Just because it’s winter doesn’t mean it’s time to hibernate. Check out all the fun you could be having!
Must-See Museums
All day inside can drive the kids – and you – a little stir-crazy. Get them out of the house and into some of SJ’s best museums so they’re blowing off steam while learning. And the good news about all these museums is that parents will enjoy them too!
The Wetlands Institute
Meet fish and friends on weekends in winter, when the Wetlands opens its doors for up-close-and-personal presentations on local sea life such as horseshoe crabs, mollusks and sea turtles. Kids can feed the animals, take notes and complete animal feeding surveys. Don’t forget to make a craft before you leave!
Cost: $8 ages 13 and up; $6 ages 3-12
1075 Stone Harbor Boulevard, Stone Harbor
609-368-1211
wetlandsinstitute.org
Grounds For Sculpture
Grab a coat and bundle up, because even in the cold weather Grounds For Sculpture’s 42 acres of artwork are open for viewing. On February 3, kids can listen to art tales read aloud and then make their own craft at Storytime in the Galleries, and parents can stroll the snow-covered grounds as part of the Winter Photowalk Adult Workshop on February 26.
Cost: $15 for adults, $12 for seniors, $10 for ages 6-17; free for kids under 6.
18 Fairgrounds Road, Hamilton
609-586-0616
groundsforsculpture.org
Batsto Village
History buffs, take note: Batsto Village, within the Wharton State Forest, has a rich and diverse past, starting with the iron works factory built in 1766. The village is open during the winter for self-guided tours of the sawmill, glass works, blacksmith shop and other locations. You can also take a guided tour of the 32 rooms of the 19th-century Batsto Mansion. Bike and hiking tours start at the Village, and check the schedule on the website for war reenactments.
Cost: Park is free; $3 to tour Batsto Mansion
31 Batsto Road, Hammonton
609-561-0024
batstovillage.org
Historic Cold Spring Village
Winter is a great time to explore Historic Cold Spring Village, because admission is free! The visitor center is open, so you can pick up a map and lead yourself on a tour of all 26 centuries-old buildings on the village’s 30 acres.
Cost: Free
720 Route 9 South, Cape May
609-898-2300
hcsv.org
Cedar Run Wildlife Refuge
Kids can learn about the animals that call Cedar Run home at nature classes on the second Tuesday and Wednesday of the winter months. Over Valentine’s Day weekend, kids under 12 can visit for free and make a handmade Valentine for one of the resident animals. Then they can make their own birdfeeders and count the birds they see to win a prize.
Cost: $10 per child
4 Sawmill Road, Medford
856-983-3329
cedarrun.org
Adventure Aquarium
Stay warm indoors at Adventure Aquarium’s newest exhibit: Dinosaurs of the Deep. The aquarium showcases 5,000 square feet of prehistoric sea life like the Liopleurodon and the Tylosaur, including ancient fossils, life-size replicas, and lots of interactive games and ways for kids to learn about dinosaurs.
Cost: $25.95 for ages 13 and up, $18.95 for ages 12 and under
1 Riverside Drive, Camden
856-365-3300
adventureaquarium.com
Edelman Planetarium
Get out of the cold and into deep space at the Edelman Planetarium, which welcomes audiences to explore stars and planets through guided lessons and educational films. Check the website for show times.
