With the warm weather starting to peek around New Jersey, we’re looking forward to more outdoors time! Maybe this weekend you will enjoy complimentary admission at one of 7 museums as a Bank of America cardholder or visit your town’s Spring Fest, or stay close to home, find a park and have a picnic!
Bank of America Free Admission Weekend (Featured Event)
It’s the first weekend of the month, which means if you are a Bank of America or Merrill Lynch cardholder, you can enjoy complimentary admission to 7 museums in New Jersey. Find out which museums here.
Bank of America Free Museum Days throughout New Jersey
Cost: FREE for cardholders
photo via Home Depot
1) Home Depot Workshop
Saturday May 2nd, 9:00am-12:00pm
Head to your local Home Depot on Saturday morning to make a great Mother’s Day gift – a Picket Fence Photo Frame. This hands-on workshop is great for children ages 5 to 12 and is on a first come, first serve basis. Receive a commemorative pin, certificate of achievement and a workshop apron in addition to your craft!
Your local Home Depot in New Jersey
Cost: FREE
photo via Monmouth County Park System
2) Climb Time at Dorbrook Recreation Area
Saturday May 2nd 10:00am-2:00pm
Kids ages eight and up, with adult, can take part in the 25′ portable climbing wall that will be at Dorbrook Park this Saturday! Experience the sport of rock climbing! Climbers must be 42″ or taller.
Dorbrook Recreation Area 209 Route 537 Colts Neck, NJ
Cost: FREE
3) Renaissance Faire at Historic Smithville
Saturday May 2nd and Sunday May 3rd 10:00am-6:00pm
The New Jersey Renaissance Faire will be transforming the village of Historic Smithville back to the days of the English Renaissance. Fun for the whole family includes comedy, tragedy, sword fighting, dance, song, knights, jesters and more! Visit the wares of local vendors and traveling merchants who will have historical gifts and finely crafted items. All day family fun includes archery, paddle boats, carousel, face painting and train rides.
Colonial Inn at Historic Smithville 615 E. Moss Mill Road Smithville, NJ
Cost: $18/adult, $11/child, Under 5 free
4) Kite Day
Saturday May 2nd and Sunday May 3rd 10:00am-5:00pm
Springtime is the best time to fly a kite! Bring your own, make your own or choose a ready-made kite in the farm store. Then fly your kite in the 10-acre pasture at Terhune Orchards. In addition to the kite flying fun, enjoy entertainment and music, farm tours on a tractor-drawn farm wagon, sheep shearing, and lots of delicious food, including their famous apple cider donuts.
Terhune Orchards 330 Cold Soil Road Princeton, NJ
Cost: $5/each ages 3 and up
5) Mobile Butterfly Experience
Saturday May 2nd 10:00am-9:30pm
The NYC Butterfly mobile butterfly experience will set up shop outside of the Children’s Place in the Paramus Park Mall on Saturday. See over 200 live Monarch and other butterflies, plus feed and interact with the butterflies. Butterfly starter kits are available to purchase to raise them at home.
Paramus Park Mall 700 Paramus Park Mall Paramus, NJ
Cost: FREE
photo via Morey’s Piers
6) Bunk Down at Morey’s Piers
Saturday May 2nd 11:00am until Sunday May 3rd 11:00am
Go on a camping adventure at Morey’s Piers. Set up camp on Adventure pier, enjoy a day on the rides and then head back to camp. Enjoy a build your own s’mores bar and watch a big screen movie with popcorn under the Great White Roller Coaster. Snuggle up for the night right by the beach. Sunday morning, enjoy a coffee station and continental breakfast before heading on home.
Morey’s Piers 3501 Boardwalk, Wildwood, NJ
Cost: $49/per person
7) Touch-A-Truck Family Festival
Saturday May 2nd 10:00am-2:00pm
Take your turn in the driver’s seat of some of your child’s favorite trucks and vehicles like a fire truck, ambulance, police car, pickup truck, a school bus, and more! Enjoy some great treats and foods, as well as moon bounce, dinosaur dig, face painting, crafts, games and more!
Haddonfield Borough Hall 42 Kings Highway East Haddonfield, NJ
Cost: FREE
8) Jets Draft Week Fan Activities
Saturday May 2nd, 11:00am-3:00pm
The Jets invite their fans to the Atlantic Health Jets Training Center for a Jets Draft Family Fun Day! Watch the rest of the 2015 NFL draft, meet Jets Flight Crew Cheerleaders, tour the locker room and get player autographs. For the kids there will be free face painting, Jets Fest and Kids Zone and an outdoor activity area. Jets fans will receive a free 2015 Jets Draft T-shirt, while supplies last.
