
New Jersey's guide to places and events for children,
teens and families
For even more info...pick up a copy of New Jersey's Kids Guide
FREE at libraries, stores, schools, real estate and professional
offices in northcentral New Jersey and at tourist info centers throughout
the state for a complete calendar and guide to children and family events,
programs and services!
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PLEASE NOTE: Hours, prices,
exhibit and event information are subject to change.
Please call ahead or use the convenient website links to get the latest
information prior to your visit.
history activity kit
908-558-2550. Developed by the Union
County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs with the advice of
teachers
and parents, the free activity kit reinforces the fourth grade curriculum
and meets criteria
for scout badges by highlighting seventeen of Union County's history museums.
morris
county visitors center
6 Court St. (across from Morris County Court House), Morristown, 973-631-5151.
Open Mon.-Fri. 10-4.
Excellent one-stop source of information about destinations and events in
Morris County.
Brochures, maps and calendars available. Hosts themed walking tours of historic
Morristown.
Pick up walking tour for kids brochure or view online.
www.visitnj.org
New Jersey is filled with homes and sites of historic interest. Listings
below are noted for programs
specifically geared to children and families. For a complete list of historic
sites and additional events throughout the state,
consult the State of New Jersey's official website.
Acorn Hall
68 Morris Ave., Morristown, 973-267-3465. Mon. & Thurs. 10-4, Sun. 1-4.
Guided tours every half hour. Group tours by appointment.
Adults $6, srs. $5, students $3, under 12 free. Italianate Victorian mansion,
built in 1853, is the headquarters of the Morris County Historical
Society. From the back of the garden, a short trail leads down to the Whippany
River and to the site of a RevolutionaryWar gunpowder mill.
On and off-site speakers and educational programs; traveling trunks available
for rental. Gardens and gift shop.
Exhibitions
Thru Aug 31
Out of the Closet: An Art Collection Revealed,
works by local and international artists.
Special Events
Jun 27-28
Sixth Annual Victorian Weekend, in
conjunction with Fosterfield's Living Historical Farm.
Jul 26
Old Fashioned Fun Day, special
kids tours, games on the lawn, Victorian dress up, tea and cookies, and
a take-home craft. 1-4pm.
Allaire Village
Allaire State Park, Rt. 524 (exit 98 GSP), Wall Township. Village: 732-919-3500,
Park: 732-938-2371. Historic buildings open
Memorial Day-Labor Day: Wed.-Sun. 12-4; May, Sept.-Nov.: Weekends 10-4.
Open special weekends in winter. Admission fee to visit
historic buildings on weekends May thru Nov.: Adults $3, ages 6-12 $2, 5
& under free. Parking fee: Memorial Day weekend thru Labor Day.
Living museums display artifacts from the Howell
Iron Works village of 1822-1848. Costumed interpreters explain the history
and
demonstrate various crafts. The Pine Creek Railroad, a narrow gauge
rail line operating both diesel and steam locomotives, makes a 1.5 mile
loop in the park and runs 10-4:30pm weekends & holidays April-Nov. 1;weekdays
July & Aug. Tickets are $4 ages 3 & over, free under 3. The
Christmas Express operates weekends in late Nov.-Dec. with tickets on sale
beginning Oct. 1. (732-938-5524).
State park features hiking and multi-use trails, camping,
nature center (staffed Memorial Day thru Labor Day) with interpretive programs
(732-938-6707), picnicking, snack bar, playground, canoeing and fishing
on the Manasquan River.
Selected Events
Jul 11
Summer Crafters' Market, 10am-4pm.
Jul 19
The Court Trial of the Howell Works
Thieves, courtroom performance. 2pm.
Aug 1
The Gigantic Yard Sale, 8am-3pm.
Aug 2
Temperance Rally, 1836, skits
at 1 & 2:30pm. Village open 1-4pm.
Aug 15
Ducky Derby, fundraiser. Rubber
duck races, children's games, fishing for ducks. 1-4pm.
Aug 23
Rolling Iron Antique Auto Show,
8am-3pm.
Sept 5-6
Wine & Jazz Festival, over
200 wines from NJ wineries. Jazz, food, unique crafts. $20/adult.
Sept 19
Late Summer Flea Market, 8am-3pm.
$1/adult, under 12 free.
Sept 20
Early 19th Century Fall Harvest Festival,
1-4pm. Adult $5, ages 5-12 $3. Horse & wagon ride extra $7.50/adult,
$5/children under 12.
Sept 26
Annual Fall Crafters' Market, 10am-4pm.
Adult $2, under 12 free.
Oct 2-3
An Evening with Edgar Allan Poe,
7:30pm. $15, advance ticket required.
Oct 9-10
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, interactive
adaptation of the classic ghost story. Fri. 7 & 8:30pm, Sat. 7:30pm.
$15, advance ticket
required.
Oct 10
Fall Flea Market, 8-3. Adult
$1, under 12 free.
Oct 11
All Hallows' Eve, costume
parade with prizes, free pumpkins. 12-4pm. $5. 5 & under free.
Oct 16-17,
23-24
Halloween Hayride, 6-9:30pm. Adult
$15, under 12 $10. Advance ticket recommended.
Nov 1
Election Day &Women's Suffrage
in the 1830s, women march 1 & 2:30pm. Village open 1-4.
Nov 6-8
Stocking Stuffer Sale, 10-3. Free
admission.
Nov 22
A 19th -Century Thanksgiving, 12-3pm.
Program at the Chapel, 1pm. Free admission.
Dec 5-6
Christmas at Allaire, 12-3:30pm.
Adult $6, ages 5-14 $4. Horse & wagon ride extra $7.50/adult, $5/children
under 12.
