Updated August 20, 2026
For her 10th birthday 'our' little adventurer decided she wanted to go on a safari for her annual trip, having developed an interest in wildlife and wildlife preservation. To which Uncle Jay promptly replied "If you think I'm taking you to AFRICA, you've got another thing coming!"
Me: "Ummm you two? Who says you have to go to Africa to go on a safari or save wildlife? It's not like they don't have wildlife safaris and wildlife programs right here in the U.S. ya know. I can think of at least 12 of them right off the top of my head!"
The two of them:
Deer in headlights
Buck in headlights: "You can?"
"Yes."
Fawn in headlights: "Pat's smarter than you are, Uncle Jay."
Buck in headlights to me: "OK you plan a U.S. safari and I'll pay all of your expenses to go along. Since someone obviously thinks you're smarter than I am."
So I planned a U.S. safari trip. If you want a list of states that have safari-like experiences, here you go:
Safari West (Santa Rosa, CA)
Wildlife Safari (Winston OR)
San Diego Zoo Safari Park (Escondido, CA)
Safari West (Santa Rosa, CA)
Bearizona (Williams, AZ)
African Safari Wildlife Park (Port Clinton, OH)
Lion Country Safari (West Palm Beach, FL)
Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch (San Antonio TX)
Fossil Rim Wildlife Center (Glenrose, TX)
Wildlife Safari Park (Ashland, NE)
Buffalo Safari Jeep Tour (Custer, SD)
Pine Mountain Wild Animal Safari (Pine Mountain, GA)
Virginia Safari Park (Natural Bridge, VA)
Six Flags Great Adventure (Jackson Township, NJ)
ALL of the above safaris are AZA-accredited, which means the animals are cared for compassionately and to the highest standards, often exceeding government regulations and requirements.
We wanted something more interactive and longer lasting than a few minute drive-through a wildlife park in your car. Ultimately we let Ashley decide since it was her birthday trip. She chose Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson Township, NJ. More specifically their Wildlife Safari experience that is adjacent to the Six Flags amusement park. 1 Six Flags Blvd., Jackson, New Jersey
We decided to try something new - the Savannah Sunset Resort within Six Flags Wildlife Safari park itself. A glamping suite to be specific.
Photo credit: Savannah Sunset Resort
This place took glamping to a whole new level.
The tent slept 4 and although Six Flags does not allow you to bring in your own food, the tent did have a mini fridge and microwave. But the best part was the veranda. Where else could you awaken to the sight of giraffes roaming right in front of you and hear lions roaring?
INCLUDED WITH YOUR ACCOMMODATIONS:
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Multi-Park Ticket (Six Flags Great Adventure, Hurricane Harbor and Wild Safari Parks) are included per night stayed / per guest for use anytime in the current season.
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Access to Savannah Sunset private viewing areas, business center, outdoor games, private safari tour and a daily giraffe feeding exclusive to Savannah Sunset Resort guests.
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Nightly marshmallows roasting and entertainment (Friday and Saturday evenings).
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Made to order Breakfast is also included each morning in the lodge.
We'd purchased Gold Passes for the trip before booking accommodations ($79 each) which covered:
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Unlimited visits through the end of next year
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Free general parking
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Unlimited access to Wild Safari
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Unlimited access to Hurricane Harbor
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10% Food & Merchandise Discounts
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Bring-A-Friend Discount Tickets
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Eligible for All Park Passport
DO NOT RUSH OUT AND BUY ONE OF THESE PASSES UNTIL YOU READ MY REVIEW OF SIX FLAGS THAT APPEARS LATER IN THIS ARTICLE!!!
They're valid at any of over 40 Six Flags parks, not just the NJ Six Flags Great Adventure park.
If you don't want to stay at the Savannah Sunset Resort...
21 of the Best Hotels in New Jersey Near Six Flags
Take a walk through Downtown Jackson
I'd never seen a city that had made their downtown so walkable. Walk Downtown is an ongoing effort to encourage a lifestyle of walkability in the streets of Downtown Jackson.
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Explore walking itineraries on their blog that guide you through the heart of Downtown Jackson. Whether you're in the mood for art, fitness or live music there's a trail for you. Download the Visit Jackson App to navigate each route with ease.
Temporary sidewalk signage by JDDC and Our Jackson Home helps guide your journey with step counts to key destinations, fun selfie spots, and public art highlights. Keep an eye out for these
colorful markers as you explore downtown.
