Alison Stewart: This is All Of It on WNYC. I'm Alison Stewart. I was a Jersey kid. Our show's director was a Jersey kid. Given that hundreds of thousands of WNYC's listeners live in Jersey, chances are that you are either a Jersey kid yourself or you are raising some. If you're my generation, you went to Great Adventure. You risked your life at Action Park. You spent quality time eating at a diner.

Today's kids have even more bounty to choose from. There's now a fossil park and museum. You can have an outdoor adventure at one of the state's several aerial ropes courses. You know what? Forget the malls of my youth. There's now American Dream. The team at New Jersey Monthly has published an article called 50+ Things Every Jersey Kid Must Do. Joining us to talk about it is its editor, Julie Gordon. Hi, Julie.

Julie Gordon: Hi, Alison.

Alison: Let's start off with the very first item on your list. The South Mountain Reservation Fairy Trail in Milburn. What is it?

Julie Gordon: Oh, this is one of my favorite places to go in New Jersey with my kids. I have a seven-year-old and a three-year-old. It's right off of downtown Milburn. For anybody who's been there, it's a really nice little downtown. The Paper Mill Playhouse is there, which is one of our state's best theaters. Kind of hidden off the busy downtown is this half-mile trail called the Fairy Trail. It was started over a decade ago by a local special ed teacher. She created these teeny, tiny little houses that, if you believe the lore, the fairies live there. They're placed along this trail so kids can just go in and explore and see the houses. It's just really fun and cool and kind of different.

Alison: You had a big list to pick from. Why did you make this the first activity that you wanted people to experience, to get to know?

Julie Gordon: Well, New Jersey sometimes gets a bad rap, as you know, as a former Jersey kid. People don't always necessarily think about nature or the outdoors or the real beauty of the state where the garden stayed after all. This is a really fun introduction to enjoying nature. Not every kid's going to want to go on a hike or look at the flowers or something like that. This is a way to get out in nature and be part of that beauty while still having fun and being a kid. You see these teeny fairy houses, and it's fun, but you're also experiencing nature and what kind of benefits that can give to you throughout your entire life.

Alison: Listeners, we want to hear from you. What's something your kids really love to do in New Jersey? Give us a call, 212-433-9692. That's 212-433-WNYC. What is your can't-miss activity or place for Jersey kids? Were you a Jersey kid yourself? What's something you used to do that was memorable to you? Our Phone number is 212-433-9692. 212-433-WNYC. You can call in and join me and Julie on air, or you can text to us as well, 212-433-9692. Julie, there are over 50 places on this list, so let's try to categorize a bit. It's currently February. It's kind of dreary outside. What are some places on the list that are good for kids this time of year? Because you're always looking for something to do with your kids on the weekend.

Julie Gordon: Yes, it's winter. It's freezing. I mean, not today, actually. It's a little warmer. The other day I took my son. I mean, screen time is always a challenge for any parent, but I took him to Game Vault in Morristown, which is an old-school arcade. It's better screen time, it feels like, at least for a parent. There's pinball, there's old Mario games, there's Pac-Man. We just spent a couple hours there. We had so much fun. That's a great indoor place. There's the Liberty Science Center, which, for anybody who hasn't been there, it really is an incredible full-day trip in New Jersey. It's in Jersey City, right across the river.

Alison: Oh, we used to go all the time when my kid was little. All the time.

Julie Gordon: Yes, we go there too. It's great. They just opened a new touch tank, so there are even more opportunities to really interact. It's a Hudson River-based, the animal experiences are Hudson River-based. That's where it's located. That's really great. There are a lot of other museums too. There's Insectropolis in Toms River, which is a bug museum. My kids love the Morris Museum in Morristown, which is where New Jersey Monthly is based.

There's a Spark!Lab there. It's an interactive lab where kids actually do science experiments. You can see the exhibits in the museum, but then you can actually do something yourself. I think that's the thing with kids. They want to get involved, do things, not just look at things, most of the time.

Alison: I see on your list number 37 is IKEA. Make a case for IKEA.

Julie Gordon: Yes, there's a place for IKEA. Not just for shopping, but the reason it's on our list is because if you go to the cafe, it's the perfect place to watch planes take off and land at Newark Airport. What kid doesn't want to watch planes take off and land? It's better than driving by the runways, you can see them from your car. If you go to IKEA, you can just look out the window, you can grab some Swedish meatballs, I guess, from the cafe, and see the planes.

Alison: I mentioned in our intro, the American Dream. This is not like Willowbrook Mall when I was a kid.

Julie Gordon: No.

Alison: Explain the American Dream to us.

