team of writers for their work to make this guide possible. We appreciate our advertisers who make it all possible. No matter what adventures you choose this fall, our wish for you is that you have the best of times with your loved ones while on them.
All the best, Jennifer Auer, Editor
Table of Contents
The Jersey Family Fun Team
Events 5 Free & Discount Adm. Days 6 Free Food & Meal Days 10 Unique Events 13 Activities 33 Day Trips 39 Family Travel 81 Click the image for our complete calendar of events.
Editor Jennifer Auer Events & Ast. Editor Crystal Rodgers Writers & Team Members Melanie Cortese Joanna Gnudi Cortina Jillian Fletcher Jennifer Gaffney Melissa Garner Lauran Randazzo Jones Traci Weston-Murn Nancy Moore Palutis
Sahl's Father Son Farm
420 W. Pestalozzi St., Egg Harbor City www.fathersonfarm.com September 19- November 7 Corn Mazes, hayrides, Kiddie Koral, rubber duck races, pig races, pony rides, pumpkin picking, photo opportunities
Day Trips & Destinations
Visit fathersonfarm.com for rates and hours.
Fall 2014
Let's talk about how we can help. Click to email us or call us at (609) 445-4159.
Bank of America’s Museums on Us On the first full weekend of every month, Bank of America's Museums on Us Program allows each card holder to get one free general admission at more than 150 museums nationwide. Look below for a list of museums in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and New York. Each card holder gets one free general admission. All you need is a photo id and your Bank of America or Merrill Lynch card. Bank of America Free Admission Weekends Schedule October 3 & 4 November 7 & 8 December 5 & 6 Participating Museums in New Jersey Montclair Art Museum Liberty Science Center Newark Museum Aijira, a center for contemporary art (closed Sundays) Morris Museum Wheaton Arts & Cultural Center The Noyes Museum of Art at Richard Stockton College Garden State Discovery Museum Participating Museums in Philadelphia Philadelphia Museum of Art National Constitution Center National Museum of American Jewish History African American Museum in Philadelphia Allentown Art Museum Carnegie Museum of Art
Participating Museums in Delaware Delaware Art Museum (No Sundays) Delaware Museum of Natural History Participating Museums in New York The Metropolitan Museum of Art The Museum of Modern Art Staten Island Children's Museum Brooklyn Historical Society Children's Museum of Manhattan Queens Museum of Art Long Island Children's Museum Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum Long Island Museum of American Art, History, & Carriages (Closed Jan-Feb) Old Westbury Gardens (May - Dec Only)
Philadelphia Museum of Art During special Philadelphia Museum of Modern Art Pay What You Wish Days on the first Sunday of the month and Wednesday evenings your family can go to the Philadelphia Museum of Modern Art at at fraction of the price. On these special days you are invited to the museum and you can pay whatever you can afford, just please pay something as the museum says even if it's just a penny. It is a great way to introduce your family to the arts museum. Pay What You Wish Days 2015 Schedule No advance registration is required. Sundays 10:00 am - 5:00 pm and pay what you wish is all day. Wednesdays 10:00 am - 8:45 pm pay what you wish begins after 5 pm. Wednesday, September 2nd, 9th, 16th, 23rd and 30th Sunday, October 4th Wednesday, October 7th, 14th, 21st and 28th Sunday, November 1 Wednesday, November 4th, 11th, 18th and 25th Sunday, December 6th Wednesday, December 2nd, 9th, 16th, 23rd and 30th The Philadelphia Museum of Modern Art is located at 2600 Benjamin Franklin Parkway Philadelphia, PA 19130 Phone Number 215-763-8100
Please Touch Museum offers $2 Admission Days On the first Wednesday night of each month your family can visit the Please Touch Museum for $2 a person. Schedule of $2 Admission Days At the Please Touch Museum Schedule Free parking will be offered as well during these times. No advance registration is required. • Wed., October 7th 4pm to 7pm • Wed., November 4th 4pm to 7pm • Wed., December 2nd 4pm to 7pm The Please Touch Museum is located at Memorial Hall, Fairmount Park 4231 Avenue of the Republic, (formerly North Concourse Drive) in Philadelphia.
Franklin Institute
Free Admission Days During special Target Community nights you can go to Franklin Institute for Free! Free Admission nights generally occur on the third Thursday of the month. No advance registration is required however registration on site might be requested. Parking is also a discounted rate of $6 during the evening! 2015 FREE Admission Day Schedule • Wed., September 16th 5pm to 8pm - Neighborhood Night • Wed., October 28th 5pm to 8pm – Spooky Science • Wed., November 18 5pm to 8pm – Space For tips on how to make the most of a Franklin Institute Free Admission Day click over to this blog post. The Franklin Institute is located at 222 N 20th Street in Philadelphia.
Give yourself the night off from cooking at a discount! Take advantage of these restaurants in New Jersey offering kids a free meal! We suggest calling the location to confirm participation and terms. For the specific schedule by day and locations visit our complete listing online. Atlantic County
Pizza Hut, Denny’s, Moe’s Southwest Grill, Zona Fresca, IHOP, Mays Landing Diner, Friendly’s
Middlesex County
Denny’s, The Station Tavern, IHOP, Dickey’s Barbecue Pit, Hooters, Pizza Hut, Pizzeria Uno, Brother Jimmy’s, Moe’s, Arirang, Buffalo Wild Wings, Miller’s Ale House
Monmouth County
Bergen County
Moe’s Southwest Grill, IHOP, Jalapenos, Rocca, Hooters, Ho-Ho-Kus Inn, Miller’s Ale House, IKEA, Horizon Diner, Lakeside Grille and Bar, Bennigans, Que Pasta
Court Jester, Buffalo Wild Wings, Rosalita’s, All Seasons Restaurant Diner, IHOP, Valentino’s, Inkanto, Red Oak Diner, Park East, Shore Cafe, Chubby Pickle, Chapter House, Sycamore Grill, Bubbakoos, Brass Rail, Nino’s Coal Fired Pizza, Main Street Bar and Grill, Blue Swan, Molly Maguire’s Gastropub
Burlington County
Morris County
Dennys, IHOP, Charley’s Other Brother, Sonic, Pizzeria Uno, Marlton Tavern, Al Dente
IHOP, Andrea’s Dining Room, Buffalo Wild Wings, Moe’s, Scallopini
Camden County
Ocean County
Oceanside Seafood, Cabanas
Bubbakoo’s, Buffalo Wild Wings, IHOP, Nino’s Coal Fired Pizza, Bubbakoo’s, 21 South, Sandy’s Cozy Corner, Lamp Post Inn, Farrell’s, Burger 25, Four Seasons Diner, Perkins, Pizza Hut, Sand Castle Diner, Toms River Diner, Tiff’s, Tuscan House
Cumberland County
Passaic County
Bennigan’s, Denny’s, Friendly’s
Chevy’s, Pizzeria Uno, IHOP, Hooters,
Essex County
Salem County
Qdoba, Denny’s, Tortilla Press, Pop Shop, Miller’s Ale House, Bob Evans, IHOP
Cape May County
IHOP, Nikko, Calandra’s Mediterranean Grill, Moonshine Supper Club, Franklin Steakhouse, Toro Loco, Verona Inn
Denny’s, Elmer Diner
Gloucester County
Pizzeria Uno, Landmark, Mozzarella Grill, Val’s Seafood Trattoria, Denny’s
Moe’s, Willie McBride’s, Buffalo Wild Wings, IHOP, Trio, Stoney Brook Grille, Stage House, Melting Pot, Uproot, Buffalo Wild Wings
Hudson County
Sussex County
Somerset County
Otaiko, Arthur’s, Elysian Cafe, IHOP, Qdoba, Cheeseburger in Paradise
O’Reilly’s
Hunterdon County
Molly MaGuire’s, Oh’Brian’s on the Green, IKEA, IHOP, The Station, Chevy’s, Buffalo Wild Wings, Arirang, Stage House Tavern, Pizza Vita, Tiff’s
Riley and Jakes, Lovin’ Oven, The Rail
Mercer County
Town Diner, Pizzeria Uno, IHOP, Moe’s, Tavern on the Lake, Hooters
Union County
Warren County
IHOP, Bea McNally’s
Kids Can Eat Free on Halloween at local restaurants and eateries! Halloween is on a Saturday this year. Between Halloween/Ragamuffin Parades, Trunk or Treats and classic Trick or Treating activities our little ones can work up an appetite. Their schedule can leave parents with little time to think of food. So some local restaurants and eateries are helping out by letting our favorite trick or treaters by letting them eat for FREE or for reduced prices on Halloween! What could be better? We’re currently working on our 2015 list, but keep checking this link for updates.
OPEN HOUSE 9/14-9/20 Try the Y!
BACK TO SCHOOL BACK TO FITNESS AFTER CARE CHILD CARE ENRICHMENT SPORTS
ARTS PROGRAMS DANCE CLASSES FITNESS CLASSES SWIM LESSONS
Free Memberships for ALL 7th Grade Students!
THE GATEWAY FAMILY YMCA ELIZABETH BRANCH
FIVE POINTS BRANCH
RAHWAY BRANCH
WELLNESS CENTER BRANCH
135 Madison Ave., Elizabeth, NJ 201 Tucker Ave., Union, NJ 908.355.9622 908.688.9622 1564 Irving St., Rahway, NJ 732.388.0057
1000 Galloping Hill Rd., Union ,NJ 908.349.9622
THE GATEWAY FAMILY YMCA www.tgfymca.org
Jersey Family Fun’s 5th Birthday Party We will host a birthday party to celebrate our 5th Birthday on Friday, October 2, from 4 pm to 9 pm at Sahl’s Family Farm at 420 West Pestalozzi Street in Galloway. We love any opportunity we can have to host a fun event for our readers and what better reason is there than to celebrate a birthday? This October, Jersey Family Fun turns 5 years old. We are blown away and incredibly thankful for the support of so many over the past 5 years that has allowed us to grow and be successful in helping families find fun things to do together. Thank you! Now, you know we cover all of New Jersey and we know getting down to South Jersey might not be doable for some of you. We are looking for locations so that this fall and winter we can host birthday celebrations in both Central and Northern New Jersey. Come to one… come to them all… we want you to join in on this family fun. We have a night full of all kinds of fun activities and prizes. Registration is not required BUT we do have an incentive for you to register to attend. Ticket prices will be $5 per ticket if bought by September 30. After that you can buy tickets at the door for $7 each. Ages 3 and older need a ticket. Normal ticket prices for Sahl’s Father Son Farm are $9 each…. so for our celebration you get to experience the farm for less than a typical day AND you get even more family fun with your ticket. The Farm has many fantastic family activities that will be open during the party. See page 46 for a list. ADDITIONAL BIRTHDAY PARTY ACTIVITIES • Prizes, prizes, prizes! Family games from Wonder Forge A family 4 pack of tickets to the Academy of Natural Sciences • AMAZING magic shows performed by world renowned magician and creator of the school assembly program Reading Rocks, Joe Holiday, 5 pm and 6:15 pm • Outdoor movies on the big screen like It’s the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown and more • Brach’s Candy Corn counting contest. • Giveaways for everyone from Brach’s Candy, Tuckerton Seaport, & more. If you have a business that wants to be involved, reach out to us with an email. We’d love to have your business partner with us and benefit from the inperson and online exposure we can offer. Want to attend? Please visit this link to purchase your discount tickets in advance. We can’t wait to see you Friday, October 2 from 4 pm to 9 pm at Sahl’s Father Son Farm in Galloway!
Museum Day Live! Museum Day Live is an annual event hosted by the Smithsonian Magazine. This year it’s Saturday, September 26, 2015. Select museums around the country offer free admission to guests holding a Free Museum Day ticket. With so many museums participating there is something for all families to enjoy.
How do I get Museum Day tickets? Visit the Smithsonian Magazine Website. Fill out the form to get your free tickets (only one ticket per household for 2 people). Tickets will be emailed to you. Print the tickets out and bring them to the museum you selected. The ticket is for general admission only, if there is a charge for parking or special exhibits you will need to pay additional for those. If the museum
•
The Print Center
reaches capacity, you will not be able to enter
•
Woodford Mansion
until space becomes available. Below are the
•
Wyck Historic House and Garden
participating museums.
NEW YORK CITY MUSEUMS NEW JERSEY MUSEUMS
•
Society of Illustrators
•
Historical Society of Princeton – Princeton
•
The Morgan Library & Museum
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Monmouth County Historical Association –
•
The Morris-Jumel Mansion
Freehold
•
Museum of American Finance
The Noyes Museum of Art of Stockton College
•
Historic Richmond Town
– Oceanville (Galloway)
•
Mount Vernon Hotel Museum & Garden
New Jersey State Museum & Planetarium –
•
Museum of American Illustration & Museum
• •
Trenton
of Comic and Cartoon Art
•
Old Barracks Museum -Trenton
•
Van Cortlandt House Museum
•
The Stickley Museum at Craftsman Farms –
•
Jewish Museum
Morris Plains
•
US Lighthouse Tender LILAC
•
Tuckerton Seaport – Tuckerton
•
New York City Fire Museum
•
US Golf Museum – Far Hills
•
Museum of Chinese in America
•
Yogi Berra Museum & Learning Center –
•
Fraunces Tavern Museum
Little Falls
•
Asia Society and Museum
•
Children’s Museum of Manhattan
PHILADELPHIA MUSEUMS
•
The Skyscraper Museum
•
Abington Art Center
•
The Rubin Museum of Art
•
The African American Museum
•
Athenauem of Philadelphia
What a great opportunity to take your family out
•
Glencairn Museum
for the day, save a few dollars and have fun while
•
Historic St. George’s
learning.
•
Philadelphia History Museum at the Atwater Kent
Where will you go?
By Lauran Jones As much as I love frolicking on the beach during the hot summer days, there is nothing quite like fall down the shore. The heavy crowds and warm temperatures are replaced with cooler air and small groups of families. The familiar smell of dough being fried and the sounds of playful seagulls still linger. My family and I love to grab a big comfy blanket, a few slices of Jenkinson’s delicious pizza pie, a kite and head down to the beach to picnic before heading up to the boardwalk. The JENKINSON’S BOARDWALK, lights up the crisp fall sky reminding us that family fun at the shore doesn’t have to end at Labor Day. PERKY’S PUMPKIN DERBY – Oct. 24, 2015 Utilize a pumpkin of your custom design, add The fun is not done. some wheels and race to the finish! Pre-register via email at information@ • Fireworks at dusk September 19, 2015. jenkinsons.com • JENKINSON’S rides and game booths are open weekends until October 12th. JENKINSON AQUARIUM’S • The South Arcade is open year-round. • JENKINSON’S Aquarium is open year-round. HALLOWEEN FESTIVITIES Learn about penguins, seals, sharks and other underwater creatures- you can even watch the UNDERWATER PUMPKIN CARVING– October 17,18, 24, & 25, 2015 animals get fed! Come see how scuba divers carve pumpkins at Meet some creepy crawly friends of the aquarium JENKINSON BOARDWALK’S Colorful holiday displays adorn the animal HALLOWEEN FESTIVITIES exhibits BOO ON THE BOARDS October 17 &18, 24 & 25, 2015 • Trick or Treating • Beach Maze • Pumpkin Patches • Face painting
JENKINSON’S BOARDWALK is where memories are built and cherished. These good times do not have to end once the calendar hits September. Whether it’s trying your hand at skee ball, dressing up in your silliest costume, or competing in the Pumpkin derby JENKINSON’S has something special to make your fall one to remember!
“Helping Hands for America’s Lands” Written by Melanie Cortese National Public Lands Day (NPLD) is the nation’s largest, single-day volunteer effort for public lands. In 2015, the 22nd Anniversary of National Public Lands Day will be held on Saturday, Sept. 26. Helping beautify our public spaces is a great way to get out and move with your family! Find a new outdoor space to explore, help the environment, and instill a sense of civic responsibility in your children.
home site of Princeton Nurseries. . Enjoy fresh air, a free workout, and plenty of camaraderie! Participants are invited to bring their favorite tools to the event–loppers, saws, rakes and shovels. Please wear sturdy shoes, gloves, and clothing. Event is rain or shine. • Woodbridge, Middlesex County: Ernie Oros Wildlife Preserve. Woodbridge businesses, residents and schools participate in cleaning up and beautifying parks, school grounds, playgrounds and public lands. After volunteering, enjoy the festivities with free food, live music and participate in a walking tour or kayaking.
Check the National Public Lands Day website for an event near you: There are 6 events throughout New Jersey participating in National Public Lands Day. Events include clearing invasive shrubs, weeding, or planting to beautify our public spaces. • Newark, Essex County: Branch Brook Park. Come out to Essex County Branch Brook Park to participate in soil preparation and planting! • Cherry Hill, Camden County. Erosion Control, Trail improvements, invasive species removal, trash pick up, (sort for recyclables, and disposal) • South Brunswick, Middlesex County: Davidson’s Mill Pond Park. Following a brief workshop on identifying invasive species, volunteers will head out in the field to assist in removing non-native plants. • Oceanville, Atlantic County: Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge. Celebrate National Public Lands Day with a sing-along around the campfire. Go for a nature hike with the volunteer master naturalists and help clean up the trails along the way. Come early and bring a picnic dinner. • Kingston, Mercer County: Mapleton Preserve. Help remove brush, vines, and invasive saplings and shrubs, or collect litter with the trash crew in the Mapleton Preserve, former
Can’t attend a clean up event? In conjunction with National Public Lands Day The Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management have all declared National Public Lands Day on September 26, 2015 as a fee-free day. The Army Corps of Engineers has waived day-use fees at their parks. In New Jersey this includes Thomas Edison National Historical Park and Morristown National Historical Park. Check ahead at other parks to be sure they’re participating!
Four Centuries in a Weekend? It’s possible in Union County! Get ready for Union County’s annual Four Centuries in a Weekend on October 17, 10 am - 5 pm; October 18, 12 - 5 pm. Admission is free at all locations and no registration is required. 27 locations throughout the county! BERKELEY HEIGHTS Deserted Village of Feltville – Glenside Park Littell Lord Farmstead CLARK Dr. William Robinson Plantation-Museum CRANFORD Crane-Phillips House Museum ELIZABETH Boxwood Hall State Historic Site First Presbyterian Church of Elizabeth FANWOOD Historic Fanwood Train Station Museum HILLSIDE Evergreen Cemetery Woodruff House/Eaton Store Museum KENILWORTH Oswald J. Nitschke House MOUNTAINSIDE Deacon Andrew Hetfield House NEW PROVIDENCE Salt Box Museum
ABOUT FOUR CENTURIES IN A WEEKEND
PLAINFIELD Drake House Museum RAHWAY Merchants and Drovers Tavern Union County Performing Arts Center ROSELLE Abraham Clark Memorial House ROSELLE PARK Roselle Park Museum SCOTCH PLAINS Ash Brook Reservation Osborn Cannonball House SPRINGFIELD Cannon Ball House SUMMIT Carter House Reeves-Reed Arboretum Summit Playhouse Twin Maples UNION Caldwell Parsonage Liberty Hall Museum 3 WESTFIELD Miller-Cory House Museum Reeve History & Cultural Resource Center
Union County may have been the last county to form in New Jersey, but did you know Elizabeth was established in 1664? It was the first English settlement in the state, and that’s four centuries of history in Union County. Visit farmhouses, mansions, art centers and even a train station. Each location offers unique opportunities, and some past highlights include an apple festival, guided tours, battle reenactments, live music and demonstrations of cooking unique to the location’s era.