You can see the walking trails through downtown Jackson here.
Not only does Jackson make it really easy to negotiate your way around, it offers Park and Walk.
Find a FREE parking lot Downtown to park, walk and enjoy Downtown to the fullest, with no time limitations!
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N Highland Ave & E Lafayette St
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E College St & N Church St
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E Baltimore St & S Church St
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W Main St
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N Highland Ave & E College St
But that's not all...
If you're so inclined and plan to do some shopping in downtown, you can purchase a Shop Downtown card for $20 that offers exclusive deals and promotions at participating local businesses,
You can see a list of downtown businesses here.
The Jackson Premium Outlets offer a fantastic shopping experience. This outdoor mall features a vast array of name-brand stores at discounted prices. Shoppers can find great deals on clothing, accessories, shoes, and home goods.
With over 70 outlet stores, it’s a shopper’s paradise. Popular brands include Nike, Coach, and Tommy Hilfiger. The outlet is family-friendly, offering amenities like stroller rentals and a food court for convenience.
1000 Premium Outlets Dr, Jackson, NJ
Arrive in Jackson and get settled in your accommodations. If you are staying in the Six Flags Safari Wildlife Park then you'll want to explore this park before scoping out downtown.
Tuesday
Afternoon: Lunch at nearby Miller's Ale House. 554 Fellowship Rd, Mount Laurel, NJ
Soups, salads, bowls, pasta dishes, sandwiches, burgers, seafood dishes, steaks, chicken, pork.
I'm not sure why some rated Miller's Ale House so low but it seemed like the negative reviews were by those irked by having to wait a few minutes for their bill or appetizers.
Our experience was favorable. The food was good, the service by waitstaff over the top. Pricing was right and the place was clean.
Tuesdays - Kids Eat FREE, One free kid's meal with purchase of $10+ menu item, excluding alcohol. Limit 2 per table, dine in only.
The kids menu had 6 different entree choices on it and Ashley didn't leave the table hungry.
While exploring Jackson, visit Johnson Memorial Park, located at Cooksbridge Road and Manhattan Street.
192 Kierych Memorial Dr, Jackson Township, NJ
This municipal park has lots of great amenities, including a few sports and athletic fields and a picnic and sitting area. Lots of benches dot the park, so there are plenty of places to rest, relax, and enjoy the outdoors. Grills and picnic tables are available to visitors, and kids enjoy playing in the playground area complete with fun equipment. Plenty of free parking is available thanks to the adjacent parking lot. The park also hosts several events throughout the year for residents to enjoy.
This park has an impressive 95 acres of outdoor space. There are soccer and baseball fields, a tennis court, and a beautiful fitness trail where people can run, walk, or ride their bikes. The picnic area has grills available and is located close to the playground. Athletic fields are typically open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. Pet owners will appreciate the dog runs in the nearby Jackson Dog Park, and dogs may also walk on the main park trails as long as they are on a leash.
Evening: Have dinner at Solo Bella: 426 Chandler Road, Jackson, NJ.
This very popular Southern Italian bistro is one of the best restaurants in Jackson. It's located in an attractive stand alone building that invites you to enter into the lobby area where seating and deli cases are filled with gourmet italian food products and fresh baked desserts. There are two dining rooms and the decor in the main dining room is pleasant and soft, with earth toned walls and burgundy drapes, soft lighting and candlelit tables.
Solo Bella offers fresh home style prepared southern Italian food - at a very attractive price. They serve up gargantuan portions of food with the freshest ingredients, seafood, meats, and pastas. The menu caters to Italian family traditions.
Each night there is also a daily special with unbeatable prices and portions. Some of the popular favorites include; Sea food Fra Diavlo, Penne & Broccoli with either shrimp or chicken, Linguine with clams, Shrimp Oregenata, strip steaks, Lasagna, spaghetti, and veal parmigiano, and a variety of broccoli rabe, sausage, and fried calamari combinations. They also serve up outstanding brick oven pizza. In the warmer summer months, there is outdoor dining on the deck. Reservations recommended.
Wednesday
Morning: Breakfast was included with our accommodations, but if yours isn't then try Sunrise Diner: 129 N. County Line Rd, Jackson, NJ
Their red velvet waffles are to die for!
