New Jersey Places to Visit for Families

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Choose from these 15 New Jersey Places To Visit With Kids & Teens!

New Jersey is going to surprise you with history and exciting places to explore and learn as a family. These 15 New Jersey family travel destinations are great places to start for building an exciting travel itinerary of the Mid-Atlantic States. If you are wanting to travel and learn virtually, keep reading because you can explore these awesome New Jersey places to visit from home and have a fun virtual travel and learning experience too.

A little New Jersey history

The county seat for Bergen County, New Jersey is the small, bustling city of Hackensack.  Nearly 43,000 people call the 4.6 square mile city their home and, in addition to being a seat of government, it is also an important retailing and business center.

The region of New Jersey that Hackensack occupies today was long the home of the Lenni Lenape native peoples. The Achkinheshcky or Hackensack tribe populated the area and coexisted peacefully with Dutch settlers who arrived in 1639 and established a trading post there.

By 1688, the area came under the control of the British who established the town of New Barbadoes. At one point during the Revolutionary War, General Washington had his headquarters in Hackensack and the region was at times the epicenter between battling British and American forces. The name Hackensack meaning “mouth of water” was not officially chartered until 1921.

Whilein Hackensack, don’t misk the New Jersey Naval Museum. Home to the USS Ling 297, a BALAO class submarine, and several smaller water vessels and artifacts. The museum is open select weekdays for group tours.

Located less than ten miles west of New York City, Hackensack is easily accessible to the city; and is within a day’s drive of the Jersey Shore, High Point State Park, and many other attractions.

Are you:

  • planning a road trip?
  • exploring the state you live in or near?
  • deciding to explore and learn virtually?

These resources about New Jersey will help you use the world as your classroom.

New Jersey – Parks & Landmarks

  • Ellis Island: Immigration gateway in the first half of the 20th century. Located between New Jersey and New York.
  • George Washington Bridge: Suspension bridge in Fort Lee, New Jersey.
  • Liberty State Park: State park in Jersey City, New Jersey.
  • Tear Drop Memorial: Sculpture to commemorate the September 11, 2001 attacks and the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, located in Bayonne, New Jersey.

New Jersey – Gardens, Beaches, And Rivers

New Jersey Places To Visit – Add These To The Itinerary

New Jersey – Places To Visit For Virtual Travel & Learning

New Jersey offers so many fun things to do! You might find it hard to fit it all in or afford to do it all while you are visiting. Luckily, there are great online resources at many of the museums and parks.

Make the most of learning about New Jersey by taking a few virtual field trips and incorporating the New Jersey State Study pack into your pre-and post-visit activities. Your kids will enjoy hands-on activities and museums more when they have a little understanding of the people and places they will be visiting. Add in a good book, some digital activities to learn history and geography, and some super art for easy ways to inspire and educate.

New Jersey – Use The World As Your Classroom

The New Jersey State Study pack makes it easy for your family to have fun learning about New Jersey at home (virtually) or on the road.

Learn About New Jersey’s Famous People

  • Edwin (Buzz) Aldrin – Astronaut 
  • James Fenimore Cooper – Writer 
  • William (Bud) Abbott – Comedian
  • Lou Costello – Comedian
  • Albert Einstein – Physicist
  • William Henry Vanderbilt – Industrialist/Entrepreneur
  • Richard Nixon – 37th President 
  • Grover Cleveland -22nd President

Learn About New Jersey’s Famous Landmarks:

  • Morristown National Historical Park
  • Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park
  • Thomas Edison National Historical Park

You will also find resources for science, art, and geography to round out a packed week (or longer) of learning resources for kids aged 3rd grade to 12th grade.

Your Kids will Love the Videos!

The New Jersey State Study pack has all the resources in a PDF. You and your kids can pick and choose which ones you want to complete. It is a carefully curated course for middle/high schoolers. There are exciting videos and selected lessons so your family can easily learn online.

Exploring the mid-Atlantic States?

Maryland, Pennsylvania, New York, & Delaware are top stops for families that love to use the world as their textbook. These posts will help you homeschool, travel, and learn together. Have fun! Below are a few more resources to help you use the world as your classroom.

Check out these Other US States!

Going On A Trip? Grab This!

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