Sure, it’s easy to fall back into the same old visits to your favorite NJ attractions, but why not shake it up with the more offbeat and less known? Visiting one of the strange attractions in New Jersey can be a welcome change. From walking through giant modern sculptures to uncovering a Martian landing site to ogling a psychedelic storybook house deep in the woods, the Garden State is home to peculiar, odd, and curious attractions that the whole family will enjoy. Read on for these 12 quirky NJ attractions worth the trip. (featured photo credit: @noaamichael)
Here Are 12 Strange Attractions In NJ To Discover
Grounds for Sculpture
The wow factor is high at this NJ attraction, where you walk among larger-than-life-size sculptures looking both strange and familiar. Kids will be in awe of the giant, mesmerizing art of contemporary sculptures scattered across 42 picturesque acres (plan to spend a few hours). After exploring, stop by Rat’s across the way from the gardens for a bite. Named for a character in the children’s classic, The Wind in the Willows, Rat’s has a unique design reminiscent of the impressionist painter Claude Monet’s beloved town, Giverny.
80 Sculptors Way, Hamilton, NJ 08619
The Deserted Village of Feltville
This town has reinvented itself more than a few times since the early 1700s, but today it remains deserted. Located in the beautiful Watchung Reservation in Union County, this historical and archaeological site is a popular hiking trail for locals. You’ll come upon a half-mile stretch of road with a cluster of surviving historic buildings that will surely capture your kids’ imagination. Peek into the abandoned houses, read the posted history, and check out the Willcocks and Badgley family cemetery, including three Revolutionary War Patriots.
2 Cataract Hollow Road, Berkeley Heights, NJ 07922
Luna Parc
For over 30 years, skilled multimedia artist and designer Ricky Boscarino has transformed his cabin in the woods into an indoor and outdoor fantasy-fueled work of art. The result is a house of storybook dreams that feels imaginary. His brightly colored, eclectic private home, studio, and gardens are filled with gorgeous mosaics, stained glass, religious artifacts, and numerous surprising collections he has cultivated over the years. The house opens 5-7 days a month from May through October for tours, which can be booked directly on the website—check back often for open dates.
22 Degroat Road, Sandyston, NJ 07827
Martian Landing Site
In 1938, when people still gathered around their radios for news and entertainment, the science fiction novel War of the Worlds was adapted for radio and read by Orson Welles. Though listeners were reminded throughout the broadcast that this “Martian attack” was fictional, many believed it to be a real newscast, and pandemonium ensued. It was history in the making—and the supposed Martians Landing site was said to be in Grover’s Mill, West Windsor, NJ. Read the park’s plaques that tell the broadcast story and lead you to the bronze Martian Landing Site Monument. Afterward, hit up some better-known landmarks at this strange NJ attraction, like Washington’s Crossing and the Battle of Princeton sites near Princeton University.
218 Cranbury Road, West Windsor Township, NJ 08550
Fluorescent Rocks of Sterling Hill Mine
Take a tour of the former working mine, now a bright, cool mineral site that houses the world’s most extensive collection of fluorescent minerals. Go into the 1,300-ft. tunnel inside the mine where the miners would start and end their workday, and then head into the Warren Museum with more than 700 fluorescent minerals and objects on display. And during the season, kids and adults are encouraged to go mining for minerals at the Mine Run Dump and Sluicing (aka panning) stations.
30 Plant Street, Ogdensburg, NJ 07439
Tripod Rock
The strange reason why Tripod Rock stands out is that it’s an optical illusion—a massive boulder that appears to hover in the air. This rock was left behind by the Wisconsin Glacier over 18,000 years ago and is now balancing atop smaller rocks, creating a fascinating sight. You can find this rock after an uphill hike in the Pyramid Mountain Natural Historic Area, which boasts over 1,600 acres of trails, fields, forests, rock outcroppings, and wetlands. But be warned—the entire trip to see the rock is 4.7 miles, with a steep ascent, and somewhat rocky descent.
472 Boonton Avenue, Montville Township, NJ 07045
Telephone Pole Farm
This offbeat “farm” started as a testing site for AT&T’s Bell Labs in the 1920s. The tidy rows of poles look like they are growing, but realistically, they were planted for testing purposes when the wooden telephone poles needed to be durable. They used woodpeckers and insects to test their durability, and later, it was adapted as a place for pole repair workers to practice their climbing. You can snap a few photos for the ‘gram at this NJ attraction, then head to the Evans Family Forest Preserve, an adjacent property with scenic wooded trails for hiking and spotting local wildlife.
North Road, Chester, NJ 07930
The Paranormal Museum – Paranormal Books and Curiosities
If you are looking for weird, paranormal, metaphysical, and truly unique experiences, The Paranormal Museum and Paranormal Books and Curiosities is for you. At this strange attraction, you can take ghost-hunting glasses, learn about paranormal investigations, check out haunted dolls, or see a revolving collection of paranormal art exhibits. Book a private tour to enter the inner sanctum—you never know what outerworldly things you may find.
621 Cookman Ave., Asbury Park, NJ 07712
Water’s Soul
Take a trip to the Newport section of Jersey City to marvel at the woman above in Water’s Soul by Jaume Plensa, an 80-foot public art sculpture made of resin, marble dust, and fiberglass. The massive sculpture commissioned by the waterfront developers is a marvel towering over the Hudson, depicting a woman with her finger pressed to her lips as a tribute to the Hudson River and the surrounding waterfronts. The sculpture’s message is that individual water droplets may not seem like much, but when they come together, they can create a tidal wave— similar to how people are stronger when they unite.
25 Park Lane South, Jersey City, NJ 07310
Batsto Village
Tucked into the Pinelands in Wharton State Forest, this village was incorporated in 1766 and looks the same as it did back then, surviving hundreds of years of American history. Today, you can journey back in time to visit the historic buildings and learn about the iron works, glass blowing, and other industries that helped the village thrive back then. Make sure to stop at the post office (one of the four oldest operating in the United States), the mansion, ice house, gristmill, and general store, all preserved to remain as they were in the 19th century.
31 Batsto Road, Hammonton, NJ 08037
Bud the Bayville Dinosaur
For nearly 100 years, this dinosaur has sat on the side of the road in Bayville and is quite possibly the oldest dinosaur statue in America. In 2018, artists re-engineered Bud, giving him illuminated eyes, a bronze finish, and a long neck that bends away from traffic. It was named after a member of the historical society, and no matter what time of day you drive by, you can get out, snap a photo or two, and show your kids a part of history.
510 US 9, Bayville, NJ 08721
Flexible Flyer Sled Museum
Here’s a part of strange NJ history: The famous Flexible Flyer Sled was invented in Burlington County in 1889. If you want to show your kids how sleds were made before those plastic ones (using wood and steel), this museum at the Moorestown Public Library has a significant collection of antique and rare sled designs. The museum was started by a passionate collector who used to sled on Flyers at his grandparents’ house in Moorestown, and now manages the displays and acquisitions.
111 W. 2nd Street, Moorestown, NJ 08057