Delicious homemade breakfasts at reasonable prices. $
Portions are generous, service friendly.
Off on our wildlife adventure!
Yes, the giraffe really get this up close and personal. Jay provided comic relief when one of them licked his face. You would've thought the man had just contracted Bubonic plague! EWWWW GIRAFFE SPIT ALL OVER MY FACE!
(Must be the germaphobic surgeon in him) Ashley and I couldn't stop laughing as we're such big animal lovers we don't care what licks our faces.
Ashley: "Should we call Flight For Life for you, Uncle Jay?" (Insert mega dose of sarcasm there)
Even the Safari driver was laughing when the kid came out with that one!
Wildlife Safari park map below:
I've done safari rides before, like the one at WDW Animal Kingdom so I really wasn't expecting much our of this safari ride. My assumption was wrong!
Animals will come right up to the truck - over 1,200 animals from six continents including elephants, rhinos, tigers, giraffes and lions. Throughout the excursion, informative guides will answer questions and entertain you. Or just take Jay along and a container of Lysol wipes. LOL
You might want to consider purchasing the 90 minute VIP tour where you get up even closer to the animals in the comfort of a Rover.
A Six Flags VIP Tour starts at $349.99 per person (minimum of 2 required) and must be booked at least (24) hours in advance. Tours are only available during normal park operating hours. Tour booking is on a first come, first serve basis.
General Wild Safari park admission ranges between $39 and $54 per person, depending on date. Admission applies to guests ages 3 years and older; ages 2 and under are free.
Because of how close the animals came to us all three of us thoroughly enjoyed this ride. We were glad we'd bought the Gold Passes as we could take the ride again, as many times as we wanted to. Taking the ride once wasn't enough for any of us, we wanted to do it again. As long as Jay could sit out of reach of giraffe tongues.
From the safari, it was off to the Wildlife Safari Base Camp. Throughout the day, expert animal educators bring the wild to life, sharing fascinating facts, conservation insights, and behind-the-scenes stories about the animals you see. There were parrots, birds of prey, insects, reptiles, and mammals. You walk through the base camp at your own pace and explore all the exhibits.
Afternoon: We had this little gem recommended to us by a semi driver who stops there regularly for lunch. Wow! Small place but HUGE on flavor and value - Off the Grill: 1650 Old York Rd, Allentown, NJ
Mix and match your 3 favorite tacos for only $13.99!
And you can see how huge the tacos are at left! They certainly don't skimp on the fillings! And they're DELICIOUS!
They also make sandwiches, burgers, subs and wraps.
You want to get to Off the Grill slightly before the lunch hour because come the lunch hour, the place becomes absolutely packed with customers.
Open Monday - Thursday 5 am to 9 pm
Saturday 6 am to 9 pm
Sundays Closed
Photo credit: Off the Grill
After lunch we returned to the Safari park so Ashley could do her giraffe feeding for the day. Those giraffe certainly aren't shy around humans!
TURN ON SOUND HERE!
Sorry, Ash and I couldn't resist knowing Uncle Jay will see this!
After lunch we headed for the Six Flags amusement park.
Six Flags is set up into sections like WDW is set up as 4 different parks. The sections in Six Flag Great Adventure Park are comprised of Boardwalk, Frontier Adventures, Fantasy Forest and Movietown.
I'm posting the full tour video so you can see Six Flags for yourself before I give you our review:
Go to the park on weekdays and you'll avoid the long weekend lines. Getting there early even on weekdays is advised to avoid possible big lines later on.
Our Review of the Six Flags Great Adventure Park
I'd be doing you the viewers a disservice if I didn't give you our (collective) opinion on this amusement park.
There were a number of things we found rather disturbing.
First of all, if you're not staying at accommodations within the park and must drive and park there, you're going to be playing something akin to Dodge Cars as you try to make your way safely to the park entrance. Even little children are forced to do this, which upset us. With what Six Flags charges for everything, there's absolutely no reason apart from straight up greed that they couldn't run a couple of shuttles in that parking lot to get their guests safely to the park entrance!
We noticed the park seems to be in a state of deterioration. For example, we saw a years old roller coaster that had merely been repainted and new signage put up...advertised as being a "new" roller coaster still running on the same years old track with the same years old cars. There's nothing wrong with refurbishing a roller coaster and renaming it. But don't try to pass it off to paying guests as being "new" simply because you slapped a coat of paint on it!
