Natirar is one of the most luxurious estates in New Jersey, home to the acclaimed Ninety Acres restaurant and cooking school, the social club, Natirar Club, and the glam new Pendry Natirar hotel.
It’s a dreamy spot for a kid-free weekend but it’s also pretty amazing with kids, too. Here are 10 things to do with the fam during your next staycation.
Take in the Scenery
In the winter, you’ll see snow-capped, rolling hills. In the spring, the 500-acre Natirar Park is in full bloom. Take the kids and the dog (Pendry Natirar is dog-friendly!) on any of several trails throughout the park, some of which wind along the Raritan River. Sign up for a free walking tour on Saturday mornings. We highly recommend spending some quiet time in the lavender fields when they’re in bloom.
Fun fact: King Hassan II of Morocco bought the property from the Ladd Estate in 1983, and Somerset County bought Natirar (that’s Raritan spelled backwards) from Hassan II’s son, King Mohammed VI in 2003 – he had attended Princeton University. Today, Somerset County owns the park.
Visit The Farm
You and your crew can visit the greenhouse, learn about whole foods and vegetables served inside the restaurants, and see how the animals live humanely.
Produce is propagated inside a heated greenhouse, and then planted in the fields in the spring. The herbs, spices, micro greens and leafy greens are used in the dishes at Ladd’s Tavern and Ninety Acres – in-season produce, arugula, baby kale, Swiss chard and root vegetables. There are 400 varieties of vegetables – with 14 varieties of tomatoes alone. Make sure to try a Bloody Mary from the bar at Ladd’s (it’s made with tomatoes from the gardens).
Aside from being farm-to-table, Natirar is becoming farm-to-spa, with eucalyptus and lavender cut weekly for the spa and the steam room at Spa Pendry. A red flower essence is used for the mud components of the Harvest Bathing Ritual. The plan is to be farm-to-tea soon, too. Chamomile and lavender can be used in the High Tea service inside The Den at Pendry Natirar.
Flora, houseplants and gardening plants are used as décor, and they’re part of gardening workshops you can sign up for. Try a juicing class, which not only uses fruits and veggies in smoothies, but also teaches you how to add more vitamins and nutrients into your life naturally. Farm-grown honey is used to sweeten the drinks. Tree row has pawpaw trees that have Native American deciduous fruit, which may be used in the juicing class, too.
Kids will learn about companion planting, such as how onions and peppers in a “salsa garden” will be grown near garlic, ginger and turmeric. Different production fields over the 10 acres of sustainable farmland grow sweet corn, eggplant, cucumbers, sweet peas, long beans; sunflowers (used to make floral arrangements, or whose seeds are used as garnish); mulberry trees used in pastries; a pumpkin patch in the fall that supplies puree for the pastry department; and a future apple orchard.
You can bring the farm home through take-home seed packages. Another fun project for kids is to take a fresh ear of corn and learn how to pop it at home.
Meet the Animals
Kids can meet 150 free-range chickens (they’re here just for egg-laying), whose eggs are used in the restaurants. They’ll see a herd of Irish Romney sheep, and learn how the Park Rangers from Natirar Park bring grass clippings, and use compost from the kitchens as natural fertilizer. There are plans in the works to shear the sheep and ship the wool to Nepal to make blankets. There are also plans to bring in bunnies for Easter, and rams and baby lambs ahead of Mother’s Day.
Another memorable experience for kids is to witness the Wisdom of the Hive, where they can watch as bees are smoked out of the hive of the apiary. They can taste honey, too. In 2024, 700 pounds of honey were produced from wildflowers in the gardens. Kids can also sign up to be Farmer For The Day and spend 90 minutes learning about all the fun on the farm.
Sign Up For a Cooking Class
Ninety Acres is upscale, and is often found at the top of the most discerning lists. The décor is simply beyond, especially since it’s inside the original mansion of the property. The farm-to-table restaurant is perfect for date night, but there is a cooking school here that offers classes for kids and adults.
