The Great Outdoors

Park Information

Local, County & State Parks & Recreational Areas
NJ's County Parks - ParenthoodNJ's compilation of links to the state's county-run parks
NJ Playgrounds - a great site for information & reviews from visitors on local playgrounds and water parks
NJ State Parks - a site that lists state parks in alphabetical order and offers information on what you can do and how to get there
NJ State Parks - this site is run by the NJ DEP and allows you to search for parks by location or activity

Other Parks & Environmental Centers
Environmental Education Center (Basking Ridge) - for varying fees the center offers children's naturalist programs, Family Program Series & special events
Bird & Butterfly Garden (Bedminster) - run by the Upper Raritan Watershed Association (URWA) at Fairview Farms; also a kid's walking trail, family educational programs & more (some GPS don't like this location so call for directions; access is off Route 206 via Lamington Road)
Scherman-Hoffman Wildlife Sanctuary (Bedminster) - part of NJ Audubon; 265-acre sanctuary has nature trails, tours, events & programs, including a summer camp
Camden Children's Garden (Camden) - this 4-acre garden provides horticultural experiences for creative and imaginative play
Cape May Bird Observatory (Cape May Point) - part of NJ Audubon; various programs and information including Take a Kid Birding
Nature Center of Cape May (Cape May) - part of NJ Audubon; various environmental programs for kids
Plainsboro Preserve (Cranbury) - part of NJ Audubon; more than 5 miles of trails & 150 species of birds; various programs for kids and adults
Lorrimer Sanctuary (Franklin Lakes) - part of NJ Audubon; self-guided trails on 14 acres; programs for kids
Grounds for Sculpture (Hamilton) - a 35-acre sculpture park
Sandy Hook Bird Observatory (Highlands) - part of NJ Audubon; 350 bird species and over 50 species of butterflies come to its varying habitats
Manasquan Reservoir Environmental Center (Howell) - interactive exhibits, multi-media presentations, educational activities; free nature programs
Frelinghuysen Arboretum (Morristown) - Surrounding a magnificent Colonial Revival mansion, the woodlands, meadows, beautiful gardens and distinctive collections of trees and shrubs of The Frelinghuysen Arboretum; events and children's programs
Rancocas Nature Center (Mount Holly) - part of NJ Audubon; trail system; various kid and family programs
Stony Brook- Millstone Watershed (Pennington) - 860-acre nature reserve with walking trails and a butterfly house; various kid programs & events
Weis Ecology Center (Ringwood) - part of NJ Audubon; 24 miles of trails on 160-acre property
Essex County Environmental Center (Roseland) - part of NJ Audubon; various kids programs
Reeves-Reed Arboretum (Summit) - an arboretum is an educational conservancy promoting the awareness that the natural environment needs protection and deserves concern; has children's programs & special events
Tenafly Nature Center (Tenafly) - lots of events & programs for kids of all ages

Winter Fun

Ski Resorts In and Around NJ - check here for winter resorts in NJ and other states
Ice Skating - NJ skating rinks

Spraygrounds & Water Parks

NJ Spraygrounds & Water Parks - ParenthoodNJ's list by county

Hit the Beach!

NewJerseyShore.com - - profiles of the various shore towns and activities
Everythingshore - guide to NJ shore activities and events including best picks for beaches and boardwalks; provided by NJ.com
Virtual NJ Shore - local events, rental info & more
Beach Towns - ParenthoodNJ's listings of official websites for the various "beach" towns
NJ Lighthouse Society - there's more than surf & sand at the beaches; check out a historic lighthouse

Recreation and Exercise for the Family

GORP - list of NJ destinations, links to National Parks & more
Recreation Departments - ParenthoodNJ's list of local recreation departments organized by county
Sports & Recreation - list of NJ programs for sports & rec programs plus indoor climbing gyms, gymnastics & more
Get Moving Outside - remember the games you used to play as a kid? Here are some of them and maybe new ones

Farms

For a list of farms that host family activities, please click here

Exercise for Mom & Dad

Strollercize - get in shape with your baby. NJ Locations include: Blairstown, Bloomfield, Caldwell, Chatham, Edison, Hoboken & several classes in Somerset & Middlesex counties
Stroller Fit (Parsippany) - learn how to get fit with your baby
Stroller Strides - get fit with your baby in various locations including Bridgewater, Belmar, Eatontown, Hackensack, Hoboken, Paramus, Red Bank, Somerset, Tinton Falls, Verona. Use the class locator.