Cold air and snow forecasts are here, but with so many fun winter activities in NJ, there’s plenty to do to keep the whole family warm. You can spend the day hitting the slopes, sliding down a sledding hill, trying a snow tube, skating on an outdoor rink, and even visiting an outdoor winter market. Scroll down to find our NJMOM bucket list of NJ winter activities, and get ready for icy adventures and frozen thrills this season. (featured photo credit: @mountaincreek)
Winter Activities In New Jersey
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Five Star Swim School
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Here Are 17 Fun Winter Activities In NJ
Hit the slopes on a board or skis. Photo Credit: @themilleredition
Grab your skis or hop on a snowboard
Whether you want to take a day trip with the littles or a week-long family vacation, you don’t have to go far to get on the slopes, making skiing one of the top winter activities in NJ. Sign up for lessons, spend the day on the trails, try boarding, or cozy up to an apres-ski fire pit—you can find a trail to fit your family’s needs at NJ’s biggest ski resort at Mountain Creek, Shawnee Mountain, or any of these ski resorts nearby.
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Photo Credit: DiDonato Family Fun Center
DiDinato’s Magical Holiday Express
Every day this December until the 23rd, the family can hop aboard DiDonoto’s Magical Holiday Express. Drive through millions of holiday lights, see Santa and his elves in his workshop with a free photo op, or listen to a story with Mrs. Claus. But wait, there’s more—watch a movie in the holiday movie tent, walk through the holiday village, stop by the Toy Market, feast on holiday snacks and treats, play games at the new Spare Change Arcade experience, and enjoy a game of bowling (FREE with every ticket purchase). Tickets are available online for $19.95 per person from Monday through Thursday, $21.95 on Fridays and Sundays, and $26.95 on Saturdays. Buy your tickets online to secure your spot (and save money since prices are more at the door). Need a gift idea? Purchase gift cards for the perfect birthday or holiday gift. in the toy market.
1151 S. White Horse Pike, Hammonton, NJ 08037
Take on the thrill of snow tubing
If you want more thrill than a traditional sledding day but aren’t quite ready to hit the slopes of the ski mountain—try snow tubing. It’s a great way to get outside and breathe in the crisp air while laughing the whole way down. Unlike skiing and snowboarding, no experience or lessons are required to enjoy it (plus, it’s often at ski resorts with snow-making equipment). Not sure where to go? Try one of the snow tubing spots in and around NJ for a day of thrills, or try out Camelback Resort.
Get gliding with family and friends this winter. Photo Credit: Newport Skates
Glide around on an ice skating rink
Bundle up and skate the day away with the whole family, whether just learning together or having a blast sliding along to tunes. And with many outdoor rinks and indoor ones offering fun ways to slide along (Friday night DJ skate, anyone?), this is a great way to spend the day or night. Find an ice skating rink near you for a few spins around the rink.
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Photo Credit: NJ MOM
Family fun at Renault Winery
Celebrate the holidays and a successful harvest with festive family activities all season at Renault Winery. Kids will love the Family Fun Nights every Friday in December, which include ice skating, arts and crafts stations, and hot chocolate. Or visit with Santa at Stories with Santa on Saturdays and Thursdays starting December 5. Parents can try signature cocktail flights at Cookies & Cocktails on December 5 and 26. On December 6, join in for the annual tree lighting, including photos with Santa, shopping with Renault makers, and ice skating. Sign up to make Holiday Hors D’oeuvres at the Chef’s Masterclass Series on December 12. On December 21, you can participate in the Reindeer Run 5K while the kids can try the 1 Mile Fun Run or sign up for the Winter Workshop: Yule Log Making on the same date. Finally, the kids won’t want to miss the Children’s Winter Ball on January 18, where they can dress up and bring their parents to the regal Champagne Ballroom for dinner and dancing while meeting their favorite princesses and superheroes.