Julie Gordon: Sure. It's a giant mall, basically, but it's not just shopping. There's a whole luxury wing for any parents who really want to do some high-end shopping. There are so many kids' activities there. There's a theme park. There's a water park. There's indoor skiing. You can actually ski inside. There's a Sesame Street experience. There's an aquarium. There's a mini LEGOLAND. You don't need to go to the LEGOLAND in New York or California. My kids loved that little LEGOLAND when we went. It's like an indoor playground. There's a ton to do there.

Alison: All right, we got a lot of text coming in. Dana from Jersey City said, "The absolute best diner, Shut up and Eat in Tom's River. Wear a full set of PJs and get 13% off your bill. Amazingly adorable, fun, delish. The best tater tot ever." We also got something that says, "My son loves going to shows at Mile Square Theater in Hoboken. The Young King opens tonight, and it's appropriate for ages five-plus." This one says, "Canary Art and Sensory Play Studio, two locations, in South Orange and Montclair." Let's talk to Dee, who's calling in from Milburn, New Jersey. Hi, Dee, thanks for calling All Of It.

Dee: Hi. Long-term listener, first-time caller. Loved the pitch for the Fairy Trail, which is right by our backyard, tons of deer in our area from all the wilderness. Also close to that is the Turtle Back Zoo, which is a great little location for preschoolers, early elementary kids to have fun and see a lot of animals, touch tank, various other things. Then also the Essex County Park. There's a large water body and a walking trail over there, right by South Mountain, which is also a great nature spot in the area.

Alison: Thanks so much for calling in. I have to confess, Julie, I had a birthday party at Turtle Back Zoo.

Julie Gordon: Oh, wow. I grew up right around there, too. I had a birthday party at Florham Park Roller Rink, if you remember that. All the old school birthday party spots.

Alison: Where are some other places to take kids who love animals?

Julie Gordon: Oh, well, one of my favorite places, and it's at the opposite end of the state, is the Adventure Aquarium in Camden. It is an incredible aquarium. If you're younger kids, you'll love what-- They have a shark bridge. You can walk over this rope bridge, which is kind of scary at first, but you look down, you see all the sharks swimming in the water. There's also a shark tunnel you can walk through.

They have two hippos. I had never seen a hippo, I don't think, in person before I went there. If you're an older kid, ages 12 and up, they have a swimming with the sharks experience, which is really for the adventurous type. It's just a really wonderful aquarium. It's another full-day trip, like Liberty Science Center. You can bring food, or they have an on-site cafe.

Alison: New Jersey Monthly has put together an article called 50+ Things Every Jersey Kid Must Do. Joining me to talk about it is New Jersey Monthly editor, Julie Gordon, and of course, you. Are you raising kids in Jersey? What's a can't-miss activity or place for Jersey kids? Our number is 212-433-9692. 212-433-WNYC. Maybe you were a Jersey kid yourself once. What was something that you did that was memorable? I want to hear your Action Park memories. Call us, 212-433-9692. Let's talk to Kevin, who is calling in from Denver. He is a former New Jersey kid, I should say. Hey, Kevin.

Kevin: Hey, how you doing? I am so pleased to see number two on your list, being Lake Hopatcong. Three-quarters of a century ago, when I was a little kid, my family used to go to Lake Hopatcong in the summers, and it was the wilderness. Lake Hopatcong and Parsippany were the wilderness for anybody growing up along the Hudson River in Jersey City. It's scary to think of that now, that that's what it was way back then. The other thing I had to say is I'm going through your list, and it's like, "Wow, I think I've done at least 45 of these 50 things."

Alison: That's the kid in heart in you. That's for you, Kevin. Thanks so much for calling in. Let's talk to Jerry from South Orange. Hi, Jerry. Thanks for calling All Of It.

Jerry: Hey, first time being received, so thank you. Love your show. A couple of great things that we've done with kids in the past is Grounds For Sculpture down in Southern Jersey, which is such an amazing, fun cultural experience and outdoors, but great art. Then some wonderful biking adventures in Duke's Farm. It's a great public space where you can get out there and ride bikes and see some amazing old architecture, and also some incredible sort of vistas and scenes and different vignettes of gardens and stuff. It's wonderful.

Alison: Thanks for calling in. Hey, Julie, what are some things that don't cost a lot of money?

Julie Gordon: Duke Farms, which your caller just mentioned, is free. There are bike trails. There's a beautiful orchid house, which maybe the parents like and the kids. A lot of these nature items on our list are free. One of my favorites is at the Watchung Reservation. It's the Trailside Nature & Science Center. You can go at this time of year because it's inside and kids really walk through different habitats in New Jersey.