Great Halloween Events Written by Jillian Fletcher Halloween is a favorite holiday for many children. Whether it’s the dressing up in fun costumes, Halloween parties, or trick or treating; there’s something for everyone to love about Halloween. Another great thing about Halloween is all of the family friendly events that are held during October. There are so many to choose from, many are listed in these pages, but we have 4 more we think are great Halloween events for kids that are worth checking out this year.
GREAT HALLOWEEN EVENTS FOR KIDS Turtle back Zoo’s Safe Howl-o-ween The Turtle Back Zoo’s annual Halloween event will be held on Saturday, October 31st from 4:00 - 9:00 PM. Visitors are encouraged to come dressed in costume and bring their own candy bag. In addition to visiting your favorite zoo animals, attendees will be treated to Halloween themed entertainment and candy giveaways. This is a unique alternative to traditional trick or treating. Cost: $3 for zoo members and $5 for non-members. Garden State Discovery Museum’s Halloween Hootenanny Turn Halloween into a weekend celebration by attending Garden State Discovery Museum’s Halloween Hootenanny on Friday October 30th from 6:30 - 8:30 PM. Children can come explore the museum in their Halloween costume. There are Halloween themed exhibits to visit inside. Make Halloween crafts and join in the dance party indoors. Outside, kids can trick or treat from the trunks of cars in the parking lot. Cost: $10 for member children $15 for non-member children, $5 for adults. Camden Children’s Garden’s Goblins in the Garden The Camden Children’s Garden will fill with goblins and other Halloween characters on Saturday, October 24th and Sunday, October 25th from 1:00 - 4:00 PM. Children can come in costume and take a haunted train ride. Meet costumed characters throughout the garden and trick or treat during the costume parade. The parade starts at 2:00 PM each day at the Main Plaza. Cost: $6 per person
Mount Olive Township’s Monster Mash 3K Mount Olive will be hosting their 2nd annual Monster Mash 3K on Saturday October 24th from 6:00 - 9:00 PM. The event starts with a 3K run/walk in costume. Kids/strollers/wagons are encouraged for this non-competitive race. At the end of the race will be a Halloween bonfire. There will be Halloween music and trick or treating at the sponsor booths. Everyone is encouraged to come dressed in costume, but since this is a family friendly event costumes should not be too spooky, gruesome, or inappropriate. Cost: $10 adults and children over 5 (must pre-register by October 22nd). Children under 5 are free. These events are just a few of the many Halloween events held across New Jersey during October. To see what else is available check out our Halloween event listing.
Dig into Fall Fun at Diggerland’s Diggerfest written by Melanie Cortese
Not ready to say goodbye to the fun at Diggerland USA? Still want to drive a backhoe or dig some dirt before winter comes? YOU CAN, because Diggerland USA is a great place to spend a fall day! If you haven’t been in a while, you have been missing out on the new ride, The WorkMax! A compact, 4×4 Utility Terrain Vehicle with a 784 cc three-cylinder diesel engine, the WorkMax is designed for the many terrains and jobs in the construction, farm and military industries. At Diggerland, children and parents alike drive the black-and-yellow two-seaters along a designated course. The other 23 fun attractions and rides at Diggerland will keep you busy enough, but don’t miss out on the fall fun planned! Starting Saturday, October 3, on weekends, your full-day admission ticket gets you access to all of the rides and attractions and also includes these additional features: • The DiggerFest Hay Maze • Diggerland’s Hay Ride • Pumpkin Launching! (purchase of pumpkins to launch is additional) • A special Stunt Show for DiggerFest • Themed Costume Contests (for children in costume) On October 30th from 5 PM – 10 PM join Diggerland for Hallow-Dig! Put on your costumes and head to Diggerland this Halloween Eve – they’re lighting up the park so you can dig in the dark and enjoy a special bonfire!
Show team Saturday, October 31st.
As a special treat on the last day of Diggerfest, the JCB Dancing Diggers are BACK! Don’t miss a one-of-a-kind Halloween performance from the World Famous Dancing Diggers as they perform with our Stunt
Diggerland USA is also open November 3, 5, and 6 while schools are closed, and is open weekends through the end of November. There’s plenty of time to experience Diggerland USA for the first time, or revisit your favorite construction vehicles and rides.
Spookactular Fun during Haunted Seaport nights at the Tuckerton Seaport Written by Nancy Palutis, photo credit Tuckerton Seaport It can sometimes be difficult to find Halloween activities for little ones that aren’t too scary. We know that families with younger kids like a little bit of spooky stuff but nothing that will bring on nightmares. Tuckerton Seaport’s Haunted Seaport event is family friendly and includes a non-scary Pumpkin Patch for the kids, hosted by yours truly, Jersey Family Fun! The Pumpkin Patch at the Haunted Seaport opens at 3pm with non-scary activities for younger kids: • Make your own trick-or-treat bag • Color a pumpkin • Enjoy a mini-hayride Find your way through a hay bale maze, • Do the Monster Mash at the Halloween Dance Party • Be amazed by the magic of Joe Holiday • Play games with treats! • Join in a game of black light, glow in the dark, mini-golf! Will you make it through the spider’s wicked web? Will you win a prize like a Wonder Forge game from Jersey Family Fun? Will you be able to guess how many Brach’s candy corn pieces are in our deliciously sweet candy jar? Join Jersey Family Fun for a night filled with tricks and treats at the Haunted Seaport! Have older (and braver) kids? No sweat! You can stroll the Seaport’s boardwalk for a night of screams. Try to find your way out of the phragmites maze and climb aboard a hayride for a ghostly howling good time through the Haunted Woods. Meet and greet with the Jersey Devil while dancing to music sure to bring even zombies back life. The Haunted Seaport at the Tuckerton Seaport takes place Thursday, October 22nd - Saturday, October 24th from 6pm-9pm. The Pumpkin Patch opens at 3pm during the Haunted Seaport. General Admission is $8 for all ages. Hayrides of the Haunted Woods are $5 with paid admission and free for Seaport Members. Tuckerton Seaport is located at 120 West Main Street in historic Tuckerton. For more information, please call 609-296-8868 or visit www.tuckertonseaport.org.
Get ready for some unprecedented Halloween fun at iPlay America! Written by Melanie Cortese October 2 through November 1, you won’t want to miss the iPlay America Halloween celebration! Filled with 55 live performances, a trick-or-treat trail, spooktacular décor, costumed characters and many free Halloween themed activities – it’s like nothing you’ve ever seen before. Even better, it’s fun for all ages! Don’t stress about the little ones who can’t take much of a scare, there’s rides and prizes and kids meals to keep them in the Halloween spirit too! EVERY DAY FROM OCTOBER 2 – NOVEMBER 1 • Snap photos at special cutout stations at iPlay. Those who upload their photos to Instagram and Facebook and tag @iPlayAmerica and use #iPlayHalloween will be entered to win ride passes and game cards. • Participate in the “Where’s Danny” contest. Guests may pick up a “Where’s Danny” tally sheet at the Welcome Center and search for hidden pictures of Danny iPlay’s face dressed like a pirate. Once finished, participants fill out the entry form and enter to win in the weekly prize drawing! • Head to Game Time Bar & Grill for a special Halloween-themed kids menu with appetizers, entrées and desserts and special Halloween-themed cocktails for adults. On Fridays, kids meals are half price from 6-8 p.m. Families may enjoy dinner and stay for the evening activities. FRIDAYS, OCTOBER 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 Every Friday night, iPlay America hosts Full Moon After Dark starting at 7 p.m., complete with a dance party for all ages! A cast of your favorite Halloween characters will get the party started with familiar songs like “Thriller,” “Time Warp,” Weird Science,” “Werewolves of London,” and more! Guests will be encouraged to sing-along and will have the chance to win prizes. WEEKENDS, OCTOBER 3-4, 10-11, 17-18, 24-25, 31-NOVEMBER 1 • The Jack-O-Lantern Jamboree Show. Every half hour, iPlay America’s Jack-O-Lanterns will sing favorite Halloween songs on the jumbo screen above the Welcome Center. • The haunting sounds of the Phantom of iPA’s organ! The Phantom will perform in the alcove near the mini-bowling alley at 1:30 p.m., 4:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. • “Everybody Scream!” This family friendly live stage show features the residents of Halloweentown who aren’t scary, they’re just different. Show times are 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. Tickets are required for this show and may be obtained in two ways: visit Game Time Bar & Grill and receive a free ticket to a show that day for each entrée or kids meal purchased or purchase a show ticket at the Welcome Center for $10. • iplay ikidz OCT. 4, 11, 18, 25, 30-31 From noon-4 p.m. every Sunday and on Friday, Oct. 30, and on Halloween, guests can follow a trickor-treat trail all around the park with a complimentary trick-or-treat bag. The bag includes a trail map to guide guests around the park. After trick or treating, participants may fill out the entry form on the map and enter to win an iPlay America birthday party! iPlay America Kids Clubs members get a free trick-or-treat bag! Have you been to iPlay America yet? If not, what are you waiting for? Read about our iPlay America experiences! iPlay America is the place to Get Inside the Fun!
13 Reasons to Take Your Kids to Six Flags Great Adventure Fright Fest While Great Adventure does have scary coasters to thrill the biggest of kids it also offers plenty of thrills for the younger crowd. The Six Flags Great Adventure Fright Fest is another example of how Six Flags Great Adventure has something to offer everyone. SIX FLAGS GREAT ADVENTURE FRIGHT FEST Thrills by Day ~ From 11 am to 6 pm, kids of all ages can enjoy a trick-or-treat trail, magic shows, street parties, themed shows and decorations. Fright by Night ~ From 6 pm to 11 pm, the scary stuff comes out. Guests can get their fright on with crop circles alien-infested corn maze/terror trails, return of Coney Island icon Todd Robinson, Ghoulmaster’s Ghosts, Dead Man’s Party, The Manor, Voodoo Island, Asylum, Wasteland and more. 13 REASONS TO TAKE YOUR KIDS TO SIX FLAGS GREAT ADVENTURE FRIGHT FEST • The Halloween decorations on each ride are anything from silly spooky to slightly scary. Check out how each ride got its Halloween look. • Fright Free Zones are available. All children’s areas, the Plaza del Carnaval, and the Lakefront between Fort Independence and Safari Kids are free from scary props or characters. • Great Adventure provides a great map with a chart detailing all the Six Flags Great Adventure Fright Fest activities and rating them on a scale of scariness. • One of our favorite activities was the Six Flags Spooktacular Street Party where friendly monsters danced to popular songs we all can recognize. Guests can get in on the dancing. • Trick-or-Treat Trail ~ Along this trail, you can trick or treat and have your picture taken with your favorite Loony Tunes characters dressed up for Halloween. My kids enjoyed the decorations along the trail and then checking out their loot when they were done. • The Bloody Fountain was a treat to see. The water is changed to red and it’s surrounded by skeletons in various poses. Warning after 6 pm, when things gets scary, the skeletons move. • Spooky, Kooky, Magic Show ~ The magic show was a hit with the kids. During the 30 minute show, there were several opportunities to get kids involved in the show as helpers for magic tricks. • Family friendly shows ~ Between the rides, trick or treating, and trail we didn’t enjoy all the shows the Six Flags Great Adventure Fright Fest had to offer. Check the schedule when you arrive. Some shows are only offered a few times during the day. • The Safari Off Road Adventure is also open for fall fun, but lines might close early based on demand. If the animals are on your must see list, see them first. • All the great photo props. Whether you are looking for a traditional fall pictures with hay and pumpkins or something a bit creepier like posing with a coffin, Six Flags Great Adventure has just the photo props you need for that perfect fall picture.
MAKE IT A FUN HALLOWEEN! Click over and save these links for the best Halloween fun!
On the Jersey Family Fun blog to help you make the most of fall holidays
JERSEY FAMILY FUN ADVERTISERS offer fantastic fall fun!
Click over to their event schedules.
Kids Bowl Free with the
Kids Bowl Free Program Kids Bowl Free provides bowling games to children nationwide age 15 and under at participating centers. It’s a great way to start a busy day of fun or to wind down after a long day of running. The free bowling is also a great perk on a rainy day. It gave the kids a reason to get some exercise and get out of the house for a bit. Many programs started this month.
How The Kids Bowl Free Program Works: •Complete the FREE registration form on KidsBowlFree.Com for the bowling alley you want to attend. (Please note you can go to more than one participating alley but you will need to register for each one separately using a different email address as per the KidsBowlFree.Com website). •Kids get to bowl up to 2 free games per day, all summer long. Some of the alleys are actually starting their free game passes this month. You can find out start and end dates on each location’s registration page or the Jersey Family Fun website. •The Kids Bowl Free playing times are available 7 days a week. Check the registration page for the times your alley allows. •Kids must be 15 years old or younger. •Shoe rentals are not included, but some of the bowling alleys do offer a shoe rental pass for purchase. You would have to check with your bowling alley for fees. •Some alleys offer a discount on food, check with each individual alley. •You’ll receive an email every Sunday containing a link to the coupons for that week. Just print them out and bring them with you. •There’s also a Family Pass that allows up to 4 adults to bowl all summer. The pass costs $24.95 and can be added on to your account at any time. An adult is considered anyone 16 and up.
Find participating bowling alleys at these sites:
• Jersey Family Fun • Kids Bowl Free
Kids Skate Free Did you know there are roller skating rinks around the country that offer FREE roller skating for kids? Kids Skate Free has a nationwide listing of where kids can skate for free. We’re sharing the listing of New Jersey locations.
New Jersey locations where Kids Can Roller Skate for Free in New Jersey
To view more details or register for a center please click on their name. You will then be brought to their page where you will be able to sign up and start skating for free. About once a week you will get an email with information to download your free passes. You can register up to 4 children under the age of 12. Roller Skating Rinks in Mays Landing, Atlantic County, New Jersey Young’s Skating Center, 763 Park Rd., 609-625-1191 Roller Skating Rinks in Mt. Laurel, Burlington County, New Jersey International Sports, Skating, and Fun Centre of Mt. Laurel, 1 Hovtech Blvd, 856-273-2828 Roller Skating Rinks in Cherry Hill, Camden County, New Jersey International Sports, Skating, & Fun Centre, Cherry Hill, 600 Kresson Road, 856-428-8588 Roller Skating Rinks in Deptford, Gloucester County, New Jersey Deptford Skating & Fun Center, 510 Deptford Ave, 856 845 7353 Don't see your local skating center? Try to recruit them to be part of the program. Click here to print out a letter from Kids Skate Free for your local skating center.
Lowe’s Build & Grow Clinics Lowe's Build and Grow Kids Clinics are the perfect Saturday morning activity for kids ages 4 and up.
Here is what you need to know about Lowe's Build and Grow Kids Clinics: • Available two Saturdays a month from 10:00 am - 12:00 pm (some exceptions may apply) • Registration is highly recommended. • Waivers must be signed for each child participating. • The Lowe's Build and Grow Kids Clinics are FREE! • Great for children ages 4 and up. • At every Lowe's Build and Grow Kids Clinics each child gets a free building kit, goggles, apron and patch. • Each Lowe's Build and Grow Kids kit comes with easy to follow directions. • Friendly Lowe's employees are on hand to help parents and children. • If you don't have time to the Lowe's Build and Grow Kids project that day, you can pick up a kit to take home (They make great projects for a snow day or school vacation.)
Why we LOVE Lowe's Build and Grow Kids Clinics:
• These Lowe's Build and Grow Kids Clinics are a great option for play dates and family days. Kids have such a fun time working together and showing each other their finished projects. • Each clinic has a theme that is usually associated with an upcoming movie or event. • Lowe's Build and Grow Kids Clinic participation helps children develop valuable skills. Building these amazing kits helps children enhance fine motor control and strength, increase eye-hand coordination and improve listening skills as they learn to follow directions. Social skills are also enhanced as children work together with friends and parents to make the projects. We have made so many fun and interactive projects last year at the Lowe's Build and Grow Kids Clinics. We are really looking forward to all the great projects Lowe's Build and Grow Kids Clinics will offer this upcoming year. Registration usually opens the Monday after the last workshop, and it is highly recommended as the clinics fill up very quickly.
Upcoming Clinics
• September 26 • More are being scheduled throughout the fall. To find the latest Lowe's Build & Grow Clinics visit our Calendar of New Jersey Events or the Lowe's Build & Grow Clinics Schedule.
Home Depot Kids Workshops From race cars to boats to desktop calendars, Home Depot Kids Workshops offers a different workshop the first Saturday of the month intended for children ages 5-12. You can drop in between 9 am - 12 pm and have your kids create that month’s project. While Home Depot requests the Kids Workshop attendees register online, they can accept walk ins.
Here is some information about the Home Depot Kids Workshops and why we enjoy them. • Free and fun Home Depot Kids Workshops are for children ages 5-12. • Home Depot Kids Workshops are offered the first Saturday of the month at your local Home Depot store between 9 am – 12 pm. • All children keep their craft, receive a certificate of achievement, a workshop apron (for new attendees), and a commemorative pin. • Home Depot staff are there to assist with the projects. • This is first come, first serve. The apron and workshop kit is given to those who arrive earlier so there may not be sufficient supplies towards the end of the workshop. • Children need to be present at the store to participate in the Home Depot Kids Workshops. • At some stores, paint is offered for each project so it might be best to dress the kids for mess. • Registration for the Home Depot Kids Workshops is available online and is requested to ensure that there is sufficient supplies for all the attendees. • Finished projects can make great gifts for grandparents, godparents, or other relatives. • Summer workshops may be held outside. Make sure to register for Home Depot Kids Workshops on Home Depot’s website.
Home Depot Kids Workshops Upcoming Schedule • October 3, 2015 • November 7, 2015 • December 5, 2015
Click over to read more about Jersey Family Fun’s experiences at the Home Depot Kids Workshops.
Lakeshore Learning Store
Free Make & Takes for Kids Every Saturday from 11 am to 3 pm Lakeshore Learning Store hosts a free craft and registration is not required. The crafts are for children 3 and older. The crafts are based on themes like current events or the season.
NJ Lakeshore Learning locations
Upcoming Make and Take Events
Cherry Hill Marketplace at Garden State Park 2020 Marlton Pike West Cherry Hill, NJ 08002 856-910-0888
• • • • • •
East Brunswick 275 State Route 18 East Brunswick, NJ 08816 732-967-8585 The East Brunswick Lakeshore also offers FREE crafts on Sundays from 11 am to 3 pm.
September 26 – Welcome Autumn Crown October 3 – Firefighter’s Hat October 10 – Not So Scary Scarecrow October 17 – Have a Hoot Owl October 24 – Spooktacular Puppet October 31 – Spooky Spiderweb
Lakeshore also offers: • A giant smart board where your children can play interactive multi-player educational games. • They also have tons of toys around the store that are open that your kids can test out before they buy them.