We all know amusement parks are deliberately designed to be money pits. This is hardly rocket science.
But Six Flags has taken it over the top, especially where its food concessions are concerned.
Expect to pay over $50 for two small garden salads with a small bit of grilled chicken, a very modest pulled pork sandwich, three small fruit cups, and three bottles of water. The food was just “ok”, but absolutely not worth the exorbitant cost.
Limit your food to snacking in the park but eat meals outside of the park. Bottles of water and three small ice cream cups were an additional $20 plus at another concession stand.
Photo of one of the concession stand food signs:
Our eyes about popped out of our heads when we saw the above. Almost $30 for 2 slices of frozen pizza PLUS a $1.30 surcharge PER ORDER?!! Thanks but no thanks!
No wonder Six Flags has begun announcing park closings if this is how they intend to operate!
Six Flags announces on its website that there's live entertainment. We saw no such thing anywhere in the park. Apart from going from ride to ride, there's little else to do except get pickpocketed by Six Flags.
Another point: If you're going to deny riders taking anything with them on the rides, then provide adequate storage facilities to secure their belongings while on the rides. We actually had one park employee tell us to "Hide your water bottles in the bushes" when he said we couldn't take them on the ride. HIDE THEM IN THE BUSHES?!! SERIOUSLY?!!
There is a bank of lockers somewhere in the park that of course, you pay for. But if after 2 hours you're not back at that locker, it automatically opens so that just anyone could steal your stuff. And no one is going to walk halfway across the park between each ride to put something like their water bottle in a locker!
Nor was this nonsense being enforced consistently. We noticed riders who had purchased what amounted to Fast Track passes being allowed to take huge stuffed animals they'd won on the ride simply because they'd paid hundreds of dollars more for those Fast Track passes.
We also felt the rides were extremely short in duration for the amount of time one could spend standing n line in order to ride one. Even the little kid's carousel only made 3 turns before the ride ended.
Yes, we had fun on some of the rides. I won't deny that or the fact that most park employees were friendly and helpful. But by the end of our first evening there, even Ashley announced "This place is a RIP OFF!" We'd originally planned to spend another full day in the amusement park...but none of the 3 of us had any burning desire to do that and we changed up our itinerary.
So BUYER BEWARE.
We never ate in the amusement park after that first night. In fact, we never returned to it. When a 10 year old doesn't enjoy an amusement park, that amusement park has serious problems! All 3 of us agreed if we had to do it over again we'd skip Six Flags amusement park altogether.
That review does not pertain to the Wildlife Park! It was beautifully run and maintained, The only complaint I had about it was that Six Flags didn't allow you to bring your own food in, thinking they were going to force you to eat at their grossly overpriced restaurants in yet another money grab.
Thursday
Morning: If breakfast isn't included with your accommodations, have breakfast at Rosemary Artisanal Bagelry: 1135 E Veterans Hwy Building 1 Unit 9, Jackson Township, NJ
Talk about homestyle (and kosher)!
Rosemary's boils and stone-fire cooks their own bagels and ferment their own sourdough. They even make their own mayo and dressings.
Rosemary's serves breakfast, brunch and lunch.
Their fare includes soups, snacks, sandwiches, wraps, Artisanal toasts, fish, pasta, pizza bagels, burritos and more.
Average prices per breakfast item range from $6 to their single most expensive menu item being $19 so everything is very reasonably priced and the food very good.
Sun -Thur: 7:00am - 4:00pm
Friday: 7:00am - 12:00pm
Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge
Our trip was about wildlife and wildlife conservation so we scrapped our plans to spend the day in the amusement park and drive 45 minutes to Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge: 800 Great Creek Road, Oceanville, NJ
We're both passionate about wildlife and its conversation and Ashley has developed this same interest so we wanted to incorporate learning experiences into her trip as well as fun.
Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge protects more than 48,000 acres of southern New Jersey coastal habitats. More than 82 percent of Forsythe refuge is wetlands, of which 78 percent is salt marsh, interspersed with shallow coves and bays. It's also a critical location where bird migration is concerned.
As you just saw in the video, the 8 mile long Wildlife Driving Tour is just beautiful.