There's this giant tree, and it goes up all the stories of the building. You walk through, and you see the forest. You see a pool, you see a swamp, which is really great. Then outside, there's a sensory trail. On nicer days, kids can walk along this trail that has musical elements, it has water that you can kind of play with and interact with. Those are some free ones.

Alison: My guest is New Jersey Monthly editor, Julie Gordon. We're talking about an article they put together called 50+ Things Every Kid in Jersey Must Do. We want to hear where is a place you go with your kids that keeps them happy? Where's a place you went with yourself to keep you happy? Our number is 212-433-9692. 212-433-WNYC. We'll be right back.

[music]

You're listening to All Of It on WNYC. I'm Alison Stewart. My guest is Julie Gordon. She's editor of New Jersey Monthly. We're talking about an article called 50+ Things Every Jersey Kid Must Do. Let's talk amusement parks. Everybody's probably familiar with Six Flags Great Adventure. Who hasn't gone there? What are some other amusement parks or rides that are lesser known?

Julie Gordon: There's the Fairy Tale Forest in Oak Ridge, which used to be-- It was open for a long time, and then it closed. It reopened a year or so ago. It's the opposite of Six Flags. It's very small. It's no bells and whistles. It's just old school, I guess, is the best way to describe it. You walk through little cottages, and you see fairy tales come to life in these little cottages. It's fun. It's different. There's also Storybook Land, which is an actual amusement park with rides, but it's geared toward young children. They're storybook-themed.

You might have a Cinderella ride or Little Red Riding Hood, that sort of thing. There's Wild West City, which is family-owned, and Storybook Land. These are family-owned, independent amusement parks. Wild West City is all wild west themed. You'll have horse shows and gunslinging. Wild, wild west type shows among the amusements. There are a lot of family-owned amusement parks that have been around for a long time, and they're worth a visit. They're different than your typical big amusement park.

Alison: Let's take some more calls. Susan is calling in from Summit, New Jersey. Susan, thanks for taking the time to call, All Of It.

Susan: Oh, I'm so excited. I've been calling lots of different things, and you're talking to me. I love your show, by the way. I recommended the Cape May Zoo. It's a fabulous zoo. I don't think it's expensive. I don't remember, though, because my kids were little, but they just loved it. A giraffe came right up to them, and they're roaming free. You see, that's what I love because I was never crazy about zoos. I would just recommend this to anyone. I mean, I haven't heard one person say they did not like the Cape May Zoo. If I just quickly throw in another one, Raptor Trust, which is definitely free.

There was just a story about the bald eagle that they saved the Hudson. Well, that's where you'll find that bald eagle. They try to do their best to keep birds alive and happy, and will even care for little birds. My daughter found a little baby blue jay. Yes, we went to the Raptor Trust. They promised to take care of it. Then the blue jay was able to fly away. Raptor Trust, that's in Sterling, New Jersey. Of course, Cape May, it's in Cape May County. It's not like in Star Cape May, but it's wonderful. Really.

Alison: Yes. Thank you so much for calling. We're getting a lot of calls for the Raptor Trust, so everybody wants to check that out. Let's talk to Lawrence, who's calling us from Anchorage, Alaska. Hi, Lawrence. Thank you so much for calling, All Of It. Oh, Lawrence is gone. What did Lawrence want to talk about? He said he wanted to talk about the Great Swamp. He always found it wonderful. Boardwalks in summer and winter. Let's talk to Nora from Ocean Grove. Hey, Nora.

Nora: Oh, Allison. Good to talk to you.

Alison: Nice to talk to you.

Nora: I grew up in the 1950s and '60s on Long Beach Island. That's where we summered. There was nothing down there except dunes and the ocean. We didn't even have TV because couldn't get any reception. The highlight of the summer would be one of the uncles would always take us to Seaside.

Alison: Love it.

Nora: Now, 50 years later, when my grandchildren come to visit me, they always want to go to Seaside.

[laughter]

Alison: Nora, thank you so much for calling in. Julie, I want to ask you about a fossil park. This wasn't around when I was a kid. Tell us about it.

Julie: Yeah, this place, Edelman Fossil Park in South Jersey. It opened a year or so ago. It had been under construction for a long time. It is brand new. It cost $72 million, so they put a lot of thought, time, and money into it. What's really unique about it is it's on an actual quarry, like a working quarry that researchers use. Kids can go in there and dig and find fossils and mementos of the past. It's really unique. Inside, though, there are recreations of dinosaurs. There are interactive exhibits, games, and activities. There's a critter cove where you can interact with real animals. It's a whole day of dinosaurs, fossils, and fun from millions and millions of years ago.