Dec 11, 18
A Christmas Carol, 7:30pm.
$15, advance tickets recommended.
Dec 12, 15
Christmas Lantern Tours, 90
min. tours every min. 5-8pm. $10/person, advance tickets recommended.
Bouman
Stickney Farmstead
114 Dreahook Rd., Stanton, 908-236-2327. Open 1-4pm year round first Sun.
of every month. 1741 stone Dutch House on 68 acres with
outbuildings including a Revolutionary era New York Dutch barn offers traditional
craft demonstrations and guided tours of buildings and
grounds. Self-guided nature trail is available daily during daylight hours.
Cooper Gristmill
Black River County Park, County Rt. 513 (old Rt. 24), Chester Twp., 908-879-5463.
May-June: Sat. 10-5. July-Aug.: Wed.-Sat. 10-5, Sun. 12-5. Sept.-Oct. Sat.
10-5, Sun. 12-5. Last tour begins at 3:30. Adults $3, srs. $2, children
4-16 $1, under age 4 free.
Visitors can watch the water-powered millstones grind grain
into flour at a turn-of-the-century gristmill on the Black River. Different
demonstrations of life in the 1800s on most Sat. and/or Sun. School programs;
group tours, 973-631-5343; summer day camp (see Travels in Time under
Camps), 973-829-8419.
Jul 4
Independence Day Celebration, bring
a picnic and blanket. 1-3pm.
Jul 5, Aug 2, Aug 23
Sail, Sail Your Boat, children
can decorate boats and sail them. Boats may be purchased for $7 or borrowed
for free. Children must be
accompanied by adult and must wear enclosed toe shoes or boots. 1-3pm.
Jul 11-12
Cooper Gristmill Military Timeline
Living History, view military camp life. Sat. 10-5, 7-9pm candlelit
tour of camp by re-enactors, Sun. 10-3. Free, donations appreciated.
Jul 17-18
Charcoal Burning at the Cooper Gristmill,
see charcoal made, the world's first industrial fuel. 10am-4pm.
Free.
Jul 23
Blueberry Muffin Baking, children's
workshop. 11 & 2. $10 per family, pre-registration required by July
16. Children must be accompanied
by adult.
Aug 15
Lace Creations at the Gristmill,
bobbin lacemaking and tatting demonstrations. 1-4. Free.
Aug 22
1890s Music Day at Milltown, 1-4pm.
Free.
Aug 29
Miller's Pancake, Cooper Gristmill's
adaptation of Eric Carle's story Pancakes, Pancakes! 1pm.
Sept 12
National Milling Day, celebrate
Oliver Evans' 254th birthday, famous inventor of the 1780s. 1-4pm.
Sept 19
Hacklebarney Mines, retired miners
share their mining experiences, displays, activities. Free.
Oct 3
Yeast Bread Baking, 11-2. Tour
the mill one hour prior to baking. $10 per family, pre-registration required
by Sept. 26.
Children must be accompanied by adult.
Oct 10
Apple Muffin Baking, children's
workshop. 11 & 2. $10 per family, children must be accompanied by adult.
Pre-registration
required by Oct. 3.
Oct 11
The 26th Annual Chester Harvest Festival,
apple cider press demonstration on Main St. 12-5.
Oct 17
Celebrate Apples, try a
hand-cranked apple peeler, cider pressing, apple head doll display, decorate
an apple. 1-3:30. Free.
Oct 31
A Miller's Halloween, spooky
storytelling at 1 & 2:30. Come in costume, create corn husk dolls, color
pumpkins, play old
time games. 1-3:30. Free.
Crane House Museum
110 Orange Rd., Montclair, 973-744-1796. Open year-round for guided tours
on the hour Fri. and Sat. 1-4pm and Sun. 2-5pm.
Last tour one hour before closing. Museum Shop open Sun. 2-5pm. Adults $5,
ages 11-17 $4, 10 & under free.
Owned and operated by the Montclair Historical Society,
this 1796 house was home to three generations of the Crane family, one
of the founding families of Montclair. Furnished period rooms plus temporary
exhibits. Adult and family programs on local history offered
year-round;summer history camps. Open for tours and group tours by appointment.
Offices and local history library at 108 Orange
Rd. open Mon.-Fri. 9-5.
Deserted Village of Feltville/Glenside
Park
Glenside Ave., Union County Watchung Reservation, Berkeley Heights, 908-527-4900.
Listed on the State and National Registers of
Historic Places, this site has been a farming community, mill town, deserted
village, and summer resort over the course of two centuries.
Ten buildings remain and the Church/Store building has been restored as
an interpretive center. A 1-mile self-guided walking tour begins
in the parking lot off Glenside Ave. Guided tours are offered periodically.
Call for information about Operation Archaeology site, a school
program for 5th grade students, 908-558-2550.
New
Visitors Center in restored
church/general store exhibits artifacts and photos of restoration.
Drake House Museum
602 W. Front St., Plainfield, 908-755-5831. Open Sat. 10-1, Sun. 2-4pm or
by appointment. Beautifully restored rooms portray the farm life
of the Nathanial Drake family in the 1700s and the Victorian life of New
York City banker, John S. Harberger, during the late 1800s. The
original 1746 farmhouse served as headquarters for George Washington during
the Battle of Short Hills in 1777. Significant American paintings,
folk art, period furniture and decorative pieces are on display. Group tours;
Traveling Trunk exhibit available for school and community groups.
Drumthwacket
354 Stockton St., Princeton, 609-683-0057. Suggested donation $5. Tours
of the official residence of the Governor are given most Wed. throughout
the year (except Aug. and Dec.). Spring, summer and fall tours include the
formal Italianate gardens. Reservations required, call or visit www.drumthwacket.org.