Cost: $5 for adults, $3 for children
Science Hall of Rowan University
201 Mullica Hill Road, Glassboro
856-256-4389
rowan.edu/planetarium
Wintertime Theater
“Ghost: The Musical”
February 1-7
Sunday at 2 pm
Thursday at 7 pm
Friday and Saturday at 8 pm
Tickets: $13-$22
The Road Company
Grand Theatre
405 South Main Street, Williamstown
856-728-2120
roadcompany.com
“How to Succeed in Business without Really Trying”
February 1-7
Friday and Saturday at 8 pm
Sundays at 2 pm
Tickets: $18
Burlington County Footlighters
808 Pomona Road, Cinnaminson
856-829-7144
bcfootlighters.com
“Catch Me if You Can”
February 1-21
Fridays and Saturdays at 8 pm
Sundays at 3 pm
Tickets: $28.50-$48.50
Eagle Theatre
208 Vine Street, Hammonton
609-704-5012
theeagletheatre.com
“I Hate Hamlet”
February 1-14
Fridays and Saturdays at 8 pm
Sundays at 2 pm
Tickets: $20
Sketch Club Players
433 Glover Street, Woodbury
856-848-8089
sketchclubplayers.org
“In the Heat of the Night”
February 6
7:30 pm
Tickets: $7-$30
L.A. Theatre Works
Stockton College Performing Arts Center
101 Vera King Farris Drive, Galloway
609-652-9000
stocktonpac.org
“Carousel”
February 6-15
Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 pm
Sundays at 3 pm
Thursday, February 12 at 7 pm
Tickets: $20
The Off Broad Street Players
The Levoy Theatre
126-130 North High Street, Millville
856-327-6400
obsp.org
“RENT”
February 6-21
Fridays and Saturdays at 8 pm
Sundays at 3 pm
Tickets: $20
Bridge Players Theatre Company
Broad Street United Methodist Church
36 East Broad Street, Burlington
856-303-7620
bridgeplayerstheatre.com
“Born Yesterday”
February 19-March 7
Thursday, February 19 at 7:30 pm
Fridays and Saturdays at 8 pm
Sundays at 2 pm
Tickets: $20
Haddonfield Plays & Players
957 East Atlantic Avenue, Haddonfield
856-429-8139
haddonfieldplayers.com
“Anything Goes”
February 20-March 1
Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 pm
Sunday, March 1 at 3 pm
Tickets: $15-$20
Collingswood Community Theatre
Scottish Rite Theatre
315 White Horse Pike, Collingswood
856-858-1000
collingswoodcommunitytheatre.com
“The 39 Steps”
March 6-29
Fridays and Saturdays at 8 pm
Sundays at 2 pm
Tickets: $28-$50
The Broadway Theatre of Pitman
43 South Broadway, Pitman
856-384-8381
thebroadwaytheatre.org
“Aladdin”
March 12-14
Thursday and Friday at 7 pm
Saturday at 10 am and 2 pm
Tickets: $10
Moorestown Theater Company
Hope Community Church
235 West Main Street, Moorestown
856-778-8357
moorestowntheatercompany.org
Frosty & Fun Festivals
At the Shore Wine Tasting Art Show
February 4
5 to 8 pm
Admission: $25 in advance, $30 at the door
Noyes Arts Garage of Stockton College
2200 Fairmount Avenue, Atlantic City
609-626-3805
artsgarageac.com
The price of your ticket earns you access to the art show, as well as live music performances, appetizers and as much wine as you can sample. Proceeds benefit hospitality management students from local colleges.
Chocolate Walk
February 13
5 to 9 pm
Admission: $29 for adults, $10 for kids 10 and under
Farnsworth Avenue, Bordentown City
609-298-9422
downtownbordentown.com
The shops along Farnsworth Avenue will open their doors and invite you inside for a taste of milk chocolate or maybe a chocolate-tini! Take a stroll or ride in style with a horse-drawn carriage.
Wine and Chocolate Trail Weekend
February 14-15
Noon to 5 pm
Admission: $15
Statewide; visit website for locations
856-589-4474
vintagesouthjersey.com
Taste SJ wines paired with fruits and all kinds of chocolate over the Valentine’s weekend as you make your way along the Two Bridges Wine Trail. Listen to live music and enjoy the scenery at each of the wineries on the trail, including Heritage Vineyards & Winery and Auburn Road Vineyard & Winery. Visit any of their websites to see the wine trail map.
Classic Car Show
February 27-March 1
Friday from 9 am to 8 pm
Saturday from 9 am to 9 pm
Sunday from 9 am to 5 pm
Admission: $25 for adults, $5 for children 12 and under
Atlantic City Convention Center, Atlantic City
609-449-2000
acclassiccars.com
This is the largest classic car show on the East Coast. Bid on cars or just explore the Convention Center filled with automobiles. Kids are admitted for free on Family Day (Sunday) with the purchase of an adult ticket.
