Hi everyone. Can you please suggest some good ideas within 4 hours (preferably a little less) from central NJ in the summer with two young children (3 and 7)? Thanks!

You might consider renting a beach house in Rhode Island -- Charlestown and Westerly might still have some availability. Cape Cod a little further along.

Ocean City, Maryland

You can also consider a rental on the beach in Delaware or head north perhaps to the Finger Lakes or The Berkshires in MA unless you think that is too far to drive.

Cape May, NJ is an historic old resort with many Victorian houses and buildings (one of the largest collections in America), pristine beaches. Very pedestrian-friendly with great restaurants. The whole town has been designated as a National Historic Landmark. Along with the many Victorian homes and buildings, there are a few Colonial buildings. In fact, it is widely recognized as the oldest seaside resort in the country. Wealthy Northeasterners and several Presidents have summered her. Nicknamed ”the Queen of the Seaside Resorts”, it has many styles of Victorian architecture—second only to San Francisco in volume.

The Poconos are a nice place for summer outdoors activities... way out in the woods. I have not been in a long time, but Im sure there are tons of family resorts to stay at these days. That should be within your driving range. Enjoy!

Bolton’s Landing on Lake George (upstate New York) is about a 4 hour drive from New Jersey. It’s a very family friendly vacation area. There’s a variety of large and small resorts and motels, rental cabins, condos, etc. You can go fishing, hiking, boating, historical point of interest, amusement areas, swimming and much more.

When my kids were those ages we used to rent a condiminium for two weeks in Waterville Valley, NH and while that is farther than you want to go, for the most part ski resorts offer a lot during the summer for family vacation including a full recreation department with actitivities, indoor and outdoor pools. We once spent a week in Jiminy Peak in the Berkshires as years before we had gone skiing there. You have a place with a kitchen, sometimes both indoor and outdoor pools, recreation activities and so on. Neighbors of ours once took their family of 5 to Smugglers Notch in VT for the same sort of vacation. Always worked for us.

We love Bolton Landing as we have been lucky enough to go to conferences at the Sagamore Resort. That part of Lake George is stunning and pristine.

Hi,

thanks for the reply. Berkshires sounds interesting, but is there much there for younger children to do?

thanks,

Jared

Well I know that Jiminy Peak has a ropes course and rides so you can visit their website. There are parks, Mt Greylock, the highest point in MA, lakes and museums. You can find some websites for the Berkshires for specifics or google Visiting the Berkshires with kids.

IMO, children that age don't need a lot of planned activities. Somewhere to swim - pool, and/or small lake with a small sandy beach. Some wildlife - could be chipmunks, or ducks or even critters like large millipedes... (yup, been there). A place to let off some energy like a playground or maybe a walking path through the woods.

Some people like woods and lakes, others do not. When I was a kid that age my parents preferred the Jersey shore, while other relatives preferred lakes in New England. The benefit of lakes and woods is you have options besides being out in the direct sun. Anywhere along ocean you have colder water, rough waves and exposed beaches.

In the woods you have mosquitos, lakes have dark colored water and mucky bottoms due to all the organic matter (leaves from the trees...). Doesn't bother me, but some it does. Larger lakes like Lake George the water tend to have cleaner water.

Do you like roughing it (rustic cabin) or comfort? In NY there are countless state parks that have cabins, on small to medium to large lakes with beaches, on many larger lakes there are hotels that range from old, old timey motels on a compound, to larger, fancier resorts. There are also loads of vacation rentals - condos in a shared amenity area or single private homes. Be sure to read reviews carefully for any property. Older doesn't mean worse, nor does newer mean better....

The Berkshires has fewer lakes with public facilities compared to upstate NY. I'm not as familiar with the Berkshires as some other frequent Fodors posters such as yk .

Agree that young children don't need a lot of planned activities. Walking by a lake or on a path through a wooded area is an activity and having access to a pool and a playground is a must. The Berkshire Museum is kid-friendly and interesting but I think it may be closed for a major renovation. You can certainly look online to see if any of the summer theatres have children's matinee shows that are kid-friendly. I know many that do in Maine and in NH.

The Catskills, Brandywine River Valley, Gettysburg, Norwalk.... you don't say for how long....

