After months of staying cooped up in the house, it's time to hit the road and explore all New Jersey has to offer this summer. Due to the pandemic and statewide closings, road trip options are a bit more limited than prior seasons, but there are still plenty of fun day trips in New Jersey. NJ state parks are open for hiking and biking. Most of New Jersey's beaches are open with social distancing guidelines. Brand-new drive-through activities offer unique opportunities for family day trips in New Jersey, too. 

Need more inspiration? Check out our Summer Fun Guide for NJ Kids for even more NJ day trips.

New Jerseyans who are itching to get to the the beach this weekend after months of lockdown have something to look forward to. On Monday, Governor Murphy announced the next reopening stage of the five stage "road back" reopening plan for our state, explaining which restrictions will be lifted and which businesses can reopen, with key safety guidelines. New Jersey has entered Stage 1 (after Stage 0 of maximum restrictions) which allows relaxed restrictions on low-risk activities if appropriately safeguarded. 

Beginning Friday, May 22, New Jersey beaches and lakes can reopen. Plus, outdoor activities like batting cages, golf ranges, and horseback riding facilities are set to remove restrictions. After two months of non-stop Coronavirus news, only seeing each other in car parades and 8pm howls, giving our kids quarantine haircuts and virtual birthday parties, we finally have the beginnings of a plan to get out and enjoy the Garden State's natural beauty.

With the economic crisis surrounding the pandemic, local businesses are looking for new ways to reinvent themselves and stay afloat during quarantine. Restaurants, small markets and toy stores have become accustomed to serving customers curbside, as well as offering local delivery. Other businesses, such as pharmacies, craft stores and clothing shops have used their creativity to think outside the box and serve their customers safely. Some food establishments have put together DIY food kits as a spin on take out, while still offering ready-made meals to go. Craft stores are now packaging kits to bring home to restless children. Many of these local businesses give back to the community with donations of goods and services to frontline workers.

Help support businesses in your area by continuing to purchase their products, consider buying gift cards for future use as well, and order directly through local restaurants, rather than a third-party delivery service, to help keep all of the profits with the company.

Read on for a sampling of local businesses throughout New Jersey that would appreciate your patronage. Be sure to check out all all kinds of businesses in your town.

And while you're showing your support for the businesses you love, we hope you'll count Mommy Poppins and our small business partners among them. You can support Mommy Poppins by sharing articles you find useful with friends or on your social media channels, checking out our directory of virtual classes, camps and birthday parties and telling businesses you found them through Mommy Poppins. Also, as part of our effort to keep our local parent writers and this website afloat and support some of our favorite family businesses, we've created Poppins@Home, a platform for small businesses to share free and low-cost online classes and birthday parties with kids all over the country. Please consider trying a few of these fun, affordable, and creative classes—and spreading the word among your friends—as yet another way to support, uplift, and get through these challenging times together! And for hundreds of fun ideas during quarantine, browse our Stay-at-Home Guide.

If you're tired of fighting for time slots from big name grocery chains and grocery delivery services, then look no further than a New Jersey local food market and farm stand, which can offer a great alternative for stocking up on grocery staples without the hassle of supermarket delivery. These local businesses carry items like fresh produce, dairy, meats and baked goods and offer delivery or curbside pickup. Some of the farm stands offer CSAs (community supported agriculture) for a monthly fee. So stock up and enjoy grocery delivery, hassle-free!

Get more ideas on how to thrive during quarantine with the Coronavirus Guide for Parents.

While this year's Easter celebration won't be the one you hoped for, many New Jersey restaurants are offering families delicious options for a restaurant meal ready for pick up just in time for Easter. We've rounded up 12 New Jersey restaurants that are offering traditional Easter menus that can be picked up or delivered while keeping social distance boundaries. Choose from holiday favorites like ham, turkey, Italian spreads appetizers and desserts, without the stress of cooking and cleaning. Go ahead and place your orders, put on those bonnets, host a backyard egg hunt (decorate the Easter eggs first with our Easy Easter Egg Decorating ideas), FaceTime loved ones and treat your family to the Easter meals they've always looked forward to.

Check out 30+ Activities to Keep Little Ones Busy for more ideas on entertaining the family during the pandemic.

At publication time, these restaurants are offering take-out service for Easter Sunday. Since the COVID-19 situation is constantly evolving, please confirm with the restaurant directly to be sure.

Social distancing has become the new norm, but getting outside for fresh air is still allowed... and encouraged! Kid-friendly walks, hikes, and bike rides are a nice break from screen time, without the crowds of playgrounds (many of which are closed) and other outdoor gathering spots.

The following outdoor activities in our state remain open as of publishing time. Disclaimer: With everything changing from one day to the next, please check with any venue you plan to visit to confirm it remains open.

For more ideas for things to do at home or in your own backyard, check out our Coronavirus Guide for Parents, where you'll find hundreds of ideas and resources for keeping the kids busy while keeping your sanity. We’ve also been cataloging virtual events from all over the country on our Event Calendar and have rounded up our faves for the days ahead.

Stay safe and be well, New Jersey!

March comes in like a lion with an abundance of celebrations in honor of Dr. Seuss' birthday, St. Patrick's Day, and NJ Makers Day. We've rounded up more than a dozen things we're most looking forward to this month in NJ, from springtime celebrations to a huge selection of kids' shows. 

Make Dr. Seuss' 115th birthday a festive one at Morris Museum and Liberty Hall. Get your green on at St. Paddy's parades throughout the state. And put those thinking caps on at Makers Day events, including one at Museum of Early Trades & Crafts.  

This month is packed with performances: Finding Neverland, Dinosaur World Live, Disney on Ice, and much more. And get a taste of early spring at outdoor events like Maple Sugaring at Washington Crossing State Park and Diggerland's Season Opening. 

Read on to see all of our top picks for March awesomeness. And for a complete list of this month's happenings, be sure to check out our Event Calendar. Happy (almost) spring!

There's so much to love about February, and we've rounded up the best things to do with kids in New Jersey throughout the month! There's Valentine's Day, of course, as well as the Chinese New Year and Presidents Day (this month marks George Washington's 288th!).

Got a sweet tooth? Check out Morris Museum's Chocolate Family Day or Great Swamp's Migrating Birds and Chocolate, or go maple sugaring at one of several spots around the state. 

There are tons of kid-friendly performances this month, including mr. RAY, The Very Hungry Caterpillar & Other Eric Carle Favourites, and Dino-Light. And there are plenty of ways to celebrate Valentine's Day, including Family Date Night at Jenkinson's and a My Little Man and Me party at Liberty Hall Museum.

For a full list of happenings, don't forget to check out our Event Calendar. And find more fun things to do in February in our Winter Fun & Activity Guide for NJ Families. Happy February, NJ!