Hackensack 449 Essex St. Hackensack, NJ 07601 201-441-9214
It’s time for fall fun at New Jersey’s corn mazes! Who doesn’t love a fun scavenger hunt around a corn maze. There is nothing like on a crisp fall day piling the family into the car and exploring a local farm’s corn maze. We love to see who can complete it first and taking family photos while we are “lost” in the maze. We have compiled a list of corn mazes broken down by county. Check our site often as this will be a list that is updated frequently. ATLANTIC COUNTY CORN MAZES • Butterhoff’s Shady Brook Farm, 5800 White Horse Pike, Egg Harbor City ~ Open weekends ~ September 17th - November 1st ~ Admission rates not available. • Sahl’s Father Son Farm, 420 W Pestalozzi St, Galloway ~ Open daily September 19th - November 7th ~ $9 ages 3 & Older We are proud to say Sahl’s Father Son Farm is a 3 year advertiser & supporter of Jersey Family Fun. Admission Rates: Adults & children ages 3 & up: $9.00 *Your admission includes: all mazes and maze games, Kiddie Koral playground, pig races (when running), rubber duck races (bring your own rubber duck or purchase one of ours for a $1), and as many hayrides as your heart desires. Not included within your admission are pony rides, pumpkins, corn cobs for the corn cannon, and concession stand items. BERGEN COUNTY CORN MAZES • Demarest Farms, 244 Werimus Rd, Hillsdale ~ Open weekends September 19th - November 1st ~ $5 includes hayride, corn maze and visit with the animals • Secor Farms, 85 Airmont Ave, Mahwah ~ Open weekends mid September - October 31st ~ Admission rates not available. BURLINGTON COUNTY CORN MAZES • Indian Acres Tree Farm, 111 Tuckerton Rd, Medford ~ Open weekends September 12th - October 31st ~ Fees vary *Haybale Maze* • Johnson’s Farm, 133 Church rd, Medford ~ Open weekends September 12th - November 1st ~ $4 per person • Johnson’s Locust Hall Farm, 2691 Monmouth Rd, Jobstown ~ No official opening date as of 8/31/2015 ~ $3.75 per person
CAMDEN COUNTY CORN MAZES • Springdale Farms, 1638 Springdale Rd, Cherry Hill ~ No official opening date as of 8/31/2015 ~ Admission rates not available. GLOUCESTER COUNTY CORN MAZES • Maugeri Farms, 1991 Old Mans Creek Rd, Woolwich ~ Open weekends October 3rd - 31st ~ $3 includes maze, treasure hunt and pumpkin decorating station *Haybale Maze* HUNTERDON COUNTY CORN MAZES • Schaefer Farms, 1051 rt 523, Flemington ~ Open weekends October 3rd - 31st ~ Admission rates not available. • Grochowicz Farm, 2401 Rt 31, Glen Gardner ~ Open weekends beginning October 3rd - 31st ~ $10 includes Animals, 4 maze, ball pit, corn pit and more MERCER COUNTY CORN MAZES • Corner Copia Farm, 299 Princeton Hightstown Rd, East Windsor ~ Open weekends September 27th - November 1st ~ $9.99 • K & S Farms, 831 Windsor Perrineville Rd, East Windsor ~ Open weekends October 4th November 1st ~ Admission rates not available. • Howell Living History Farm, 70 Woodens Ln, Lambertville ~ Open weekends beginning September 12th ~ Admission rates not available. • Terhune Orchards, 330 Cold Soil Rd, Princeton ~ Open weekends September 19th - October 31st ~ $5 includes, Maze, barnyard and other fall activities MIDDLESEX COUNTY CORN MAZES • Etsch Farms, 556 Buckalew Ave, Monroe ~ Open weekends mid September - October 31st ~ Admission rates not available. • Von Thuns Country Farm Market, 519 Ridge Rd, Monmouth Jct ~ Open daily September 19th - November 1st ~$8 Weekdays, $11.95 Weekends includes most farm activities, Flashlight Maze October 23, 24, 30, 31 $8.95 per person MONMOUTH COUNTY CORN MAZES • Westhaven Farm, 725 rt 524, Allentown ~ Open Friday and Saturday Nights October 2nd October 31st ~ Admission rates not available.
MORRIS COUNTY CORN MAZES • Alstede Farms, 1 Alsted Farms Lane, Chester ~ Open daily September 3rd - November 1st ~ $5 Monday - Friday, $6.99 Weekends • Stony Hill Maze Fun Park, 15 North Road, Chester ~ Open daily September 5 - November 15th - $12.99 each includes 4 mazes, Playground and farm activities • Ort Farms, 25 Bartley Rd, Long Valley ~ Open daily September 3rd - November 1st ~ $6 Monday - Friday, $5 Weekends • Middle Valley Farms, 304 Pleasant Valley Rd, Mendham ~ Open weekends September 27th October 31 ~ Admission rates not available. OCEAN COUNTY CORN MAZES • Argos Farm, 1250 Lacey Rd, Forked River ~ Open Wednesday - Sunday beginning October 1st, Open Weekends September 19th - October 31st ~ $6.95 Wed - Friday, $7.95 Weekends • Emerys Berry Patch, 346 Long Swamp Rd, New Egypt ~ Open weekends October 1st - October 31st ~ Admission rates not available. SOMERSET COUNTY CORN MAZES • Hillsborough Country Farm Market, 219 Hillsborough Rd, Hillsborough ~ Open weekends late September - October 31st ~ Admission rates not available. • Norz Hill Farm, 116 South Branch Rd, Hillsborough ~ Open weekends September 12th - October 31st ~ $7 ages 6 & Older, $4 ages 5 & Under *See our review of this farm by clicking here* SUSSEX COUNTY CORN MAZES • Tranquility Farms, 10 Tranquility Farms Ln, Andover ~ Open weekends September 3rd October 26th ~ $3 • Heaven Hill Farm, 451 Rt 94, Vernon ~ Open Wednesday - Sunday September 19th - November 1st ~ $8 Wed - Friday, $10 weekend WARREN COUNTY CORN MAZES • Donaldson Farms, 358 Allen Rd, Hackettstown ~ Opens mid September - October 31st ~ Admission rates not available.
New Jersey Farms
Growing good times and good food ATLANTIC COUNTY FARMS • Butterhof’s Shady Brook Farm, Egg Harbor City 609-965-1285 • R and J Farm, Egg Harbor City 609-593-6180 • Joseph Sahl and Son, Egg Harbor City 609965-9300 BERGEN COUNTY FARMS • DePiero’s Country Farm, Montvale 201-3914576 • Abma’s Farm, Wyckoff 201-891-0278 • Demarest Farms, Hillsdale 201-666-0472, Pick Your Own: Apples (September), Pumpkins (September 20th) • Secor Farms, Mahwah 201-529-2595, Pick Your Own: pumpkins (September) BURLINGTON COUNTY FARMS • Johnson’s Farm, Medford 609-654-5894, Pick Your Own: Apples and pumpkins (September – October), Popcorn, sweet potatoes, broccoli and cauliflower (November) • Indian Acres Tree Farm, Medford 609953-0087, Pick Your Own: Pumpkins (September – October) • Stellwags Hidden Acres Farm, Delran 856-764-7800, Pick Your Own: Pumpkins (September – October) • Haines Berry Farm, Pemberton 609-894-8630, Pick Your Own: Cranberries (October 19th – November 28th) • Reeves Berries, New Lisbon 609726-1794 CAMDEN COUNTY FARMS • Springdale Farms, Cherry Hill 856-424-8674 CAPE MAY COUNTY FARMS • Allen Family Farm, Belleplain 609-861-3778, Pick Your Own: Blueberries (June – September), tomatoes and corn (July – September), peaches (August –
October), pumpkins (October) CUMBERLAND COUNTY FARMS • Sparacio Farms, Bridgeton 856-451-4142 ESSEX COUNTY FARMS • Fairfield Farms, Fairfield 973-227-1011 GLOUCESTER COUNTY FARMS • Hill Creek Farms, Mullica Hill 856-2230028, Pick Your Own: Apples (September – October) • Duffield’s Farm Market, Sewell 856-5897090, Pick Your Own: apples and pumpkins (September – October) • Heritage Station Farm, Mullica Hill 856-5894474, Pick Your Own: apples and pears (late August – October) • Maugeri Farms, Swedesboro 856-467-3696, Pick Your Own: Pumpkins (October) • Mood’s Farm Market, Mullica Hill 856-4782500, Pick Your Own: apples and pumpkins (September – October) • Creamy Acres Farm, Mullica Hill 856-2231669, Pick Your Own: Pumpkins (October)
HUNTERDON COUNTY FARMS • Peaceful Valley Orchards, Pittstown 908-7307748 • Grochowicz Farms, Glen Gardner 908-5376130, Pick Your Own: Pumpkins (October) • Melick’s Town Farm, Califon 908-832-2905, Pick Your Own: Peaches (July – September), apples (July – September), pumpkins (October) • Schaefer Farms, Flemington 908-782-2705, Pick Your Own: pumpkins (October) • Phillips Farms, Milford 908-995-0022, Pick Your Own: peaches (July – September), raspberries (August – September), apples (September – October) MERCER COUNTY FARMS • Terhune Orchards, Princeton 609-924-2310, Pick Your Own: pumpkins (September – October), apples (September – October) • Field of Terror, East Windsor 609-758-7817, Pick Your Own: Pumpkins (October) • Windsor Farm and Market, Princeton Jct 609-443-9379, Pick Your Own: Pumpkins (October) • Howell Living History Farm, Lambertville 609-737-3299 MIDDLESEX COUNTY FARMS • Von Thun Farms, Monmouth Junction 732-329-8656, Pick Your Own: apples and pumpkins (September – October) • Giamarese Farm, East Brunswick 732-8219494, Pick Your Own: apples and pumpkins (September – October), greens (October – December) • Stults Farm, Cranbury Township 609799-2523, Pick Your Own: raspberries, blackberries, green beans, tomatoes (all July – September), tomatoes (August – September), apples (August – October), pumpkins (October) MONMOUTH COUNTY FARMS • Battleview Orchards, Freehold 732-462-0756, • Pick Your Own: apples (August – October), pumpkins (September – October) • Wemrock Orchard, Freehold 732-431-2668, Pick Your Own: pumpkins (October) • Eastmont Orchards, Colts Neck 732-542-
7764, Pick Your Own: apples (September – October), pumpkins (October) MORRIS COUNTY FARMS • Alstede Farms, Chester 908-879-7189, Pick Your Own: corn (July – October), peaches, cantaloupe, nectarines, honeydew, canary melon (all July – September), Asian pears (August – October), blackberries (August – September), elderberries and raspberries (August – October), apples (August – October), pumpkins and potatoes (September – November) • Riamede Farm, Chester 908-879-5353, Pick Your Own: Apples (September – October), pumpkins (October) • Stony Hill Gardens, Chester 908-8792696, Pick Your Own: apples (September – October), pumpkins (October) • Bader Farm, Pine Brook 973-227-0294, Pick Your Own: Pumpkins (October) • Middle Valley Farms, Mendham 973-5437789, Pick Your Own: Pumpkins (October) • Ort’s Farm, Long Valley 908-876-3351, Pick Your Own: Pumpkins (October)
MORRIS COUNTY FARMS continued • Conklin Farm, Montville 973-400-9460, Pick Your Own: Pumpkins (October) • Hamilton Farms, Boonton Township 973-3346528, Pick Your Own: Pumpkins (October) • Sun High Orchards, Randolph 973-5844734, Pick Your Own: Apples and pumpkins (September – October) • Wightman’s Farm, Morristown 973-425-9819, Pick Your Own: apples (August – October) • Hacklebarney Farm Cider Mill, Chester 908-879-6593, Pick Your Own: Pumpkins (September – October) • Totten Family Farm, Long Valley 908-8500555 OCEAN COUNTY FARMS • Argo Farms, Forked River 609-693-3513, Pick Your Own: Pumpkins (September – October) • Emery’s Farm, New Egypt 609-758-8514, Pick Your Own: pumpkins (October)
PASSAIC COUNTY FARMS • Farms View, Wayne 973-839-1212, Pick Your Own: pumpkins (October) • Ploch’s Farm, Clifton 973-778-6463, Pick Your Own: Pumpkins (October) SALEM COUNTY FARMS • Coombs Barnyard, Elmer 856-358-5169 SOMERSET COUNTY FARMS • Norz Hill Farm, Hillsborough Township 908-371-2697, Pick Your Own: Pumpkins (September – October) • Hillsboro Farm, Hillsborough 908-500-0803, Pick Your Own: Pumpkins (September – October) • Ripple Hill Farm, Basking Ridge 908-6471300, • Pick Your Own: Apples (September – October) SUSSEX COUNTY FARMS • Heaven Hill Farm, Vernon Township 973-764-5144, Pick Your Own: Pumpkins (October) • Green Valley Farms, Wantage 973-875-5213 • Ideal Farm & Garden, Lafayette Township 973-579-3893, Pick Your Own: pumpkins (October) • Pohuck Valley Farm Market & Deli, Glenwood 973-764-4732, Pick Your Own: Apples (September – October) • Sussex County Strawberry Farm, Newton 973579-5055, raspberries (August – September), pumpkins (October) WARREN COUNTY FARMS • Horse Sleigh Farm, Washington 908267-5313, Pick Your Own: cantaloupe and honeydew (August – November) • Donaldson Farms, Hackettstown 908-8529122, Pick Your Own: pumpkins (October) • Glenview Farm, Blairstown 908-362-6904 • Tranquility Farms, Andover 908-979-0303, Pick Your Own: Pumpkins (October) • Mackey’s Orchard, Belvidere 908-475-1507, Pick Your Own: apples (September – October) • Race Farm, Blairstown 908-362-8151, Pick Your Own: Blueberries, sweet cherries, peppers, beans, eggplant, tomatoes,
raspberries. (Call for picking seasons) • Perfect Christmas Tree Farm, Phillipsburg 908-387-1225 • Marshall’s Farm Market, Delaware, NJ 908475-1989 • Longmeadow Farms, Hope 908-459-5351, Pick Your Own: Apples (September – October), pumpkins (October)
Read our reviews on New Jersey’s Pick Your Own Farms
Our Favorite Pumpkin Picking Spots Fall is here and we all know what that means…. it’s pumpkin time! There is no better fall photo op than when you take your kids to pick out a pumpkin from your favorite farm. We’ve rounded up some of our favorite places for pumpkin picking across New Jersey. See our overall list of NJ farms for contact information and more details. Atlantic County Sahl’s Father Son Farm – Egg Harbor City
Middlesex County Stults Farm – Cranbury
Bergen County Secor Farms – Mahwah Abmas Farm – Wyckoff
Monmouth County A. Casola Farms – Holmdel Wemrock Orchards – Freehold
Burlington County Johnson’s Corner Farm - Medford
Morris County Alstede Farms - Chester Sun High Orchards – Randolph
Camden County Springdale Farms – Cherry Hill Essex County Fairfield Farms and Greenhouses – Fairfield Gloucester County Creamy Acres Farm – Mullica Hill Maugeri Farms – Swedesboro Hunterdon County Schaefer Farms – Flemington Mercer County Oasis Family Farm – Robbinsville Terhune Orchards – Princeton
Ocean County Emery’s Berry Patch – New Egypt Argos Farm – Forked River Passaic County Farms View Road Stand – Wayne Somerset County Norz Hill Farm – Hillsborough Twp Sussex County Heaven Hill Farm – Vernon Tranquility Farms – Andover Warren County Donaldson Farms – Hackettstown
Sahl’s Father Son Farm Written by Jennifer Auer It’s fall! For us around Jersey Family Fun, that means it’s time to return to Sahl’s Father Son Farm. This year, we wasted no time getting back there. Before the kids had even started school we had to get over there to play and see how farmer, Jeremy Sahl was getting ready for opening day. I couldn’t wait to kick off the fall with my kids, by playing in the hay, riding the tractor, and picking out pumpkins. So while we couldn’t do everything that day, since the farm wasn’t officially ready YET, we still had a great time.
SAHL’S FATHER SON FARM OPENS FOR THE SEASON SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 19! Sahl’s Father Son Farm is celebrating 7 years of life-sized labyrinths in their cornfields. From the Philadelphia Eagles’ and Philies’ mazes to this year’s Lucy the Elephant maze, this Galloway corn maze is inspired by places and things important to those who love New Jersey. SAHL’S FATHER SON FARM ACTIVITIES • A corn maze inspired by Lucy the Elephant & separated for different lengths and levels of difficulty. • Rubber Duck Races (bring your own or use of the theirs.) • Hay Rides on hay ride trailers • Pumpkin Picking • Pumpkins in the patch are priced by the size of the pumpkin’s diameter from $2 to $12 each. • Fun Photo Back Drops • Pig Races see our video of a pig race here. • Kiddie Koral with picnic area, hay jump, corn shed, sand pile, trench maze, disc toss, corn on the cob cannon, Mini Mazes • Pony rides will be available on select October Saturdays. The cost is $3 per ride. SAHL’S FATHER SON FARM DISCOUNT DAYS • September Mondays, Tuesdays, & Thursdays 4:00 – 7:00 pm: Receive $1 off your wristband admission to the Sahl’s Father Son Farm. • Visit the Sahl’s Father Son Farm Facebook page to stay up to date on discount offers. SAHL’S FATHER SON FARM SPECIAL PRIZE DAYS Throughout Sahl’s Father Son Farm season, Jersey Family Fun will be hiding prizes on the property.
Follow us on Facebook, and turn on your notifications, to be the first to learn when we’ve hidden a prize. Sahl’s Father Son Farm is located at 420 West Pestalozzi Street in Galloway, New Jersey. SAHL’S FATHER SON FARM HOURS (Now through November 7, 2015) • Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, & Friday: 4pm – 7pm • Wednesday Evenings: Closed • Saturday: Open 10am – 7pm • *Tickets will not be sold after 7pm; however, the grounds will remain open as late as 9pm. We will be open from 10am – 7pm on most “no school” days for area school districts. • Closed on Sundays. • Columbus Day Weekend: Friday, Saturday, and Monday 10am – 7pm. SAHL’S FATHER SON FARM ADMISSION RATES • Adults & children ages 3 & up: $9.00 • Children ages 2 & under: FREE • Family Rate (5 or more): $8.00 per person • Group Rate (15 or more): $7.00 per person • Season Pass: $17 per pass • 5 or more Season Passes: $15 per season pass Sahl’s Father Son Farm accepts cash and credit cards. However, the pony rides only accept cash. SAHL’S FATHER SON FARM ADMISSION INCLUDES *Your admission includes: all mazes and maze games, Kiddie Koral playground, pig races (when running), rubber duck races (bring your own rubber duck or purchase one of ours for a $1), and as many hayrides as your heart desires. Not included within your admission are pony rides, pumpkins, corn cobs for the corn cannon, and concession stand items. FIND OUR MORE ABOUT SAHL’S FATHER SON FARM SPECIAL EVENTS BY CLICKING ON OUR FULL ARTICLE. For more information about the Sahl’s Father Son Farm, please visit their website or like them on Facebook. You can see more of our Sahl’s Father Son Farm photos in our Facebook gallery.
Put Your Library Card to Great Use with the Museum Pass Program Many New Jersey libraries are participating in museum pass programs. The museum pass program varies from library to library contact your library for more information. The basic way it works is to visit your library and sign out passes to take your family to visit your favorite museums. Some libraries allow you to sign out the passes for 3 days at a time though some may require a refundable cash deposit. The New Jersey counties that have libraries that participate in the Museum Pass Program are listed below. Click here to see our complete listing that lists and links to participating libraries.
