You don’t have to travel far to treat your family to a fabulous getaway. Whether you’re planning a quick weekend trip to the beach, a few relaxing nights in the countryside, or an adventure-packed destination designed with kids and teens in mind, New Jersey has it all.
Here are five places we love for a mini vacay in the Garden State:
The Reeds at Shelter Haven
Stone Harbor
The Jersey Shore has many faces: quaint, kitschy, nostalgic, and refined to name a few. The Reeds at Shelter Haven fall in the latter category—and then some. Tucked within the quiet and idyllic beach town of Stone Harbor, The Reeds offers a chic respite with easy access to elegant Avalon, historic Cape May, and the lively Wildwoods—not that you need to leave Stone Harbor. Its downtown boasts chic shops, art galleries, fabulous eateries, ice cream shops galore, and even a small movie theater. It’s here that you’ll find one of the most upscale destinations down the shore—a boutique beauty catering to those with an appreciation for the finer things. A popular spot for singles and couples, it’s also a premier destination for parents who come for the laid-back luxe vibe, elevated dining, and a host of family-friendly amenities and activities.
Where You’ll Stay
Choose from 58 thoughtfully designed guest rooms and suites, featuring plush furnishings, coastal tones, and refined details. Double queen rooms are a popular choice, while the spacious suites—ideal for families—offer one or two bedrooms, sofa beds, and, depending on the layout, kitchens or kitchenettes, dining areas, fireplaces, bay windows, and private balconies.
Things to Do Onsite
Chill on the rooftop garden sundeck with a plunge pool, hot tub, morning yoga, and stunning views. Shuttle to the shore and let beach butlers hook you up with umbrellas, towels, beach toys, and food delivery to your lounge chair. Paddleboard and kayak on the bay. Bliss out at the full-service Salt Spa—the range of indulgences is incredible. Get into the Reeds Summer Passport program, which incentivizes guests to collect stamps (and perks!) as they explore the hotel’s many amenities.
What to Eat
Seasonal standouts include bayside dining at Water Star Grille, which serves up all-day fare from country omelets to Cape May scallops, and the festive Buckets Margarita Bar & Cantina featuring taqueria classics and fruity cocktails. Year-round options include the upscale SAX Seafood & Steaks (with live music Wednesday–Sunday evenings) and the perennial family-favorite Stone Harbor Pizza Pub, which keeps adults and kids busy all day with retro video and board games at the Crew Room located upstairs. Buckets and SAX have dedicated kids’ menus, but all restaurants cater to young taste buds.
Don’t Miss
The hotel’s annual Reeds & Seeds extravaganza on August 11 at the Water Star Grille. Expect watermelon-eating contests, crafts and games, and prizes galore … plus watermelon-themed cocktails. Come back for holiday celebrations including breakfasts with Santa.
What’s Nearby
The hotel concierge will gladly recommend the best family-friendly activities, eateries, and sweet spots in the area (including Douglass Fudge & Candies across the street). Natural wonders abound here, including at the local Wetlands Institute, where families can learn all about coastal and wetland ecosystems—book an eco-cruise to experience native wildlife up close. Head to Goshen and meander through The Sperlak Gallery & Sculpture Gardens, where more than 80 art installations dot three miles of trails within a 24-acre property. Fans of flight will love checking out the Naval Air Station Wildwood Aviation Museum, located in a historic World War II-era hangar and showcasing more than 25 historic airplanes, jets, and helicopters.
Fun Fact
The ultra-luxurious Skye Suite has been referred to as the “Celebrity Suite” because of how many stars have stayed there.
Madison Resorts
Wildwood Crest
Modern and chic yet charmingly retro, Madison Resorts is both stylish and luxurious. Developers took inspiration from the area’s classic Doo-Wop aesthetic to transform two motels into a single, swanky, expansive beachfront paradise with 200 rooms, two pools, and several stylish eateries. Spread across two detached towers with direct beach access, it’s now the area’s largest resort. Wildwood Crest is a dry borough, which tempers the intense party atmosphere of other shore hot spots and amps up the family vibe. BYOB is allowed.
