Sure, there are the typical free things to do in NJ, like playgrounds, biking trails, and hiking spots, but did you know that you can also dig for fossils, visit the Governor’s mansion, and walk through a fairy garden without spending a dime? We found everything from a zoo (yup, the Cape May Zoo is entirely free) to a museum with vintage aircraft and even a few lighthouses to visit, all without charge. Scroll down for your not-so-typical free attractions in NJ that will keep your family busy all year. And check out our monthly guide to local free events up and down the state. (featured photo credit: NJ MOM, taken at Cape May County Park & Zoo)
Free Attractions In NJ For The Whole Family
Make new friends at a free zoo
If the prices at zoos keep you from going, head down to Exit 0, where the Cape May County Park & Zoo has everything from lions to bald eagles to snow leopards on view for free (though donations are always appreciated). The zoo is open year-round, and kids will love spotting their favorite animals in every season. Check out their calendar of events, including free summer concerts and a holiday light show in November and December. Another spot in South Jersey is the Cohanick Zoo in Bridgeton, where Bengal tigers, Asiatic bears, mountain lions, Fennec foxes, and many other furry friends roam, all for free.
Float away on free canoe and kayak rentals
Spend the day on the water where your crew can paddle a canoe or hop in a kayak during the weekend for free at Scotland Run Park in Clayton, NJ, from June to September. The boats are first-come, first-served, and an adult must accompany all children 14 or younger (they’ll provide life jackets and paddles). If you prefer a city view, the Hoboken Cove Community Boat House offers complimentary kayaks, stand-up paddleboards, and outrigger canoes on select days—a reservation is not necessary, but can be made in advance if you’re worried about a long wait.
Bowl away an afternoon
Kids can bowl free—say what? Yup, you read that right. Head to DiDonato Family Fun Center in Hammonton, where kids can enjoy two free games all summer long. If you want to bowl with them, you can purchase a family pass. The Kids Bowl Free Program lets your kids play the lanes at over 10 participating bowling alleys throughout New Jersey. Organized by national bowling centers to give back to the community and provide a safe, secure, and fun way for kids to learn skills and socialize with friends during spring and summer (especially to beat the heat).
Cool off at a splash park
Want to find all the fun of a waterpark but without the expensive ticket price? Take a trip to one of the many splash pads in NJ. During hot days, find an aquatic wonderland near you to burn off some energy and cool down at the same time. There are free splash parks all over New Jersey, from North to South, full of sprinklers, rain domes, and giant buckets ready to spill over to cool your kiddos down.
Dig through history
Become a paleontologist and explore the Big Brook Park Preserve to try artifact hunting of your own. Look for Cretaceous fossil shark teeth, including those of the Goblin shark and Mosasaur, and you can fill a sandwich baggie with your discoveries to bring home (just don’t forget to bring buckets and sifters).
Boundary Road Parking Lot, Marlboro, NJ 07746
Naturally fun activities
Nature centers are like mini-museums that highlight the local environment. And the best part? They are FREE. The Huber Woods Environmental Center & Reptile House in Middletown features reptiles and amphibians, hands-on exhibits, a puppet theater, and a Discovery Path. Or see reptiles and insects and even try to fit in a replica of a bear den at The Great Swamp Preserve Outdoor Education Center and Visitors Center in Chatham Township for a nature-filled day. The Trailside Nature and Science Center in the Watchung Reservation is another free spot with trails, events, and their popular NJ Wetlands exhibit. Skip the pricey aquariums and visit the Sea Life Museum (donations of $5 are appreciated), which displays marine mammal artifacts and helps rehabilitate sea life at the Marine Mammal Stranding Center.
See museums with no entry fees
Museum admissions can be costly, especially if the whole family is going. But there’s a little secret in your wallet you may not be aware of —your NJ library card can get you free admission to a museum. That’s right, the card gives you free admission to museums like Battleship NJ or Insectropolis in Toms River for up to 4 people. Most passes are loaned for 3 days, including the day you pick them up. While not every library participates, it’s best to check with yours to see if they do (here’s what they offer at the Ocean County Library). Another way to visit museums for nothing? If your bank is Bank of America, you can sign up for free museum days at over 225 museums throughout the United States, including those in New Jersey. Or visit the New Jersey State Museum free of charge on weekdays or weekends, the Princeton University Art Museum on the Princeton University Campus is another free museum option, or look for more ways to get free admission to museums in the tri-state area.
Get up close and personal with falcons
1390 Whitebridge Rd, Millington, NJ 07946
Marvel at birds and sculpture gardens at Duke Farms
Duke Farms, the former estate of Doris Duke, spans over 1,000 acres and features native species, natural beauty, and sustainability efforts. It is free to enter the former Doris Duke estate and explore its rich history and natural wonders (with multiple flat surfaces, you can bring your bikes or scooters). Don’t miss the sculpture gardens, greenhouse, and waterfall along the way.