Check out these
• Bergen County • Burlington County • Camden County • Essex County • Gloucester County • Hudson County • Hunterdon County • Middlesex County • Monmouth County
Cape May Zoo Cohanzick Zoo Cape May Point State Park nature trails & buildings Egg Harbor Township Nature Reserve Howell Living History farm Barnegat Lighthouse Heritage Glass Museum New Jersey State Police Museum Princeton University Art Museum Atlantic City Art Center Southern New Jersey All Sports Museum and Hall of Fame Hopewell Museum Cape May County Museum Princeton Arts Museum Princeton Historical Society New Jersey State House Twin Lights Historic Site Somers Point Mansion Sea Girt Lighthouse C.A. Nothnagle Log House Fort Hancock Historic District Kuser Farm Mansion Historic Batsto Village US Coast Guard Training Center The Korean War Memorial Zimmerli Art Museum
• Morris County • Passaic County • Somerset County • Sussex County • Union County • Warren County
NJ Day Trip locations with Free Admission
Gardens & Arboretums In Atlantic County Egg Harbor Twp Arboretum 609-926-4093 In Bergen County Theilke Arboretum 201-447-0452 James McFaul Environmental Center Garden 201-891-5571 In Burlington County Butterfly Garden 609-265-5858 Smithville Mansion Garden 609-265-5858 Barton Arboretum 609-654-3000 Sculpture Garden 609-894-9311 In Camden County Camden Children’s Garden 856-365-8733
Barclay Farmstead 856-795-6225 In Cape May County Emlen Physic Estate 609-884-5404 Butterfly Garden 609-861-0700 Leaming’s Run 609-465-5871 Hereford Inlet Lighthouse Garden 609-898-2300 In Essex County Presby Iris Gardens 973-783-5974 Avis Campbell Gardens 201-746-9614
Cora Hartshorn Arboretum 973-376-3587 Greenwood Gardens 973-2584026 In Hunterdon County Hunterdon County Arboretum 908-788-1202 In Mercer County Grounds for Sculpture 609-5860616 Sayen Park Botanical Garden 609-890-3630 Drumthwacket Garden 609-609-683-0057 Herrontown Woods Arboretum 609-303-0700
Morven Museum & Garden 609-924-8144 In Middlesex County Bucceluch Mansion Gardens 732-745-5112 Rutger’s Gardens 732-932-8451 In Monmouth County David Shaw Arboretum Deep Cut Gardens 732-671-6050 In Morris County Willowwood Arboretum 973-326-7600
Frelinghuysen Arboretum 973-326-7603 In Ocean County Edith Duff Gwin Gardens In Passaic County New Jersey Botanical Garden 973-962-9534 Laurelwood Arboretum 973-202-9579 In Somerset County Cross Estate Gardens 973-5392016 Leonard J. Buck Garden 908-234-2677 Duke Gardens 908-722-3700
Colonial Park Arboretum & Rose Garden 732-873-2459 Wagner Farm Arboretum 908-350-7383 In Union County Cedar Brook Park Shakespeare Garden 908-527-4900 Reeves Arboretum 908-273-8787 In Warren County Merrill Creek Reservoir Butterfly Garden 908-454-1213 Pohatcong Native Arboretum 908-343-5274
New Jersey Nature Centers In Atlantic County Edwin B Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge Warren E. Fox Nature Center In Bergen County Closter Nature Center Demarest Nature Center Flat Rock Brook Nature Center Lorrimer Sanctuary Meadowlands Environmental Center Ridgefield Nature Center Tenafly Nature Center James A McFaul Environmental Center In Burlington County Woodford Cedar Run Wildlife Preserve Rancocas Nature Center Paws Nature Center Palmyra Cove Nature Center In Camden County Camden Co. Environmental Center In Cape May County Cape May Bird Observatory Nature Center of Cape May Cape May Point State Park The Wetlands Institute
In Cumberland County Albert J. Kolonich Jr. Nature Trail Meadow Wood Environmental Facility Maurice River Bluffs Nature Preserve
Huber Woods Environmental Center Poricy Park Allaire State Park Nature Center
In Morris County Pyramid Mountain Natural Historic Area Great Swamp Outdoor Education Center Kay Environmental Center In Essex County Bamboo Brook Outdoor Essex Co. Environmental Center Education Center Cora Hartshorn Bird Sanctuary Schiff Nature Preserve The Raptor Trust In Gloucester County Scotland Run Park Nature Cen. In Ocean County Greenwich Lake Park Jakes Branch County Park Lighthouse Center for Natural In Hudson County Research Liberty State Park Interpretive Island Beach State Park Nature Center Center Cooper Environmental Center In Hunterdon County Wells Mills Nature Center Whittemore Wildlife Sanctuary In Mercer County Lawrence Nature Center Stonybrook Millstone Watershed Washington Crossing State Park Nature Center In Middlesex County Plainsboro Preserve In Monmouth County Manasquan Reservoir Env. Cen.
In Passaic County Garret Mountain Reservation In Salem County Alloway Creek Watershed In Somerset County Somerset Co. Environmental Center Scherman Hoffman Wildlife Sanctuary Bernardsville Duke Farms In Sussex County Kittatinny Valley State Park In Union County Trailside Nature & Science Center In Warren County Pequest Trout Hatchery Merrill Creek Reservoir
watching, nature trails, Fort Hancock and the Sandy Hook lighthouse await! Delaware Water Gap Warren County. No entrance fee but amenity fees may apply from April - October. Mountains, streams, and the 1000 foot deep water gap are available for outdoor fun. Thomas Edison Historical Park - West Orange, Essex County. Explore Thomas Edison’s home and laboratory. Entrance fee $10, 16 and under free.
The National Park Service maintains 9 National Parks as well as other protected areas in New Jersey to explore, learn, and enjoy the outdoors!
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE ADMISSION FEES • Fees vary, but there are free entry days at each park (mainly holidays and National Public Lands Day). • A park entrance pass can be purchased for $80/year or $10 for senior citizens (lifetime). • Free for military. • With the “Every Kid in a Park” initiative, all 4th graders get free admission to all National Parks.
NATIONAL PARKS IN NEW JERSEY Ellis Island - take ferry from Jersey City, Hudson County. No entrance fee but various ferry fees apply as well as fees for advanced tours. Visit the hall where 12 million immigrants entered on their way to an American life. Gateway National Recreation Area Sandy Hook, Monmouth County. Parking fees in summer only, no entrance fees. Beach, bird
Paterson Great Falls Paterson, Passaic County. No entrance fee. View the majestic falls and explore the Great Falls Historic District Cultural Center. Morristown National Historical Park Morristown, Morris County. $7 to enter, 15 and under free. Encompasses the sites of George Washington’s winter encampment from 17791780. Explore trails, museums, and the Ford Mansion.
NON PARKS, MAINTAINED BY THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE • Washington - Rochambeau Trail. Bergen, Passaic, Essex, Union, Middlesex, Mercer, No fees. The trail preserves the march of the American-French allied forces in 1781-1783. • Appalachian Trail - Sussex and Warren Counties. No fees. The trail extends more than 2000 miles through 14 states. • New Jersey Pinelands Reserve - No fees. Biosphere reserve: 0ver a million acres over 56 communities. Check out the Junior Ranger program for added educational fun while visiting your National Park!
Which National Park will you visit?
NEW JERSEY STATE PARKS
Do you know about New Jersey’s State Parks? We’re all familiar with local town and county parks, many of which are reviewed on Jersey Family Fun. New Jersey State Parks are run by the NJ Department of Environmental Protection and lands were acquired for providing outdoor recreational opportunities. They might have historic buildings within their confines, or have lakes or streams, but most do not have playgrounds so be ready for some walking and exploring. State parks offer lots of special events. Many are at an additional fee, but most are still a bargain! Find them here.
NEW JERSEY STATE PARKS ADMISSION FEES State parks generally charge a parking fee, usually $5 or $10 per car depending on the day. It is higher for out of state residents, so be sure to have your ID with you. Click here for the list of specific fees. State park passes are $50 for the year and free to senior citizens so be sure to sign up grandparents!
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
• Allaire State Park - Wall, Monmouth County • Allamuchy Mountain State Park - Allumuchy • Barnegat Lighthouse State Park - Long Beach Island, Ocean County • Cape May Point State Park Cape May, Cape May County • Cheesequake State Park - Old Bridge, Middlesex County • Corson’s Inlet State Park Cape May County • Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park - Spans multiple western counties • Double Trouble State Park Lacey and Berkeley Township, Ocean County Edison State Park - Menlo Park, Middlesex County Farny State Park - Rockaway, Morris County Fort Mott State Park- Pennsville, Salem County Hacklebarney State Park - Long Valley and Chester, Morris County High Point State Park - Montague, Sussex County Hopatcong State Park - Landing, Morris County Island Beach State Park - Berkeley, Ocean County Kittatinny Valley State Park - Andover, Sussex County Liberty State Park - Jersey City, Hudson County Long Pond Ironworks State Park - West Milford, Passaic County Monmouth Battlefield State Park - Manalapan and Freehold, Monmouth County Parvin State Park - Pittsgrove Township, Salem County Pigeon Swamp State Park - South Brunswick, Middlesex County Princeton Battlefield State Park - Princeton, Mercer County Rancocas State Park - Hainesport, Burlington
• • • • • • •
County Ringwood State Park - Ringwood, Passaic County Stephens State Park - Hackettstown, Morris County Swartswood State Park - Stillwater Township, Sussex County Voorhees State Park - Glen Gardner, Hunterdon County Washington Crossing State Park - Hopewell, Mercer County Washington Rock State Park - Green Brook, Somerset County Wawayanda State Park - Vernon and West Milford, Sussex and Passaic Counties
NEW JERSEY STATE FORESTS The NJDEP also maintains the following state forests. Forest lands were acquired for conservation of natural resource (trees); timber production; watershed protection; soil erosion control; and demonstration areas for forestry practices. Many offer recreational
park activities such as camping, fishing and hiking. • Abram S. Hewitt State Forest- West Milford, Passaic County • Bass River State Forest - Tuckerton, Ocean and Burlington Counties • Belleplain State Forest - Woodbine, Cape May and Cumberland Counties • Brendan T. Byrne State Forest - New Lisbon, Burlington County • Jenny Jump State Forest - Hope, Warren County • Norvin Green State Forest - Bloomingdale, Passaic County • Penn State Forest - Jenkin’s Neck, Burlington County • Ramapo Mountain State Forest - Ringwood, Bergen and Passaic Counties • Stokes State Forest - Branchville, Sussex County • Wharton State Forest - Hammonton, Atlantic, Burlington and Camden Counties • Worthington State Forest - Columbia, Warren County
New Jersey Zoos Turtle Back Zoo (Essex County) - 560 Northfield Ave, West Orange. 973-731-5800. Our review Space Farms Zoo & Museum (Sussex County) 218 County Road 519, Sussex. 973-875-5800. Bergen County Zoo (Bergen County) - 216 Forest Ave, Paramus. 201-262-3771. Our review Popcorn Park Zoo (Ocean County) - 1 Humane Way, Forked River. 609-693-1900. Our review
Pennsylvania Zoos Local to NJ
Elmwood Park Zoo - 1661 Harding Blvd, Norristown, PA. 610-277-3825. Lehigh Valley Zoo - 5150 Game Preserve Road, Schnecksville, PA. 610-799-4171. Philadelphia Zoo - 3400 W. Girard Ave, Philadelphia, PA. 215-243-1100. Our review
Cape May County Zoo (Cape May County) - 707 Route 9 North, Cape May. 609-465-5271. Our review Cohanzick Zoo (Cumberland County) - 45 Mayor Aitken Drive, Bridgeton. 856-453-1658. Our review
Other NJ Places to View Animals Lakota Wolf Preserve (Warren County) - 89 Mt Pleasant Road, Columbia,. 908-496-9244. Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge (Morris County) - 568 Tempe Wick Road, New Vernon. 973-538-3500. Pequest Trout Hatchery (Warren County) - 605 Pequest Road, Oxford. 908-637-4125. Six Flags Great Adventure (Ocean County) - 1 Six Flags Blvd, Jackson. (732) 928-2000
New York Zoos Local to NJ Bronx Zoo - 2300 Southern Blvd, Bronx, NY. 718367-1010. Central Park Zoo - 64th Street and 5th Avenue, New York, NY. 212-439-6500. Prospect Park Zoo - 450 Flatbush Avenue, Brooklyn, NY. 718-399-7339. Staten Island Zoo - 614 Broadway, Staten Island, NY. 718-442-3100. Our review
Dive into fun without getting wet at
New Jersey’s Aquariums Who doesn't love exploring an aquarium? There are so many great animals living under the sea, and an aquarium is a great place to check them out. Fish, seals, dolphins, and sharks! How can you pick a favorite? You have to check them all out. We are lucky enough to have several local aquariums for you to check out this summer. We've listed them here to help you plan your fall adventures.
Aquariums in New Jersey
• Adventure Aquarium (Camden County) 1 Riverside Dr. Camden, NJ 08103 (856) 3653300, Click over to read our Adventure Aquarium review. • Jenkinson's Aquarium (Ocean County) 300 Ocean Ave. Point Pleasant, NJ 07842 (732) 892-0600, Click over to read our Jenkinson's Aquarium review. • Atlantic City Aquarium (Atlantic County) 800 North New Hampshire Ave. Atlantic City, NJ 08401 (609) 348-2880, Click over to read our Atlantic City Aquarium review. • Marine Mammal Stranding Center (Atlantic County) 3625 Brigantine Boulevard, Brigantine, NJ 08203 (609) 266-0538. This is not an aquarium but does teach about aquatic life and may have other rescued animals in shallow pools.
Aquariums in New York
• New York Aquarium 2300 Southern Boulevard Bronx, New York 10460 (718) 2205100 • Long Island Aquarium 431 East Main Street Riverhead, NY 11901 (631) 2089200
New Jersey Lighthouses
In Atlantic County
Absecon Lighthouse 31 S Rhode Island Ave, Atlantic City Admission adults $7 to climb, seniors $5, children 4-12 $4, Atlantic City residents with ID $3, Active military & kids under 4 free.
In Cape May County
Cape May Lighthouse 215 Light House Ave, Cape May Point Admission adults $7, children 3-11 $3, free for under 3 (If you go the visitor’s center they give you free tickets to children 12 and under.) Our review Hereford Inlet Lighthouse 111 N Central Ave, Wildwood Oct. 20 - May 23 Open Wednesday - Sunday 10 AM - 2 PM. Please call to confirm hours during these months. May 24 - Oct 21 Open daily from 9 am – 5 pm. Admission adults 12 yrs. and up $4, 11 yrs. and under $1. Call 609 522-4520. Buy combination tickets for both Cape May County lighthouses at Hereford Lighthouse. Our review
In Cumberland County
East Point Lighthouse 10 Lighthouse Rd, Heislerville There is no online available information about admission but you can call (856) 546-7810.
In Gloucester County
Tinicum Rear Range Lighthouse 2nd St, Paulsboro No fee to climb but they ask for a donation. Our review
In Monmouth County
Twin Lights Lighthouse 2 Light House Rd, Highlands There is no fee to climb. Sandy Hook Lighthouse Gateway National Recreation Area, Highlands There is no online available information about admission but there is a number to call.
Sea Girt Lighthouse 9 Ocean Ave, Sea Girt There is no online available information about admission but you can call (732) 974-0514.
In Ocean County
Tuckerton Seaport Tucker’s Island Lighthouse 120 W Main St #1, Tuckerton Climb is included in Tuckerton Seaport admission. Our review Barnegat Lighthouse 208 Broadway, Barnegat Light Admission is free before Memorial Day and after Labor Day. Our review
In Salem County
Finn’s Rear Range Lighthouse Old Fort Mott Rd, Pennsville No fee to climb but they ask for a donation. Our review
What kid doesn’t love planes? Writen by Traci Murn If you are looking for some different type of family fun and your kids love planes, check out these great New Jersey places to watch airplanes take off and land. Below are some of the best airports for plane spotting in New Jersey. They provide excellent viewing angles and lots of space for your family to enjoy the thrill of watching beautiful aircrafts in flight. TIPS FOR WATCHING PLANES WITH YOUR KIDS • Find your nearest airport and check out their website to see if they have an observation
park or area. • The best time to visit your local airport is in early morning or late afternoon on a weekday. • While plane spotting share your own stories about air travel and experiences you have had with your children. • Don’t forget your binoculars and camera.
NEW JERSEY PLACES TO WATCH AIRPLANES Bergen County Teterboro airport is located in Teterboro and has some playing fields located east of the airport on Redneck Drive. Bring some snacks and a picnic blanket. Burlington County Flying W Airport is located in Medford and has a restaurant located on Fostertown Road. In the back of the restaurant you’ll have a gazebo and some benches. On a nice day its common to see small airplanes and helicopters. Essex County Ikea cafeteria is located in Elizabeth and offers the best views for huge airplanes. It is right across the highway from Newark International Airport. Hunterdon County Sky Manor is located in Pittstown and is a fabulous location for for watching aircrafts. It even has a restaurant and you can sit right near the runway with some yummy snacks. Solberg Airport is located in Whitehouse Station and offers lots of great space for your family to enjoy watching small aircrafts take off and land.
There is something magical about trains for kids. Boys and girls alike always stop to stare as a train glides into the station, and think taking a ride on a train is way cooler than hopping in the car. We have rounded up our favorite places to see all kinds of trains in New Jersey to share with you. From museums to parks to historic terminals, pick your favorite destination and take your family for a train-tastic day! NEW JERSEY MUSEUM OF TRANSPORTATION ~ THE PINE CREEK RAILROAD AT ALLAIRE STATE PARK Monmouth County Founded in 1952, New Jersey Museum of Transportation’s Pine Creek Railroad is one of the oldest operating narrow gauge railway exhibits in the country. Trains run every weekend from noon to 4:30 (4:00 in November and December), weather permitting, from Easter until Christmas. Train rides are approximately 15 minutes long. Cost: $4 per person ages 3 and up. (See our Allaire State Park review.) MAGNOLIA TRAIN STATION MUSEUM Camden County If you are interested in learning the history of this local train station and seeing miniature train sets, Magnolia Train Station Museum is the place to go. The Museum operates by appointment only, and you may call to schedule an appointment. Cost: FREE! (See our Magnolia Train Station Museum review.) BLACK RIVER & WESTERN RAILROAD Hunterdon County The Black River & Western Railroad is an independently owned and operated railroad located in rural Hunterdon County, New Jersey.
From South to North, the railroad connects the towns of Lambertville, Ringoes, Flemington, and Three Bridges. Schedules and events vary, see the website for more details. Cost: Varies per event. (See our Black River & Western Railroad review.) WHIPPANY RAILWAY MUSEUM Morris County At the Whippany Railway Museum, you can enjoy an operating O-gauge model railroad layout, railroad artifacts, a gift shop, and outdoor railroad equipment. On the Whippany Railway, you and your family can enjoy various trips and events throughout the calendar year. All rides depart from and return to the Whippany Railway Museum site. Museum Cost: $1 for adults, $.50 for children 12 and under. Train Ride Cost: Varies by event. (See our Whippany Railway Museum review.) PATCONG VALLEY MODEL RAILWAY ATLANTIC COUNTY The Patcong Valley Model Railway hosts open houses where the railroad will be running and there are recently completed new track and
scenery changes that can be seen. Cost: The Railway is free (donations are accepted). (See our Patcong Valley Model Railway review.) CENTRAL RAILROAD OF THE NEW JERSEY TERMINAL Hudson County Located at Liberty State Park, the terminal is now the focal point of the three-part historic centerpiece that it shares with Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty on the Jersey City waterfront. The partially restored terminal is used as a visitors’ center and for exhibits and social and cultural events. The “Blue Comet” Auditorium on the first floor was formerly a ladies’ waiting room and part of the ticket office; it is used for interpretive programs about the facility. Cost: FREE! DELAWARE RIVER RAILROAD EXCURSIONS Warren County All year long you can ride along the beautiful Delaware river departing from Phillipsburg New Jersey or join one of the many themed excursions such as the Easter Bunny Train Rides, Corn Maze Train, Mine Train, The Great Pumpkin Train, The Warren County Winery Train, A Day Out With Thomas and The Polar Express. Cost: Train Ride Only $10 for children, $17 for adults. (See our Delaware River Railroad Excursions review.)