Lines on the Pines
March 8
11 am to 4 pm
Admission: Free
Kerri Brooke Caterers
755 White Horse Pike, Hammonton
609-338-8220
linesonthepines.org
Finally, a festival dedicated to one of SJ’s hotspots – the Pine Barrens. Check out the artwork and crafts sold at this festival by local artisans, listen to live music and talk with authors of the latest in Pinelands literature.
Cool Concerts
Breckerville
February 5
7:30 pm
Tickets: $10, $5 for students
Collingswood Community Center
30 Collings Avenue, Collingswood
215-517-8337
jazzbridge.org
“On the Stage with Jay Smar”
February 7
8 pm
Tickets: $7
Cumberland County College Performing Arts Center
3322 College Drive, Vineland
856-692-8499
cccnj.edu
“An Afternoon of Romantic Arias”
February 15
2 pm
Tickets: $7-30
Manhattan Lyric Opera at the Stockton Performing Arts Center
101 Vera King Farris Drive, Galloway
609-652-9000
stocktonpac.org
HAPA: The Sound of Maui
February 19
7:30 pm
Tickets: $20-$35
Dennis Flyer Theatre at Camden County College
200 College Drive, Blackwood
856-227-3091
mainstage.org
Eli Young Band
February 28
8 pm
Tickets: $25-$40
Tropicana Showroom at Tropicana Casino and Resort
2831 Boardwalk, Atlantic City
609-340-4020
tropicana.net
“Unexpected Friends”
March 1
3 pm
Tickets: $15-$30
Philharmonic of Southern New Jersey at Eastern High School Performing Arts Center
1401 Laurel Oak Road, Voorhees
856-779-2600
psnj.org
Boredom Busters
Winterland Ice Skating
Watch your step next time you’re on Rowan Boulevard – you might have to skate your way through. Every winter a section of the street is turned into an open-air ice skating rink – the only one like it in SJ. No skates? No problem – staff members will help you find a pair that fits perfectly. After a skating session, don’t miss a warm meal and hot chocolate at the heated concessions tent.
Monday-Thursday from 3 to 10 pm
Friday from 3 pm to midnight
Saturday from noon to midnight
Sunday from noon to 10 pm
Through February 16
25 West High Street, Glassboro
856-723-9060
winterlandiceskatingrink.com
Basketball League
This two-month basketball tournament sponsored by Special Olympics of New Jersey promises competition and fun in a supportive environment. Cheer on teams or help run the tournament as a volunteer. Visit the organization’s website or email volunteer@sonj.org to see how you can help.
January 18-March 8
RiverWinds Community Center
1000 RiverWinds Drive, West Deptford
856-251-0990
sonj.org
Cocoa Cup Open
The annual Tuckerton Seaport mini-golf tournament runs for four days. Warm up with a free hot chocolate and play the course for a chance to win prizes.
February 13-16
Tuckerton Seaport
120 West Main Street, Tuckerton
609-296-8868
tuckertonseaport.org
Indoor Soccer Championship
More than 5,000 youth football players from around the world (we know them as soccer players here in the United States.) will come to the Convention Center in Wildwood to play in a massive “futsal” tournament – that’s a soccer game on a hardwood floor, so it’s very fast!
February 14 – 16
Convention Center
4501 Boardwalk, Wildwood
609-729-9000
wildwoodsnj.com
Blast Off! Concert for Young People
Symphony in C presents an interactive concert for kids. Actor Michael Boudewyns and conductor Petko Dimitrov will tell the stories behind great orchestral works and teach about the varied instruments in an orchestra.
February 26 at 10 am and 11:30 am
February 28 at 10 am
Scottish Rite Auditorium
315 White Horse Pike, Collingswood
856-240-1503
symphonyinc.org
Rancocas Nature Center
The Nature Center is open and thriving during the winter season, offering plenty of cool classes and hiking trips. On February 5, take photos of the forest emerging from hibernation in the Outdoor Photography Series.
