It's cold, slippery, and—if you're talking about hitting the sledding hills—ridiculously fun. New Jersey is home to plenty of perfect sledding hills for all ages, and we've compiled this list of 26 great sledding spots throughout the state. So, once the flakes have flown, it's time to break out your sleds, bundle up (helmets recommended!), and venture out to one of these great local sledding hills in New Jersey.

Don't forget the safety check! Take a minute to make sure your chosen sledding hill isn't too steep or bumpy for your child and that there's enough of a "landing" spot so your little sledder can safely glide to a halt. Avoid spots near ponds and trees, and be sure the sledding hill doesn't end in a street or parking lot. Skip rocky hills, too.

For even more winter fun, bookmark our Guide to Winter Activities for New Jersey Families.

South Jersey boasts amazing beaches and boardwalks, but chilly months may have you searching for play space and indoor playgrounds.

Read on for our list of some of the best indoor play spaces in the region, with offerings that include trampoline courts, arcades, bumper cars, and much more. 

Christmas lights shine brightly in New Jersey, and you can enjoy amazingly decked-out houses with stunning holiday displays throughout the state. There are many different ways to see Christmas lights—from walk-through spectacles at amusement parks to over-the-top drive-thru displays and private homes. There are even entire towns that go all out with holiday light installations!

These sparkling holiday spectacles—some of which feature more than 1 million lights—are sure to impress even the grinchiest member of your family. So bundle up the kids and head out to one of these illuminating local light shows before the sun sets on the Christmas season!

Check out our roundup of New Jersey Christmas towns that go all out for the holidays, and find tons more ways to be merry in our Holiday Fun Guide.

If you're ready to add a little extra sparkle to the holiday season, take note: The tri-state area boasts some pretty spectacular Christmas lights and holiday lights drive-thrus where your crew can enjoy twinkling Christmas lights displays from the warmth, comfort, and safety of your car.

We've compiled a list of 15 must-see Christmas lights displays to drive through in New Jersey, Westchester, Long Island, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut that are guaranteed to bring smiles to your family's faces. So, pack some snacks, cue the Christmas music, and get ready to make some priceless holiday memories.

Find tons more ways to celebrate this season with those you love in our jam-packed Holiday Guide. Consider it our seasonal gift to you.

New Jersey's best birthday party places are tailor-made for kids of all interests–including sports, arts, and science. From flying high at an indoor skydiving center to starring in a Broadway-style birthday performance, the birthday party places we've rounded up below break the mold.

Be sure to check out our post on the top birthday party venues for New Jersey preschoolers and lots more in our Guide to Kids' Birthday Parties in NJ. 

Advent calendars are the perfect way to turn a torturous wait for the holidays into excited anticipation. I have to confess, I am a bit of an advent calendar obsessive; last holiday season we had eight going for our family of four, plus one for each of the cats! My kids each had a toy one (Lego for my son, Harry Potter for my daughter) and a candy one, I had a wine advent calendar, my husband had a dark chocolate one, and we always have a family one and a kindness advent.

Find the perfect one, or two, for everyone in your family—from baby’s first to something for your blasé teen—from this list of the very best advent calendars for 2024. But hurry—the coolest advent calendars sell out fast.

For more Christmas activities that get kids in the holiday mood, check out our Guide to Christmas Activities and Holiday Fun for Kids. And for the perfect gift for everyone on your list, our Gift Guide has unique, tested, and beloved recommendations for kids of every age and interest.

Hear ye, hear ye: Medieval Times in Lyndhurst, New Jersey, is truly an amazing family outing for all ages. You'll get to experience dinner and an exciting live show featuring knights on horseback, jousting matches, sword fights, games of skill, and more.

Whether your little prince or princess is a toddler, teen, or somewhere in between, this is truly an outing the whole family can enjoy together. Read on to find out what you can expect during a visit to the castle. 

And be sure to check out our article on other themed restaurants in New Jersey here. 

New Jersey is teeming with beautiful waterfalls, and many of them are accessible via an easy hike or walk. From the roaring Paterson Great Falls—the second-most-powerful waterfall east of the Mississippi—to the charming Hemlock Falls in the South Mountain Reservation, we've rounded up a handful of waterfall hikes in northern NJ that you can tackle with even the littlest trekkers. 

Waterfall hikes are great for goal-oriented kids and anyone who needs a reminder that sometimes the best adventures are in our own backyards. Read on for our picks.

Be sure to check out our article on great day trips to NJ state forests and more in our Guide to New Jersey Playgrounds & Parks.