Friar Mountain Model Railroad Museum
Sussex County This model railroad museum contains both historical information and model train sets like Thomas and Friends, and holiday-themed trains. The museum is open on weekends only from April through the end of December. Cost: $6 per person, children under 4 are free. (See our Friar Mountain Model Railroad Museum review.)
RAILROAD PLAZA PARK – ALLENHURST TRAIN STATION Monmouth County Looking for an easy, free way to see trains? Visit Railroad Plaza Park, a playground located right next to a NJ Transit train station. Trains come and go regularly (see the NJ Transit website for a specific schedule) while your children play on the playground. Cost: FREE! (See our Railroad Plaza Park review.) Arrow River Train – Camden Children’s Garden’ Railroad Garden Camden County In the Railroad Garden is the 600′ long Arrow River Train Ride. It holds up to 38 children or 22 adults. As you travel on the train, for a small extra fee (after the admission fee), you’ll see: • Expanded “G” scale display of model trains running at different elevations • Miniature landscapes which includes a 10-foot high waterfall, several buildings made from natural products, and flowers • A village of custom houses and “Wally World”, a collection of storefronts. • A full-sized, 25-ton “Camden Caboose.” Originally used in 1942 for the New Haven Rail Line, this caboose was donated by Conrail. Written by Nancy Palutis
Who has a child who loves dinosaurs? They may have gone extinct over 65 million years ago, but children are still fascinated with them. I know my house is full of dinosaur books, puzzles, toys, and movies. If your family is like mine, you are always looking for new places to learn about dinosaurs. Well, New Jersey is full of opportunities for learning about dinosaurs. Here is a list of some of our favorite places to see dinosaurs in New Jersey and nearby.
8 PLACES TO SEE DINOSAURS IN NEW JERSEY Morris Museum: Morristown. The Morris Museum has an entire exhibit dedicated to dinosaurs called “Dinosaur Den.” In the Dinosaur Den children can view dinosaur fossils, touch a dinosaur egg, follow dinosaur tracks, and many more fun interactive activities. • Open Tuesday- Sundays • Admission: $10 for adults, $7 for children Camden Children’s Garden: Camden. The Camden Children’s Garden hosts the “Dinosaur Garden” exhibit. In this area of the garden children can visit with the Apatosaurus made from recycled car parts, or check out the Hadrosaur and his nest. • Open Wednesday - Sunday • Admission: $6 per person ages 3 and up Hadrosaurus Foulkii Site: Haddonfield. This historic site is a perfect destination for the future paleontologists in your family. It is the spot where the first nearly complete dinosaur skeleton was discovered. In 1858, William Parker Foulke unearthed a skeleton of New Jersey’s official dinosaur, the hadrosaur. During your visit you can see the spot where the discovery was made and visit the “Ground Zero” of dinosaur paleontology.
New Jersey State Museum: Trenton. Another great spot to check out dinosaur fossils and learn more about these amazing creatures is the natural history exhibit at the New Jersey State Museum. • Open Tuesday- Sunday • Admission: $5 for ages 12 and older Sterling Hill Mine: Ogdensburg, NJ. While you are touring the mine you can add on a visit to the Fossil Discovery Center. Visitors can dig through the fossil area and see what types of fossils they can discover. Each paid participant gets to keep 6 of the fossils they discover. This is a perfect way to experience what it’s like to be a paleontologist. • Open daily. Tour times and discovery center hours vary • Costs: Tours of the mine $8-$11 for adults. The fossil discovery center costs an additional $4.50 per person. Garden State Discovery Museum: Cherry Hill. Any little dinosaur lover will have a blast in the Dinosaurium section of the museum. Children can climb inside a T-rex skeleton, dig for bones, hear what they sound like as dinosaurs, and explore the scientist’s tent. This would definitely be a fun and interactive way to learn
about dinosaurs and paleontologists. • Open daily • Admission: $12.95 for ages 1 and older. Rutgers Geology Museum: New Brunswick. The Rutgers Geology Museum contains several dinosaur-related artifacts that have been discovered in New Jersey. They also host several special events related to dinosaurs. • Open Tuesday- Saturdays Turtle Back Zoo: West Orange. Find some dinosaur fun for your little ones while you are visiting the zoo by checking out their dinosaur themed playground. The playground equipment is designed to look like dinosaur bones and there is a dinosaur skeleton to climb through and play on. • Open Monday- Sundays • Admission: $13 for adults, $10 for children
2 Nearby Places to See Dinosaurs The Natural History Museum in New York City. Every dinosaur lover needs to check out the Hall of Ornithischian Dinosaurs at the museum. It is full of fossils from one of the two main groups of dinosaurs. The museum is home to close to 100 specimens. • Open daily • Admission: Pay what you wish donation The Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia. During a visit to Dinosaur Hall children can view over 30 dinosaur specimens. They can also dig for fossils and participate in interactive dinosaur activities. • Open Monday- Sunday • Admission: $17.95 for adults, $13.95 for children As you can see there are so many different opportunities to learn about dinosaurs in New Jersey. Written by Jillian Fletcher
New Jersey Museums Our list of New Jersey Museums was so extensive we just couldn’t fit it in this guide. Please click over to see our listing on Jersey Family Fun with New Jersey’s museums listed by county.
Amusement Parks in New Jersey • Six Flags Great Adventure (Ocean County) - 1 Six Flags Blvd, Jackson, NJ. 732-928-2000. Read our reviews. • Morey's Piers (Cape May County) - 3501 Boardwalk, Wildwood, NJ. 609-729-3700. • Casino Pier (Ocean County) - 800 Ocean Terrace, Seaside Heights, NJ. 732-793-6488. • Action Park (Sussex County) - 200 NJ-84, Vernon Township, NJ. 973-827-2000. • Bowcraft Amusement Park (Union County) 2545 US 22 W, Scotch Plains, NJ. 908-389-1234. • Clementon Amusement Park (Camden County) - 144 Berlin Road, Clementon, NJ. 856783-0263. • Gillian's Wonderland Pier (Cape May County) - Boardwalk, Ocean City, NJ. 609-399-7082. • Land of Make Believe (Warren County) - 354 Great Meadows Rd, Hope, NJ. 908-459-9000. Read our review. • Steel Pier (Atlantic County) - 1000 Boardwalk, Ocean City, NJ. 609-345-4893. • Diggerland USA (Camden County) - 100 Pinedge Ct, West Berlin, NJ. 856-768-1110. Read our series about Diggerland USA. • Keansburg Amusement Park (Monmouth County) - 275 Beachway Ave, Keansburg, NJ. 732495-1400.
• iPlay America (Monmouth County) - 110 Schanck Road, Freehold, NJ. 732-5778200. Read our series of blog posts on iPlay America. • The Funplex (Burlington County) - 3320-24 Route 38, Mt Laurel, NJ. 856-2739061. • Fantasy Island Amusement Park (Ocean County) - 320 7th Street, Beach Haven, NJ. 609-492-4000. • Wild West City (Sussex County) - 50 Lackawanna Dr, Stanhope, NJ. 973-3478900. • Jenkinson's Boardwalk (Ocean County) - 300 Ocean Avenue, Point Pleasant Beach, NJ. 732-892-0600. • Eagleswood Amusement Park (Ocean County) - 597 Main Street, West Creek, NJ. 609-978-6606. • Storybook Land (Atlantic County) - 6415 E Black Horse Pike, Egg Harbor Township, NJ. 609-646-0103. • Blackbeard's Cave (Ocean County) 136 Atlantic City Blvd, Bayville, NJ. 732-2864414.
Amusement Parks in Pennsylvania • Knoebels Amusement Resort - 391 Knoebels Blvd, Elysburg, PA. 570-672-2572. • Sesame Place - 100 Sesame Road, Langhorne, PA. 215-752-7070. Read our reviews. • Hershey Park - 100 W Hersheypark Drive, Hershey, PA. 717-534-3900. Read our review. • Dorney Park - 3830 Dorney Park Rd, Allentown, PA. 610-395-3724. • Dutch Wonderland - 2249 Lincoln Hwy E, Lancaster, PA. 866-386-2839. Read our series of blog posts on Dutch Wonderland.
Amusement Parks in New York • Luna Park, Coney Island - 1000 Surf Avenue, Brooklyn, NY. 718-373-5862. • Darien Lake - 9999 Alleghany Road, Darien Center, NY. 585-599-4641. • Deno's Wonder Wheel Amusement Park 3059 Deno Vourderis Place, Brooklyn, NY. 718372-2592. • Rye Playland - 1 Playland Pkwy, Rye, NY. 914813-7010. • Adventureland - 2245 NY-110, Farmingdale, NY. 631-694-6868.
Sahara Sam’s
Providing Inside & Outside Water Fun for Families Sahara Sam’s, located in West Berlin, has come to be a favorite water park among the Jersey Family Fun team. With so much to do inside and out there’s always guaranteed to be a way to have fun.
Some things we love about Sahara Sam’s
• They have life jackets galore. For little ones that aren’t good swimmers yet, it is great that they have these available all throughout the park for the kids to use. • It is unbelievably clean. We have visited other water parks and spraygrounds in the past where water shoes felt necessary because things were a bit icky. Sahara Sam’s has been spotless from top to bottom. The bathrooms were impeccable and had nonslip rubber mats for wet feet. • It is laid out perfectly. With little ones wanting to play in the toddler area and older kids wanting to explore Tim-buk-tu area, they are able to be next to each other, with chairs stationed in the middle, for parents to watch everyone at once. • The lifeguards were great. We frequently see the lifeguards go out of their way to keep the kids safe.
What Sahara Sam’s has to offer: • Tim-bu-Tu which includes two slides one closed and one open slide. • Mt. Kill Family slide for children 42 inches and taller. • The Mile Nile for children 48 inches and taller that is a body slide! • Snake Eyes: two slides side by side using a joined tube. • Lazy river • Lizard Lagoon only for the littler ones 42 inches and smaller. • Indoor surfing simulator (must be at least 8-years-old and 48 inches, waiver needed to be signed before using) • Basketball area in water • Outdoor Splash Pad during warmer months • Outdoor pool for warmer months Sahara Sam’s really does make it easy for a simple day trip. All you really need is your bathing suits and towels. Don’t feel like lugging around a heavy bag of clothes? Rent a locker! Not in the mood for lunch at the snack bar/café? Feel free to go eat somewhere down the road or picnic in your car - your bracelet allows you to come and go out of the park as you please! It’s the perfect day trip for a family on a rainy OR sunny day. Check the Sahara Sam’s website for the most up-to-date schedule. Sahara Sam’s Oasis is located at 535 North Route 73 in West Berlin in Camden County.
Johnson’s Locust Hall Written by Rachel Buttner from Daily Vacationer Johnson’s Locust Hall Farm in Jobstown was originally constructed almost 100 years before the birth of the nation! Named for a grove of locust trees, the farm’s historic buildings are beautiful (the stone barn is absolutely breath-taking, inside and out!). The grounds are extensive. Unlike other farms, we loved how a trip to this place made us feel like we were visiting a friend or family member’s home. It was like going to a real farm and getting to see what really goes on. Johnson’s Locust Hall Farm is family run and operated, and it shows! The farm is open everyday but Tuesdays, 9:30am to 6pm with hayrides running from 11am to 1pm hourly on weekdays and 10am to 4pm every half an hour on weekends. Along with seasonal pick your own (and a pumpkin patch and family corn maze in the fall), there is also plenty of fresh produce and baked goods in the market, as well as barn animal feedings out back and a kids play area that includes pedal cars. Pony rides are also available on weekends The location is perfect for a hosting events and we love the idea of having a kids birthday party in one of the spacious animal stalls. The farm also encourages groups and makes for a fun outing for class trips, homeschool groups, and scouts and campers. Don’t forget the picnic blanket and camera, as Johnson’s Locust Hall Farm is the perfect place to spend the day at one of the prettiest and friendliest farms we’ve ever come across in the Greater Philadelphia area!
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Hill Creek Farms Written by Rachel Buttner from Daily Vacationer Hill Creek Farms in Mullica Hill is impressive on the off-season, but seeing it in full swing and bustling with activity was just amazing. It is literally what you picture when you try to imagine a farm in the autumn (take note photographers!). Beyond the white fence along the road you see a beautiful red barn across a glittering pond. Add the orchard in the background and the cheery hayrides and colorful barrel train going by and it becomes a place that you just have to pull into and check out. Hill Creek Farms is opened for U-Pick Apples and harvest festivities for 2 1/2 months. They are open Wednesday to Sunday (plus Monday, October 12th for Columbus Day) from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm, and unlike other farms, their activities are open everyday that they are. They grow three varieties of trees - Jonagold De Coster, Cameo, and Autumn Rose Fuji - chosen for their great taste, texture, and harvesting times. Many other apple varieties have also been planted for future harvests, so look forward to experiencing new tastes in the coming years. Hill Creek Farms is more than just a U-Pick apple orchard. This location makes the most of its apple crop (and Asian Pears too!) with a bakery right on the premises in the barn market. There’s even a window into the bakery, so visitors can watch the creation of pies, turnovers, doughnuts, and caramel apples - mmmmmm! This year the orchard is also producing its own Hill Creek Farms Apple Cider along with Fralinger’s Cider (locally grown and made for over 100 years!). Hot cider and fresh coffee is available as well (since you know you won’t be waiting until you get home to indulge in the yummy baked goods). The barn market is stocked full with goodies and locally grown produce, as well as festive fall décor for indoors and outdoors. You can also purchase tickets for the barrel train while you’re shopping (it’s absolutely adorable and only $3 for a ticket!). However, if you try to buy a ticket for a hayride here as well, they will just send you on your way - hayrides are FREE at Hill Creek Farms, and it’s a great ride! There’s even more things to do around the farm with a fun play area (including a sand and tire climbing space, slides, and bean bag tosses), Duck Races, a Charlie Brown-themed pumpkin patch, and the newly added Hill Creek Mining Company. The play areas and grounds are FREE to enter, explore, and picnic in - beautiful and fun for all ages. Hill Creek Farms has a harvest schedule packed full of special events, contests, and celebrations, so there’s always a good excuse to keep coming back to this wonderful location.
Stroll through the woods at Hawk Rise Sanctuary! Written by Melanie Cortese Close to Route 1 in Linden, in an industrial area with strip malls, a police firing range, and a filled in landfill you’ll find a hidden treasure. In one of the last places you’d think to find an ecological preserve, is Hawk Rise Sanctuary! Hawk Rise was opened in 2012 and is maintained by the NJ Audubon Society. The flat trails inside are about 1.5 miles long, and the sanctuary spans 95 acres. At the entrance to Hawk Rise is information for visitors including animal and plant species to look for, as well as any upcoming programs. There’s a porta potty but no other facilities at the location so plan accordingly! At the start of the sanctuary you have options on which way to go, and throughout the park there are other forks in the trails – choose wisely but be sure to go back and see what you missed. There’s a deer enclosure in the center of the entry area, keeping those deer from the plants and let them grow! There is plenty of educational signage to help identify wildlife you see along the way, as well as the explanation for the landscape you see. The majority of the sanctuary is shaded by tall trees and there are benches along the way to rest. Maybe you can find some of the over 100 species of birds that have been identified at the sanctuary! We saw birds but no other mammals during our hike. We did some some small fish in the creek as we crossed the pedestrian bridge. There are pretty berries and flowers along the way as well, but of course it’s a look and don’t touch location, so take photos but nothing else! Into geocaching? Thanks to a local Girl Scout troop, Hawk Rise has some spots to discover! WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE YOU VISIT HAWK RISE SANCTUARY • Hours are dawn to dusk. • There is a small parking lot at the entrance, and a porta potty for use, but no restroom facilities. • Bug spray is suggested! • Some paths are paved but many are gravel – so bringing a stroller might be difficult. • Pets are prohibited. • “Take only photographs, leave only footprints” For more Hawk Rise Sanctuary photos, see our Facebook Album. For more information about the Hawk Rise Sanctuary visit this site.
Written by Melanie Cortese You wouldn’t expect to find a National Park in a northern New Jersey urban area, but just off Route 80 there it is – Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park! Paterson was the nation’s first planned industrial city. Alexander Hamilton had a vision spurred by the water power of the falls, to have Paterson rival the Industrial Revolution developing in England in the late 170os. It worked, and silk mills, cotton mills and other factories came to the city and remained in operation until the post World War II era. Of course, the Great Falls remain and are a true natural beauty. The falls have received distinctions since 1967 when they became a National Natural Landmark, but the National Park designation only happened in 2009. Now the area is managed by the National Park Service, with park rangers on duty at all times, at a building in Overlook Park.
We planned our first visit to Paterson Great Falls to coincide with the National Park Service 99th birthday. The Great Falls Youth Corps held a clean up of the park area along with kid friendly activities, so what better day to visit? We (4 kids and one adult) signed up to volunteer and spent an hour cleaning up the area in the shadow of the falls with one unique thing – there were no falls! In order to thoroughly clean the area the water was diverted, and professionals worked in the high up areas. The great volunteers at the Youth Corps led groups through the surrounding parks, then led us through informational sessions; testing water with the Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission and learning about ecosystems in the area. There’s not always a special event at the falls, of course, but it’s a picturesque spot for a visit any day. Starting August 28, Mary Ellen Kramer Park will be open for viewing of the falls, and the pedestrian bridge over the falls is scheduled to reopen in Fall 2015. The park is open year round, and the falls do freeze in the winter! While you’re in the area, visit the Paterson Museum and explore the Paterson Great Falls Historic District; many of the mill buildings remain. If you go to Paterson Great Falls: Picnic tables are available at the falls, but we spread out a picnic blanket and enjoyed our lunch in the shade. There are steps or a ramp to get down to the lower area at Overlook Park. Admission is free and ample parking is available. A welcome center is open across the street from Overlook Park from 10AM-4 PM daily.
Written by Jillian Fletcher
Do you have a train lover in your family? Are you looking for a unique way to spend a Sunday afternoon? If you answered yes then you need to check out the Whippany Railway Museum located at 1 Railroad Plaza in Whippany. You can stop by any time to look at the trains, but the museum is only open on Sundays from 12 - 4 PM. Museum admission is $1.00 for adults and $.50 for children. A visit to the Whippany Railway Museum can provide a full afternoon of train fun! THINGS TO DO Watch the interactive model train in the middle of the museum. Kids can watch the train travel through a variety of villages. There are buttons all around the model for children to push. The buttons turn on aspects of the model or raise and lower train crossing bridges. The model train display even has stools on each side so smaller visitors can see easily. Check out train memorabilia from different eras of New Jersey trains. The room has glass display cases full of train history. There are dishes used on train dining cars from 100 years ago. There are train schedules and photos from all the different lines that run in New Jersey. There is also a large collection of train bells and lights. It’s amazing to see what trains looked like long ago and how they have evolved over the years. Learn about the history of the Whippany Railway Museum. There is also a wall in the museum dedicated to the history of the museum and train rides. The Whippany Railway Museum hosts a variety of special train rides throughout the year. The wall in the museum has pictures, flyers, and newspaper articles from all of those special rides.