Tuesdays through Saturdays from 9 am to 4 pm; Sundays from noon to 4 pm
794 Rancocas Road, Westampton
609-261-2495
rancocasnaturecenter.org
Fernbrook Farms
Off from school or work on Presidents’ Day? Fernbrook Farms Environmental Education Center hosts Winter Break Camps over the long weekend. Kids can make snow forts, tap maple sugar trees to make syrup, visit the farm animals and learn about wilderness survival in winter.
February 16
Route 545, Chesterfield Township
609-298-4028
fernbrookeducation.org
Cheerleading Championship
Dance and cheer teams from across the country compete in spectacular fashion at the Mid-Atlantic National Cheerleading and Dance Championship. Admission is $15; free for kids under age 3.
March 1
Wildwoods Convention Center, Wildwood
800-992-9732
wildwoodsnj.com
Adults Only
Hire a sitter and take a night (or weekend) out on the town!
Historic District Trolley Tour
Take a guided tour of Cape May in an old-fashioned (but heated) trolley.
Cost: $12
Times vary; see website for details
The Carriage House at the Physick Estate
1048 Washington Street, Cape May
609-884-5404
capemaymac.org
Fire Pit Fridays
Enjoy warm food, wine or sangria while you listen to live music performances – all in the warm glow of the winery’s fire pits. Bring canned goods to donate to be entered for a chance to win a private wine-and-cheese tasting and vineyard tour.
Fridays in February and March at 5:30 pm
Willow Creek Winery
160-168 Stevens Street, West Cape May
609-770-8782
willowcreekwinerycapemay.com
Hearthside Dinner
The Cumberland County Historical Society sponsors traditional Colonial dinners and drinks at the 18th-century Gibbon House.
Cost: $60 per person, $110 per couple
February 28 at 6 pm
960 Ye Greate Street, Greenwich
856-455-8580
cchistsoc.org
Mid-Winter Antiques Show
Shop vintage jewelry, pottery, furniture and collectibles from more than 40 vendors at the annual antiques show at Wheaton Village.
February 7 & 8 from 10 am to 4 pm
WheatonArts and Cultural Center
1501 Glasstown Road, Millville
856-825-6800
wheatonarts.org
Wine & Chocolate Night
A ticket earns you four wine tastings to be paired with hors d’oeuvres and chocolate. Proceeds benefit Ronald McDonald House of Southern New Jersey.
February 14 from 7:30 pm to midnight
Cost: $75 per person
The Merion
1301 Route 130 South, Cinnaminson
856-966-4663
ronaldhouse-snj.org
Tango Buenos Aires
Make it a Latin-flavored date night with “Song of Evita.” The performers of Tango Buenos Aires use song and dance to portray the life of Argentina’s beloved first lady.
Cost: $30-$35, $25 for seniors
February 16 at 7:30 pm
Guaracini Fine & Performing Arts Center at Cumberland County College
3322 College Drive, Vineland
856-692-8499
cccnj.edu
Halo Ball
The South Jersey Young Professionals Association’s annual event includes an open bar, dinner and dancing. Proceeds benefit YMCA’s Camp No Worries.
Cost: $125
February 21 from 6 to 11 pm
Crowne Plaza
2349 Route 70 West, Cherry Hill
sjypa.org
Colonial Fashion Show
The Colonial Dames of New Jersey showcase the attire of days gone by in their Colonial Fashion Show. Historic reenactor and colonial dressmaker Sue Huesken will present the show, and all of the clothes – even underwear – are created in the colonial style. The show begins at 7 pm at the 18th-century-built Peachfield Plantation.
Cost: $5
March 18
180 Burrs Road, Westampton
609-267-6996
colonialdamesnj.org
Sherlock Holmes Weekend
The game’s afoot! Tour Victorian Cape May and search for clues with the help of Sherlock Holmes and Watson.
Cost varies; see website for details
March 20-22
The Inn of Cape May
7 Ocean Street, Cape May
609-884-5404
capemaymac.org
Outdoor Fun
Bundle up and head outside!