1112 Dukes Parkway West, Hillsborough Township, NJ 08844
Celebrate sports heroes in Southern NJ
Got kids who are sports buffs? Check out sports artifacts from pro athletes with ties to southern New Jersey. The All Sports Museum of Southern New Jersey features stories and trophies from NFL greats, MLB all-stars, MVP heavyweights, and NHL champs who grew up in South Jersey or once resided there.
8 Burt Street, Bridgeton, NJ 08302
Check out vintage police and military gear
Head to West Trenton to see vintage vehicles, confiscated weapons, and radar detectors from 1921 at the NJ State Police Museum and Learning Center. The Police Museum is free to enter, offering a glimpse into the history of fallen officers, their artifacts, and their memories. Or, if aircraft and military history are more your speed, the Millville Army Air Field Museum in Millville features vintage and military aircraft and is an excellent place for students, aviation enthusiasts, and history buffs alike.
Take time to reflect
The Empty Sky Memorial at Liberty State Park is dedicated to the 749 loved ones who lost their lives on 9/11. The towering memorial connects your eye to Ground Zero and honors the memory of those who called New Jersey home. You can also teach your kids about history and service by visiting one of the Veterans’ memorials located throughout New Jersey to remember those who gave their all.
Drop into Dumthwacket, the Governor’s Mansion
Did you know that you can visit the official residence of the Governor of New Jersey for free? Drumthwacket is a historic landmark with guided tours (check for hours and days of operation). See six public rooms used by the Governor, along with fine art and antiques. And don’t miss the beautiful gardens, weather permitting.
354 Stockton Street, Princeton, NJ 08540
Feel the magic of the fairies
If you want to give your kids a magical experience without a price tag, travel down a half-mile trail inhabited by fairies. Kids will be mesmerized as they walk along the white-blazed path to see fairy homes built into tree hollows and roots and use their imaginations to figure out how they got there. It’s one of the free things to do in NJ that’s truly unique and special. Another spot they can witness the magic of fairies is at the new Randolph Fairy Trail in Brundage Park, where volunteers built fairy homes and placed them among trees and rocks along the wide path.
See the stars
While an NJ planetarium visit is a cool way to see the stars, a telescope offers a real-time view without any entry fees. The Sperry Observatory in Cranford is open every Friday for observation through two large telescopes. The Buzz Aldrin Astronomical Center in High Bridge is also free and an ideal way to view the night sky, as it’s the most extensive public telescope in New Jersey. Explore the vast night sky at the Observatory in Voorhees State Park — Glen Gardner on Saturday nights and Sunday afternoons, June through October. The facility houses the largest public telescope in New Jersey.
See Revolutionary War sites
Relive history with a free tour with Friends of Monmouth Battlefield, including a walking tour of the Battlefield, programs about different battles, and even living history encampments. Or visit the Revolutionary War site of the Hancock House on Hancock’s Bridge. The Morristown National Historical Park is also a place to immerse your family in free history, where Washington made his headquarters during a crucial period of the Revolutionary War and where soldiers encamped in nearby Jockey Hollow.
Visit a national park with your fourth grader for free
Do you have a fourth grader? If you do, you can visit national parks in the United States for free. Through Every Kid Outdoors, a federally funded government initiative, your fourth grader and their guests can get a free pass to explore all of America’s federal lands and waters, spanning millions of acres. In New Jersey, check out the Jersey Pinelands National Reserve and Thomas Edison National Historical Park, all of which are included in the pass.
Wander through acres of beautiful gardens
Head to Middletown Township and discover Deep Cut Gardens and its 54 acres of beauty. It’s free to get into Deep Cut Gardens, where you can gain fun facts about plants around the world or learn about the history of the gardens through the Story Map. You are also welcome to bring your lunch for a picnic (with a spectacular view). Up north, the New Jersey Botanical Gardens are part of Ringwood State Park, and from May through October, the park offers free guided garden tours on Sunday afternoons at 2 PM. Others worth stopping by are the Reeves Reed Arboretum, the Frelinghuysen Arboretum, the Presby Memorial Iris Gardens, and the Laurelwood Arboretum. In Historic Hamilton Square, Sayen House & Gardens is open daily from dawn to dusk. Enter a garden filled with azaleas and rhododendrons surrounded by ponds, gazebos, and bridges, and pack a picnic to enjoy on the insta-worthy grounds.
Watch movies under the stars
When the temperatures turn warm, grab a blanket or some chairs and find the perfect spot on the beach, in a park, or even downtown to watch an outdoor movie. Head to North Jersey to Ridgefield’s Guild Movies in the Park, or sit in the sand at Jenkinson’s and watch a movie on the beach. In South Jersey, Margate hosts “Thrilling Thursdays,” where you can watch a film behind the Bloom Pavilion and arrive early for a variety of family-friendly activities.
