This month offers up some pretty incredible family-friendly activities, from seaside ice skating at Ice at the Pier in Long Branch and musical trees at Historic Smithville Holiday Tree Light Show to FREE guided nature walks at the Meadowlands to the Holiday Festival at Lord Stirling Stables in Basking Ridge. December is filled with opportunities to stay outside and active in New Jersey all month long.
Don’t forget to hashtag #NJMOM and tag @njmomhq and your little cuties could be featured in our next photo round-up.
Here are 10 Outdoor Activities to do in December in New Jersey:
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1. Ice Skating at Pier Village
Ice at the Pier is now open, and we are so excited! Strap on those skates and hit the ice with your whole family at this shoreside location. When you’re done skating, Pier Village offers premier Jersey Shore shopping and dining options, making it easy to enjoy the boardwalk and ocean views in Long Branch all year long.
Ice at the Pier
50 Chelsea Ave, Long Branch, NJ 07740
For more information and hours of operation, please call (732) 923-0100 or visit their website.
2. Historic Smithville Holiday Tree Light Show
For families who love the outdoors, the holidays, and music – this is a must-see display. Gaze across Lake Meone as over 120 decorated, brightly lit trees magically float across the smooth waters. After sundown, the light show begins, as the trees seem to dance as the lights synchronize to your favorite holiday tunes. The reflections of the lights on the water beneath creates an even grander show for New Jersey families to enjoy together.
From dark to 8:30PM, Thursdays – Sundays through January 2nd
Lake Meone at Historic Smithville
615 E Moss Mill Rd, Smithville, NJ 08205
For more information, please call (609) 748-8999 or visit their website.
3. Free Meadowlands Guided Nature Walks
Join the Bergen County Audubon Society for this free, family-friendly guided walking tour through the parks and natural areas throughout the Meadowlands District. Participants are encouraged to bring binoculars and cameras to better see some of the area’s wildlife, including 285 bird species that call the area home. The guides will also have bird-spotting scopes to get a better look at these woodland critters. These free nature walks are held on the first Sunday and third Tuesday of each month, and are the perfect way to stay outdoors this December, while learning about land around us.
Sunday, December 4 & Tuesday, December 20, 2016 | 10:00AM – 12:00PM
The William D. McDowell Observatory
2 De Korte Park Plaza, Lyndhurst, NJ 07071
For more information, please call (201) 460-1700 or visit their website.
4. Holiday In the Park at Six Flags Great Adventure
Experience the transformation of the Six Flags Great Adventure you know and love to a Winter Wonderland twinkling with over one million lights. Enjoy festive holiday attractions including The Peppermint Walk, Dot and Drop’s Holiday Dance Party, and Santa’s House. View the park from above on the Big Ferris Wheel, sip on hot holiday drinks and huddle around the fire pit to roast a gooey s’mores to keep warm. Some of your favorite Six Flags thrills will be open, too – Air Dumbo, Batman: The Ride, Buccaneer, the Carousel, and even more rides will be open this holiday season.
November 19. 2016 – January 2, 2017
Six Flags Great Adventure
1 Six Flags Blvd, Jackson, NJ 08527
For more information, please call(732) 928-2000 or visit their website.
5. Parent/Child Morning Chores at Historic Longstreet Farm
This educational program is offered for children ages 4 and up on the first Saturday of each month. Experience important farm chores and learn about the inner workings of a real farm’s daily operations. Kids will help the staff milk a cow, collect eggs from the chickens, and feed the livestock. The cost for this program is The cost is $15 per parent/child pair, and $5 per additional participant.
Saturday, December 3, 2016 | 8:00AM – 9:00AM
Historic Longstreet Farm
44 Longstreet Road, Holmdel 07733
For more information, please call (732) 946-3758 or visit their website.
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6. Bordentown Annual Holiday Chocolate Walk
Stop by the Downtown Bordentown Association (DBA) tent on Farnsworth Avenue to purchase your Chocolate Walk Passport for $5 (all proceeds support the Downtown Bordentown Association). Stroll through the charming streets of downtown Bordentown and visit participating businesses for a sweet treat sample and receive a stamp in your passport. Return your completed passport to the DBA tent for a chance to win prizes.