Hi Jared,

We have been going to the Berkshires every summer since my son was 1.5 years old. He is now 12. We managed to find interesting / new things to do as he gets older. If you click on my profile, I have pretty much posted a Trip Report on our Berkshires vacation (usually 1 week, some years less) every year. The only tricky part is finding lodging because Tanglewood is very popular and places get booked up far in advance. But as long as you don't mind staying a bit farther from Lenox, you should still be able to find lodgings.

Off the top of my head, these are the attractions we keep returning to year after year
Berkshire Botanical Garden
Hancock Shaker Village
Naumkeag
Edith Wharton's The Mount (the grounds are free to visit and they have sculptures every summer)
Berkshire Museum (currently undergoing renovations)
Mass MoCA
Chesterwood (We only do the grounds tour; every summer they have an outdoor sculpture exhibition / scavenger hunt for kids)
Berkshire Railway Museum

We go to Tanglewood every year; on Saturday mornings they have open rehearsals and it's pretty laid back. For the regular concerts, lawn tickets are very affordable and kids get in for free. Lots of families go to the Sunday matinee concerts. Their annual familiy concert is held on July 20 this year.

For hiking,
one of our favorite place is MassAudubon Pleasant Valley Wildlife Sanctuary. They have trails from super easy to climbing up to Lenox Mtn summit.

The Trustees manaages Monument Mountain, Bartholomew's Cobble, Ashintully Gardens

Berkshire Natural Resource Council maintains dozens and dozens of trails in the Berkshires. We have probably done 2 dozen + of their hikes over the years.

There are also a number of State Parks / State Forests in the area managed by Mass DCR, including Mt Greylock. We have climbed Mt Greylock once, but your kids are probably too young for that.

Hope this helps!
Basically, what I'm saying is, we've been going every year for a decade and we still haven't run out of things to do there.

P.S. someone upthread mentioned Jiminy Park rope course. They have an aerial park but your kids are too young. Tho they have other kids activites that they may qualify by age. another place with aerial park is Catamount Ski Resort. We have been to both in the past couple of years.

P.S.
There are a number of vacation places you can stay at that cater to families. They have outdoor pools, playgrounds, movie nights, board games etc. Eg
Oak n Spruce (HI Vacation Club)
Bentley Brook (club wyndham)
Jiminy Peak itself has a big lodging complex
Berkshire Mountain Lodge

I have stayed in the first 3, and I prefer Oak n Spruse and Bentley Brook over Jiminy Peak

2015 Berkshire TR (when my son was 3)
2016 TR
2017 TR
2020 TR
2021 TR
2022 TR
2023 TR

All great suggestions. I didn't realize that the grounds at both The Mount and Chesterwood are free and both are great, totally different experiences.

We've never been able to get reservations at the Bentley Brook, the Wyndham location right by Jiminy Peak but it did look quite nice when we once stopped by to check it out.

Sunday matinees on the lawn at Tanglewood are great and we have done so many times. Any time you can go to Tanglewood works for me!
Enjoy!

Madam397 just to clarify, the grounds in Chesterwood is not free, but a lower rate. The grounds at the Mount, OTOH, is free, and they are open until dusk!

I was able to book Bentley Brook for last summer via booking.com. But when I looked recently for this summer, it wasn't available. It's much nicer than Jiminy Peak's own resort.

Thank you all so much. I really appreciate you taking the time to give such thorough answers. I will look into everything. Feel free to keep the ideas coming

As far as "is there much for young kids to do"... If you are going camping or staying in a cabin on a lake, you don't need a bunch of organized things or paid activities. Playing in the woods, maybe boating, swimming, little hikes, picnics. Berkshires are gorgous but I don't think kids would particularly enjoy a concert at Tanglewood (lol). But tons of lookout points, wading in streams, etc. Pretty much anywhere in New England... Western Mass is wonderful but southern Vermont isn't that much further. Of course anything coastal like Rhode Island, Cape Cod, etc. Kids that age don't need a paid Vacation Club, just some fresh air, ice cream, maybe an amusement park or country fair or farmers market.

https://www.mass.gov/locations/skinner-state-park
https://www.hogbackmountaincountrystore.com/
https://www.mass.gov/locations/quabbin-reservoir