A few of our favorite college friends live in New Jersey. We’ve made several trips with and without kids to visit NJ. The Trenton airport is centrally convenient, but we’ve found that Newark by NYC and the Philadelphia airport provide more options. Read more about our most recent flight here.
We spend most of time in NJ hanging out with friends and like to get out and explore new areas every time we go. This post highlights a few fun activities for kids in the state.
Asbury Park Boardwalk
This New Jersey beach town is a fun stop. The boardwalk is full of activities for kids. Although entry to beach does come with a small charge for admission, wandering the boardwalk and listening to the sounds of the ocean is free. There is a free playground and tons of kitschy shops and attractions. We enjoyed spending time at the Silverball Arcade and watching the pedal boats go by the nearby lake. Also nearby is the Asbury Festhalle Beer garden
Princeton Area
On our most recent visit, we spent some time exploring the Princeton area. We picked some berries at Terhune orchards, ate some pizza and ate too much ice cream! Right near the campus are cute restaurants and shops
Theme Parks Big and Small
For such a small state, there are more than 20 theme parks in the state including construction, fairytales, pirates, dinosaurs and more. In 2018, we visited Six Flags Great Adventure. The kids loved the rides. Unlike adult rides with long lines, the kid’s rides lines were quick and we could do multiple over and over. Also, on Father’s day week, there’s usually a Craft Beer week. Fun! iPlay is another unique amusement park that we’ve visited . It is huge with carousels, roller coasters, fun rides and arcade games. There was also a rope climbing area that Ellie loved!
Adventure Aquarium Camden
Right across the border from Philadelphia, this aquarium was a highlight of a recent trip to NJ. There was a really cool exhibit where you could walk on a rope bridge over sharks.
New Jersey Eats
Finally, if you’re in NJ, make sure you take some time to eat some NJ favorites. Many New Jersey-ians (at least the ones I know) claim their tomatoes, blueberries, bagels, and corn are better than any other states’. And these people are serious about their taylor ham/pork roll love. (To me, it’s pretty similar to Canadian ham ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ )
