12 Best New Jersey Amusement Parks

During the sizzling summer months, New Jersey attracts people from all over the country who want to have some fun in the sun. The state offers beaches and boardwalks galore, but visitors also come here to enjoy the state's many amusement parks, which can be found everywhere from the Jersey Shore to upstate. Whether you're looking for a family-friendly experience or thrilling roller coasters and fast-paced rides, New Jersey can deliver the type of getaway you want. If you're planning a trip here, these are the amusement parks that you should be considering. Certain attractions may be temporarily closed or require advance reservations. Hours/availability may have changed.

12 Best New Jersey Amusement Parks

• Clementon Park & Splash World, Photo: Courtesy of Mariusz Blach - Fotolia.com
• Fantasy Island, Photo: Courtesy of Aneese - Fotolia.com
• Gillian's Wonderland Pier, Photo: Courtesy of Aneese - Fotolia.com
• Jenkinson's Boardwalk, Photo: Courtesy of ismotionprem - Fotolia.com
• Keansburg Amusement Park, Photo: Courtesy of mashiki - Fotolia.com
• Land of Make Believe & Pirates Cove, Photo: Courtesy of nedomacki - Fotolia.com
• Playland's Castaway Cove, Photo: Courtesy of YakobchukOlena - Fotolia.com
• Six Flags Great Adventure, Photo: Courtesy of Andrew Kazmierski - Fotolia.com
• Steel Pier, Photo: Courtesy of creativefamily - Fotolia.com
• Storybook Land, Photo: Courtesy of buenafoto - Fotolia.com
• The Funplex l, Photo: Courtesy of Denis - Fotolia.com
• Morey's Adventure Piers (Closed for renovation), Photo: Courtesy of Aneese - Fotolia.com
• Cover Photo: Courtesy of Gary - Fotolia.com

More Ideas in NJ: Adventure Aquarium in Camden, NJ

Located on the Camden Waterfront, NJ just minutes from downtown Philadelphia, Adventure Aquarium is an aquatic center that is home to more than 8,500 marine species. Featuring huge tanks with more than two million gallons of water that make up a variety of diverse marine habitats for the Aquarium’s residents, Adventure Aquarium is also the home of the largest collection of sharks found on the East Coast, including the only great hammerhead shark and two rare scalloped hammerhead sharks in captivity. Other notable features of the Aquarium are the one-of-a-kind hippo habitat, a Little Blue Penguins exhibit, and the unique V-shaped rope suspension bridge called the Shark Bridge, which floats just inches above the Shark Realm.

History

Formerly known as the New Jersey State Aquarium, which was established in 1992, the Adventure Aquarium re-opened in its current form in 2005 as an educational entertainment attraction for the community of Camden. Today, the Aquarium features over 8,500 aquatic species living in a diverse variety of semi-aquatic, freshwater, and marine habitats.

Exhibits

Adventure Aquarium features two main building which house the marine habitats and their residents, namely the South and the North Buildings.

The South Building is home to the Giant Ocean Tank, multiple smaller tanks with feature native Atlantic specimens, and unusual marine creatures on the second floor, previously known as the Conservation Outreach and Observation Lab. In addition to these exhibits, there is also the 30-foot-tall Irazu River Falls show, which rests in the hollow of a giant, 50-foot-tall coral reef and surrounded by a rugged, mossy rock face with lush green foliage. Also in this building is the 154-seat Adventure Theatre, which features a traditional 3D-film, shown with environmental effects such as wind gusts, water spray and seat motion.

Animal exhibits in the South Building include five new touch exhibits, namely Touch-A-Shark, Touch-A-Ray, Touch-A-Jelly, Touch-A-Lobster, and Touch-A-Shrimp displays where visitors can feel northern lobsters, pink shrimp, and moon jellies.

The North Building features main entry atrium, three major exhibits, casual dining restaurant and a food service area, and a gift shop. The exhibits in this building include ‘West African Experience’ with Nile hippopotami, the ‘Jules Verne Gallery’ stocked with a Giant Pacific octopus, sea dragons, Japanese spider crabs and jellies, and the ‘Shark Realm, which is home to sandbar, nurse, and sand tiger sharks. This exhibit has a 40-foot shark tunnel and offers the opportunity to snorkel with the sharks on a Shark Encounter.

Encounters

Visitors can enjoy once-in-a-lifetime encounters at the Aquarium with up close and interactive experiences with some of the animals. Experiences include snorkeling with sharks and rays, hand feeding sea turtles, and playing with penguins.

The Penguin Encounter offers an opportunity to get up close and personal with these funny characterful creatures and watch a live footprint painting session done by African Penguins.

The Sea Turtle Encounter involves a behind-the-scenes tour of the Aquarium’s family of sea turtles, including a rescued loggerhead hatchling and several green turtles. Visitors get the chance to help care for, train and hand-feed these gentle giants.

The Shark and Ray Encounter offers a unique opportunity to look a shark in the eye without a glass barrier by snorkeling with docile sandbar and sand tiger sharks, as well as stingrays.

Conservation

In partnership with Fins for the Future, Adventure Aquarium supports the conservation stewardship of species and the habitats in which they live, promote environmentally friendly and socially responsible practices and the preservation of the natural world. Visitors can join the conservation drive by adopting a hippo, penguin, sea turtle or shark and contribute towards its care and livelihood.

Education

Adventure Aquarium provides several educational programs and initiatives for learners of all ages, ranging from STEM-based field trips, 3D movies, auditorium presentations, classroom lessons, behind-the-scenes tours and premium programs led by professional staff at the Aquarium.

Visitor Information

Adventure Aquarium is located at 1 Riverside Drive on the Camden Waterfront just minutes from downtown Philadelphia and is open to the public from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm daily. A casual dining restaurant and a food service area can be found in the North Building, as well as a gift shop.

1 Riverside Drive, Camden, NJ 08103, Phone: 844-474-3474

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More Ideas in NJ: Woodlands Wildlife Refuge

Mankind has spread out across the world, claiming huge amounts of land, tearing down forests to build big cities, and draining nature’s resources to fuel humanity’s endeavors. In recent times, we’re starting to see the true extent and harmful nature of our effects on the world, and it’s important to remember that the Earth is something we share with a lot of other living beings from many different species.

Sadly, the situation is getting worse and worse for many of our furry, feathered, and scaly friends. As our populations increase and our communities grow, more and more habitats are being wiped out and animals are paying the price. Fortunately, plenty of kind people and true animal lovers work hard each and every day to try and look after animals in need, and the Woodlands Wildlife Refuge is a great example.

Woodlands Wildlife Refuge - New Jersey Animal Refuge

The Woodlands Wildlife Refuge is a non-profit organization dedicated to the care and release of orphaned and injured animals in New Jersey. A fully licensed wildlife rehabilitation facility located in Alexandria Township, Woodlands Wildlife Refuge got started back in 1986. Back then, its founder, Tracy Leaver, was only looking after a couple of orphaned raccoons. Nowadays, Woodlands Wildlife Refuge cares for and rescues over 1,100 animals each and every year.

This number is on the rise, but the refuge is committed to offering as much help and care as it possibly can to foxes, opossums, squirrels, rabbits, skunks, raccoons, bats, and other species, including large and dangerous animals like bobcats and bears from time to time. With a trained staff of animal-loving volunteers who will stop at nothing to help furry friends get the care and love they need to grow up fit and healthy and ready to head back into the world, Woodlands Wildlife Refuge is making a real difference for New Jersey wildlife.

How To Support Woodlands Wildlife Refuge

Woodlands Wildlife Refuge is doing some incredible work rescuing and caring for orphaned and injured New Jersey wildlife, saving lots of animal lives and giving a lot back to nature, but as a non-profit organization, this refuge relies on the kindness and generosity of others to survive and keep doing what it does on a daily basis. There are several ways you can get involved and show your support for Woodlands Wildlife Refuge.

- Donations - Like any non-profit, Woodlands Wildlife Refuge relies on donations to fund its various programs, projects, rescue efforts, and rehabilitation work with the animals it takes into care. Donations can be made on a one-off or monthly basis as desired, and every little bit helps to cover the costs of food and care for the many raccoons, foxes, squirrels, coyotes, and other animals taken in and looked after by the refuge each year.

- Volunteer - Woodlands Wildlife Refuge also needs the help of passionate, animal-loving volunteers who are willing to give up a little of their own free time to help out with the wonderful work being done each day. If you like the idea of working with wildlife, the Woodlands Wildlife Refuge will be happy to hear from you. No experience or expertise is needed, although those who are trained in looking after animals are always very welcome at the refuge too. The refuge holds orientation sessions for prospective volunteers throughout the year, and anyone wishing to attend will have to pay a small donation to the refuge.

- The Board - If you're not necessarily able to volunteer directly at the refuge but have the right skills or contacts to make an impact in a different way, you could also consider signing up as a member of the Woodlands Wildlife Refuge board. Board members are able to help out with community outreach, organizing fundraising events, and more. Again, experience and expertise are desirable but not necessary.

- Spread the Word - If you're unable to volunteer or donate right now, you can still make a difference at Woodlands Wildlife Refuge by raising awareness and telling people about the refuge. By simply letting your friends, family, and colleagues know about the Woodlands Wildlife Refuge, you're increasing the chances of one or more of those people making a donation or becoming a volunteer, so you can make a big difference through word of mouth alone. You can also sign up for the email newsletter and encourage your friends to do the same.

- Fostering - Woodlands Wildlife Refuge also runs a wonderful Wild Foster Program in which you can foster a wild species in your own name or as a gift to a loved one, providing the care these animals need to lead happy and healthy lives. When signing up, you or the foster gift recipient will receive a certificate, a photograph of the animal you're fostering, a little history on that animal and their journey so far, a decal, and a bookmark too.

- Internships and Jobs - Woodlands Wildlife Refuge also offers both jobs and internships now and then to those who really want to dedicate their lives to helping out animals in a big way. Summer internships run each year and are perfect for students looking to spend their summer months in a charitable and positive way, while also learning valuable skills and making some new furry friends.

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More Ideas in NJ: Lambert Castle

Located in Paterson, New Jersey, Lambert Castle is a historical museum that preserves the history of New Jersey. There are two main attractions at Lambert Castle: the museum and the library.

Born in 1834 in Yorkshire, England, Catholina Lambert desired to travel to America and live the quintessential American dream. Lambert followed his dreams, and landed in Boston in 1851. Quickly after arriving in Boston, Lambert landed a job working in a silk factory owned by Benjamin Tilt and Walter Dexter.Many years later, Lambert became a partner when Tilt left.

After working as a partner for more than three years, Lambert purchased Dexter’s half of the business, and became one of the most successful businessmen in Boston. His success rose exponentially and resulted in the creation of a three-story factory named Dexter Mill.

From 1850 to 1870 Catholina focused on his family life. In 1857, he married Isabella Eldridge Shattuck. Throughout the next twenty years, Catholina and Isabella had eight children. From 1870 to 1880, Catholina experienced many personal tragedies but fantastic success within his business. During that time period, seven out of eight of his children passed away. But, on the business side of things, Lambert purchased mills throughout New Jersey and Pennsylvania, as well as making his business international by creating connections in Italy.

It’s unknown when Catholina and Isabella moved to New Jersey. When they originally moved to New Jersey they lived in Maplewood. But, as the years passed, Lambert collected an immense amount of art work and literary works and had no room to put it. So, he created Belle Vista, which is now known as Lambert Castle.

Lambert Castle broke ground in 1892, and was finished in 1893. But, Lambert made renovations and expansions to Lambert Castle. Although Catholina underwent many financial setbacks during 1916, which led to him selling his art collection, he lived in Lambert Castle until he passed away in 1923. Two years after Lambert passed away, his son Walter sold Lambert Castle to the City of Paterson. It wasn’t until 1934 that the Passaic County Historical Society gained control of Lambert Castle and established an official museum and library within Lambert Castle.

The Lambert Castle Museum contains a wide amount of artifacts that are relevant to Catholina Lambert’s life and New Jersey’s history. Although Lambert Castle has underwent many renovations, the building still has its historical essence. The Lambert Castle Museum is divided thematically among three levels.The first floor showcases the true essence of what Lambert Castle was like when Catholina and his family lived there. While majority of the objects on display are Lambert’s objects, there are some objects that belong to the Passaic County Historical Society. If you’re interested in the artistic aspect of Lambert Castle and Passaic County’s history, then head up to the second floor where various art exhibitions are displayed. Finally, the third floor houses a variety of special exhibits.

The Passaic County Historical Society Library is home to a comprehensive collection of literary works that are relevant to the historical significance of Passaic County. The Passaic County Historical Society Library is proudly home to over 2,800 books and over 200 maps. Other artifacts include manuscripts and photographs. Although appointments are not required to utilize and explore the Passaic County Historical Society Library, it is strongly suggested you make an appointment.

Lambert Castle offers a variety of specialized tours that cater to various preferences. Tour groups have the option of choosing from a variety of different tour types, such as The Castle Visit and The Castle Sampler. The Castle Visit enables groups to have a guided tour throughout the period rooms that are available on the first floor where they can learn detailed history of the castle. Then, participants can explore the second and third floors by themselves. The Castle Sampler follows the same process of having a guided tour for the first floor, and an unguided tour for the second and third floors, but also comes with an educational workshop that is hands-on. There are no age limits on tours, however, the tours are most suitable for older school aged children and adults.

3 Valley Road, Paterson, NJ 07503, Phone: 973-247-0085

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