Atlantic Health Jets Training Center 1 Jets Drive Florham Park, NJ
Cost: FREE
9) Truckerton Food Truck Preview
Saturday May 2nd 11:00am-7:00pm and Sunday May 3rd 11:00am-5:00pm
Tuckerton Seaport is fun for the whole family and this weekend enjoy their first major event of the year – the “Truck”erton Food Truck & Brew Fest Preview. This is a smaller scale event as a preview to their major “Truck”erton event in August. Enjoy over a dozen gourmet food trucks from the East Coast. Enjoy live music, a craft beer garden and Valenzano Winery. Event admission includes access to the Seaport’s 40 acres of family fun, featuring maritime activities, historic and recreated buildings, live animals, a boardwalk, miniature golf course, and exhibits. Food, beer, and wine prices are set by the individual vendors
Tuckerton Seaport 120 W Main Street Tuckerton, NJ
Cost: $8/adults, $6/seniors, $5/children
10) Community Day at Liberty Lake
Saturday May 2nd 11:00am-4:00pm
Liberty Lake Foundation is hosting their annual Community Day on Saturday. All proceeds are donated to the Liberty Lake Foundation. The day is a fun-filled event with activities like miniature golf, laser tag, boating, rock wall climbing, archery and more. Free activities include playgrounds, a honeybee demonstration, fishing, basketball and a moon bounce. Be sure to sign up for the first ever family Olympics!
Liberty Lake Day Camp 1195 Florence-Columbus Road Bordentown, NJ
Cost: $50/per family for family Olympics
11) Hackettstown Spring Festival
Saturday May 2nd 12:00pm-10:00pm and Sunday May 3rd 12:00pm-6:00pm
The annual Hackettstown Spring Festival is this weekend! Enjoy performances in the dining and entertainment tent, live music, amusement rides, a Mars Chocolate M&M’s World “Pop Up” store offering “Made in Hackettstown” items and M&M’s merchandise. Hackettstown Regional Medical Center invites children ages 3 to 6 to bring their ill or injured stuff animals to the Teddy Bear Hospital. Children can also enjoy healthy snacks and boardwalk style games.
Hackettstown Spring Festival is located on the fields at the intersection of Fifth and Reese Avenue
Cost: Free admission, additional costs for food and amusements
12) Daddy Craft Hour
Saturday May 2nd 1:00pm-2:00pm
Hey dads! Do you need a gift still for Mother’s Day? Head over with the kids to Be Craftful for Daddy Craft Hour on Saturday afternoon. They will be making memorable Mother’s Day Keepsakes.
Be Craftful 250 South Ave Fanwood, NJ
Cost: $25/per family
13) Hoboken Spring & Arts Festival
Sunday May 3rd 11:00am-6:00pm
This family-friendly rain or shine event will be featuring over 300 local artists, crafters, photographers, and food from local restaurants. Check out the three stages of music and entertainment, as well as a special children’s area on 3rd street with rides, games, face painting, balloons and more!
Washington Street between Observer Highway and 7th Street
Cost: Free admission
photo via Dragonfly Farms
14) Dolly and Me Garden Tea Party
Sunday May 3rd 1:00pm-3:00pm
Enjoy an afternoon filled with fun and memories at Dragonfly Farms. Girls will choose a hat to decorate and then enjoy sandwiches, tea, juice and fruits with their favorite dolly.
Dragonfly Farms 966 Kuser Road Hamilton, NJ
Cost: $15/child
photo via Bergen Performing Arts Center
15) Berenstain Bears Live
Sunday May 3rd 1:00pm and 4:00pm
The classic children’s book series by Stan and Jan Berenstain comes to life this weekend at the Bergen Performing Arts Center in Berenstain Bears LIVE! Family Matters. Watch as Mama Bear teaches the family how to problem solve with patience and love in this off-broadway hit that will leave your children with memories for year to come.
Bergen Performing Arts Center 30 Van Brunt Street Englewood, NJ
Cost: $14-29/ticket
For moms & dads only
16) Pick mom out something special for Mother’s Day from our NJ Mom Gift Guide.
17) Get ready for summer and find out where and when beach badges are on sale.
18) Weekend activities like soccer, little league and more have you feel drained to cook dinner? Enjoy dinner with one of our “Kids Eat Free” promotions!
19) Has it been 6 months or more since your last date night? I think it’s time, what do you think? Check out NJ Mom’s unique ideas for date night.
20) Are you a blogger in New Jersey (or aspire to begin a blog)? Don’t miss out on the New Jersey Blogger Network’s Spring Conference happening on May 9th in Hamilton, NJ. Get all of the details and register here!
In search of more things to do this weekend in New Jersey? Visit NJ Mom’s event calender for more events happening around the state. Remember to use hashtag #NJMom this weekend for your chance to be featured.