Walk through a train yard with antique railroad cars from different eras. The museum works to restore those cars to be a part of their display. Watch the outdoor model train. No visit to the museum is complete without a visit to the outdoor model railroad. My son loved watching the Thomas train roll around the track. Both of my kids ran back and forth to get the best view of the train as it zoomed around the track. Attend a Whippany Railway Museum Event Ride the excursion train. On select Sundays the museum sells tickets to ride on some of their restored trains. You can choose from a variety of train cars. The excursion trains run at least once a month. Trains leave the station throughout the afternoon. Tickets can be purchased on site or online. On Sunday, October 4th from 12:30 PM to 5:30 PM the museum will hold their annual Pumpkin Festival. You can take a ride on the excursion train, visit a variety of vendors, and participate in Halloween crafts and games. As you can see, there is something for everyone at the Whippany Railway Museum. It is definitely worth a trip.
Step back in time at the Dr. William Robinson Plantation Museum Written by Melanie Cortese In residential Clark New Jersey, set back from Madison Hill Road is a home built in 1690. Look past the modern homes, the skate park and the banquet hall on that road, and imagine a time when there were no paved roads and no streetlights. My family visited the plantation on a day when there was a special event and as a former aspiring museum curator, I couldn’t have been more excited by our experience at the Dr. William Robinson Plantation. Dr. Robinson, a physician from Scotland made his home on the Rahway River with his 4 children. He examined patients in the home, and artifacts are in the “Medicine Room” showing the tools he used. Our favorite was the wig he wore to show when he was being a doctor! When he finished, the wig was removed and he was then an acquaintance, and might have turned a visit into a social call. Other rooms on the main floor are the Bed Chamber and The Hall. The home has original wood floors and the low ceilings common of homes from this period. All rooms have displays of artifacts you’d find in a home such as this (if not from the Robinson Plantation itself). We always love seeing the candle making supplies and there were some in the Hall, by the fireplace. Did you know hot stones were used to warm beds? Learn more in the Bed Chamber and think about if you’d be comfortable sleeping in the trundle bed on display! There’s a narrow, winding staircase to the upper floor that made me thankful for today’s modern wide footboard and straight staircases! Upstairs, discover artifacts found around the home, including a grave stone from an unknown person. Explore photos of the home’s restoration and look at local maps. The home’s cellar has been renovated to give more headroom – which wasn’t needed in the days livestock were housed there! A variety of farm tools are on display and our favorite was the slate used by students. Quite a difference from today’s smart boards. The home is pleasantly lit and fans run on hot days to keep visitors comfortable. On the property outside the home you’ll find a barn, a potting shed and a corn crib along with other structures built by local Boy Scouts. Spend a few hours imagining pre-revolutionary life right in Union County. What you need to know before you visit the Dr. William Robinson Plantation • The Dr. William Robinson Plantation (593 Madison Hill Road, Clark NJ) is open every third Sunday, from 12-4 September – December. • Admission is free! • Parking is located on the street. • Special events are held throughout the year and the museum participates in Union County’s Four Centuries in a Weekend. • Guided and self-guided tours are available. For more Dr. William Robinson Plantation photos, see our Facebook Album.
Gabriel Davies Tavern Tours Written by Melissa Garner Sometimes you don’t have to go too far to enjoy a little bit of the past with your children; sometimes it’s in your own backyard. The past is important for children to learn because sometimes we don’t want things to repeat. The past is important because sometimes we want our children to learn where it all began. Sometimes it’s to show children what they have compared to what it used to be like, to teach perspective. Whichever reason Gabriel Davies Tavern tours teach all this and more. These tours are family friendly. Two Sundays a month Gabriel Davies Tavern has free tours. Donations are accepted. The tour begins downstairs learning about the history of the building, showing different artifacts and asking what is missing in this room? Children can point out what is missing. There is a museum room up on the top floor and a bedroom where the children will see a funny bed and learn what the sayings “Sleep tight” and “don’t let the bed bugs bite” really mean! Inside the house there are some different books to purchase at the end of the tour. There are also free coloring books of the tavern for children to take and color at home. When you leave the tavern you will also see the Gloucester Township residents’ garden. Go look and see what the people in town are growing, from flowers to vegetables to fruit. To the left of the house is the grave of William Schuck. William Schuck is the last owner of the tavern before he died and left it to the town historical society to take over. The tavern has been said to be haunted. Throughout the month of October there are special dates to come out for a haunted ghost tour. Even if there are no events going on, residents like to have a picnic on the lawn and come and play for the day. The environment is beautiful and it’s a perfect way to disconnect from electronics. There is also a small park on 7th avenue called 7th avenue park that you can visit as you leave 3rd avenue Gabriel Davies Tavern and even within walking distance. Gabriel Davies Tavern is located at 3rd Ave Glendora in Camden County. Parking is limited and porta-potties arve available for visitors. Gabriel Davies Tavern Tour Schedule: (All times are 1 pm to 4 pm), September 13th, September 27th, October 11th, October 25th, November 8th, and November 22nd (Holiday Open House).
Experience living history at Allaire Village! Written by Melanie Cortese Near to the summer fun at the Jersey Shore, is a protected state park with more inside than you would expect! Allaire State Park encompasses over 3000 acres and offers trails for hiking and biking, campgrounds, and fishing. All are great family activities, but there’s something extra special about Allaire State Park! Within the confines of the park is a living history museum - the buildings are from the 19th century Howell Iron Works and are open to the public. Interpretive guides staff the buildings to demonstrate what life was like when the Iron Works was active, and a visitor’s center tells the story of the area. With either free or low cost admission, Allaire Village should be on your New Jersey destination bucket list! Bring a picnic lunch and use one of the many picnic tables to enjoy lunch. During our visit
there was a food truck for concessions, and the bakery building in the Village sold drinks and snacks. Bring some money for the train ride (we’ll talk about that later), gift shop, and voluntary donations to keep the Village running. After parking you’ll first find the visitor’s center, which will give you all the details about Howell Works, and the iron industry. The indoor center is staffed, and brochures and maps will be available to you inside. If you have older children be sure to grab a scavenger hunt sheet! There are displays and artifacts inside that will prepare you for your step back in time. Not all buildings are open each day, but the day we visited there were 5 buildings to explore at Allaire Village. Each building has a volunteer in period clothing to educate you about what would happen inside. WHAT BUILDINGS ARE AT ALLAIRE VILLAGE? Allaire Village is what remains of the company town and the factory buildings established for the Howell Iron Works. Plenty of structures still stand and walking around you’ll feel as if you could be in the 1800’s!
You will see: • Church • Row House sites • Foreman’s Cottage • Blacksmith & Tin Shop • Bakery • Manager’s House • General Store • Carpenter Shop • Stables • Carriage House • Mansion & Dormitory There are other structures to explore as well. You’re free to roam the grounds, and there’s plenty to look at beyond the open and manned buildings. Inside the buildings, the interpreters and volunteers will give you a detailed look at life in the time which Howell Iron Works was thriving. Inside the Blacksmith & Tin Shop, a volunteer used a working forge to make iron hearts and more. Inside the Carpenter Shop we learned why the carpenter was the most important worker at the Iron Works (it has to do with his molds)! There’s a lot to see inside the buildings as well, so when the demonstrations are done, spend some time investigating the contents. We encountered many volunteers inside the Manager’s House, and they came outside with us to show us games of the time period. Kids in the 1850’s went to school, but on non school days and before and after school, they were expected to work in the Iron Works as well. There was certainly no summer vacation! The General Store is now a unique gift shop with essentials and items you just can’t resist. Purchases benefit Allaire Village. The Bakery is a staffed snack shop where you can buy coffee or water, and fresh made cookies. Again, check the Visitor Center upon entry for hours of these locations. Tours are available as well. The Village itself is not that large making walking difficult; if you have little ones a stroller would be advisable. Pathways are mostly gravel though
some are paved. There are some wooden steps to enter trail areas. NO PHOTOGRAPHY is allowed inside the Visitor Center or the historic buildings. PINE CREEK RAILROAD/THE NEW JERSEY MUSEUM OF TRANSPORTATION Separate from Allaire Village but right next to the entrance is the steam train at the Pine Creek Railroad. For a separate fee you can take a 15 minute ride on the historic train. The train runs from 12-4 in the summer months, weekends in the fall, and for special events. It was a relaxing ride to end our day of stepping back in time! IF YOU VISIT ALLAIRE VILLAGE: Allaire Village is at 4263 Atlantic Avenue Farmingdale, 07727. It is located within Allaire State Park. Admission to the village is free. Special events at the Village may charge an additional fee. Click over for a listing of the upcoming events at Allaire Village. For more Allaire Village photos, see our Facebook Album. For more information about Allaire Village visit this site.
Our Medieval Night! Written by Melanie Cortese
Prepare to be entertained by a dinner show beyond compare! Just off route 17 in Lyndhurst you’ll find one of only 8 “castles” in the United States where you can experience the impressive Medieval Times Dinner and Tournament. Enter a world of knights, kings, horses and jousting, and experience a night unlike anything else in New Jersey! While the adults in our family had experienced Medieval Times, our children never had. They had no idea what to expect - eating without utensils? Knights on horses and sword fighting? All of it sounded exciting and a great way to spend a summer night, special occasion or not. After a short ride from our home in Union County, we arrived at the castle to much cheering! What can you expect at Medieval Times? Reservations must be made in advance, for either of two daily shows on weekends or weekday evenings. Shows are 90 minutes long. Parking is free and plentiful, and the location is well signed so you won’t have trouble making your way there. Upon entering you’ll be greeted by the royal staff, who direct you into the castle. Depending on your ticket package, you’ll either be greeted by the King, or will have some family photos taken. The waiting area opens about 90 minutes before showtime, but when making reservations the time will be confirmed. While you wait to be seated, you’ll find plenty of souvenirs and medieval decor. Lord Chancellor makes a few appearances; to knight the birthday celebrants (plans must be made in advance) and to usher you into your seats. Seating in the waiting area is limited. Armed with your tickets and your paper crown which both indicate where you’ll sit and who you will cheer for, it’s time to take your seats! You’ll have your extras at your seat, if your package included them (for Knight’s Royalty we received a program and banner). Your server (also known as a table wench!) will direct you to your napkin which shows a menu for your visit. We have a peanut allergy
in our family, and we were given the chance to let them know, and they offered accommodations which helped ease our minds. Vegetarian meals are also available. The meal consisted of soup, bread, chicken, potato, corn, and a pastry and it’s true - no utensils! Drink options were soda, apple juice or water. Coffee is offered with dessert. Additional servers walk around taking orders from the bar, and taking more family pictures. There’s also a chance to upgrade your team banner, or buy those light up toys you didn’t get before. When you enter the arena it will be dark, and throughout the performance the lights will be lowered. There will also be strobe lights and some smoke, but we found most of the time there was ample lighting inside. Soon after taking your seat, the performance begins! Lord Chancellor, who greeted the guests in the entry area comes onto the field on one of the elegant horses used during the show. He introduces King Don Carlos and Princess Catalina, who will observe the tournament from above. Each section is of course encouraged to cheer on their knight of which there are 6 - Blue, Green, Yellow, Red, Red and Yellow, and Black and White. Lord Chancellor explains where they are from and what their strengths are, and prepares the crowd for the tournament of skill! But before the battles begin, the Royal Falconer emerges with his falcon, who flies above the crowd and around the arena. The Master of Horse also comes out, riding his Andalusian and directing all four of them into stunts and shows of horsemanship that will thrill! The tournament begins and you’ll watch feats of skill, bravery, and some fancy footwork by the regal horses. Be ready to cheer as your knights use lances, swords, shields and athleticism to battle each other. As your knight is victorious, be ready to catch a flower thrown into the crowd (we did!). Of course while the action happens, the food is being served so don’t forget to eat. We were impressed with the chicken, and my picky eaters even tried all they were served. Will your knight be the victor? Maybe, but even if not, the show is exciting and you’ll get wrapped up in cheering for them all. When the Herald to the North arrives, the whole crowd joins as one to cheer our Medieval Times knight against the dastardly invader. Take a look at our video highlights. After the show, don’t rush out! The knights come out to greet their fans and it makes for a great photo op. And if you’re ready to treat the kids to a sword or something else, the souvenir stands are still open! We had such a great time at Medieval Times and can’t wait for an occasion to return! Want to Visit Medieval Times? Medieval Times Ticket Packages begin at $37/children but special offers are always available! Check their website for the options and showtimes. For more Medieval Times Dinner and Tournament photos, check out our Facebook album.
We want to be Cake Bosses! Written by Melanie Cortese Last summer, when we were tired from the beach, the pool, the heat ... my kids and I binge watched Cake Boss on TLC. This entertaining show, based in New Jersey, featuring a family based business appealed to me as a mom, and my daughter who has an artistic mind. Throughout the year we caught up on the show, visited our local Carlo’s quite a few times, and eagerly awaited my daughter’s tenth birthday so she could attend a Carlo’s Bakery class. The birthday came and it didn’t take long for us to sign up for a Carlo’s Bakery class! Classes are held in four of the New Jersey Carlo’s locations - Ridgewood, Red Bank, Morristown and Jersey City (Carlo’s has 6 New Jersey bakery locations). We chose Jersey City, as it’s closest to us but also is where all the bakery operations take place, so we’d get the benefit of seeing where the action is! Pre-registration is required, and there were at least 4 options for beginner classes at the time we registered. Our choice was the beach themed cake as a way to end out our fun Summer 2015. Classes are for ages 10 and up with a guardian only. Early on a Sunday morning we arrived at an unassuming, large factory location blocks from the Holland Tunnel in Jersey City. Starting right at our 9 AM start time, we were greeted and led on a quick tour of the facility where we saw the huge ovens, the consultation room and the refrigeration room. The ovens crank out all the pastries for all the nearby Carlo’s locations so you can imagine how large they are! The finished cakes in the refrigeration room are just as impressive as they are on the show - no pictures allowed but take my word for it that the large cruise boat cake was simply amazing. Our group of at least 20 cake decorators entered the decorating room, where there were two long wooden tables waiting for us, with an apron for each participant. Each station had a turntable, “pizza” cutter to cut the fondant, three colors of fondant and other decorations and tools. We took a seat by the instructor, Sarah, because we didn’t want to miss anything she went over! She showed us step by step instruction on kneading the fondant and laying it on the cake, and how to use fondant to
make decorations. The whole cake is open to your creativity and ability. Using fondant is like using Play-Doh, so there’s no previous experience needed. Sarah made it look super easy so our confidence was high as we began our decorating! Cakes are prebaked and prepped with buttercream, so once we had our cakes we were ready to work. Full disclosure, I am not a creative person. My head actually hurts when it’s time to paint or sculpt or build. My daughter is the complete opposite and is creative and talented. I thoroughly enjoyed watching her think of a plan, make her creations out of fondant and see her vision through. She kept up with the adults in kneading the fondant and using the sheeter, and needed no help from me (in fact she paid closer attention and used the sheeter for my trim). My fondant laid sloppily on my cake, while as you can see, hers went down easily. After tucking the fondant in and cutting the excess, (I managed to hide my mistakes) it’s time to make decorations out of fondant and then stretch out the white fondant trim to go on the bottom edge. Sarah showed us shells and other things found on the beach, but I saw decorators making shark fins, inner tubes and more. My only thought was a beach towel, so I made a JFF (Jersey Family Fun, of course), towel, and JFF letters for my trim. The piping gel and the sand finish out the decorating and before you know it, two hours have passed and your cake is boxed and ready to go home. And to be EATEN! Our cakes were a vanilla layer, a chocolate layer and fudge in between. It was truly delicious and one cake served 12 people! Classes are $125/person - pricey for sure but consider the class a birthday or graduation present, one that comes home with a Carlo’s Bakery cake (and you keep your apron too!). We didn’t see any stars of the show during our visit, but filming is happening now, and it’s not uncommon to see familiar faces walking around. It was an experience like no other, and one we won’t forget! Visit the Carlo’s Bakery website for more information about class location, times, and availability and our Facebook album for more pictures.
Get Face to Face with Live Reptiles at the Academy! Written by Jillian Fletcher The Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia, PA is getting ready to open its newest exhibit on Wednesday September 30th. The new exhibit is titled “Reptiles: The Beautiful and the Deadly.” The exhibit will be open until January 10, 2015. This new exhibit is extra exciting because it includes live animals! If you have a reptile fan in your house, you are not going to want to miss this exhibit. WHAT TO SEE AT THE “REPTILES: THE BEAUTIFUL AND THE DEADLY” EXHIBIT • Nearly 20 species of live reptiles will be on display including (depending on the day) a bearded dragon, Gila monster, crocodile, alligator, chameleon, gecko, python, viper, cobra, and more. • Watch live reptiles in realistic habitats. Watching the animals in a naturalistic habitat helps visitors get a feel for what the animal is like in the wild. This leads to a better understanding of the reptile world. • Practice “milking” a viper through one of the interactive components of the exhibit. • Learn to speak “croc” like a professional. • Test your knowledge of turtles and lizards by answering various trivia questions. The best way to learn about something is to see it in action. Many of these reptiles are difficult to find in their natural habitat, so this exhibit is the next best thing. “Reptiles have enduring appeal, and they are fascinating to watch and examine up close,” said Academy Senior Director of Exhibits Jennifer Sontchi. “Few people will ever encounter these animals in the wild, but it’s great that they can learn about them in the safety and the fun environment of our museum.” The reptiles in this exhibit are some of the most beautiful and exotic reptiles in existence. It is sure to be a one of a kind experience. ACADEMY OF NATURAL SCIENCES HOURS: • Monday-Friday 10am to 4:30pm • Saturday & Sunday 10am to 5pm • Regular admission is $17.95 for adults; $13.95 for children 3 through 12, seniors, college students, and military personnel; and free for members and children under 3. • There is an added fee to visit the reptile exhibit. The Academy of Natural Sciences is located at 1900 Benjamin Franklin Parkway in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Read more about The Academy of Natural Sciences and their regular exhibits by checking out our The Academy of Natural Sciences articles or videos on our YouTube Channel.
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Our recent family travel series segments were written by Jennifer Auer. When we first started planning our return trip to Lancaster there were so many Lancaster attractions recommended to us, and I admit Lancaster does have so many ways for families to have fun. BUT I wanted us to slow down a bit. I knew we were going to be spending a night at the Hershey Farm Restaurant & Inn and with all the property has to offer I wanted to make sure we had a chance to really explore it. We had a full weekend when we returned to Lancaster from relaxing at the Hershey Farm Restaurant & Inn, to playing pinball on moving train cars, from a slow bus ride through the country to climbing high walls, from relaxing stays at the Hershey Restaurant & Inn and The Warehouse Hotel to eating at Lancaster’s best restaurants, Lancaster hosted us for a vacation that was truly memorable.
