Your guide to free, fun things to do in New Jersey this summer
Is the summer entertainment budget running low while the kids won't go back to school for another month? Looking for something to do with out-of-state guests but don't want to break the bank? Or just looking for an inexpensive way to spend your weekends?
Not a problem. New Jersey has lots of free activities and events to keep adults and children busy year-round.
Enjoy some free outdoor activities this week and next as the forecast shows cooler weather, but if it's still too hot for you, there are plenty of no-cost indoor activities as well.
The Garden State is packed with parks (all state parks have free entry this year), museums and events at no cost. Here are 10 of them.
New Jersey State Museum, Trenton
This is a great time to visit the state's museum, as local artists' works are on display. The "New Jersey Arts Annual: Reemergence" highlights the work of visual artists and craftspeople from around the state. This year’s exhibition shows artists from the state taking steps to "reemerge into an altered landscape" following the pandemic. There are 127 works by 95 artists in the exhibit. Here is the complete list of artists included.
The museum also features its "Jaw Dropping World of Sharks" display through January 2023. The exhibition dispels myths and misunderstandings about sharks through fossil records and other specimens and artifacts. If you really love sharks, the museum holds a free sharks lecture on the second Saturday of each month at 2 p.m.
The museum also houses 12,000 other works of art, a collection of more than 2 million prehistoric and historic specimens, 13,000 artifacts that document the state’s history and a Civil War flags gallery showcasing the flags carried by New Jersey soldiers during the war, among other exhibits. There is a fee for the on-site planetarium, but admission to the museum is free.
MORE: It's at 205 W. State St., Trenton, and is open Tuesdays through Sundays from 9 a.m. to 4:45 p.m.
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Heritage Glass Museum, Glassboro
You just binge-watched the third season of the popular glass-blowing competition show "Blown Away" on Netflix and want more. Well, check out the Heritage Glass Museum in Glassboro (of course). There won't be a shop for you to fire up the furnace or the torch, but you will find rows and rows of colorful glass bottles, glasses, light fixtures and more.
The museum is a nonprofit that "collects, preserves, and curates historic southern New Jersey glass (historic and fine art), artifacts, photographs, and documents in order to inspire diverse audiences to explore the rich cultural history of New Jersey’s glass-making heritage."
Also on display are antique glassworker tools. The museum's most featured objects are the 1784 Heston Bottle and examples of Whitney Glass.
MORE: The museum, at 25 High St. East, Glassboro, is open every Saturday through August, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. (Free parking is behind the museum.)
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Howell Living History Farm, Lambertville
Want to see what it's like to work on a farm? On Saturday get some friends or your children together, grab a basket and pick your own potatoes. Horses Bill and Jessie will unearth the rows of potatoes, and you follow behind and pluck them right out of the ground. The event goes from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Visitors of all ages can help collect, clean and sort the potatoes, which will later be delivered to soup kitchens or food pantries. (You'll get to enjoy some of your hard work, as the farmers will make potato chips for tasting.)
This 200-year-old working farm will give you a glimpse into what it takes to run a farm. There are horses working the fields, transportation operations that are used for growing corn, oats, wheat and hay, and animals that produce eggs, milk and wool. Admission to the farm is free, but activities including its camp, corn mazes and hayrides require a fee. Every Friday the farm hosts "Preschool Fridays." Check out the schedule on the farm's website for additional activities.
MORE: It's at 70 Woodens Lane, Hopewell Township, and open Tuesdays through Saturdays, 10 a.m. until 4 p.m.
Laurelwood Arboretum, Wayne
Laurelwood Arboretum is a 30-acre property that features woodland trails and gardens, wildlife, two ponds, streams and hundreds of varieties of rhododendrons, azaleas and unusual species of plants and trees. There are lots of peaceful paths winding through the property that make it ideal for nature lovers, hikers, runners, birdwatchers, artists and photographers.
The arboretum was a nursery, but now it is a public park open to all, operated through a partnership between the township and the nonprofit organization Friends of Laurelwood Arboretum Inc.
There is a sculpture trail within the arboretum, which also hosts special events. Visit the website for more information.
MORE: It's at 725 Pines Lakes Drive West and is open from 8 a.m. until dusk.
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Empty Sky NJ 9/11 Memorial, Jersey City
The Empty Sky memorial, which resembles the two tallest buildings in the World Trade Center complex, destroyed in the 9/11 attack, is dedicated to the 749 New Jersey residents who died that day in the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and Shanksville, Pennsylvania.
Located in Liberty State Park, the two wall towers overlook the New York City skyline. Walk along the walls (they are lighted at night) and read the names of those who perished.
MORE: 1 Audrey Zapp Drive, Liberty State Park, Jersey City
Cape May County Park and Zoo
This child-friendly zoo has all sorts of animals, from African lions to zebras. In all, there are more than 550 animals representing more than 250 species. The 200-acre park has trails, lots of greenery and enclosures with lions, snow leopards and bears. During the summer it offers zoo yoga classes at no cost, but donations are accepted. Admission is free, and the zoo is open seven days a week.
MORE: 707 North Route 9, Cape May Court House. Hours are 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. from March to November and 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. from November to March. Pets are not allowed in.
New Jersey Botanical Garden, Ringwood
Love flowers and trees? The New Jersey Botanical Garden is for you. It's part of Ringwood State Park, New Jersey Division of Parks and Forestry, Department of Environmental Protection. The New Jersey State Botanical Garden at Skylands appears on both the State and National Registers of Historic Places.
Access is free, but events may have a separate fee, such as the Wildflowers Walk on Aug. 13 from 10 to 11:30 a.m. ($5 for adults and free for children younger than 12). Rain date is Aug. 20.
Future events include a butterfly walk, concerts and hikes. Check out the website for more information.
There are free guided garden tours every Sunday at 2 p.m. that run from May to October. There are 96 acres of beautiful scenery, paths, flowers and a gift shop.
MORE: It's on Morris Road, Ringwood, and open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Paterson Great Falls National Historic Park, Paterson
Even though the walking bridge over the falls is closed indefinitely due to safety concerns, the falls are always open. They look the most beautiful after a rainstorm.
It's a great spot to take photos and reflect on the rich history of the falls and the part they played in the history of Paterson, the "Silk City." If just looking at the falls isn't enough, join a ranger or park volunteer for a free guided tour. Tours are offered Wednesdays through Sundays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Reservations are not required; just meet at the statue of Alexander Hamilton in Overlook Park at 72 McBride Ave. Extension. (School groups are welcome.) On very hot days or during storm advisories, tours may be cut short or canceled. Call the park at 973-523-0370 to check.
MORE: This is the second-largest waterfall, by volume, east of the Mississippi River. It stands 177 feet high and has a 260-foot-wide cascade. The parking lot for the falls is at 72 McBride Ave. Extension.
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Liberty State Park, Jersey City
If you love breathtaking views, this is the place for you. The 1,212-acre park in Jersey City features views of New York Harbor including Ellis Island, the Statue of Liberty and three of New York City’s boroughs.
You will find areas to picnic, boat and fish within the park. There are guided tours, nature walks and lots of birds to watch. For a list of activities visit the park's website.
Located on the Hudson River, Liberty State Park is also the only site in New Jersey with ferry service to Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty.
MORE: Some of the parking is not free, but if you look, you will find free parking near the children's playground area.
Drumthwacket, Princeton
The official residence of the state’s governor is open to the public at no cost. The tours offered at the mansion include six public rooms and fine arts and antiques.
MORE: The mansion is at 354 Stockton St.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: 10 free things to do in NJ that won't break the bank