All of this is a meaningful way to make a connection between what the kids learn out on the farm and what they’ll learn in the kitchen. Family-friendly cooking classes are scheduled on weekends. Up to 16 people can sit around the chef’s demo area and watch as food is prepared, and then join in using fresh ingredients from the gardens and greenhouse.
Sign Up For the Kids Club During a Short Stay
Kids ages 5 to 12 have a special retreat experience tailored just to them. There is a kids’ room filled with toys, dress-up costumes and more at The Paintbox.
Sign them up for a half day or full day, where they’ll be exposed to seasonal activities, along with lunch. Raw tastings, sugar cookie decorating, outdoor eco-adventures, scavenger hunts, locally-inspired arts and crafts and farm tours are among the programs on the schedule led by the hotel’s social coordinators.
Enroll Kids in Summer Camp For a Longer Experience
In July and August, Ninety Acres offers a children’s summer camp that teaches kids how to use sustainable ingredients in the kitchen. They’ll get hands-on experience with chefs, learn about mindful eating and zero-waste cooking, get info on nutrition and learn cooking skills and techniques.
Get ActiveÂ
Through Compass Sports, you and your crew can play tennis, throw axes, try target shooting or practice croquet on the event lawn. Fly fishing or hawk walks will be available soon, or you can rent e-bikes.
Have an Elevated Meal
Ladd’s Tavern serves brunch, lunch and dinner and has an impressive bar. The outdoor patio overlooks Natirar Park, complete with three firepits amid spectacular scenery.
It’s much more kid-friendly than Ninety Acres, with dinner menu items like farm lettuce, a bread board, Griggstown chicken, carved beef roast, truffle fries and mac & cheese gratin. Kate’s Madras Curry with mushrooms, chickpeas, broccolini and walnuts was delicious and filling as a vegetarian option. Chocolate layer cake and apple crumble are a couple of dessert faves.
Breakfast has the best omelets with eggs from the farm.
Pendry Natirar also has event spaces, one of which has a wall of foliage, perfect for photo ops.
Relax & Unwind
The 66 rooms of Pendry Natirar are inside a new building. They are luxurious, with huge bathrooms, a separate area with a coffee bar and closet, and views overlooking the park’s hills.
There are 20 suites, including four specialty suites with full bedrooms, a full kitchen, an egg-shaped tub and indoor and outdoor fireplaces on the terrace that overlook the scenery. If you’re coming with a group of families or want to stay for an extended period, these are the rooms to book.
Explore the Area
There’s no need to leave the property during your stay, but if the kids are itching for more, there are charming towns nearby. And there’s a super fun option at The Pendry that allows you to rent a Cadillac to drive around the area. Call ahead to reserve a time to meet the animals at Bluebird Farm Alpacas.
Somerset is on the border of Morris County, so head to downtown Chester for a cup of coffee, browse its boutiques or see an apothecary. See what’s in season at Riamede Farm or visit the cider mill at Hacklebarney Farms for its TikTok-famous cider donut ice cream float.
Spend Some Kid-Free TimeÂ
Pendry Natirar has so many amenities for your time sans kids. There is a billiards room and a library, tea time in The Great Room, and themed classes like Martinis and Magic class and Mahjong.
Spa Pendry is beautiful, with 12 treatment rooms, a salt and mud room, spa suites for full- or half-day rental, steam and sauna rooms inside each locker room, and a movement studio for Pilates and yoga. You can choose the services you want, or ask about a day pass for pool access.
There’s also a fitness center (you have to be 18 to go in) or you can book a tee time at a local golf course.
Pendry Natirar is located at 400 Natirar Dr. in Peapack. For information on the hotel stays, Spa Pendry, Ninety Acres and its cooking school, or any of its experiences, visit pendry.com/natirar. Midweek stays start at around $500 per guestroom.
For a preview of a stay at The Pendry, visit our Instagram page.
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