Friday, December 2, 2016 | 6:00PM – 9:00PM
Farnsworth Avenue, Bordentown, NJ 08505
For more information, please visit their website.
7. Paintball
For a thrilling outdoors experience this winter, suit up for this competitive (yet friendly!) experience. Paintball courses are carefully crafted to give your family the best simulated battle experience. Explore the woods, hills, paths, and pastures during a safe paintball battle. Children and adults of all ages are welcome at most paintball facilities in New Jersey; it is an exciting activity that all ages can get on board with.
NJMOM Favorites:
Battlecreek Paintball: 625 Macopin Rd, West Milford, NJ 07480
Paintball Depot Game Park: 472 US-46, Belvidere, NJ 07823
Shooters Paintball & Airsoft: 926 Croton Rd, Flemington, NJ 08822
Gear-Up Paintball: 240 S. White Horse Pike, Hammonton, NJ 08037
8. Holiday Festival at Lord Stirling Stables
Spend a weekend of holiday family fun outside a the farm. Climb aboard a hayride to go visit Santa Claus for a visit and photos. Little ones will get to ride a pony and decorate holiday ornaments in addition to many other festive activities. Bid in the Silent Auction for the perfect gift for loved ones; proceeds benefit the School Horse Retirement Fund. Admission, parking, hayrides & pony rides are free.
Sunday, December 3 – 4, 2016 | 10:00AM – 4:00PM
Lord Stirling Stable
256 S Maple Ave, Basking Ridge, NJ 07920
For more information, please call (908) 766-5955 or visit their website.
9. Sterling Hill Mine Tour & Museum
For those of us who love the outdoors but are not huge fans of cold weather – this activity can provide you with appreciation of New Jersey’s landscape with the perfect indoor/outdoor experience.Walk through the underground tunnels of New Jersey’s last working mine, and experience blasting demonstration reenactments, the functional lamp room, and shaft station. The famous Rainbow Tunnel features beautiful, naturally recurring luminescent minerals that glow neon colors right before your very eyes. The Sterling Hill Mining Museum is a fun, educational platform for families looking for a unique museum in New Jersey.
Sterling Hill Mine Tour & Museum
30 Plant St, Ogdensburg, NJ 07439
For more information, please call (973) 209-7212 or visit their website.
10. A Starry Night 35th Annual Christmas Walk
This three-day town-wide event has something for everybody in the family. This festival is the perfect blend of outdoor and indoor activities, festive food and drink, giveaways and prizes, live entertainment, and holiday shopping. Activities include a tree lighting, Beach House Christmas Movie, Saturday morning pancake breakfast, Santa walk around town, Nutcracker in the Sky performance, and much, much more! This annual event draws families throughout New Jersey for a wonderful weekend of community fun.
Friday, December 2 – Sunday, December 4, 2016
Bay Head, NJ 08742
For a full schedule of events, visit the Facebook page.
MORE FUN THINGS TO DO IN NJ THIS DECEMBER:
- 30 FREE NJ Events in December
- 50 Holiday Parades, Festivals & Fairs in December
- #NJMOM Fall Bucket List
- 10 Must Know Tree Lightings in NJ
- Where to Take Pictures with Santa in NJ
- Aquariums in NJ
- 20 Family Friendly Hiking Trails in NJ
- 52 #NJMOM Must-Do Adventures
- Plan ahead by checking NJ Mom’s 60+ Things to Do in New Jersey
- Free Museum Days in NJ (the first weekend of each month)
- 275 Parks & Playgrounds in NJ
- 50 Best Spas in NJ
- 10 Mommy & Me Classes in NJ
- Date Night Ideas for Mom + Dad
- Kids Eat Free Restaurants
- Kids Bowl Free in NJ
Don’t forget to hashtag #NJMOM and tag @njmomhq and your little cuties could be featured in our next photo round-up.