Dec 2, 9, 13, 16
Holiday Open House, Garden Clubs
of New Jersey decorate Drumthwacket for the holidays. Unique gift shop will
be open. 11-2pm.
Suggested donation $5, reservations required.
Durand-Hedden House & Garden
523 Ridgewood Rd., Maplewood, 973-763-7712. Sept.-June: Sun. 1-4pm.
Donations appreciated. Historic house circa 1790 has been restored
to show the continuum of its life from 1790 to 1930. Open houses are held
each month with tours, children's activities and country store. Jr. docent
after-school program for members and jr. members in grades 3 & 4. School
tours available.
East Jersey Olde Towne Village
Johnson Park, 1050 River Rd. (intersection of River Rd. & Old Hoes Lane),
Piscataway, 732-745-3030. Tues.-Fri. 8:30-4:15; Sun. 1-4. Guided public
tours: Tues.-Fri. & Sun. 1:30. Group tours by appointment.
A collection of original, replica and reconstructed 18th
& 19th century structures depict the farm and merchant communities once
found in central New Jersey. Storytellers and crafts are periodically presented.
Edison National Historic Site
Main St. & Lakeside Ave. (exit 9 Rt. 280), West Orange, 973-736-0550.
Glenmont, Edison's home in Llewellyn Park, is open for tours on the hour
Fri.-Sun. 12-4pm. Call for expanded summer hours, 973-324-9973.
Closed
Laboratory closed for major renovation.
Consult website for reopening info, www.nps.gov/edis.
Thomas A. Edison Memorial
Tower & Menlo Park Museum
37 Christie St., Edison, 732-549-3299. Thurs.-Sat. 10- 4. Donations welcome.
Free tours during operating hours. 13-ft. replica light bulb sits atop 131-ft.
Memorial Tower where over 400 patented inventions were developed including
the phonograph and electric light bulb. Many inventions are on display in
the museum.
Fleming Castle
5 Bonnell St., Flemington, 908-782-4607. Open 2nd Sat. 1-4pm. Tours by appointment
for scout and school groups. Visitors to the c. 1756 building can play with
Colonial toys and games and discover Castle artifacts in a scavenger hunt.
Children's workshops and special events are held throughout the year.
Ford Mansion & Museum/Washington's
Headquarters
10 Washington Place (exit 36 I-287), Morristown, 973-539-2016 ext. 210.
Daily 9-5. Ford Mansion shown by guided tours on the hour 10-4. Adults $4,
ages under 16 free. Mansion served as the military headquarters of General
George Washington during the winter encampment of 1779-80.
Open
Two new exhibit galleries and bookstore
are open while Museum building expansion continues.
New
Primary Source Seminar, provides
students the occasion to study historical manuscripts firsthand. Classes
by appointment only.
Jul 4
Public Reading of the Declaration of
Independence, 1pm. Cheer along with costumed park rangers as they denounce
tyranny and praise liberty.
Warm-up with stories, riddles and a
kids level explanation of the Declaration begins at noon.
Fosterfields
73 Kahdena Rd., off County Rt. 510 (old Rt. 24), Morristown, 973-326-7645.
April-June & Oct.:Wed.-Fri. 1-5, Sat. 10-5, Sun. 12-5. July-Sept.: Wed.-Sat.
10-5, Sun. 12-5. Adults $6, srs. $5, children 4-16 $4, ages 2-3 $2, under
2 free. Add $2 for special events. Memberships available. Farmers can usually
be found engaged in one of their many daily chores from tending the crops
to animal care on an operating farm from 1880-1910 era. Weekends feature
different demonstrations of farm chores and early crafts. Tours of the Willows,
one of New Jersey's finest Gothic Revival restorations, are available Wed.-Sun.
afternoons (additional $1). Group & school tours. Travels in Time
summer program for ages 10-12 (see Camps).
Wed-Sun
Guided Tours of The Willows, Wed.-Sun.
at specific times by reservation only. Add $1 to admission for ages 2 and
up.
Thru Oct 31
Caroline's Couture: A Style All Her
Own, Caroline Foster's clothing & accessories on exhibit.
Selected Weekend Events
Children must be accompanied by an adult.
Jul 4
Explore the Farm Horse-Drawn Wagon
Ride, 10:15-11:15am. Pre-register.
Jul 5
Garden on the Grow: The Toad-Price
of the Garden, 1-3:30pm.
Patriotic Celebrations Continue, bring
a lunch, 1-3pm.
Jul 11
Little Engine That Could; Threshing
& Winnowing Oats, 1-3pm.
Jul 12
Let's Make Horseradish, 1
& 2pm.
Jul 18
Meet the Broody Hen, 1 & 2pm.
Jul 19
Hay Trolley Swings into Action, 1
& 2pm.
Jul 25
Preserving Your Past: Furniture, how-to
sessions for adults. 1:30-3pm. Pre-register.
Jul 25-26
Wash & Wear Sheep, 1
& 2pm.
Aug 1
Explore the Farm Horse-Drawn Wagon
Ride, 10:15-11:15am. Pre-register.
Aug 2
Garden on the Grow: Sunflowers. 1-3:30pm.
Dig Spuds! 1-3pm.
Aug 8
Little Engine That Could, 1-3pm.
Art in the Making: Watercolor Painting,
basic course for adults. $10, pre-register.
Aug 9
Checking the Hives: the Latest Buzz,
1 & 2pm.
Aug 15
Dig Spuds! 1-3pm.
Aug 16
Butterflies for You & Me, 1
& 2pm.