The Refuge Entrance Pass costs $4 per car daily. The fees collected fund safety services, trail maintenance, interpretative programs, and facility improvements for visitor enhancement. At least 80% of the recreation fees collected at national wildlife refuges and national fish hatcheries stay at the location they were collected.
In addition, an Interagency Pass is also required because the refuge is run by the NPS. We already had an annual senior pass so we were covered. Fee and Pass information here.
When you arrive at the Refuge, stop at their Visitor Center.
You can pay any admission fees and purchase Passes at the Visitors Center, ask any questions you may have and learn what programs are available during your visit.
We were glad to discover the Refuge had a Junior Ranger Program in which Ashley could participate in during our visit to the Refuge.
You can pick up or download and print out the age appropriate Junior Ranger booklet for your child. Complete 6 tasks in the booklet during your visit, stop back at the Visitor Center once your child has their booklet tasks completed and they will receive their Junior Ranger badge and a certificate.
Your child can borrow an Adventure Backpack while you’re there! If either the Headquarters Building or Friends of Forsythe Shop are open during your visit, you can sign out an Adventure Backpack filled with supplies such as binoculars, tape measure, pencils, sketch paper, bug boxes, and more! Backpacks are available during normal business hours:
• Headquarters Building: Monday-Friday 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
• Friends of Forsythe Shop: Weekends Spring and Fall 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
(**Backpacks are helpful but not required for completing activities)
We actually did this activity with Ashley and after our visit she told us she enjoyed that much more than another day at the amusement park. She didn't just complete 6 tasks in the booklet, she completed ALL of them!
Afternoon: Although we spent all afternoon in the wildlife refuge, we did break for lunch and then return to the refuge so Ashley could complete her Junior Ranger program.
Have lunch at nearby The Smithville Inn: 1 N. New York Road, Galloway, NJ
They even have their own carousel.
They have a fantastic lunch menu with plenty of options to choose from.
Jay had a Prime Rib Sandwich he said was excellent, priced at a reasonable $19 - one of the most expensive lunch menu items.
I had a Crab Cake Sandwich, also $19 and delicious. Ashley had the Chicken Caesar Wrap at $16.
After lunch, head back to the Forsythe Wildlife Refuge to finish exploring. The refuge includes several scenic trails that
pass through coastal wetlands, freshwater
ponds, early successional fields, andwoodlands.
There is a fee to hike the trails.
If you haven't done the 8 mile Wildlife Drive, it features two wildlife observational towers, a boardwalk extending over the salt marsh with views of the Atlantic City skyline, and links to a network of trails, providing opportunities for hiking, wildlife observation, photography, and more. By all means take this drive and if you're physically able to, climb one of the observation towers. The view is breathtaking at the top!
If you haven't done the 8 mile Wildlife Drive, it features two wildlife observational towers, a boardwalk extending over the salt marsh with views of the Atlantic City skyline, and links to a network of trails, providing opportunities for hiking, wildlife observation, photography, and more. By all means take this drive and if you're physically able to, climb one of the observation towers. The view is breathtaking at the top!
Evening: Ashley wanted Rainforest Cafe for birthday dinner. 2201 Boardwalk, Atlantic City, NJ (18 minutes from Oceanville and the Forsythe wildlife refuge)
Fine by us as kids eat for 99 cents and and all 3 of us belong to their loyalty club so we also got a $50 discount on our meals using our accumulated points.
It used to be you got a FREE dessert on your birthday but they've now changed the policy to free dessert when dining with 3 or more paying guests.
However, since there were 3 of us the manager gave Ashley her free dessert - although we elected to pay a little extra for their Sparkling Volcano as a birthday treat.
Ashley's a figure skater so after dinner we hit the Winding River Ice Rink for some skating.
They have both indoor and outdoor ice rinks.
It was enough to feed all 3 of us dessert as there's no way Ashley could eat the whole thing!
Winding River Ice Rink
1211 Whitesville Road, Toms River, NJ
Friday
Morning: Have breakfast at The Mug Rack: 70 West Veterans Highway, Jackson, NJ. Locals recommended!
What a brilliant idea! Why don't more restaurants do this?!!
I had a great time talking with fellow officers, etc.
The breakfast was great too - but then the locals always know the best places to go. Nice relaxed, casual atmosphere where you don't feel the need to rush through breakfast and can strike up
Family owned and operated and you can tell by the friendly atmosphere it's a local haunt.
