Looking for a memorable way to start the new year with your crew? Here are a few ideas to inspire a fun start to 2025:
Take a First Day Hike. The New Jersey Park Service offers various hikes throughout the state, whether it’s along the canal, through the forest or on the sands of the beach. It’s a great way to start the new year in nature, feeling invigorated and inspired. Join Megan and her dogs for a Dog Hike through Belleplain State Forest in Woodbine. The 5-mile hike is moderately paced with a few stops along the way. Double Trouble First Day Jaunt through Double Trouble State Park, in Berkeley and Lacey Twps., is a 1-2-mile leisurely walk along the Mill Pond Trail and waters of Cedar Creek and finishes with a walk through the historic village. Head to Wharton State Forest in Hammonton for the Sunrise Hike & Tower Climb, an easy 2.5-mile roundtrip guided hike that begins at 6 am and heads to Apple Pie Hill where you will be able to climb the fire tower and watch the sun rise over the Pine Barrens on the first day of 2025.
Try a Polar Plunge! Margate, Brigantine, Ocean City, Asbury Park and Atlantic City are opening their beaches for anyone willing to brave the ice-cold water temps while raising money for charity. Ventnor City offers a winter festival after with inflatable sports for kids, vendors, and a chili cookoff between police officers and firefighters.
Visit a Winter Wonderland. Bergen County’s Van Saun Park and Newark’s Mulberry Commons Park are outfitted with ice skating, ice bumper cars and go-karts, and lots of games for the family. Vintner Wonderland at Renault Winery & Resort is open to families for ice skating, a holiday market, fire pits, live music, and of course, wine.
Light it Up. Holiday light shows are still on post-Christmas, such as the GLOW to Bed drive-thru in Williamstown, or the Alice in Wonderland-themed Wonder Journey walk-thru in Freehold. Historic Smithville has 50,000 lights glistening off the lake, plus the shops will be open. Diggerland, our favorite construction-themed park, has its Holidig Drive-Thru Light Show with holiday displays and tunnels along 1.25 miles.
See a Show. Broadway Through the Ages at the Sieminski Theatre in Basking Ridge is an afternoon of Broadway classics performed by members of the New Jersey Festival Orchestra.
Roll into the New Year. Go ice skating, or try roller skating indoors. United Skates in Jackson Twp. will hold a Mickey’s New Year’s Day Glow Roll, New Year’s Day Roller Skating Family Fun party and the New Year’s Day Hip Hop Skate.
Extend the Holidays. Holiday Bricktacular activities at LEGOLAND at American Dream include Build To Give, Miniland Winter Wonderland takeover and a seasonal scavenger hunt. Holiday in the Park at Six Flags Great Adventure has millions of lights around the theme park, plus holiday shows and most of your favorite rides. Holiday Adventure at Liberty Science Center includes science exhibits, the sock skating rink, laser shows, plus the final week of the Blue Whale exhibit, and the new Curious George playground.
Head into New York. The markets will be open at the Bank of America Winter Village at Bryant Park, plus free ice skating – and don’t forget to visit the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree while you still can. Lightscape at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden decorates a trail of 1 million lights on the grounds of the gardens. The Holiday Harbor Lights Cruise departs from Pier 83 in Manhattan so you can sail along the Hudson River while listening to music and taking in the sites. Frost Fest at Luna Park holds its own Polar Plunge on New Year’s Day, plus a chance to see the holiday displays and ride the Cyclone. Tianyu Lights Festival turns Citi Field in Queens into a huge area of intricate light sculptures, vibrant displays and more Chinese traditional lights. You can also get tickets to Big Apple Circus: Homegrown Playground at Lincoln Center’s Damrosch Park, where dozens of performance artists from all over the world will represent different neighborhoods and landmarks of NYC through acrobatics, stunts, contortions and pet tricks. And if you want to reenact the ball drop from the night before, the Noon Year’s Eve activations at the Sloomoo Institute includes a confetti celebration with lightweight iridescent and crunchy bingsu beads that everyone will get to toss in the air to make magic together.
Or Take a Trip to Philly. Kids can see their favorite Sesame Street characters during A Very Furry Christmas Celebration at Sesame Place, which has the park still decorated with twinkling lights and decorations, with special entertainment and open rides. The Made in Philadelphia Holiday Market at Dilworth Park has more than 50 local vendors from Philadelphia and the tri-state area. A Longwood Christmas at Longwood Gardens is a beautiful landscape of 1,100 acres of flowers, plants and trees. Koziar’s Christmas Village is worth the drive to Bernville, where you can walk along guided paths to see train sets, storyboards, huge inflatables, Christmas scenes and a Ferris wheel.
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