Aug 22
Out to the Pasture Spring, 1
& 2pm.
Aug 23
Watch Them Grow, weigh-in
of piglets. 1 & 2.
Sept 5
Explore the Farm Horse-Drawn Wagon
Ride, 10:15-11:15am. Pre-register.
Sept 6
Garden on the Grow: Happy Harvest,
but Save the Seeds, 1-3:30pm.
Sept 12
What is Ensilage? help with the
process. 1-3.
Sept 13
1920s Country Fair & Harvest Festival,
live music, crafts, exhibits, period games, demonstrations, food,
hands-on activities. 12-5pm.
Sept 19
Almost Autumn Farm Walk: On the Wing,
ages 5 & up with adult. 1:45pm.
Let's Talk Historic Turkeys, 1 & 2pm.
Sept 20
Family Activity Center, making
toy sheep. 1-3:30.
Sept 26-27
Let's Make Sauerkraut, 1 &
2pm.
Oct 3
Explore the Farm Horse-Drawn Wagon
Ride, 10:15-11:15am. Pre-register.
Oct 4
Garden on the Grow: Plant Winter Rye
& Learn Why; Family Activity Center, corn husk dolls. 1-3:30pm.
What is Ensilage? 1-3pm.
Oct 10
"Women Through Time" Interest
Project, cadette & senior girl scout badge. 10-2pm.
Oct 11
Apples, Apples, Apples! 1-3:30pm.
Oct 17-18
Garden Clean Up, 1-3pm.
What's in Your Past? Part 1: Genealogy Basics, getting started.
1:30pm. Pre-register. Little Engine That
Could, 1-3pm.
Oct 18
Cara's Cottage, learn about the
cottage built almost entirely by Caroline Foster. 1-3:30pm.
Oct 24
Bye, Bye Bee-Until Spring, 1
& 2pm.
Oct 25
Family Activity Center, pumpkin
decorating. 1-3:30pm.
Oct 31
Historic Halloween Happenings, halloween
games, activities & scavenger hunt. 1-3:30pm.
Nov 15
Thanksgiving Harvest Home, 12-4pm.
The Hermitage
335 N. Franklin Tnpk. (GSP exit 165 to Rt. 17N), Ho-Ho-Kus, 201-445-8311.
Guided tours Wed.-Sun. 1-4, last tour starts at 3:15.
Adults $5, srs. & students $4, ages 6-12 $2. Stone house, renovated
in 1847-48 in Gothic Revival design, was visited during the Revolutionary
War by Washington and was the site of the marriage of Aaron Burr and Theodosia
Prevost. Living history events are held throughout the year.
History lecture series, on-site and in-class school programs, scout, after-school
programs and summer history camps are offered.
Historic Speedwell
Rt. 202 (333 Speedwell Ave.) at Cory Rd., Morristown, 973-285-6550. April-June:
Wed.-Sat. 10-5, closed Sun. July-Oct. : Wed.-Sat. 10-5,
Sun. 12-5. Adults $4, srs. $3, children 4-16 $2 (except participants in
girl scout badge day). Restored 19th century mansion and ironworks
buildings on 7.5 acres capture the daily life of the Vail family and their
contributions to the American Industrial Revolution. The Factory building
was the site of the first successful public demonstration of the telegraph
in 1838. Group tours; scout programs; picnic area; adult and children's
craft series; summer history camp for children (see Camps).
Selected Events
Jul Wed
Cart Roll Out: Electricity, 1-4pm
Wednesdays in July.
Jul 11
Rocking and Rolling: Moving a House,
ages 10 & up. 1-4.
Jul 12
Carriage House Craft Series: Victorian
Games, ages 6 & up. 1-3.
Jul 18
Art in the Making: Beginner Painting
Series, 1-4. $10, pre-register.
Jul 19
Ice Cream Making, 1-4.
Jul 22-24
Jr. Smithy Camp, learn to be a
blacksmith. Ages 14-17. 9-4. Pre-registration required.
Aug Wed
Cart Roll Out: Magnetism, 1-4.
Aug 8
Breakfast with the Vails, 10-4.
Aug 15
The Ails of the Vails: An Interactive
Tour on 19th Century American Medicine, 1-4.
Aug 16
Carriage House Craft Series: Tin Punching,
1-4.
Aug 22
Historic Metal Crafts: Beginners Blacksmithing,
ages 13 & up. $15, pre-registration required.
Aug 29
Historic Fashion Show, 1-4.
Sept 19
Open Hearth Cooking Class, 10-4.
$50.
Sept 20
Dig It 2! An Archaeology Program for
Kids, ages 7-11. 1-4, pre-registration required.
Sept 26
Girl Scout Badge Day: Museum Discovery,
11-4. $10 per scout, pre-registration required.
Oct 4
Preserves Workshop, ages 13 &
up. 1-4. Preregistration required.
Oct 10
Girl Scout Badge Day: Paper Works,
11-4. $10 per scout, pre-registration required.
Oct 17
Find the Toad, join the staff as
they prepare a traditional fall meal. 10-4.
Oct 31
Historic Haunting: Halloween at Historic
Speedwell, come in costume. 10-4.
Nov 7
Susan Plainstead, cook a
meal using period cooking equipment on an open hearth. 10-5.
$50, pre-registration required.
Dec 5-6
Dickensian Christmas, treats
from the period, dance, mid-19th century crafts, visit the Vail Home decorated
to the 1843 period.
Home School Days
Educational and interactive programs designed for Home School students
and instructors. Students $5, adults $4.
Pre-registration required.
Jul 9
Totally Telegraphs: The Role of the
Telegraph in the Civil War, 1-4.