Go for a Run
Whether you’ve made a New Year’s resolution to get fit or you just want to stretch your legs, there are plenty of opportunities to get out and running in SJ. Run through the Pine Barrens at YMCA Camp Ockanickon in Medford on February 7 for the Chilly Willy Frostbite 5K. Registration starts at 7:30 am, and the race will kick off at 9 am. The registration fee is $20 for adults and $10 for kids 18 and under (registration is discounted if you sign up online before the day of the race). All proceeds benefit the Shawnee High School Scholarship Fund. Trophies are awarded to the top runners in various age groups, but everyone gets a free pair of gloves to keep the cold away.
Looking for a Valentine? The Cupid’s Chase 5K on February 14 at Pennypacker Park in Haddonfield can help. Register for the race and receive a shirt proclaiming “Available,” and meet other single runners! (Don’t worry if you’re taken – “Not Available” T-shirts can be worn too.) Registration starts at 8 am, followed by the race at 10 am. Registration on race day is $50 (or $30 if you register ahead of time), and proceeds help the nonprofit Community Options provide housing and employment support to people with disabilities.
The annual Polar Bear Run-Walk for Autism will take place on February 15 in Sea Isle City. The races start at noon at the corner of Landis Avenue and JFK Boulevard. Run along the beach in a 5K or stroll in a 1.5-mile fun walk. Registration is $25 for the 5K and $20 for the walk, and all proceeds benefit autism research. After the run, enjoy refreshments, face painting and live music under the heated tents.
Jump on your Bike
If the roads aren’t icy and the wind is mild, biking is a great way to tour SJ. Cape May’s Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts & Humanities offers a map for a self-bike tour of the historic town. You can bike at your leisure to more than 50 historic sites like the Emlen Physick Estate, Cape May Lighthouse and the World War II lookout tower.
If you’re looking to bike in a more natural setting, Wharton State Forest has trails set aside specifically for mountain bikers. Choose from a variety of lengths and difficulties, such as the Fire Tower Trail (best for beginners, as it is six miles long and relatively flat) and the Penn Branch Trail (19 miles).
Take a Hike
Nestled in between the Delaware River and the surrounding towns of SJ is Palmyra Nature Cove, with 250 acres of natural wetlands and 9.5 miles of trails. Since Palmyra Cove is a designated Important Bird and Birding Area, you can glimpse birds as they migrate through the park (great horned owls and red-throated loons have been sighted in the winter months). Bring the kids for the Family Hike on the first Saturday of every month. Hikes depart at 9 am and are led by a park naturalist, who will point out fauna and flora along the way. The Family Hikes are $5 per person.
Go for a hike – sans dirt – at the Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge. Here you can explore thousands of acres of salt marsh from the safety and comfort of the boardwalk that runs over the marsh. Winter is the perfect time for viewing the hundreds of black ducks that come through the refuge. You might also catch sight of bald like eagles and atlantic brants.
Experienced hikers should never miss the Batona Trail, which runs through the Pine Barrens. The Batona (short for Back To Nature) is nearly 50 miles long, and begins at the village of Ong’s Hat in Southampton. Walking south, hikers will cross Apple Pie Hill (the highest point of the Pine Barrens) and the Carranza Memorial, honoring fallen Mexican aviator Emilio Carranza Rodriguez. The trail ends in Bass River State Forest.
Visit the Zoo
Enjoy time visiting the animals – with fewer crowds. The Cape May County Zoo is open daily during the winter from 10 am to 3:45 pm. Free admission grants you access to the park’s entire grounds, so be sure to check out the animals, rides and the new snow leopard habitat, which should be finished in just a few months.
The Cohanzick Zoo in Bridgeton is also open during the winter from 9 am to 4 pm.
Grab a photo with the new life-size animal statues, then check out the real animals, like ring-tailed lemurs and the white tiger.
Go for a Dip
If you’re feeling thick-skinned this winter, try a refreshing ocean dive. Sea Isle City welcomes swimmers and daredevils on February 14 for its annual Polar Bear Plunge. Dress in costume and line up on the beach at John F. Kennedy Boulevard to dive in at 2 pm. Nearby restaurants make it a party when you’re done, inviting the plungers to enjoy Valentine’s Day. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased in advance at visitsicnj.com.