The morning we stopped there, they'd invited local police to breakfast to strengthen the bond between them and the community they serve.
conversations with the people around you. Extensive menu at reasonable prices too.
Howling Woods Farm
1371 West Veterans Highway • Jackson Township, NJ
Howling Woods Farm is an educational facility and Public Charity providing learning experiences to the public about wolves and wolfdogs.
Ashley fell in love with wolves when the wild wolf that lives on my lake (at right) who comes to visit me, came right up to us, as he always does when I'm alone. She was thrilled to have a wild wolf walk right up to her!
So Ash was really hyped to visit Howling Wolves Farm to interact with all the wolves and wolfdogs. They're all uber friendly and love getting petted and scratches.
This is a great place to visit for the entire family! Educational as well as you'll learn a lot about wolves and wolfdogs.
Making an appointment to visit is an ABSOLUTE MUST or you will be turned away without an appointment! To see dates the farm is open, and their upcoming events, visit our schedule.
They do not make appointments via email or social media. You must phone them at (609) 901-1387 between the hours of 10am and 4pm Monday through Friday.
Please be sure to provide your phone number, as they make appointments only by speaking with you directly. Calls made on weekends will not be answered,
Nor do they send reservation confirmation emails.
The tours are very popular so make your reservations well in advance.
By the way, if you howl all of the animals in the sanctuary will follow your lead and start howling too in response to you! (Your tour guide will tell you when you can do this!) It's not just one wolf that howls as show in the video below. The ENTIRE SANCTUARY starts howling back at you!
To clarify...wolf dogs are hybrids of wolves, and dogs like Malmutes, Huskies, German Shepherds.
But they all have varying degrees of wolf in them.
The tour will start with introducing you to the wolfdogs with the least amount of wolf in them, then work you up to the wolfdogs with the most wolf in them - up to 95% wolf. And you will see the change in their demeanors and personalities the more wolf they have in them.
Make sure to read the website before going. You cannot wear fur, faux fur, down or puffy jackets, leather, open toed shoes in the enclosures.
The farm does request a minimum donation of $30 per adult and $15 per child 10-12 years old, to help with our costs for feeding and maintaining the animals & facility. Everyone at the farm is a volunteer because they are a Not For Profit charitable organization. They rely on donations to care for the animals.
Very few people ever have the chance to see wolves up close and personal and most wolf sanctuaries won't let you in the enclosures with the wolves so this is a visit you want to put on your MUST DO list!
Allaire State Park
Drive 30 minutes from Jackson to Allaire State Park and the historic Allaire Village: 4265 Atlantic Ave.Farmingdale, NJ. What a fantastic historic village and park! Although the walk-through video below was filmed in fall, it will give you an idea of what the historic village is like.
Stop at the Visitor Center, located in the row houses shown below.
If you're going to use the trail system, pick up a map as the converging trails can get confusing and you don't want to get lost!
The visitor center is open seasonally and for special events, please call the Allaire State Park office at 732-938-2371 for operating hours.
A network of trails winds through the park providing opportunities for hikers, mountain bikers, and horseback riders. Several moderate hiking trails are in the main day use area of the park, close to the main parking area.
The Visitor Center is located in this rowhouse
The “South Side” area of the park is approximately 800 acres of varying terrain and has miles of unmarked trails as well as four primary marked multi-use trails. The South Side trails trailhead is off a large gravel parking lot located on Hospital Road.
Bring your mountain bike along! We rode a couple of the shorter South Side trail loops that are multi-use by hikers, bikers and horseback riders.
The park also has a narrow gauge railroad! Established in 1953, the Pine Creek Railroad is an example of rail travel at the height of the steam era in the United States. The diesel, narrow-gauge trains are operated by the NJ Museum of Transportation (link is external). For more information, call 732-938-5524.
Afternoon: We'd packed a picnic lunch so we wouldn't have to leave our park activities. Picnic facilities are provided for family outings in attractive wooded settings adjacent to the village. Charcoal grills, tables and sanitary facilities are provided.
We biked the 1.6 mile River Trail Loop after our picnic.
The River Trail Loop winds through various forest growth area's diverse ecosystems. There are sweeping river views as you go along the trail. The trail features shaded sections. However, be prepared for spots that may require careful navigation, there are wet and muddy spots along the way. The trail is rich in flora and fauna - a very pretty ride.