Aug 13
Museum School, 1-3.
Sept 10
Right Beside the Kitchen: The Garden,
Part 3, The Harvest. 1-4.
Oct 8
Science & Art Fair, prizes.
Pre-registration required.
Howell Living History Farm
101 Hunter Rd., Titusville (off Rt. 29 2 mi. south of Lambertville), 609-737-3299.
Open Sat.: 10-4 on specified dates, with field or craft
programs from 11-3. Open Sun. for self-guided tours only: April-Nov. noon-4pm.
Open Tues.-Fri.: Feb. thru Nov. 10-4. Closed Mon.,
holidays and month of Jan. Free admission, materials fee for craft.
A working farm for 200 years is being restored to operate
like a typical family farm circa 1900. Farmstand (open Wed. & Sat. July-Oct.);
group programs; Farmhands activity program for ages 6-9 with adult;
The Hatchery program for ages 3-5 with adult; Working Hands for
teens; and
summer farm camp for ages 6-12.
Craft programs, which take about 20 min. to complete,
are offered most Saturdays during open season from 11-3. Materials fee varies
from $1-3.
Groups of 8 or more must preregister. Call for date-specific craft information.
Saturday Programs
Jul 4
Ice Cream Party.
Jul 11
Wheat Harvest.
Jul 18
Evening Hayrides, 5-8pm.
Jul 25
Evening Hayrides, 5-8pm.
Aug 1
Mercer County 4-H Fair.
Aug 2
Mercer County 4-H Fair: History Day Tours
& Photo Exhibit, 12-4pm.
Aug 8
Honey Harvest.
Aug 14
Summer Barn Dance, 7:30pm.
Aug 15
Pleasant Valley Wagon Tours.
Aug 22
Potato Harvest.
Aug 29
Fiddlin' on the Farm.
Sept 5
Plowing Match.
Sept 12
Back to School.
Sept 19
Canning.
Sept 20
Tours of the Pleasant Valley Historical
Park, 12-4pm.
Sept 25
Saving New Jersey's Barns, 7:30pm.
Sept 26
Fall Tillage Wagon Tours.
Oct 3-4
Fall Festival, Sat. 10-4pm, Sun. 12-4pm.
Oct 10
Pumpkin & Indian Corn Harvest.
Oct 16
Get to Know Your Quilts, 7:30pm.
Oct 17
Quilting.
Oct 24
Cider Making.
Oct 31
Autumn Hayrides.
Nov 7
Bacon, Sausage & Scrapple Making.
Nov 13
Harvest Moon Dance, 7:30pm.
Nov 14
Field Corn & Popcorn Harvest.
Nov 21
Oldtime Auction.
Nov 22
John Phillips House Open Hearth Cooking,
12-4pm.
Nov 28
Thanksgiving Hayrides: Wreath &
Sleighbell Sale.
Dec 5
Christmas on the Farm.
Industrial Heritage Tours
Morris County Park Commission, 973-285-6538. Historians lead easy to challenging,
212-hour to full-day hikes to mines, dams, canals and other
sites of significance to Morris County's industrial heritage.
Jockey Hollow
Tempe Wick Rd. west to Visitor Center parking, Morris Township, 973-539-2016.
Visitor Center: daily 9-5. Park: daily 'til sunset. Free. Follow in the
footsteps of General George Washington and his continental army during the
winter of 1779-80 as you explore the forests and rolling terrain of
Jockey Hollow National Park. 1750 Wick House and farm; herb garden; NJ Brigade
site; 5 reconstructed soldier huts; 21 miles of hiking trails
include Old Camp Road Trail (blue blazes) built by Washington's army, the
Aqueduct Trail, and yellow trail to the site of the original soldier huts
and
actual hearthstones that were placed by Washington's soldiers. Trail map
available at Visitor Center.
Ongoing
Morristown National Historical Park
Junior Ranger Badge, children ages 6-12 can learn about the American
Revolution at Washington's
Headquarters or Jockey Hollow, complete activity booklet and earn a Junior
Ranger Badge. Call 973-539-2016 x210 for reservations for school or scout
groups.
Liberty Hall Museum
1003 Morris Ave., Union, 908-527-0400. Wed.-Sat. 10-4, Sun. 12-4 (last tour
3pm). Adults $10, srs., college students with valid ID and children $6,
children under 3 free. Beautifully preserved estate, built in 1772 and lived
in until 1995 by seven generations of the Livingston/Kean family. Liberty
Hall is an intact, fully furnished home, which reflects two hundred years
of New Jersey and United States history. Guided tours, formal garden, apple
orchard, carriage house, ice house, firehouse and wagon shed. Picnic area
and gift shop; meeting and wedding facilities; firefighter and Victorian
tea parties. Group educational programs are offered Mon.-Fri.
Exhibitions
Thru Dec
Once Upon A Time: The Story of the Children
of Liberty Hall, interactive exhibit for children explores five
distinct generations of children
who grew up at Liberty Hall.
Special Events
Wed
Afternoon Tea, select Wed. from 2-4pm.
$33 per person includes house tour. Reservations required, call for Wednesday
dates.
Jul 6-10, Aug 24-28
History Day Camp, experience 225
years of history through crafts, activities and games, recommended for ages
8-12. 9-4.
$125 per child.
Aug 24-Oct
Apple Harvest Time, pick your own
apples.Small bag $5, large bag $7. Call first.
Oct 10
Fun at the Firehouse, learn what
it was like to be a firefighter 100 years ago.
Oct 17-18
Four Centuries in a Weekend, all
of the historic houses in Union County are open. Sat. 10-4, Sun. 12-4. Free.
