Margaret Hargrove

Latest posts by Margaret Hargrove

Ride a Thrilling Mountain Coaster Near NYC This Summer

Submitted by Margaret Hargrove on Thu, 05/05/2022 - 10:36am

Hit the Sky Flyer mountain coaster the Holiday Valley Resort in upstate New York.

There’s no snow required for these thrilling mountain coaster rides. Come summer, several of our favorite local ski resorts switch gears from skiing and snow tubing to alpine slides and mountain coasters. These mountain coasters are as exciting as one you’d find at any theme park and come with better views as you wind through gorgeous mountain scenery at speeds up to 25 miles per hour with vertical drops of 500 feet or more. A mountain coaster is often a two-seater, so parents and children can ride together, enjoying the view from top to bottom.

If you want to see these popular ski resorts from every angle and have a blast doing it—even when it’s hot outside—read on for our picks for a thrilling mountain coaster ride in New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. Once you've conquered the coasters, take note: Many of these local resorts offer more off-season fun from adventure courses, zip lines, and ropes courses to thrilling water parks, making them great weekend-long destinations for active, family-friendly fun.

The Best New Jersey Zoos and Aquariums to Visit with Kids

Submitted by Margaret Hargrove on Tue, 03/22/2022 - 6:46pm

Guests experience the safari at Six Flags Great Adventure from the privacy and safety of their own vehicles. Photo courtesy of Six Flags

Treat your kids to a real animal adventure at one of New Jersey's amazing zoos, aquariums, and animal preserves. At these day trip-worthy spots, little animal lovers can meet their favorite furry friends, check out exotic wildlife from other continents, or swim with the sharks (yes, really!). We've rounded up the best places in the Garden State for New Jersey kids to have an up-close-and-personal encounter with animals of every kind.

Looking for more animal encounters? Find the best zoo in each of the 50 states to inspire your exploration.

21 NJ Art Studios Offering Drop-in Classes and Take-Home Crafts

Submitted by Margaret Hargrove on Tue, 03/01/2022 - 12:36pm

Have a mommy-and-me day at Color Me Mine in Summit or Ridgewood.

Like the idea of crafting with your kid but cringe at the thought of paint and glitter all over your house? New Jersey is home to various drop-in art studios offering your spontaneous painter, potter, glassmaker, and jeweler the chance to get crafty. These creative spaces let you skip the mess at home while catering to your budding artist's creative impulses.

Read on for our roundup of 21 art studios and craft places in New Jersey. If you're feeling brave enough to craft at home, we've got plenty of ideas on this list of 100 awesome art projects for kids.

Sunday Gravy: 20 Family-Friendly Italian Restaurants in New Jersey

Submitted by Margaret Hargrove on Sun, 02/20/2022 - 9:30am

The pasta portions at Bella Italia are enough to eat for two days—you can't get much better than that!

Pizza and spaghetti are perennial kid pleasers, so choosing an Italian restaurant is a good start for a delightful family meal. But let’s face it: Some Italian restaurants just aren’t suited for the younger set. Red sauce stains on white tablecloths, forks on the floor, and high-volume iPads are all a recipe for disaster, both for parents and other diners.

Luckily, these 20 family-friendly Italian restaurants welcome kids to their tables with special kids' menus and comfy accommodations so everyone can enjoy their meal. Sunday suppers are something of an Italian tradition, so why not pick one of these delicious restaurants to dine this weekend with your famiglia? And if you're looking for more dinner spots for your family in New Jersey, check out our Kid-Friendly Restaurant Guide.

50 Black-Owned Restaurants, Shops & African American Sites in New Jersey

Submitted by Margaret Hargrove on Fri, 02/04/2022 - 9:56am

Mo’Pweeze Bakery is a Black-owned small business with a sweet mission: It serves delightfully decorated allergy-free treats.

New Jersey holds a unique position in African American history. There are at least 16 underground railroad sites you can still visit in New Jersey, including ones in Jersey City, Boonton, Cranbury, Salem, and Medford. Lawnside in Camden County was a haven for freed and escaped slaves and became the first all-Black community in the North. Black History Month provides an opportunity to honor the lives and legacies of Black New Jerseyans past and present. Shopping at Black-owned businesses is one of the most powerful actions you can take to support the Black community in New Jersey. Not only can your money help small businesses grow, but it puts power directly into the hands of Black entrepreneurs, artists, and creators.

While this is not a comprehensive list, we’ve compiled 50 family-friendly African American historical sites, Black-owned shops, Black-owned restaurants, and Black-owned small businesses in New Jersey. In seeking out these Black-owned businesses, you stand in solidarity and make a difference today—not just for Black History Month, but 365 days a year. Any day is a good day to show your support.

For an at-home way to celebrate the Black experience, bookmark this list of 30+ children's books to celebrate Black History Month—many were written by Black authors.

14 Awesome Things That Opened in New Jersey in 2021 for Kids

Submitted by Margaret Hargrove on Sun, 12/26/2021 - 11:03am

Gaze into the City Under the Sea at Sea Life Aquarium, one of our favorite kid-friendly openings in New Jersey in 2021. Photo by Jody Mercier

As we prepare to count down to the end of another extraordinary year, we’re looking back at all the wonderful new kid-friendly attractions that opened in New Jersey in 2021, as well as few delayed openings from 2020. We added a few new indoor play spaces, a new water park, and a museum dedicated to an iconic anti-slavery activist.

If you didn’t get enough shopping during the holiday season, swing by the new Toys R Us flagship at American Dream. While you’re there, don’t forget to check out Sea Life Aquarium and Legoland Discovery Center. Speaking of Legoland, the much-anticipated theme park finally opened its doors this year just over the border in New York. We've also added outposts of popular chains, including The Gravity Vault, and what’s old is new again, as the State Theatre New Jersey reopened its doors after extensive renovations.

Whether you want to play all day or shop till you drop, you’ll find plenty of options on our list. Read on for the 14 coolest, brightest, and best new openings in New Jersey for kids.

Bergen County Zoo: Red Wolves, Mountain Lions, and Tons of Fun

Submitted by Margaret Hargrove on Mon, 11/01/2021 - 5:32pm

When I told my 8-year-old daughter we were going to the zoo last Saturday, she rolled her eyes. Aside from the fact she’s 8 going on 18, she was probably thinking, "been there, done that." I will admit, we are frequent visitors to the Turtle Back Zoo since it’s practically in our backyard. This time, though, we were going somewhere new: the Bergen County Zoo. The zoo recently welcomed two rare red wolves and I figured this would be a great opportunity to check it out. Come along with us on our visit to this new-to-us zoo, and find more local zoos to visit in this round up of the best zoos and aquariums in the Garden State.

Renovated State Theatre New Jersey Ready to Raise its Curtains Again

Submitted by Margaret Hargrove on Thu, 09/30/2021 - 12:08pm

State Theatre New Jersey is back and better than ever. After a pandemic-enforced closure, the theater reopens Wednesday, October 6, following a year-long, $12 million renovation, and we got a sneak preview of the improvements and what's in store at the venue, which has withstood the test of time and is poised to celebrate its centennial anniversary in December. State Theater New Jersey is so iconic, we've included it on our list of 100 things to do with New Jersey kids before they grow up.