Where You’ll Stay
Spacious, surf-inspired suites feature separate bedrooms (with one king or two queens), pull-out sofas, two flatscreens, dining tables, and vintage-style mini kitchen appliances. Select suites also offer full kitchenettes. Families tend to prefer the more low-key Royal Tower (closed in the off-season), which allows dogs in street-side rooms for a $100 service charge. After the first two guests, there’s an extra $15 per person charge for anyone aged five and up.
Things to Do On-Site
Swim and sun at either tower’s heated pool and hot tub (open through late October), or book a partial- or full-day cabana rental at the Ocean Tower pool. A DJ spins summer on Friday, Saturday and Sunday afternoons; and yogis can join beachside sessions Tuesday mornings (through August 18).
Prefer ocean views? Attendants will set you up with chairs and umbrellas just steps away at the beach club (available through mid-September).
What to Eat
The Ocean Tower hosts the resort’s two main eateries, both open daily. Poolside snack bar Madison Rose offers light bites, sweet treats, and mocktails (we won’t tell if you spike yours). Vinyl by Madison serves up American classics for breakfast and lunch, plus a kids’ menu. Dine in, order in-room, or even get delivery poolside or on the beach. Over at the Royal Tower, Twist & Spoon serves a delightful mash-up of ice cream, cereal, and coffee (open Thursday–Sunday only).
Don’t Miss
Love a good party? Plan your stay around themed “dining under the stars” events like the Polynesian luau featuring island drummers, hula dancers, and Samoan fire knife warriors (August 20–21) – open only to resort guests – or join the popular Girlfriends’ Getaway in October, perfect for multi-generational hangs.
What’s Nearby
It’s all about the Wildwood boardwalk and Morey’s Piers amusement park—three piers packed with rides and water fun. The hotel’s free on-demand shuttle will take you there, or anywhere else on the island, from Diamond Beach to 26th Street. There’s always something going on in the Wildwoods—from air shows to outdoor concerts—so check local calendars for off-site happenings. But, if you feel like leaving the island, visit the wild things at Cape May County Park & Zoo, then take on the zip lines and climbing courses at nearby Tree to Tree Adventure Park. Later, explore Cape May’s stunning Victorian homes and charming downtown. For a quick change of scenery, Sunrise Park next door to the hotel offers a playground and splash pad.
Fun Fact
The Ocean Tower’s boldly angled, restored roof is pure “Blastoff”—a sub-genre of Doo-Wop design inspired by the retro-futurism of mid-century airports.
Hotel LBI
Ship Bottom
Long Beach Island consistently ranks as one of the Jersey Shore’s most popular family destinations. Laid back with a classic sun-and-surf vibe, LBI is unusually resistant to commercialization and development. You won’t find massive resorts or nightclubs here. It is, in every way, a family place from ice cream parlors and seafood shacks to historical landmarks and old-school surf shops. All of which to say is that the Hotel LBI, located conveniently just on the other side of the bridge in Ship Bottom, is a rarity here — a full-service, upscale coastal retreat where families can enjoy all the island has to offer without the hassle of renting an Airbnb or scoring an invite to your BFF’s grandparent’s beach house. It’s a dreamy home away from home — sans the home.
Where You’ll Stay
More than 100 stylish, oversized studios to 2-bedroom suite residences (as the hotel calls them), many of which can be adjoined to create sprawling friend and family accommodations. All come with fully equipped kitchens allowing for get-up-and-go breakfasts and late-night snacks—all you need to bring are groceries. The 2-bedroom family bunk suite features two sets of bunks beds (4 in a room) and is especially popular among those with big broods. Complimentary laundry facilities on site are a major plus.