Hershey Farm Restaurant & Inn Hershey Farm Restaurant & Inn is centrally located in Lancaster in the center of all the action. Yet, when you check into your room and begin to really explore the property, it’s quiet, peaceful, and relaxing. And what I loved most is that the Hershey Farms Inn had room for my kids to run, climb, play and just be kids. ON THE PROPERTY: • Walking trails & pond • 2 playgrounds • Barn with chickens and roosters • Petting farm with goats and a turkey (you can buy a big bag of feed for a $1 in the hotel lobby) • Picturesque waterfall & garden • Carriages and statues for great photos • A lobby with computer, wii, seating, complimentary beverages and continental breakfast • The lobby also had family board games available to borrow. This was such a relaxing stay for us. The room was incredibly spacious, to the point where my kids stretched out and wrote in their journals. Later, they nicely played together. At times, I even let them play in the room, while I sat outside in an Adirondack chair watching the cars and carriages go by. After having lunch at the Hershey Farm Restaurant & Inn we walked the trails, played on the playground, smelled the flowers and posed for pictures on the property. After dinner we came back to swim. The pool was open late and with the heated water it was just the way to cap off a great night in Lancaster. We have much much more we can say about the Hershey Farm Restaurant & Inn, located at 240 Hartman Bridge Road in Ronks, PA so click over to our full article. It’s minutes from everything in Lancaster and Strasburg. To view more Hershey Farm Restaurant & Inn photos visit our Facebook Gallery to see our videos visit our YouTube chanel. We hope you agree a stay at the Hershey Farm Restaurant & Inn can be a relaxing way to have a family vacation in Lancaster. When you visit make sure you tell them Jersey Family Fun sent you.
Family Fun Touring The Amish Village & Farmhouse Written by Jennifer Auer We had such a great time taking in all of the sites and activities that Lancaster had to offer and no trip would be complete without a return trip to The Amish Village. Our day spent exploring The Amish Village included the Premium Package Tour that includes The Amish Village Backroads Bus Tour (which was 90 minutes), and a guided tour of the Farmhouse and The Amish Village. THE AMISH VILLAGE BACKROADS BUS TOUR • The bus tour is a 90 minute tour of the Amish area with at least one stop. The bus is an air conditioned minibus with comfortable seating for 14. • The bus doesn’t travel the typical tourist routes, instead it goes off the beaten path, past working Amish farms and along country roads. • The bus tour is narrated by your bus driver who will add to your level of understanding the Amish while touring the homestead. While we were on the bus tour we made a stop to a cluster of Amish shops and did some shopping. We bought homemade root beer for my oldest son and husband. My youngest two bought beaded bracelets. We also purchased a wooden sign for the grandparents. All the prices were very affordable. OUR TOUR OF THE AMISH VILLAGE & FARMHOUSE • The guided tour is 25 minutes through the main Amish house. As your lead on your tour hear the stories of Amish history, learn how they live today and their religious traditions that continue. Then, explore the rest of the Amish Village! Your children are sure to enjoy the carriages, schoolhouse, playground, animals, and more. WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT VISITING THE AMISH VILLAGE. • Both tours run throughout the day. • You can self-explore the grounds and other buildings on the 12-acre property. • Admission prices vary by age and include the house tour: Adults: $8.50, Children 5-12: $5.25, Children 4 & younger: FREE • The Amish Village is open Monday – Saturday from 9 am to 5 pm and Sundays 10 am – 5 pm, March – December. January & February they are only open on weekends. • The Amish Village is located at 199 Hartman Bridge Road, Ronks, Pennsylvania. If you’d like to see more photos from our fun trip, you can find them in our Amish Village Facebook Photo Album.
Dining In Lancaster Our family visit to Lancaster included many delicious meals. Click on any if these images to learn more about that restaurant.
34 Ways to Enjoy Your Turkey Hill Experience By Jennifer Auer Ice Cream, Ice Cream... you scream, we scream, we all scream for ice cream!
With how hot this summer has been there was no way we weren’t going to make a stop to the Turkey Hill Experience on our visit to Lancaster. It’s summer time, you are supposed to have ice cream, right? ;-) My family has never had this experience and after a fabulous morning of climbing on the Spooky Nook climbing walls, this was the perfect day to do it. So while we didn’t scream there was certainly a lot of squealing as we worked our way around the Turkey Hill Experience visiting the exhibits and interacting with many of them. What I thought might be a simple tour about the history of ice cream with a brief experiment into making ice cream, turned out to be so much more. I could not believe how much there was to do and how much ice cream we were able to sample. Turkey Hill Experience Activities included with admission • Follow the map to get the most of your Turkey Hill Experience. • Learn about the history of the Susquehanna River Valley and how ice cream got started in this area. • Admire the uniquely-decorated cow at the start of your experience. • Count how many cows you see. • Walk inside a giant tea bottle to taste a variety of Turkey Hill teas. • Smell the different tea aromas. • Watch how Turkey Hill started making teas. • Discover your tea personality. • Catch a movie about how ice cream is made. • Appreciate how Turkey Hill Tea caps are repurposed. • Pose for pictures with various photo cut outs and props. • Examine what bacteria looks like. • Battle against the bad bacteria and help the good bacteria milk needs thrive. • Emboss and sniff the different scents and flavors that go into ice cream onto a card so you can bring those scents home with you. • Create your own virtual ice cream flavor. • Name your uniquely created ice cream flavor. • Jump into the homogenization ball pit (for younger kids). • Push the mixer in the mix tank and slide down the slide.
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Measure out the right proportions to make a tasty and delicious ice cream. Match the right amount of ice cream to the right-sized container. Design your own ice cream packaging to go with your unique flavor. Check out what happens when you add a tub of blueberries into the Flavor Frenzy cooler. Step into the freezer. Star in your own Turkey Hill Ice Cream commercial. Will you interview a cow? Sing a jingle? Something else? Sample several flavors of ice cream, repeatedly if you like. A frozen yogurt and a sugarfree flavor were available during our visit. Go back in time with stories from milk delivery men. Pretend to drive the milk delivery truck. Milk a mechanical cow (No worries, it’s just water.) Rock in a rocking chair in the porch area. Participate in a Tasting Lab class (for an additional fee) for more delicious experiences. Get a pint of vanilla ice cream. • Drop in your flavoring. • Mix in your favorite additions like m&ms, jimmies, cookie crunch, and more. • Freeze then enjoy.
After our day of learning, creating, and eating we were all smiles. The cherry on this sundae was that EVERY staff member we met was absolutely fabulous. They were knowledgeable in all they taught us, courteous in their service, and generous with the samples. Which Turkey Hill Experience do you think your kids would enjoy most? ABOUT VISITING THE TURKEY HILL EXPERIENCE. • General admission is 8.95 for ages 5-17, $9.95 for ages 18 and older. The Taste Lab is $5 more. • Admission is free for children 4 and under. • On your ticket is a CYO code, that will link your virtual creations together so that you can work on your virtual ice cream product and email yourself your work. Each CYO can only be linked to one ice cream creation and one email address. If you are going as a family of 4 and everyone wants to create a flavor, you will need 4 email addresses. • Parking is free, at peak times off site parking is available with a free shuttle. • The lab is not allergen free. There are tree and ground nuts. • Allow for 1-2 hours for your visit. We went through most areas fairly quickly (the nature of boys) and still spent about 2.5-3 hours at Turkey Hill Experience during our visit. • The Turkey Hill Experience is located at 301 Linden Street in Columbia, Pennsylvania not far from Lancaster. To learn more visit their website. To view our Turkey Hill Experience pictures visit our Facebook Gallery.
Clip & Climbing Our Way to Fun written by Jennifer Auer Sp0oky Nook Sports in Manheim, Pennsylvania offers a climbing experience offered nowhere else on the East Coast. I remember when I first learned about the Spooky Nook. While I could only see one picture on their site I knew I had to visit with my boys. As much as I love Lancaster I did not want to return without making a visit to Spooky Nook and climbing those walls. We made our visit late this summer. Let me just tell you know the pictures on their website do not do the Spooky Nook justice. The Clip N’ Climb area was phenomenal! After signing waivers and getting suited up in our harnesses we got a brief training. Kids need to be clipped by a parent or staff member. Parents can clip themselves before climbing. Yes, parents can climb! Kids and parents can climb to their hearts’ content for either a half-hour or hour. We were treated to an hour and even that was not enough to climb everything. Spooky Nook has so many different climbing walls. You and your kids are sure to find one to meet your level of ability. You can even use a score card to track your progress and see who scores the most points. My boys and I tried to give each one a try. HERE’S OUR FAVORITES. • The Big Cheese ~ My seven year old’s favorite. With round, colorful circles and rims you could grasp this wasn’t too difficult. • The Skyscaper ~ My nine year old’s favorite. This climbing wall had square like sections where feet could rest as you grabbed the next set of squares to pull yourself up. • Steelworks ~ My ten year old’s favorite. This wall had steel-like siding with long red bars that ran vertically. It was easy for them, but looked a tad bit tricky for me. I passed on it and did the other walls including my favorite.
• Stairway to Heaven ~ This was my favorite and potentially the most difficult. Not only were my kids surprised I was going to climb at Spooky Nook, but they also couldn’t believe I was going to
attempt to get to the top of the Stairway to Heaven. The Stairway to Heaven has these green poles that go around in a circle shape. The poles are spread out and increase in height, from shorter to taller, as you work your way around to the top. My boys all gave it a try but couldn’t complete it. All of the poles were difficult, but the most extreme was the highest pole. You have got to take a huge step of faith, but there is a Spooky Nook team member there to encourage you. You can’t hesitate too long. The longer I waited the more my body and poles trembled. I took a breath and made the step. What a sense of accomplishment to reach the top. My boys were in awe!
What fun! Spooky Nook provided thrills for my boys and I and I cannot wait to go back. Spooky Nook is an indoor sports complex open year round. Their Clip N Climb program is $8 for 30 minutes or $13 for 60 minutes. They are located just outside Lancaster in Manheim. You can learn more at their website and see more of our Spooky Nook photos in our FB album.
The Warehouse Hotel at the Nook Have you heard about the Spooky Nook? As soon as we heard about the Spooky Nook with their amazing climbing walls we knew we had to visit. Then we learned they were opening up a new hotel and it wasn’t long before we started working to arrange our visit. The Warehouse Hotel and Spooky Nook Sports (more on the Spooky Nooks resort later) did not disappoint. The Warehouse Hotel at the Nook is positioned conveniently near Lancaster’s best attractions. Visit and you have the best of both worlds a luxurious stay and lots of fun to explore both in and around the hotel. With spacious rooms the Warehouse can accommodate larger families or families traveling together. During our most recent stay, we had 2 connecting rooms reserved for us. You can see our video tour of our rooms on YouTube. This was truly an enjoyable stay for us. It was only a 20 minute drive over from the family attractions in Lancaster, yet the hotel with its connection to the Spooky Nook Sports complex is an attraction in itself. After you settle into your room you can head over to Spooky Nook Sports to enjoy their arcade, climbing walls, or clip n’ climb program (for an additional charge). The Warehouse Hotel at the Nook just opened in May and the newness of the hotel was not lost on us. We loved how everything was modern, spacious, and inviting. Get more details on our rooms in our full review online. To view more The Warehouse Hotel at the Nook photos visit our Facebook Gallery. Click over to learn more about our breakfast at the Forklift & Palate.
Jersey Family Fun Visits HersheyPark! Writer, Melanie Cortese is sharing her Hershey Park experiences HersheyPark has 13 roller coasters! A water park! And 67 rides in total! Were you expecting just chocolate? We were surprised by how expansive the park is, and how much time we could spend there without realizing it. While you won’t want to rush through the park, you’ll definitely want to plan your day to maximize your time. HERE ARE OUR HERSHEYPARK TIPS AND PARK DETAILS TO HELP YOU HAVE THE BEST VISIT POSSIBLE THIS FALL! If you’re staying in a Hershey Resort, you get early entrance AND can take a shuttle from your location to HersheyPark. See our Hershey Lodge review here. If you haven’t purchased passes yet, consider buying them from your resort at a discount. With your purchased full day ticket, you can enter the park the night before, 2 1/2 hours before closing for a special “preview”! The park is long, and has some hilly sections near the entrance. If you have little ones, and especially strollers, you’ll want to climb these hills as little as possible. Planning your day’s path is the best way to do this. There are of course park maps available upon entrance, but HersheyPark has a new Mobile App that can offer you the park map as well as wait times! The park has wifi available throughout so access isn’t a problem, as well as charging stations should you require a boost. CONTINUED ON THE NEXT PAGE.
Know your candy! HersheyPark offers an easy to remember candy height designation. I had a 5 year old Hershey Kiss and a 9 year old Hershey bar. My children are on the shorter side, and while the 9 year old had a lot to choose from, there were some rides the 5 year old was just a little too short for that were at his interest level. On the following pages we’ll talk about dining at Hershey in more detail, but some things to know about food in the park. • There are options for those with dietary restrictions everywhere. There’s kosher, nut free, vegetarian and gluten free options, all designated on
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the park map. We were pleased to see familiar names such as Dunkin Donuts, Subway, Chickie and Pete’s and Famous Famiglia. There’s non branded food as well, and of course snacks and treats everywhere! Meal tickets can be purchased for $14 that come with a souvenir, refillable cup. Food cannot be brought into the park, other than one sealed water bottle per person. You can exit the park to eat at picnic tables in the parking lot. Plenty of vending machines throughout the park offer standard fare and healthy options. There are sit down as well as fast food options throughout the park. During peak season, you can even dine with the Hershey characters!
Need a break from the rides? You’ll find Hershey characters strolling around for photo opportunities. They also perform in a dance party and a quiz show (schedule available on the park map). We were impressed by the entertainment we came across as well. While waiting in line to enter the park, the HersheyPark Band performed and got people moving. There are 5 total strolling entertainment groups, and 4 other dance and music shows. HersheyPark has its own Aquatheatre and waterpark open during the warmer months for an additional fee for admission. Whatever you choose to explore at HersheyPark, your family will have a memorable day (or two!), at a family friendly and fun filled destination not too far from home. To see more HersheyPark photos visit our Facebook album.
The Hershey Lodge – Convenience & Comfort for Families The town of Hershey is unique in that it’s a tourist destination but still firmly residential and even rural (for those of us that live in the congested parts of New Jersey). As you approach through dairy farms and wineries, the coasters are visible popping up out of fields. Get closer, and you see that HersheyPark is in fact in the middle of a town. People live in homes that are across the street from the massive roller coasters, and the Hershey factory (still in use!) is in the center of it all. There are hotels and lodging throughout, but not as many as you might expect. The Hershey Company offers two official resort locations in town, with the elegant Hershey Hotel and the family friendly Hershey Lodge. There’s also a Hershey campground. All are conveniently located near HersheyPark and other Hershey attractions. Our weekend visit to brought us to the Hershey Lodge, for a 2 night stay as we explored the town and attractions. It’s a large hotel spread out across some beautiful, well landscaped grounds, but signage everywhere makes navigation easy. After a 2 1/2 hour drive from our Union County home we were happy to park and be greeted immediately by hotel staff. Your first sight is a small statue of Milton Hershey – the man responsible for it all – and beyond, the lobby is warm and inviting. Check in was speedy. We were surprised with tickets to the Hershey Story museum as well as the Hershey Gardens, and even more exciting for our younger family members was the Hershey bar given to all guests. Let the weekend of chocolate eating begin! Upon entering our room, my children immediately found the Hershey Kisses left for us, that were left each time housekeeping came in. At check in we were given the “Lodge Ledger” which lists all the activities and amenities in one spot. This came in very handy for planning our weekend. Off to the room! What kid doesn’t love opening the door to a hotel room? So much to see, explore and so different from home. There were fun elements of Hershey in the bedding, wallpaper and artwork. The space was good for our two night stay with a 9 year old and 5 year old. Wifi was available throughout the Lodge and the grounds. Our housekeeping service gave us turn down both nights, and a cleaning on Saturday. We had plenty of pillows and an extra blanket for sweet dreams. What you should know if you stay at the Hershey Lodge? Want to know more about the Hershey Lodge? Read the rest of our Hershey Lodge experience online at http://www. jerseyfamilyfun.com/hershey-lodge-hotel-review/ Our family was beyond satisfied with our Hershey Lodge stay. We didn’t want for anything, and could have spent more time just being at the Lodge, with the pools and other on site activities. The Hershey Lodge gave us a comfortable and convenient place to call “home” while we visited Hershey. To view more The Hershey Lodge photos visit our Facebook Gallery. To watch our Hershey Park videos including a video tour of our hotel room visit our YouTube Channel for our Hershey Park Playlist.
Dining in Hershey – Chocolate And More! Meals while on vacation can be so stressful – high cost, unhealthy food, unfamiliar ingredients and dietary restrictions all present problems. Of course going to Hershey brings to mind only one kind of food – CHOCOLATE – but there’s plenty more to be had. Our family of four had 3 meals at the Hershey Lodge and HersheyPark, and one at Chocolate World and we were pleased with the options. On our first night in Hershey, we had some activities planned at Chocolate World so decided we’d have a casual meal while there. Chocolate World is just outside the entrance to HersheyPark, and there’s a food court but no sit down restaurants. There’s plenty of seating. The food court offers a coffee counter, deli, pizza, soups, baked potatoes and more. We chose two kids meals of turkey/ mashed potatoes, and a hot dog with mac and cheese. Both came with a drink and applesauce. The adults ordered chicken tenders with potatoes, and a baked potato. The four meals were enough for the four of us, and cost just under $30. Dessert – of course! Visit The Bakery for cakes, cupcakes, sweetened popcorn, brownies or milkshakes. Just try to resist! We headed back to the hotel and explored after a dip in the pool. The Bear’s Den was active and busy and smelled of french fries. Since they were open late, we stopped in and ordered a plate to bring back to the room. I had to convince my kids that if I said it was okay – it was okay! What a treat to eat that late! The Lodge of course offers a full room service menu as well. Saturday morning we were headed to HersheyPark to take advantage of early hours for resort guests. We stopped into the Cocoa Beanery for coffee, orange juice, a couple of bagels and a breakfast sandwich. The line was starting to get long but our sandwich was made within minutes. Toasters and butter were available for us to make our bagels as we desired. The Cocoa Beanery offered other pastries and bottled drinks. It is open until 11 PM with a menu that includes sandwiches and salads. Saturday, we spent the day at HersheyPark. As with all theme parks, there was no lack of food to be had! We were pleased by the offerings of kosher, nut free, gluten free, and vegetarian options. Ingredients are even listed on the HersheyPark website. There are kids meals and counter meals, sit down meals and snacks of all kinds. No one in our family happened to be hungry at the same time (love when that happens right?) so we made a few stops for lunch. First was at Famous Famiglia where the combo got us a drink, large slice of pizza and a side salad for about $9. This fed two of us. The next stop was a kids meal at the Dietz and Watson Grill, where we
were entertained by the Rollin’ Down the River country music show. The meal came with a small sling bag (a souvenir for our American Girl doll!), a squeezable applesauce, a squeezable yogurt, milk and an order of chicken tenders and potato wedges. Again, this fed more than one of us. Later we indulged in some Dunkin Donuts coffee drinks and fresh kettle corn and a bottle of water. Vendors push food carts throughout the park, if you’re unable to make it to a food counter, or there’s a line. HersheyPark offers meal tickets, a prepaid meal and souvenir refillable cup for $14 which can be useful if you have older kids who are exploring the park alone. Sunday morning we stayed in the Hershey Lodge for a meal my son had been looking forward to – a breakfast buffet at Lebbie Lebkicher’s! The Lodge was participating in a Kids Stay and Eat Free promo so we expected a wait at 10 AM, but we were seated right away. Once we saw our friendly waitress we
headed to the buffet. The usual fare of scrambled eggs, pancakes, bacon, sausage and hash browns awaited, but custom omelets were available to order as well. A table offered a variety of cold cereals and milk, and healthier and lighter options could be found by the fruit/yogurt table. Looking for something really filling? Lebbie’s has a sausage gravy and a station with steel cut oats. There truly was something for everyone, and even my picky eaters went up for seconds. Drinks were included and our kids got take home plastic cups with lids. Our waitress warned us about the extra pulpy orange juice which was appreciated, since that would not have gone over well! We stuck with the milk – chocolate of course! The buffet offered chocolate chips for your pancakes (or whatever!) and chocolate butter near the pastries. We weren’t rushed through our meal and lingered over coffee for a bit. The service was attentive and the food at the buffet was constantly checked and refilled. Whether you prefer sit down or quick service, light meals or full options, you won’t be disappointed while visiting the Hershey resorts. Visit the Hershey Lodge website for all restaurant options and hours, and the HersheyPark website for park dining options and details.