Alison: What about tweens, older kids? What might be some good activities for them?

Julie Gordon: Well, for anybody who's watching the Olympics right now, the Winter Olympics are obviously huge. Isabeau Levito, the women's figure skater, is from New Jersey, if anyone didn't know. She's from Mount Laurel. Her home rink is the Igloo in Mount Laurel. Ice skating, if you're inspired by the Winter Olympics, ice skating is always great. There's Mountain Creek for skiing and snowboarding. That's great for teens. Also, the indoor ski slope at American Dream that I mentioned before. Any of our old school arcades that are on here.

Game Vault. Silverball in Asbury Park, they build themselves as a pinball museum because they not only have pinball machines, but they tell you the history of the machines. Nearby there in Red Bank, also at the Jersey Shore, Kevin Smith, the filmmaker, owns a comic book store called Jay and Silent Bob's Secret Stash, which is on our list. If you're a comic book lover, this is the place to go. They have memorabilia, they have amazing comics, and it's a really unique place.

Alison: Let's talk to Hannah, who's calling from Westfield. Hi, Hannah, thank you so much for calling All Of It.

Hannah: Hi, Alison, thank you for taking my call. I don't know if somebody mentioned the Fosterfields Living Historical Farm in Morristown. It's a great, great place to go with little kids. I took my kids, when they were little, to farms. I wanted to expose them to farm animals. They have sheep and cows, and they show how to make butter. It's hands-on. This is a beautiful place where elderly people who do voluntarily work and show the kids how it used to be done.

Alison: Thank you. Sounds like a great time. Let's talk to Debbie, who's calling from Trenton. Hi, Debbie. Thanks for calling All Of It.

Debbie: Hi. Yes, I wanted to share a real fun adventure that we've done. It's very low-cost. It's crabbing. I learned how to crab from my grandfather. All you really need is a string, a weight, and a raw chicken neck. You put it in the water, and you feel a little tug, of course, you need a net; you pull it up nice and slow, and if you're lucky, you get a nice crab. Then you put it in a basket. You'll need a basket. I did it with my grandfather, with my kids, and my grandkids. The best part about it is you're outdoors all day, you come home, you cook up a wonderful family feast, and you've just had a terrific time.

Alison: Debbie, thanks for the recommendation. Let's talk to Sally. Hi, Sally. Thank you so much for calling All Of It.

Sally: Oh, of course. I was so pleased to be listening to your show. I'd like to plug the Zimmerli Art Museum, which is at Rutgers University in New Brunswick. It is always free. They have incredible contemporary exhibitions and a permanent collection featuring an array of artworks from Europe to the former Soviet Union. One of the largest collections, in fact, of Soviet non-conformist art. Also, their public programming.

They do a lot of art making on the weekends, and again, all free and for all ages. They also have a bilingual initiative they started, which features programming in Spanish and in English called Último Domingo. I think it's a reminder that Rutgers, itself, they have a lot of other free-- The campus is beautiful to walk on their gardens. Rutgers Gardens, as well, is yet another free, family-friendly place. That's my plug.

Alison: Thanks so much, Sally. We really appreciate it. I did want to ask you, Julie, about cultural opportunities. Where can you take the kids to experience theater and culture?

Julie Gordon: Well, we have the Paper Mill Playhouse on our list. It's a Tony-winning regional theater. There are a lot of kids' shows there. It's a great place to take your kid for their first show. I've heard from friends who've taken their kids, mine haven't been yet, but that the ushers and everybody who works there are really nice, and it's very welcoming to families. I know Frozen just played there, and there are a lot of kid-friendly plays.

Alison: If you wanted to take your kid out for a treat, where would you take them?

Julie Gordon: Oh, for like an ice cream or something like that treat? Well, there are a couple places. There's the Candy Lab in Hamilton if you want to make your own candy, which is a different, fun experience. You have to work a little, I guess, to get your sweet. They have classes, they have all sorts of events there where you can go and make your own treats. Then on Long Beach Island, we've got Show Place Ice Cream, which, in addition to just having great ice cream, there's a show that comes with every visit there.

There's a performance. The people who work there are singers and actors, and they perform tunes while you have your ice cream. It's fun experience, not just a regular night out at the Jersey Shore with an ice cream cone.

Alison: Listeners, we want to remind you that our shows, the transcripts for everything you've heard, will be available later on, so you can go back and you can check all of the great places you can visit in New Jersey. My guest has been Julie Gordon, editor of New Jersey Monthly. We went through her article, 50+ Things Every Jersey Kid Must Do. Thanks, Julie.

Julie Gordon: Thanks, Alison.