NJ County Parks Rock – Over 100 Cheap and Free Things to do at New Jersey County Parks

Our New Jersey county parks rock!

Have you ever looked at your local county parks program guide or their calendar of events? Have you looked at them for the New Jersey county parks near you?

If you haven’t you are missing out on some great free and cheap activities to do with kids. Looking at each of the New Jersey county parks websites and calendars is something we do a lot. We’re always on the hunt for free and low cost NJ activities to add to our calendar of events.

I’m always amazed at what activities our NJ county parks are offering. I see so many events I wish I could attend. Zombie archery, geocaching for ghosts, owl walks, maple sugaring those are just some of the latest activities we’ve taken advantage of at New Jersey county parks.

Besides park activities being free or almost free, you don’t even have to live in that county to take advantage of a county park’s events. There may be a higher fee for nonresidents, but most will still let you attend. For example, we’ve driven from Atlantic County to Monmouth County to take advantage of archery against zombies, lessons in geocaching, and to rent kayaks.

Here’s just a brief look at some of the free and cheap activities available at New Jersey County Parks.

100 Cheap and Free Things to do at New Jersey County Parks

If you’re not sure which NJ County Parks offer the programs below check with yours or others using our directory just below our listing of county park activities.

This list is by no means comprehensive! Park directors and their teams are super creative. They are always coming up with new ideas and activities for kids, teens, and families. Again, if you don’t see something here check our calendar, their websites, or their Facebook pages. (All listed below.)

Nature is Awesome!

1. Birding
2. Wildlife Rehabilitation
3. Monarch Butterfly Tagging
4. Moon walks, beach walks, and nature walks
5. Astronomy & Stargazing
6. Animals
7. Boat Tours
8. Wildlife Watch
9. Solstice Celebrations
10. Plants & Flowers
11. The Edible Forest

Outdoor Skills and Ways to Have Fun

1. Kayaking
2. Canoeing
3. Traditional Fishing
4. Ice Fishing
5. Hiking
6. Orienteering
7. Seining
8. Paddleboarding
9. Ziplining
10. Rock Climbing
11. Crosscountry Skiing
12. Maple Sugaring

Sports Kids Always Wanted to Try

1. Archery
2. Horseback Riding
3. Dancing
4. Mountain Biking
5. Tennis
6. Baseball
7. Flag Football
8. Basketball
9. Hockey
10. Martial Arts
11. Foot Golf
12. Golf
13. Boxing
14. Soccer
15. Lacrosse
16. Pickleball

Not Your Typical Arts and Crafts Programs

1. Ceramics
2. Pottery
3. Watercolor Painting
4. Drawing
5. Oil Painting
6. Knitting
7. Basket Making
8. Mosaic
9. Jewelry Making
10. Sand Casting
11. Weaving

Music Appreciation

1. Keyboarding
2. Concerts in the Park

The Way Things Used to Be

1. Historic building tours
2. Demonstrations
3. Reenactments
4. Intro to County History
5. Folklife
6. Sheep sheering

Skills for School

1. College and SAT Prep
2. Reading Comprehension
3. Storytelling

Skills for Life

1. Meditation
2. How to ride a bike
3. Swimming
4. Geocaching
5. CPR Certification
6. Babysitting & Childcare
7. Caring for Pets
8. Resume writing
9. Public Speaking
10. Stress Management
11. Suicide Prevention & Awareness
12. Conservation and Recycling

A New Hobby

1. Sewing
2. Cooking
3. Baking
4. Yoga
5. Zumba
6. Photography
7. Boating
8. Genealogy
9. Gardening
10. Belly Dancing
11. Singing
12. Square Dancing
13. Ballroom Dancing
14. Roller Skating
15. Chess

Career Exploration

1. Fashion Design
2. Dog Obedience
3. Drama
4. Criminal Justice and Forensics

Team Building and Family Time

1. Pumpkin Carving
2. Family Movie Nights
3. Family Game Night
4. Comedy Nights
5. Wagon Rides
6. Organized Overnight Family Camping Programs
7. Traditional camping
8. Scavenger Hunt
9. Organized Day Trips
10. Zombie Battles
11. Splash at a Sprayground

Virtually fun activities at New Jersey County Parks

Since capacity is limited at events, county parks are covering a lot of these topics through virtual events. So if you’re not ready to take your kids out, there’s nothing local to you, or an inperson event fills up check to see what virtual programing exists.

What is happening at my New Jersey County Parks

A quick note, since the Jersey Family Fun Calendar of Events primarily focuses on family-friendly events that are free or less than $5 to attend (or $20 for a family), not all NJ county park events will be on our Calendar of Events. It’s best to visit the websites for the county parks closest to you in addition to our Calendar of Events.