See the waterfalls
The relaxing trickle or roar of waterfalls is an ideal day trip in the Garden State. In Layton, NJ, within the Delaware Water Gap Recreation area, is Buttermilk Falls, where you can take a hike and be rewarded with views of the rushing waters. Or skip a trip to Niagara and see Paterson Great Falls, the second-largest waterfall by volume east of the Mississippi (Niagara Falls is the first). Take a tour and learn why Paterson Great Falls played a vital role in the American Revolution while you are there.
Build and create for free
On the first Saturday of each month, kids ages 5-12 can participate in a hands-on learning workshop where they can create a project following step-by-step instructions. At The Home Depot Kids Workshops, participants can work with tools and paint their projects, all for free. They also receive an apron, an achievement pin, and a certificate for their hard work. Bonus: Every Kids Workshop Kit comes with a related STEAM activity to encourage more learning, problem-solving, and spark their imagination. Lowe’s also offers free workshops where kids can receive kits and collect badges to become a Junior or Senior Builder, honing their problem-solving and math skills.
Discover glass, art, and seashells
Whether you want to see the history of glass, fine art, or fossils, there’s a free place to do it in NJ. Check out the Heritage Glass Museum in Glassboro, a community nonprofit that collects, preserves, and curates historic southern New Jersey glass, artifacts, photographs, and documents to preserve New Jersey’s glass-making heritage. Take a trip down south to visit the Noyes Museum of Art in Hammonton and Atlantic City, or inspect thousands of species of seashells and ancient fossils in one place at the Discovery Seashell Museum in Ocean City.
Find a historic village
If history is your family’s thing, explore Allaire State Park in Monmouth County to see a charming 19th-century village and hop on a train ride on the vintage Pine Creek Railroad. The park is free to enter all year, but from Memorial Day to Labor Day, there is a parking fee on weekends. Down South on the parkway, you’ll find Batsto Village, an abandoned community with a post office, sawmill, general store, and nature center, where guided walking tours are free. Or visit The East Jersey Old Town Village, which features sixteen reconstructed and replica 18th- and 19th-century structures that transport you back in time to the farm and merchant communities of the Raritan Valley. When you visit, you will not only see the buildings that served as a gateway site for the Crossroads of the American Revolution National Heritage Area, but you can also meet historical interpreters on-site from April to October and enjoy other seasonal programs throughout the year.
Take in unspoiled beauty at Cattus Island
Take a trip down the coast to the newly renovated Cattus Island Nature Center, which highlights the park’s natural beauty and the Barnegat Bay. With 530 acres and 7 miles of trails to explore, you can spend the day combing the trails and checking out the Cooper Environmental Center, where you can interact with hands-on displays and watch the live osprey camera.
1170 Cattus Island Blvd, Toms River, NJ 08753
Head to the beach
Here’s one of the best-kept secrets of the Jersey Shore— there are free, no-badge-required beaches you can visit during the season. Lather on some sunscreen at Cape May Point State Park, or travel down the 5-mile Atlantic City Boardwalk and enter the beach for free. North Wildwood, Wildwood, and Wildwood Crest are all badge-free beaches where you can plant your umbrella into the sand and relax in your beach chair. Of course, the off-season is always free at the shore.
Get a nautical view
Did you know you can take in some fantastic views from several lighthouses in NJ that are free in the off-season? The museum, grounds, and outer buildings are free year-round at the Twin Lights Historic Site in Highlands (there are tower climbing fees from Memorial Day to October 31), or see a fourth-order Fresnel lens at the Sea Girt Lighthouse. Sneak in some exercise at “Old Barney,” known as the Barnegat Lighthouse, as you make your way up the 217-step lighthouse and are rewarded with sweeping ocean views (there is a fee from Memorial Day to Labor Day).
Take a step back in time at a Living History Farm
It’s one thing to see historical items in a museum, but another to immerse yourself in living history. At Howell Living History Farm in Hopewell Township, Howell Farm’s calendar reflects the cycles of a fully functioning, working farm in Pleasant Valley, New Jersey, from 1890 to 1910. You can take your kiddos to help with a potato or honey harvest, or participate in wheat planting for free. Or visit Longstreet Farm in Holmdel to see a blacksmith demonstration, cider making, or a 19th-century woodworking demonstration.
Ride a steam train
If you’ve got a train-loving kid, you don’t have to pay a high price to take a ride—you can ride the rails at the Tuckerton Railroad, on one of the coal-powered miniature trains built on a 1/8th scale. These open-air locomotives are built by members and maintained with donations from visitors. Each car accommodates 18 passengers, making for a memorable and intimate experience (the trains are currently closed for maintenance but expected to reopen soon).
11 Oak Lane, Bass River, New Jersey 08224
