School hasn’t started yet, so get ready to cram plenty of fun into this final month of summer. Here are a few places to start.
Spend the day taking in the jaw-dropping beauty of more than 1,100 acres of gardens, featuring a waterlily court, special events like fireworks and drone shows and unique classes.
Upcoming events: Family Nature Strolls (Aug. 3, 5, 7, 10, 12, 14, 22, 29), Drones & Springs Show (Aug. 26 & 27), How Beauty Shapes Scientific Discovery (Aug. 16)
A mix of history and the outdoors will keep the whole family entertained all day long. Pack a lunch for a picnic with scenic views of the Delaware. Plan to stop by the James and Ann Whitall House and Fort Mercer for a look at what like was like during the Revolutionary War. And keep an eye out for special children’s programs and family days (one Sunday a month), for unique activities.
Wander 42 acres of larger-than-life art that will have you looking up, down and all around to keep those creative muscles flexing. Visit the Peacock Cafe for lunch and a visit with the colorful wildlife that call the park home. And don’t forget to check out the park’s many programs, like Tots for Sculpture (Aug. 15), where little ones can make their own crafts after storytime.
A day might not be enough time to explore all of the underwater wonder that Adventure Aquarium has to offer. Walk the shark bridge, touch a stingray, watch keepers feed resident hippos Button and Genny, visit penguin park, play around in Kaleidoscope Cove and get creative at Imagination Sand Station.
Join in the ultimate dinosaur adventure and make it your own when you dig for real fossils in a quarry, see life-size recreations of creatures that walked your backyard millions of years ago and play around in critter cove. Grab a bite to eat at Quarry Grounds Café and get some energy out in the Pterosaur Pterrace Playground. Plus, have after-hours fun at the upcoming Glow-in-the-Shark party (Aug. 15).
What was once a bustling fishing village is now a perfect place to have fun with the whole family. Start the day with a ferry ride to the Seaport and learn about Tuckerton Creek, or opt for the self-guided walking tour and try your hand at the family fun scavenger hunt. Then, check out the Baymen’s Museum, the Jersey Shore Folklife Center and the Tuckerton Lighthouse. Finish your day with good food and good shopping at The Union Market & Gallery and Tuckerton Emporium.
Squeeze in a few more summer hours with a splash-tastic day on the boards in Wildwood. Morey’s Piers offers not one, but two water parks for double the fun. Float down the lazy river, rip down some water slides and take a break at the swim up bar. And give the kids their own adventure at Raging Waters’ Camp Kidtastrophe.
