Late Winter Family Fun at the Northern Jersey Shore

This winter has been tough, especially when you have kids bouncing off the walls and it’s just a bit too chilly to let them play outside for longer than 20 minutes. However, that doesn’t mean you want to keep them in the house because at this point, everyone has cabin fever.

With March starting off snowy, we’ve got some of our favorite family friendly Jersey Shore places that are sure to make everyone forget about how they’re so over winter!

As a family, you’ll run, jump, climb, play, and paint, leaving nothing but time for a nap in your warm and cozy bed. Now that’s the perfect way to spend a family fun day!

Here’s some of our favorite places to get you and your family through this month.

Gravity Vault, Middletown
Location: 37 Kanes Lane, Middletown

Description:

Instead of climbing all over your furniture, bring the family to Gravity Vault where they’ll gain confidence and strength while having fun climbing over 13,500 plus square rock climbing including aretes, overhangs, arches, and slabs! From rappel ledges, crack climbing, and keyhole arches, Gravity Vault is the place for the adventurous family. Not a professional climber? No worries! Gravity Vault offers a number of classes and certifications from kids to adults that will get you excited to climb up that 40 foot wall! Gravity Vault even offers educational scout programs for both boys and girls including a Climbing Merit Badge for Boy Scouts, Climbing Fun Patch for Girl Scouts, and a Introduction to Rock Climbing for Cub, Daisy and Brownie Troops.

Casino Pier Arcade, Seaside Heights
Location: 800 Ocean Terrace, Seaside Heights

Description:
Just because the temperatures are below freezing outside doesn’t mean that one of your favorite places to go during the summer is closed! Casino Pier Arcade is open, giving you a reason to stay inside for the day, playing the classic games like skee ball and learning how to play the latest games with your kids. Before grabbing some grub at local favorite Hemingway’s Café, be sure to take a ride on the antique carousel, one of only two surviving American made classic carousels in New Jersey, that’s now over 100 years old.

iPlay America, Freehold
Location: 110 Schanck Road, Freehold

Description:
When there’s the word “play” in the name, you know it’s going to be fun. Families of all ages can “get their game on” in the 115,000 square foot complex that is iPlay America’s indoor family theme park. No matter what it’s like outside, you can rest assured that your family will be exhausted when you leave. Start off with a friendly game of laser tag in iPlay America’s Cosmic Battle’s two-story 6,500 square foot laser tag arena. Have a need for speed? Take a spin around the iPA Speedway or go head-to-head in iPlay America’s electronic bumper cars. You can even experience a free-flight experience, just like your favorite superhero on the kite flyer. There’s also tons of activities for the little members of your family from the Lazer Frenzy that will make them feel like an action hero (and you like Tom Cruise in Mission Impossible) to boardwalk mini-bowling, there’s an activity for everyone in the family. Oh and did we mention they have food too!

Paint a Tee, Red Bank
Location: 18 Monmouth Street, Red Bank

Description:
Young and old a like will enjoy Paint a Tee where painting on your clothes is actually acceptable and encouraged! Spend the afternoon getting creative with your family or make it a big play date with friends and fill up on pizza and cupcakes while you learn what a selfie actually is and how to take a good one in the photo booth. Whether it’s a play date with your family or a party for 20, Paint a Tee is a unique space that will your family talking about and wearing your afternoon forever!

Silverball Museum, Asbury Park
Location: 1000 Ocean Avenue, Asbury Park

Description:
Why not be a Pinball Wizard for a day! Share your childhood memories with your kids as the entire family plays dozens of pinball machines at the Silverball Museum. They’ll love the lights, “rings,” and dozens of games to play while you enjoy winning for once, well that’s until they get warmed up! Take a break at the Silverball Café and choose from a selection of tempting classic boardwalk treats and snacks like jumbo soft pretzals, salt water taffy, and even the boardwalk staple – Nathan’s hot dog.

Jenkinson’s Boardwalk, Pt. Pleasant
Location: 300 Ocean Avenue, Pt. Pleasant

Description:
Ask pretty much any kid if they want to see the shark’s at feeding time and we’re sure you’re going to get a resounding yes! At Jenkinson’s Boardwalk and Jenkinson’s Aquarium, you’re sure to be the parents of the year. With wild animals, feeding time, games, and your favorite boardwalk cuisine, it might actually be easy to get your kids to clean their room! (Yes, we condone bribing.)

Young Chefs’ Academy, Morganville
Location: 712 Ginesi Drive, Morganville

Description:
Get the whole family cooking with Young Chef’s Academy in Morganville. Kids can take a cooking class by themselves, or attend a family workshop where families can cook new recipes together, learn new skills, and develop some patience in the kitchen, especially with each other! No matter how old you are, spending some quality time with your family while eating some scrumptious food that you made will be a memory that will be remembered every time you’re ready to make dinner.

Pink Elephant Pottery Studio, Long Branch
Location: 87 Brighton Avenue, Long Branch

Description:
Spend the day getting creative with your little ones at Pink Elephant Pottery Studio. Kids of all ages can paint pottery, learning new skills and techniques from their trained staff. Join them for special occasion events like their Pizza and Pottery classes or get a little one on one time with your little one during Mommy and Me classes.

Coco Beans Play Café, Tinton Falls
Location: 70 Apple Street, Tinton Falls

Description:
Looking for the perfect place to be a kid, with your kid – oh and not clean up? Look no further than Coco Beans Play Café where not only will your child have fun, but they’ll learn in the process. Play some music with your little one during the Manda’s Music Class or take a yoga class with your child! Think of Coco Beans Play Cafe as your “home away from home,” except that it’s always clean and you can rest and relax while you’re little one plays to their heart’s content.