Oct 24
Pumpkin Patch Day, pumpkin carving,
painting and other Halloween crafts, hayride, housetours and more. Reservations
required.
Dec 12, 19
An Old-Fashioned Christmas Celebration,
5-8pm. Regular admission, reservations.
Family Craft Workshops
10am-noon. $8 per child, reservations required.
Sept 13
Ice Cream Social, crafts, games, special
tour. 1-3pm.
Nov 21
Thanksgiving Day Craft Workshop, create
a colorful turkey centerpiece. Ages 7-12.
Dec 5, 12
Gingerbread House Workshop, 10-11:30
and 12-1:30pm. $17 per child, reservations required.
Dec 6
Christmas Tree Ornament Workshop.
Liberty
State Park
Morris Pesin Dr. (Exit 14C NJ Tnpk.), Jersey City, 201-915-3440. Daily 6am-10pm.
Exhibits at CRRNJ Terminal open Memorial
Day-Labor Day 8-6, limited exhibits year 'round. Free. Statue of Liberty
Ferry fees: Ages 13+ $12, srs. $10, ages 4-12 $5.
As the launching point to the Statue of Liberty and
Ellis Island, Liberty State Park offers dramatic waterfront views,
a visitors center, interpretive center, and exhibits at the historic Central
Railroad of New Jersey Terminal where about two-thirds of all immigrants
boarded trains to their new homes from
1892-1954. Ferry service runs year round from Liberty State Park to the
Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. For ferry information: 877-523-9849,
www.statuecruises.com. Statue
of Liberty/Ellis Island info: 212-363-3200, www.nps.gov/stli
The park also features a giant playground; bike/walking paths;
Liberty Walk, a 112 mile promenade along the Hudson River; dining at the
marina and visitors center. Water taxis and scenic cruises leave from Liberty
Landing Marina. For programs at CRRNJ, call 201-915-3412; for programs at
interpretive center and outreach programs, call 201-915-3409. See listing
under Outdoor Education Centers for interpretive center programs.
Open
Statue of Liberty, "Monument
Access" is available at no cost with the purchase of a ferry ticket
from www.statuecruises.com.
Monument access requires a secondary screening and enables holders to visit
the museum gallery and pedestal observation levels of the Statue. Reserved
tickets are strongly recommended
on weekends, holidays and May-Sept. A limited number of monument access
tickets are available daily at the ferry ticket booths. Junior Ranger
Program booklet available at Liberty or Ellis Island Information Centers,
recommended for ages 7-12.
Open
Park in a Pack educational
kit available "on loan" free of charge to educators for 2 week
periods. Includes teaching guide, activities and 4 videos about the Statue
of Liberty and Ellis Island for grades 4-8, 212-363-3200.
American Family Immigration History Center
at Ellis Island Museum and on the internet at www.ellisislandrecords.org
provides advanced computer technology for geneology research. Visitors can
access records of more than 22 million immigrants through 41 computer terminals.
Selected Interpretive Programs Free
Jun-Aug
CRRNJ Terminal Walking Tours, Movies,
Talks & More, 10-2 daily. 201-915-3412.
Longstreet Farm
Holmdel Park, Roberts & Longstreet Rds., Holmdel, 732-946-3758. Daily
10-3:45. Memorial Day-Labor Day: 9am-5pm. Farmhouse open weekends &
holidays Mar.-Dec. noon-3:45 or by reservation. Life on a general farm in
the 1890's is recreated by costumed interpreters working in fields and buildings
throughout the 9-acre site. Discovery Room at Holmes-Hendrickson House.
Park features picnic areas, snack bar, playgrounds, walking trails and arboretum.
Seasonal Highlights
Summer
Cultivating, some harvesting.
Fall
Harvesting, plowing, threshing,
cider pressing.
Winter
Craft & cooking demonstrations.
Spring
Plowing, blacksmithing, sheep shearing
and cooking, newborn farm animals.
Macculloch Hall
45 Macculloch Ave., Morristown, 973-538-2404. Open Wed., Thurs. & Sun.
1-4pm. Group tours by appointment. Garden open daily dawn to dusk.
Adults $6, srs. & students $5, under 12 free. Federal-style mansion
built in 1810 is furnished with fine 18th & 19th century decorative
arts and a
display of Thomas Nast (the original artist to depict Santa Claus as we
know him) memorabilia. Guided tours, changing exhibit galleries with occasional
related workshops for children.
Exhibitions
Thru Aug
Flowers in Art, from the mid-18th century
to early 20th century.
Sept 13-Nov
"Back" to School Days, features
interactive 19th century school room exhibit.
Special Events
Wed Jul
Lunch with the Librarian, bring
a blanket and picnic lunch for story hour under the Museum's beech tree.
Noon.
Jul 19
Homer's Odyssey, Shakespeare
in the Garden. 4pm.
Aug 2
Taming of the Shrew, Shakespeare
in the Garden. 4pm.
Sept 20
Poets in the Garden. 4pm.
Millbrook Village
Delaware Water Gap, Old Mine Rd., 12 mi. N I-80, 908-841-9531. Grounds open
dawn to dusk daily. Selected buildings open weekends
summer-early fall and for special events. Recreation of a late 19th century
rural community with schoolhouse, general store, woodworking shop,
blacksmith shop, carriage shop, weaver's house, church, some homes and barns.
Run by Millbrook Village Society with the National Park Service.
Self-guided tours, demonstrations of 19thcentury folk-life skills weekends
in summer.
Selected Events
Sept 5
Program TBA.
Oct 3-4
Annual Millbrook Days 2009, games, activities,
music and craft demos throughout the village.
Oct 24
Octivities, children's crafts and
activities at the Van Campen Farmhouse.