72 Bremen Ave., Egg Harbor City, NJ 08215
Go on a winter hike
Grab your jacket, water bottle, and hiking shoes and hit the trails—yes, even in the winter. You’ll get some fresh air, admire the beautiful scenery, and sneak in exercise. Plus, being outside is an exhilarating way to spend the day. And if you’re looking for somewhere you’ve never been or close by, our hiking guide is organized by location and features the best hikes in the state.
Entertain the whole family
If you’ve got a family with kids in multiple stages (think toddler, tyke, and tween), a one-stop spot for everything entertaining is a must. Hit the indoor rollercoaster at the Nickelodeon Universe Theme Park at American Dream, cheer on a jousting match at Medieval Times in Lyndhurst, load up your Power Card at Dave and Buster’s in Woodbridge, Atlantic City, or Blackwood, or become a kingpin at Humdingers in Paramus.
How do they make maple syrup? It starts by tapping a tree for the sap. Photo Credit: Tenafly Nature Center.
See how maple sugar goes from tree to tap
Wonder how the sweet stuff goes from the tree to your table? See the method up close at a maple sugaring demonstration. Check out the Great Swamp Education Center and Tenafly Nature Center. You’ll learn how to identify maple trees, all about the taps, and how they boil down the sap to make the syrup. And if you’re lucky, you can sample the tasty rewards and take some home to top a fresh batch of flapjacks.
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Photo Credit: Ocean Casino Resort
Ocean Casino Resort
500 Boardwalk, Atlantic City, NJ 08401
Slide down a hill
Let’s hope it’s a banner year for snow days, and there’s no doubt sledding is one of the best ways to take advantage of them. But where to go? From hidden hills to big drops, check out our guide to the best sledding hills in NJ. And you don’t need snow for a snow day—head to Big Snow at American Dream for their Snow Play and Tubing package, where kids can whiz down a real snowy hill, all in climate-controlled indoors.
Take a trip under the sea
The temps may be dropping, but plenty of sea life can be seen indoors. From observing brilliant and bright fish at Jenkinson’s Aquarium in Point Pleasant Beach to hanging with the hippos at the Camden Adventure Aquarium, the aquariums in NJ are perfect for your little sea explorer. Or why not visit a zoo to see the animals in the winter? Stroll through the Turtle Back Zoo or stop by the Cape May County Zoo to see lots of furry friends. And if furry, soft creatures are more your speed, pose for cozy pics at alpaca farms in NJ.
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Photo Credit: New Jersey Symphony
Muppets and The New Jersey Symphony
The New Jersey Symphony presents Disney’s The Muppet Christmas Carol in Concert featuring the complete film, with the score performed live to picture. The Muppets perform Charles Dickens’ classic holiday tale, with Kermit the Frog playing Bob Cratchit, the put-upon clerk of stingy Ebenezer Scrooge (Michael Caine), and features many more of your favorite Muppet characters. This special holiday event is fun for the whole family.
Thu, Dec 5 at 7:30 pm | Mayo Performing Arts Center in Morristown
Fri, Dec 6 at 7:30 pm | Count Basie Center for the Arts in Red Bank
Sat, Dec 7 at 3:00 pm | New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark
Sat, Dec 7 at 7:30 pm | New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark
Sun, Dec 8 at 3:00 pm | State Theatre New Jersey in New Brunswick
Climb to new heights
Climbing as a family at an indoor rock climbing space is a fantastic way to bond. Children and parents can brainstorm ways to overcome a difficult wall or conquer unique challenges like blindfolded or three-legged climbing. Many also have zip lines or places to do bouldering, making you feel like you’ve escaped to a mountain range activity park.
Exploring at Liberty Science Center is one of those winter activities in NJ you can do with the family. Photo taken at Liberty Science Center
Explore a museum exhibit
Now is a great excuse to get to that museum in New Jersey you’ve wanted to check out. Witness art coming to life indoors and outdoors in cool weather at the unique Grounds For Sculpture. Or head to Liberty Science Center, where kids can experiment, explore, and discover new things in interactive STEM and STEAM exhibits that appeal to the senses and mind. The New Jersey State Museum in Trenton is another excellent option, and it’s free.