After you've explored Allaire Park and Historical Village, return to Jackson.
Evening: I'm going to give you 2 dinner restaurant choices. The first one is at Ruby Tuesdays if you want you kids to be able to eat FREE all day with an adult entree purchase. Dine in only.
We all know how expensive dining out with kids can now be, so that's a budget friendly option.
This second option is far more upscale.
Drive 13 miles to Freehold for dinner at Lemon Mediterranean Restaurant: 3475 US-9 North, Freehold, NJ
The cuisine is an interesting combination of many splendid cuisines, such as Spanish, French, Moroccan, Greek, and Italian. This was food to die for. Everything was absolutely amazing!
Entrees range from $27 each to $34 each, which is pretty reasonable now days. Try their Stuffed Grape Leaves appetizer for $10! Delicious!
Do make a reservation.
Following dinner return to your accommodations or do something relaxing.
United Skates Jackson
At United Skates Jackson roller skating is $5 on Fridays from 6:30-9:30 pm if you purchase your admission online!
Skate rental is only $6.
(These prices during July & August only!)
Good way to work off all that dinner! It cost us only $33 for the 3 of us for 3 hours of skating and having a whole lot of fun together.
After skating we joined the campfire get together back at the Safari camp.
It was a great night!
Saturday
Morning: Have breakfast at Bagel Run: 341 N County Line Rd, Jackson, NJ. Locals recommended.
Alongside their signature bagels, they serve freshly baked muffins, rich coffees, homemade French toast, hearty breakfast platters, omelets, sandwiches. Their bagels are kettle-boiled, hand-rolled, and baked fresh daily. The owner, Sam, brings over 20 years of experience in the bagel business, having successfully run multiple bagel shops throughout New York before bringing his expertise to Jackson.
(Jay's a NY bagel connoisseur and he gave the Bagel Run bagels 2 thumbs up) We even bought a box to take back with us to the resort - whether Six Flags liked it or not)
Rancocas Nature Center
Drive about 40 minutes to Rancocas Nature Center: 794 Rancocas Rd., Westampton, NJ.
The preserve is a non-profit organization situated on 210 acres of the Rancocas State Park with 3 miles of hiking trails through meadows, forest, and wetlands. The Center opened its doors in 1977 and has provided the area with a year-round variety of environmental education programs for all ages, both on-site and off-site, for schools, scouts, libraries, senior citizens, and the general public.
In going through the programs offered Ashley found one she wanted to participate in. The problem was you had to be 16 years old to participate.
Understand this kid is 10 years old going on 40. She's better behaved than most adults I know. Well Uncle Jay wasn't having any of that noise where his niece is concerned! Next thing I know he has the naturalist in charge of the program barricaded in a corner and he's reading to her from the Book of Uncle Jay. Next thing I know he's calling Ashley over saying "There's someone I want you to meet. She'd like to see your travel journal."
Ashley shook the naturalist's hand saying "Pleased to meet you" and handed over her travel journal. The naturalist went through it page by page, then said to Jay "Oh I think we might have room for her if you'll sign a waiver."
Facsimile of what Ashley's journal looks like
It may have helped matters that Ashley is a Scout??? Conjecture on my part.
As you may have gathered if you've read other sections of this site, Ashley journals and the program she wanted to take was a 1.5 hour Nature Journaling Hike. We also bought her a membership ($35) to the Nature Center as we firmly believe in fostering Ashley's education on these trips and her interest in wildlife/nature and their preservation.
The Rancocas Nature Preserve is gorgeous and has so much to offer no matter what your age. Admission is FREE but consider making a $2 per visitor donation to help support the Preserve. You'll get your 2 bucks worth.
Stop at the Visitor Center. The Nature Center Visitor's Center includes a nature store, trail maps, high quality bird seed for sale, live animals, natural history displays, and restrooms.
The Reserve has 3 Miles of hiking trails on a range of landscapes. TRAIL MAP
Plus, see a dragonfly pond, frog pond, a Monarch Waystation, the Sensory Play Area, and more! Open 7 Days a Week, All Day until Dusk. No dogs or bicycles allowed in the Reserve.
Photo credit: Rancocas Nature Preserve
The Reserve also has several wooden picnic tables and benches for public use.7 days a week, all day until dusk. Clean up and carry-out all trash and no grilling, smoking, or playing music from any speakers. You can easily spend a morning and afternoon at the Reserve, especially if you participate in one or more of their programs.