Things to Do On-Site
Dip into the pool and hot tub—a retractable roof allows for year-round and rainy-day splashing. Take the free hotel shuttle to the beach (Saturdays and Sundays through 9/19) with loaner beach badges, boogie boards, towels, and chairs. Borrow complimentary bicycles for a spin around the island. Hang around the Rooftop and watch the sun go down.
What to Eat
The Living Room offers coffee and grab-and-go morning pastries, but is primarily a cozy evening spot for handhelds, sharable bites, desserts, and seasonal evening cocktails. The Tide Pool serves up lunch poolside. The seafood-heavy Salt Kitchen and Bar is the hotel’s signature swanky spot for dinner and brunch year-round. All three offer specific kids’ menus. The Rooftop serves up kid-friendly pizza and a spectacular view. The 24/7 market in the lobby offers drinks, snacks, microwave dinners, and is a favorite post-pool and ice cream treat stop.
Don’t Miss
Nearby Waterfront Park hosts free concerts on Thursday evenings starting are 6:30– guests love to watch the sun set while dancing to rock and reggae tunes (through August 28).
What’s Nearby
There’s really no reason to leave the LBI—there’s so much to do. Climbing the 217 steps at Barnegat Lighthouse at the island’s north end is an LBI rite of passage. There are no less than 8 different miniature golf courses from Beach Haven to Barnegat. The Surflight Theatre showcases musicals geared towards kids and adults all year long. The Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge at the island’s southern tip offers scenic hiking trails and birdwatching. LBI’s Fantasy Island Amusement Park and Thundering Surf waterpark in Beach Haven is also a must for families.
Fun Fact
That vessel hanging in the Living Room bar area? It’s actually a vintage Hankins-style surf patrol boat, on loan from the New Jersey Maritime Museum in Beach Haven.
The Mainland Hotel
Manahawkin
Some vacations are for you, with enough amenities to keep the little ones engaged while you soak up the sun and sip a bubbly Aperol Spritz. Others are mostly for them. And that’s fine, because one thing is certain: you will never hear, “I’m boooored.”
Which brings us to The Mainland, a sister property to Hotel LBI. The hotel has been stylishly renovated to align with its shore-adjacent location, with a more curated, rustic farmhouse-meets-mid-century aesthetic. Enter the gracious lobby and you’ll get warm and cozy vibes that suit any season—which fits, because The Mainland is truly meant to be an all-season destination. Why? Because there’s no wrong time to treat the kids to a stay at a hotel with a massive arcade that takes up most of the ground floor. It’s perfect for a night away or a base for spending a few days exploring one of New Jersey’s most beloved shore destinations.
Where You’ll Stay
Your most specious bet is a family-friendly suite with a separate king bedroom, a living room with a sofa bed, and a small dining table. Some rooms can be adjoined but they aren’t 100% guaranteed.
Things to Do On-site
Experience more than 100 video games and pinball machines, from retro classics to the latest releases, plus claw games galore. Enjoy an adrenaline-pumping thrill for the whole at the go-kart track next door (weather permitting. Take a dip in the indoor pool, shoot some hoops on the outdoor half courts, or practice your strokes on the mini putting green located in the beer garden. There are also massive kids’ games onsite (like Connect 4).
What You’ll Eat
The Mainland Kitchen + Pub serves classic pub fare indoors and on the patio beer garden, right next to the arcade—drinks welcome. Expect upscale picks like crab cakes and ribeye, plus kid-friendly faves like bar pies and quesadillas. With a hotel stay, kids 11 and under eat free with a voucher and adult entrée (ask at the front desk). Don’t miss the summer camp–themed pop-up, featuring nostalgic bites like Bug Juice cocktails and Pigs in a Sleeping Bag. Between meals, swing by the 24/7 lobby market for snacks, light bites, and complimentary coffee.
Don’t Miss
Live music at the pub every Wednesday-Saturday evening (plus the occasional Sunday).