Travel in space
Sit back, relax, and get lost in space while looking up at the stars and watching a special film presentation in the domes of New Jersey’s educational and entertaining planetariums. Kids (and parents) of all ages will get lost in the enchantment of the dome’s crystal-clear projection—all while learning something new.
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Photo Credit: New Jersey Symphony
Bugs Bunny at the Symphony
Bugs Bunny at the Symphony is back! Celebrate Looney Tunes and its legendary stars, including Daffy Duck, Elmer Fudd, Sylvester, Wile E. Coyote, Road Runner, and of course, Bugs Bunny, our very favorite “wascally wabbit.” Enjoy classics including “Baton Bunny,” “The Rabbit of Seville,” and “What’s Opera, Doc?” alongside Warner Bros. Discovery 3D theatrical shorts “Rabid Rider,” “Coyote Falls,” and “Fur of Flying.” Don’t miss these extraordinary musical scores performed live by the New Jersey Symphony as all the action unfolds on the big screen.
Fri, Feb 14 at 8:00 pm | Count Basie Center for the Arts in Red Bank
Sat, Feb 15 at 8:00 pm | New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark
Sun, Feb 16 at 3:00 pm | State Theatre New Jersey in New Brunswick
Head out for a weekend road trip
A long weekend road trip can be just what you need to recharge your family’s batteries after the holiday rush. Luckily, there are plenty of family-friendly resorts in and around NJ for all ages and budgets you can drive to in under 2 hours when you want a little getaway. Or if you want to stay closer but feel like you got away, why not explore an NJ downtown and find a new restaurant or shop?
Mini golfing is a great winter activity in NJ. Photo Credit: American Dream Angry Birds Mini Golf
Get your game on
Whether it’s a family challenge at indoor mini-golf, bowling, testing your speed at an indoor go-kart track, or bouncing it out at a trampoline park, you can have a ball no matter the weather. Most of these places are more than just one activity—many offer arcades, laser tag, games, and gourmet cuisine to make a full day of it. Or go retro and introduce your kids to the video games you played as a kid (hello, Donkey Kong) at a vintage arcade in the Garden State.
Splash around
Think waterparks are only a summertime thing? Nope—you can plunge down a waterslide, drift in the lazy river, or get knocked down in the wave pool. With temps always in the 80s, head to one of the indoor waterparks locally and nearby, including American Dream DreamWorks Waterpark in East Rutherford, Island Waterpark at Showboat in Atlantic City, and Big Kahuna’s Water Park in Berlin. Kids will have a ball getting soaked indoors, and you’ll all feel like you want on a resort vacay miles away.
Move playtime indoors
Missing the playgrounds? Go inside at one of the NJ play spaces where littles can bounce around, climb the walls, or use their imaginations for creative play. Visit Livingston’s travel-themed Exceptional Explorers play space, climb and slide at HuckleBerry Play in Morris Plains, check out the fishing zone at The Great Story in Ridgefield, or run and play at the Jellybean Jungle in Marlton. And mamas—after a few hours, you can be sure a nice nap is in their future.
Shop at a winter farmers market or mall
Many farmers’ markets have extended from the warmer months into open-air markets for the winter. Bundle up and find more than produce—most farmers’ markets offer meats, baked goods, soups, chocolates, and artisan gifts all in one place. Check out these delicious winter markets around NJ. Or if you want to stay indoors, head to a mall in NJ where kids can find fun, and you can shop ’til you drop.
See the city
We’re lucky we border two world-class cities—New York and Philadelphia— making a day trip or overnight stay within reach. Explore NYC classics like the Empire State Building and Central Park Zoo or unique attractions like the Museum of Ice Cream in NYC. Philadelphia also has many historical sights and museums, including Independence Hall and The Franklin Institute, as well as unique Philly spots like Once Upon a Nation Storytelling.
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