Snack & Learning Fun at Herrs Snack Factory Herrs Snack Factory Tour is Free for the whole family and fun! One of the best things about summer is all the time we spent on car trips and having new experiences. A recent one Jersey Family Fun family decided to check out was Herr's Snack Factory located in Nottingham, Pennsylvania. It's just outside of Maryland! I have always wanted to go since I saw a package of Herr's potato chips with the cute little character Chipper on the side. I have watched the factory tour video over and over again when I was little and had memorized it. So as an adult when I realized that the factory and tour itself was just a small car ride away I decided to call and schedule our free tour. We decided to go early in the morning, which was a great idea. We went the first tour time available at 9 am, it was not busy at all and neither was traffic, just missing the morning commute. What to expect during the Free Herrs Snack Factory Tour It is expected to last for about an hour. The tour starts in Chipper's theater to watch a video about Herr, the gentleman that started the whole company. The video is 10 minutes but is pretty interesting and it includes a younger version of the owner and his wife as well as their mascot Chipper so your children will not get bored. During the tour you are guided from room to room. It is suggested that you do the Herrs Snack Factory Tour during the beginning of the month to see the most production. The first stop on the production line is the pretzel area followed by the tortilla chip area, and concluded with the chip area and seasoning area. At the completion of the tour everyone receives fresh, hot potato chips right out of the oven on the factory line! I thought it was amazing and so did the kids, they will never be able to eat chips as fresh as they did that day! Herrs also has some very interesting flavors you can get from the gift shop, one of the newest flavors my children enjoyed was the cotton candy balls! (sounds disgusting but it tastes just like cotton candy!) There’s also the $.17 "oops" potato chip bags in the gift shop, there isn't anything wrong with them except for the fact that they did not meet up to Herr's standards. Herrs Snack Factory Tour Hours • Monday-Thursday 9 am to 3 pm (extended hours upon request) • Friday 9 am-11 am (can not guarantee production running on Friday) • You can go online and schedule a tour or call 1-800-63-SNACK • Herr’s is closed for certain holidays. Herrs Snack Factory is located at 217 Old Baltimore Pike in Nottingham, Pennsylvania.
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New York City Museums with Free Admission Enjoy our listing of New York City museums with free admission. You can learn more about each of these museums in our detailed listing here. New York City Museums with FREE Admission Everyday (or PWYW pay what you wish) • American Folk Art Museum • American Museum of Natural History (PWYW) • Bronx Museum of Arts (PWYW) • Brooklyn Museum (PWYW) • The Cloisters (PWYW) • El Museo del Barrio (PWYW) • Metropolitan Museum of Art (PWYW) • Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology • Nuseum of American Illustration • Museum of Biblical Art (PWYW) • National Museum of the American Indian— Smithsonian Institution • New York City Police Museum (PWYW) • P.S.1 MoMA (PWYW) • Socrates Sculpture Park • Staten Island Museum (PWYW) • Studio Museum in Harlem (PWYW) Museums with FREE Admission days or hours Monthly free hours • Bronx Museum (First Friday, 6-10 pm) • Brooklyn Children’s Museum (Second Weekend, before 11 am) • Brooklyn Museum (First Saturday, 5-11 pm) • El Museo del Barrio (Third Saturday, 11 am-8 pm) • Neue Gallerie (First Friday, 6-8 pm) • Noguchi Museum (First Friday, (PWYW)) • South Street Seaport Museum (Third Friday, 6-8:45 pm) Weekly free days or hours Mondays • Yeshiva University Museum Tuesday • Brooklyn Botanic Garden • China Institute 6-8 pm • Staten Island Museum 12-2 pm • Wave Hill 9 am-noon
Wednesday • Bronx Zoo (PWYW) • Brooklyn Children’s Museum 2-5 pm • Museum of Jewish Heritage 4-8 pm • New York Botanical Garden • Queens Botanical Garden April-October, 3-6 pm • Van Cortlandt House Museum • Yeshiva University Museum 5-8 pm Thursday • China Institute 6-8 pm • Museum of Arts and Design 6-9 pm (PWYW) • Museum of Chinese in America • New Museum of Contemporary Art 7-9 pm • Trinity Church: Concerts at One 1-2 pm (September through May) Friday • International Center for Photography 5-8 pm (PWYW) • Japan Society 6-9 pm • Morgan Library & Museum 7-9 pm • Museum of Modern Art 4-8 pm • Neue Galerie 6-8 pm • New-York Historical Society 6-8 pm (PWYW) • New York Aquarium 3 pm-closing (PWYW) • New York Hall of Science 2-5 pm (September through June) • Rubin Museum of Art 7-10 pm • Staten Island Museum 12-2 pm • Whitney Museum of American Art 6-9 pm • Yeshiva University Museum Saturday • Brooklyn Botanic Garden 10 am-noon • Jewish Museum • New York Botanical Garden 10 am-noon • Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum 5:45-7:45 pm (PWYW) • Wave Hill 9 am-noon Sunday • Frick Collection 11 am-1 pm (PWYW) • New York Hall of Science 10-11 am (September through June) • Queens Botanical Garden April-October, 4-6 pm • Studio Museum in Harlem
See New York City from the High Line Written by Melanie Cortese Up on an abandoned freight rail line is a different Manhattan, a public park with art, gardens and water features. The perspective is of course different from the street, and with the seats, lounge chairs and hidden nooks it feels like an urban oasis! The High Line runs for just under 1.5 miles from Gansevoort Street (in Meatpacking District) to West 34th Street. It was a working railroad until the 1980s and first opened to the public as park space in 1999. The final section opened last September and in 15 years the High Line has become a New York City must see, as well as a vibrant location for events, activities and the arts. As the weather gets cooler it’s still a good time for the High Line! The collectivity project will be on display through the end of September. Bring the kids for some Lego play and envision what your cityscape would look like. Bring a lunch and enjoy it on one of the many tables/benches/bleachers throughout the park. Or visit one of the food vendors on the High Line, from ice cream sandwiches to coffee to tacos.
There’s stargazing on Tuesdays at dusk, various tours, and always a pop up performer or two. Celebrate Halloween with the Haunted High Line Halloween on Saturday October 24, where you’ll find face painting, scavenger hunts and pumpkin decorating! There are 11 access spots, some with elevators. No bikes, no dogs, and no smoking is allowed on the High Line, but bring your stroller if needed! The High Line open hours vary by season, but always opens at 7 AM, and closes 7 PM or later. Check here for current times.
DoubleTree Suites by Hilton – Times Square Written by Jennifer Auer This past summer, I headed out alone to New York City… Times Square no less. Yes we’ve covered New York City and I’ve been there for a few events. However, I had never visited Times Square on my own, let alone spent a night in the the Big Apple. With invites in hand for a MyPrintly event one day and a Disney Social Media Moms one the following morning this was a perfect opportunity for me to get out there and have my first overnight in New York. If I could get around Times Square on my own, then a family trip to New York for our family travel series would be very doable. For so many reasons, this weekend turned out to be a great one for me and Jersey Family Fun. We hit the 10,000 Facebook Fans milestone (thank you) and things are happening for this blog I created almost 5 years ago. The DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Times Square was the perfect place to be to enjoy this weekend and the accomplishments. I could feel the excitement of the city, see the great views of Times Square, all while having quite moments in my room that really gave me the time to stop and soak up the minutes. Yes, even in one of the world’s busiest cities my room was peaceful. I traveled into the city on a NJ Transit bus into the Port Authority. From there it was just a short walk to the DoubleTree Suites. In fact you might miss it if you blink, but once you see the elevated seating and the outdoor tables in Times Square, the DoubleTree is right there. I arrived before regular check in, so my room wasn’t quite ready but I still got my DoubleTree chocolate chip cookie. I took advantage of the concierge to hold my bags and headed over to the bar to have a sweet tea. Before I even finished my drink, I got the call my room was ready. I couldn’t wait to check it out and the view. Take a look our video tour of our room. While I enjoyed my time at the events and my blogging friends, I was bummed I did not get more time to enjoy my room. Sleeping in in that DoubleTree bed would have been a nice way to add to the weekend’s fun. Late check out is available. Perhaps next time, I was up by 6 am to get breakfast and head to the Disney Social Media Moms event a few blocks away at the New Amsterdam Theater. With some promotions a complimentary breakfast buffet is included. From hot foods to cold cereals, from an omelet station to a fruit bar, there was plenty of gluten free options for me to chose from. I also know my kids would have found plenty to fill their bellies. While the restaurant was empty at that early hour there was also plenty of seating for those times when it might be more crowded. I filled my belly, took some last pictures of my room, and then reluctantly checked out. Seeing what I have of Times Square, I can’t wait to come back with the kids. Learn more about the DoubleTree Suites in our full review online and see more pictures in our Facebook album.
Mystic Seaport and Museum Our Family Travel to Mystic Connecticut series is writen by Melanie Cortese When faced with a three day weekend and a need for a getaway with the kids where do you go? When your kids are not great car riders, your time in the car must be about 3 hours or less. You need some place that would have enough activities but not too much. As much as we love the Jersey Shore, it was time for a change of perspective (but we still wanted to be near water). So where to go? After a short search, we found the town of Mystic Connecticut filled all our requirements. Three hours from our Union County home, on the Mystic River, Mystic offers a seaport, an aquarium, in addition to the quaint town and shops. There are plenty of reasonably priced hotels within Mystic and as long as ours had a pool, everyone was happy. The hotel was booked, so off we went, with plans to visit Mystic Seaport our first day, and Mystic Aquarium our next day. The Mystic Seaport is a museum, a living history seaport, and a working research center for maritime history. It is open year round, with many outdoor activities during our early September visit, as well as indoor activities for inclement or colder weather. We arrived at 11 AM and as soon as we entered we were given a quick overview of the Seaport from a helpful staff member. There is so much to do at the Seaport, you can choose to wander and just enjoy the sights, or participate in scheduled activities, or learn about maritime history in any of the many museum buildings. Before we knew it we spent five hours at the Seaport, and could have been there longer (exhibits begin to close at 5 PM). Some of our favorite Seaport features … In Waterfront Exploration where we rolled up our shorts, kicked off our shoes and took a net to the water. Our crew caught crabs, hermit crabs, snails and small fish which were all released at the end of the program. It was a great way to understand the river’s ecosystem and appreciate marine life. The Seaport staff is knowledgeable and leads many engaging activities that shouldn’t be missed. While inside the Nautical Instruments Shop, we were offered the chance to complete the Seaport’s Navigation Quest. We hadn’t yet tried geocaching and this 40 minute mission kept our crowd interested and engaged, and exploring the Seaport from end to end. The Mystic River Scale Model is fascinating! See over 250 buildings with people, animals, and extreme detail in a 50 foot long model of the Mystic River area as it was in the mid 1800s. The model CONTINUED ON THE NEXT PAGE
is located inside, in its own building with an audio tour that runs repeatedly. The Charles W. Morgan commercial whaling ship is a majestic sight, but don’t just look- walk on! We participated in the “Man Overboard” demonstration run from the ship then toured the amazingly small ships quarters, imagining what life on the ship would be like. The Charles W. Morgan was preserved at Mystic Seaport’s preservation shipyard, and after visiting the ship we headed over to the gallery there to learn about its restoration. There are also activities available for an additional fee. Among our favorites were the toy boat building and candle dipping. Make a souvenir with meaning, and learn along the way! There’s a picturesque horse and carriage ride through the village and of course a waterfront tour. Learn about the importance of stars and the sky to sailors in the Treworgy Planetarium which offers various shows. All this, and STILL, there’s The Seafaring Village and the the exhibit buildings! Stroll past 19th century buildings that are all fully staffed and stocked as they would have been in the 1800s. Find town folks from the 1800s also wandering through the village; we saw Mrs. Buckley, the poor widow when we were near the kitchen garden. Your kids will want to spend time learning about winds, signals, pulleys in the Discovery Barn, and dressing up and making knots in the Children’s Museum. Don’t miss the Figureheads and other artifacts from the sea – entering the room where 12 wooden sculptures hang from the walls is breathtaking. WHEN YOU VISIT: • • • •
Parking is plentiful and free. Closed toe shoes are best as the grounds are direct and grass. Sneakers are better as there could be a lot of walking! We were impressed with the food at The Galley restaurant; the portions were large, reasonably priced and the food was fresh! It was a great spot to take a break and refuel. A new exhibit hall is under construction for Fall 2016.
After a quick rest at the hotel, we headed across the river to the historic town of Mystic to watch the Mystic River Bascule Bridge rise and lower and indulge in some of the town’s famous Mystic Pizza. The town is walkable and pleasant and was a memorable, relaxing night. We rested up for our second Mystic day, but could it be as great as our first? Mystic Seaport is at 75 Greenmanville Avenue, Mystic Connecticut. Admission begins at $16, and children 5 and under are free. Joint discounted admission with Mystic Aquarium is also available. The Seaport hours change seasonally, but the Seaport is open year round. Find all details here.
Mystic Aquarium Our quick getaway to Mystic Connecticut had a fun and educational first day (see the previous article), and our second day was starting early and just as promising. Our hotel offered a free breakfast so after eating and checking out we headed just a couple blocks away to the Mystic Aquarium. There’s plenty of local hotels available, and all Mystic attractions are within a short distance of each other. Like most of Mystic, the exterior is eye catching and welcoming. Open since 1973, the aquarium has one of the largest Beluga whale outdoor exhibits – did you see Juno the whale photobomb the Connecticut governor recently? – along with so much more! Fans of aquariums won’t be disappointed with the exhibits at Mystic Aquarium; here are 5 of our must see Mystic Aquarium attractions. 4D theater (tickets additional fee). It wasn’t our first 4D movie experience but it was definitely the best! The theater shows two movies at different times through the day, and we were in for Ice Age: No Time for Nuts. It was COLD in the theater, and we were spritzed with water, rumbled around, and blasted with air. It was a fun 10 minute movie! Exploration: Wild. When exiting the 4D theater, you find yourself in Exploration: Wild! There’s so many hands on and interactive things to do in this diverse exhibit. We were able to touch an American Alligator, pretend to be in a shark cage or a dog sled, and hunt for fossils. The most impressive part was the Augmented Reality Sandbox, where kids (and adults) can make watersheds, learn about topographic contour lines, and make it rain. Belugas! Just days before we visited, Juno the beluga whale made himself an internet star by stealing the spotlight from the Connecticut governor during a press conference. Mystic Aquarium has the only belugas in New England, and one of the largest outdoor whale exhibits in the US. Underwater viewing is available, but the outdoor enclosure is beautiful, and offers different heights and perspectives. California sea lion show. In the Foxwoods Marine Theater, multiple times a day the California sea lions put on a show! The theater fills so get your seat early and get ready for some sea lion acrobatics and intelligence, and a message about protecting our earth. CONTINUED ON THE NEXT PAGE
Penguin Pavilion. We luckily came upon the penguin pavilion right at feeding time! It was interesting to watch more than 28 penguins swallow fish whole, and see the process that the staff goes through to feed them. Each penguin wears a color coded bracelet and a staff member tracks their food intake. Some try to sneak back for more, but nope the staff is on top of it! The pavilion offers underwater viewing and an aquarium staff member is on hand to answer questions. There’s all this and more: be sure to look out for the many art sculptures crafted from trash found in the oceans, and artwork made by the aquarium residents! We spent over 3 hours at the aquarium, but with validation you can turn a one day visit into a two day visit. After our aquarium visit, we browsed through the Olde Mistick Village where there was an art show and live music. We enjoyed the general store and fresh nuts, the music store that made me feel like I was back in college, and of course, some ice cream! Our drive back to New Jersey was full of recapping how great Mystic was, and when we can head back and see the town in different seasons. WHEN YOU VISIT: • Parking is free and shared with Mistick Village. It was crowded when we left midday on a weekend, but spots were plentiful in the morning.. • Most of the Aquarium exhibits are outside so bring sunscreen and sunglasses! • Food is not allowed inside the aquarium, and no straws are available inside (to protect the animals). Penguin Cafe serves a full menu or you can leave for food outside the facility and come back in. Mystic Aquarium is at 55 Coogan Blvd, Mystic CT. Admission begins at $24.99, but discounts can be had by buying tickets online, or buying a Mystic Pass for combination admission to the Mystic Seaport. The Aquarium is open year round, though hours vary. For details click here. For more Mystic Aquarium photos see our Facebook Album.
Traveling Outside New Jersey? Get to Know these Great Sites ALABAMA Northern Alabama – Rocket City Mom ARIZONA Yuma – Yuma Mom ARKANSAS Northwest Arkansas – nwaMotherlode CALIFORNIA Bay Area – 510 Families Los Angeles – Mommy Poppins La Jolla – La Jolla Mom Sacramento – Sacramento Kids COLORADO Denver Metro – Colorado Moms DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA/WASHINGTON, DC/MARYLAND DC Metro & Maryland/Virginia suburbs – A Parent in Silver Spring & Our Kids DC Metro – DC Cool Kids, Kid Friendly DC, & DC Thrifty Mom FLORIDA Flagler County – Flagler County Family Fun Orlando – Orlando Kids’ Directory Pensacola – Pensacola with Kids! Tampa Bay – What’s Doing Tampa Bay GEORGIA Atlanta – Atlanta With Kid Forsyth County – Cumming Local ILLINOIS Champaign-Urbana – Chambanamoms.com Chicago– Toddling Around Chicago & Chicago Kids Far western suburbs of Chicago – Go West Young Mom Lake County (North Suburbs of Chicago) – Little Lake County Near west suburbs of Chicago – {kidlist} activities for little kids INDIANA Indianapolis – Indy with Kids Terre Haute – Haute Happenings KENTUCKY Hardin County – Elizabethtown Family Louisville – Louisville Family Fun LOUISIANA Baton Rouge – Baton Rouge Moms City of New Orleans & Jefferson Parish – Jefferson Parish Parent Gulf Coast – MS Gulf Coast Parent North Shore New Orleans – North Shore Parent MASSACHUSETTS Boston – Boston Mamas MICHIGAN Ann Arbor – Ann Arbor with Kids Ann Arbor/Detroit – Kids Out and About Ann Arbor and Detroit Bay, Midland, and Saginaw Counties – Great Lakes
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