Dec 5
Victorian Christmas, children's
crafts and activities, music, toy demonstrations and games.
Miller-Cory House Museum
614 Mountain Ave., Westfield, 908-232-1776. Open Sundays during school year
(except holiday weekends) 2-4pm. Closed summer.
Adults $2.50, students $1, under 4 free. Costumed docents guide visitors
through 1740 farmhouse and skilled craftspeople demonstrate crafts
and tasks of the 18th century farm family. Open hearth cooking demonstrated
most Sundays (except Jan. & Feb.). Museum shop. Weekday tours
for groups available. Showcase of 18th Century Skills visits local schools.
Selected Events
Sept 20
Museum reopens, program TBA.
Oct 4
TBA.
Oct 17-18
Four Centuries in a Weekend, all Union
County house museums are open. Free.
Oct 25, Nov 1, 8, 15, 22
Programs TBA.
Morven Museum & Garden
55 Stockton St., Princeton, 609-924-8144. Open Wed.-Fri. 11-3, tours every
hour 11:15-2:15. Sat. & Sun. 12-4, tours every hour 12:15-3:15.
Adults & students (appropriate for ages 8 & up) $5, srs. $4. Former
New Jersey Governor's Mansion and 18th century home of Richard Stockton,
a signer of the Declaration of Independence, Morven now showcases fine,
folk and decorative arts of New Jersey. Museum tours year round, garden
tours May-Oct. Strollers are not permitted.
Exhibitions
Jul 4-Sept
Let Your Motto Be ResistanceAfrican
American Portraits, influential African Americans.
Open Nov
Rocks & Dinos! paintings
of the 1870s paired with fossils, dinosaur models, archival materials and
"please touch" section for
school-age children.
Dec-Jan
Colonial Holidays: Festival of Trees,
13 galleries festively adorned for the holidays.
Selected Events
Wed
Tour & Tea, served at 1pm. $15,
reservations required (not available in Dec.)
Jul 4
July Jubilee, historical
demonstrations, carriage rides, music, refreshments. 10-3. Free.
New Jersey State House
West State St., Trenton, 609-633-2709. Tours on the hour every Sat. 12-3pm
and on regular business days when the legislature is not in
session (Mon.-Sat. July & Aug.). Free. Reservations required for groups
of 10 or more. Tours of the nation's second oldest state capitol in
continuous use include the recently restored Senate and Assembly chambers,
caucus rooms and the Governor's Reception Room. Welcome Center houses interactive
exhibits and theater.
Old Barracks Museum
Barrack St., Trenton, 609-396-1776, 609-777-3599. Daily 10-5. Adults $8,
srs. & children 6 & over $6, 6 & under free. A registered State
and National Historic Landmark built in 1758, this is the last surviving
barracks built for British regulars during the French & Indian War.
The barracks was also
actively used in the American Revolution as a barracks and army hospital.
Interpreters recount life during the American Revolution. Visitors can explore
the process of historic preservation through hands-on activities in the
History Lab. Group programs; youth camp-ins; private tours; summer camp.
For outreach programs, call Education Dept. at 609-777-4042 or 888-227-7225.
Red Mill Museum Village
56 Main St. (exit 15 Rt. 78), Clinton, 908-735-4101. April-Oct.:Tues.-Sat.
10-4, Sun. noon-5. Adults $8, srs. $6, children 6-12 $5. 10-acre historic
site features 12 structures, including the landmark Red Mill, and a permanent
collection of 40,000 regional objects. Craft workshops; lectures; group
programs, outreach programs; many special events; outdoor concert series.
Selected Exhibitions
Jul 14-Oct 1
Charm Quilts.
Thru Oct 1
Children's Clothes of Yesterday:
1840-1930, typical boys and girls clothing of the era.
Selected Events
Jul 9-12
Black Potatoe Music Festival, independent
recording artists. Special admission.
Jul 17, Aug 7, 28, Sept 11, 25, Nov 6, 13
Spirits of the Red Mill, evening
tours with a spiritual medium ($30) or Red Mill Guide ($15). Advance registration
only, limited space.
Jul 25-26
Revolutionary War Weekend, camps,
weapons, drills, skirmishes and demonstrations. Sat. 10-4, Sun. 10-3:30.
Adults $9, srs. $7, ages 6-12 $5.
Jul 26
Morgan Log Cabin Day, guided
tours, craft demonstrations. Adults $9, srs. $7, ages 6-12 $5.
Aug 9
Old Time Teddy Bear Picnic, bring
a picnic and your favorite teddy. Children's crafts and entertainment. Special
admission TBA.
Aug 29-30
French & Indian War Encampment,
re-enactors demonstrate lifestyles of the 1750s. Sat. 10-4, Sun.
10-3:30.
Sept 27
Blacksmith Hammer-In & Tool Swap.
10-4pm.
Oct 16-17, 24-25, 30
Haunted Mill, the Red Mill
comes alive with the eerie sights and sounds of Halloween. Hayride and Terror
Trail. Doors open at 6pm.
Special admission.
Nov 27-28
Dickens' Days, 10-4pm.
Dec 10-13
Red Mill Museum Festival of Trees,
with holiday music and entertainment.
Summer Concert Series
Gates open 5:30pm for picnics (prize for best picnic), music begins
at 7:30pm. Adults $10, srs. $8, members $7, ages 6-12 $6.
Jul 18
Salute to World War II Veterans, big
band.
Aug 15
Travis Wetzel Trio & String Fever,
bluegrass.
Sterling Hill Mining Company
30 Plant St., Ogdensburg, Sussex County, 973-209-7212. April 1-Nov. 30:
Daily 10-3. Jan. & Feb.: open weekends. March: open daily, weather permitting.