What’s Nearby
Hit the beach—with borrowed chairs and boogie boards in tow. Jennifer Lane Bay Beach is a beloved low-key spot known for calm waters (perfect for toddlers). Or spend the day at LBI, exploring the beaches, restaurants, amusements, and historical spots that make it a perennial New Jersey fave. On the way back, stop by the Boatyard Beer Garden, located about halfway across the causeway. It offers brews, food truck bites, and yard games like giant Jenga, corn hole, giant beer pong, and gaga ball. Have little ones? Storybook Land, a magical theme park in Egg Harbor Township, is worth the 45-minute drive.
Fun Fact
Mysterious “ghost lights” have been seen drifting over Manahawkin Bay. Some say they’re shipwreck victim spirits; scientists chalk it up to natural gas from the marshes spontaneously igniting. (Both options are pretty cool.) The best time to catch a glimpse is between midnight and 2 am.
Pendry Natirar
Peapack
Pendry Natirar (Raritan spelled backwards) exemplifies the elegant garden and foodie paradise New Jersey residents know and love. Set in a stunning, restored 1912 Tudor mansion on 90 verdant acres carved from 500 acres of public parkland, this countryside resort has received raves from Travel & Leisure, Town & Country, and other arbiters of tasteful travel. The experience feels expansive and escapist—ideal for families looking to unwind, explore the great outdoors, and enjoy a luxurious yet grounded experience shaped by a 10-acre organic working farm and apiary. Barefoot meets well-heeled, if you will.
Where You’ll Stay
Sumptuous doesn’t begin to describe the 66 luxuriously appointed guest rooms, including 20 residence-like suites. The ultimate: the two-bedroom Pendry Suite, which sleeps seven and features a kitchenette, an eight-person dining table, en suite and guest bathrooms, a gracious living area with a fireplace, and a furnished balcony with spectacular views. Need even more space? Many rooms can be connected to create even more expansive accommodations. Complimentary cribs and dog beds (plus bowls and treats) mean all your babies can live the luxe life (there’s a $150 pet fee per stay).
What You’ll Eat
Breakfast at Ladd’s Tavern and lunch from the pool kids’ menu are your best bets for picky eaters. Those with expansive palates will find something to love at the celebrated, farm-to-table Ninety Acres—or settle for elevated sides like mac and cheese gratin at the tavern. When all else fails, there’s chicken noodle soup and scrumptious chocolate chip cookies on the in-room menu.
Things to Do On-Site
Frolic at the lovely on-site pool with hot tub through summer (all-day cabana rentals include dedicated service and a bottle of Champagne). Enjoy billiards, bocce ball, giant Jenga, and tennis, among other games. Complimentary farm tours are held daily with reservations. For an additional activity fee and advanced booking, guests can enjoy expert-led hiking, biking, archery, axe throwing, and Sunday morning yoga—as well as unique animal- and bee-based experiences like the Farmer for a Day program and honey tastings. Get pampered at Spa Pendry while your kids (ages 5–12) immerse themselves in eco- and art-based adventures via the Paintbox children’s program (Wednesday–Sunday, $150 and up). Plan your visit around one of Pendry’s celebrated cooking classes, where kids and adults learn to prepare dishes using fresh ingredients harvested right on the property.
Don’t Miss
Live music on Ladd’s patio on Fridays from 5–7 p.m., and the end-of-summer pig roast on Sunday, August 24 at noon ($165 per person).
What’s Nearby
Explore Orchard Range and hiking trails at Duke Farms; visit the stables and Olympic training center at the U.S. Equestrian Team Headquarters in Gladstone; or go birdwatching at the Scherman Hoffman Wildlife Sanctuary and the popular Hawk Watch Area in Washington Valley Park.
Fun Fact
The estate was once owned by King Hassan II of Morocco, who purchased it as a pied-à-terre while his sons attended Princeton.
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