Tours at 1pm; at other times for 10 or more visitors. Adults $10, seniors
$9, children under 12 $7.50. Group discounts with advance notice. Recommended
for ages 6 & up. A 2-hour guided tour takes you into underground tunnels
to learn firsthand about zinc mining in New Jersey and see the spectacular
display of fluorescent minerals. Exhibit hall features mining artifacts,
equipment and rare minerals. Light jacket recommended, proper footwear required.
2nd Sat
Fossil Discovery Center, 12:30pm.
30-min. fossil hunting with paleontologist. Recommended for grades 2-12.
$4.50, limited to 25 people.
Groups of 15 or more can schedule individual appointment by calling 973-209-7212.
Rock, Mineral & Fossil Identification Days, 10-12:30pm on
the 2nd Sat. of the month. Jul 11, Aug 8, Sept 12, Oct 10, Nov 14
Sept 26-27
Franklin Gem & Mineral Show &
Outdoor Swap & Sell, mineral sales and collecting.
Stickley Museum at Craftsman
Farms
Rt. 10 West and Manor Lane (3 mi. west of Rt. 287), Parsippany, 973-540-1165.
Open weekends 11-4 (tours hourly 11:15-3:15). From April-Nov.
also open Wed.-Fri. 12-3 (tours at 12:15 & 1:45). Adults $7, students/srs.
$5, ages 3-12 $4. Explore the simple life philosophy advocated by
furniture manufacturer, architect, and publisher, Gustav Stickley, at his
family home. Guided tours; group tours; museum shop.
Selected Events
Aug 3-7, 10-14
Summer Camps, for ages 6-9. Full
and halfday options.
Sept 26
Fall Harvest Family Day, 12-4pm.
Dec 5-6, 12-13, 19-20
1915 Holiday Open House, period-style
decorations, music, shopping, children's activities.
Tuckerton Seaport
120 W. Main St. (GSP exit 58), Tuckerton, 609-296-8868. April-Dec.: daily
10-5. Nov.-Dec.: Fri.-Sun. 11-4. Closed Dec. 22-April. Adults $8; srs. $6;
ages 6-12 $3, 5 & under free; group rates; student rates. Recreated
seaport village traces the area's maritime history with docents and artisans
bringing the village to life. Buildings include Tucker's Island Lighthouse,
a cafe, oyster house, sawmill, boat works, decoy shop, yacht club and houseboat.
Selected Special Events
Jul 11
7th Annual Red Wine & Blues,
New Jersey wineries, live blues bands, crafters, vendors, food.
Non-members $20, members $15. 3-8pm.
Jul 20
Tuckerton Seaport at the Surflight,
traditional sea songs and chanties for the whole family. Beach Haven.
7pm. $10 per ticket.
Aug 3-9
2nd Annual NJ Maritime Heritage Festival,
boat races, boat rides, demonstrations, food, entertainment. 10am-5pm,
Fri. 'til 9pm.
Sept 12-13
10th Annual Antique & Classic Boat
Show, family activities. 11am-4pm.
Sept 26-27
2th Annual Ocean County Decoy &
Gunning Show, celebrates the culture of the area at three locations.
7am-5pm.
Oct 17-18
New Jersey Lighthouse Challenge,
climb every lighthouse in the state. Food, refreshments, children's
activities. Sat. 8-8, Sun. 8-6.
Oct 23-24
Haunted Seaport, hayrides,
food, refreshments, and non-scary pumpkin patch. 6-9pm. $5.
Dec 11
Holiday House Tour, Tuckerton and
Egg Harbor homes and holiday display at the Seaport. 11am-4pm. $15.
Dec 12
Christkindlmarkt, holiday crafts
and gifts, carolers, children's rides, refreshments. 10-4. Free.
Dec 27
The Affair at Cedar Bridge, re-enactment
of 1782 battle. 2-4pm. Free.
Van Horne
House
941 E. Main St. (across from Commerce Bank Ball Park), Bridgewater, 732-356-8856.
Open Sat. 10-12, Sun. 12-2. Four exhibits trace the rich history of the
Van Horne House and highlight other Revolutionary war sites in Somerset
County.
Washington
Crossing State Park
355 Washington Crossing-Pennington Rd., Titusville, 609-737-0623. Interpretive
Center: 609-737-0609. Johnson Ferry House: 609-737-2515. Interpretive Center
& historic buildings open Wed.-Sun. year 'round. George Washington and
the Continental Army crossed the Delaware River and landed at this site
on Dec. 25, 1776, leading to pivotal events in the American Revolution.
Living history demonstrations are frequently held on weekends at Johnson
Ferry House, an early 18th-century farmhouse. Outdoor education programs
are offered at Interpretive Center. Hiking trails; fishing; picnic facilities;
playground; group campsites; outdoor air theater; cross country skiing &
snowshoeing in winter.
Selected Interpretive Programs Free
Jul 4
Reading of the Declaration of Independence
& Video"Independence," 2pm.
Jul 11
Night Hike, 8:30, pre-register
609-737-0609.
The Gunsmith of Williamsburg, video.
2pm.
Jul 18
The Silversmith of Williamsburg,
video. 2pm.
Jul 19
Pond Study, 1:30-3. Pre-register.
Nature Center.
Jul 25
A Glorious System of Things: A Study
of Science in the 18th Century, video. 2pm.
Aug 1
Musket Firing Demonstration, 2pm.
Sep 4
Musket Firing Demonstration, 2pm.
Sep 13
Trees of the Park, 1:30-3. Pre-register.
Nature Center.
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