Afternoon: We decided to take a short trip out of Jackson for a bit as Ashley has wanted to see the Annapolis Naval Academy for like forever as she thinks she wants to attend the Academy eventually.
This is a really impressive place to see!
Note that you have to have a REAL ID to get onto the grounds.
Make your first stop the Armel-Leftwich Visitor Center. Watch the 13-minute film, The Call to Serve, which repeats every 15 minutes.
The exhibit area is a mini-museum, with several interactive screens, including informational maps and guidance to help you orient yourself on the Yard. here are several kiosks with interactive videos featuring midshipmen and recent graduates who discuss admissions, academics, student life, and career options, as well as a station that provides the career paths of exceptional graduates.
The Visitors Center
Don’t miss the daily noon formation (weather permitting during the academic year). On parade days, you can also wander over to Worden Field by 4:00 p.m. to watch the full Brigade of Midshipmen perform. Very impressive!
The best way to see the Naval Academy is to take their guided tour, available daily to the public year round. The tours are offered throughout the day. The tour lasts about 90 minutes. Tours begin and end at the Armel-Leftwitch Visitor Center located inside Gate 1. See tickets and pricing here.
You can also wander the Yard’s scenic walkways by foot or cover more ground quickly by electric car but your best bet is really the guided tour.
We also learned Annapolis has a Youth Leadership Program for students ages 13 to 15. Students spend a half-day in the Youth Leadership Program learning and developing applicable leadership skills from some of the brightest of today's leaders at the USNA.
The Alley
We arrived at Annapolis around noon so before we toured the Academy we took Ashley to lunch at The Alley as being ex Navy Jay, is a Member.
There are several restaurants on the Academy grounds, The Alley is one of the finer dining establishments that is open to the public but is also Members Only so frequented by commissioned officers and other Naval personnel.
A dress code is mandatory - for civilians, business casual. We chose to take Ashley here just for the experience.
The Alley is located on the Yard.
The Alley serves a lunch buffet or you can order ala carte. They do have a weekly lunch special for $14 for civilians, $12 for Members. All profits from any of the Annapolis restaurants, tours, etc. directly support the Brigade of Midshipmen.
Besides a pretty darned good lunch, Ashley got to speak with Naval personnel present about the best way to go about getting into the Academy, the inside scoop on what life as a Midshipman is like and what they don't tell you on the tour or in the admissions office.
The U.S. Naval Museum
The U.S. Naval Academy Museum welcomes more than 100,000 visitors annually from all over the world. Located in Preble Hall on the grounds of the U.S. Naval Academy, the Museum offers two floors of exhibits about the history of seapower, the development of the U.S. Navy, and the role of the U.S. Naval Academy in producing officers capable of leading America's sailors and marines.
The displays combine historical artifacts with video and audio technology to bring to life the stories of the men and women who have served their country at sea. Take a 3D tour of the Museum here.
Admission to the Museum is FREE.
The Midshipmen Store
The Midshipmen Store offers the essential items needed for the midshipmen. From uniform accessories and REAL U.S. Navy clothing, to gifts, school supplies, and books, snacks and various other sundries, the Midshipmen Store has goods that make you feel like you are a part of the Brigade, all tax-free. The Midshipmen Store serves the Brigade of Midshipmen, their parents, alumni and their dependents, as well as U.S. Naval Academy faculty and staff, Blue and Gold Officers, Naval Academy Club Members and other groups as authorized by the U.S. Naval Academy.
The Naval Academy is worth the trip to tour it even if you don't have anyone interested in going to the Academy or have no connections to the Navy at all. The building interiors alone are magnificent in and of themselves.
Evening:
Have dinner at Plumstead: 457 Pinehurst Road at Route 539 Cream Ridge, NJ. (19 minutes from Jackson)
Plumsted Grill is an eating establishment that offers a variety of appetizers, salads, sandwiches, side dishes and seafood items. Its menu includes French onion soup, mozzarella sticks, chicken fingers, beef nachos, stuffed mushrooms, buffalo shrimp, Maryland crab dip, Caesar salads, strip sticks and fried pork chops.
Plumsted Grill also serves baby back ribs, lamb chops, veal marsala, chicken parmigiana, broiled scallops, and roast beef.
HOURS
11 - 9:30 PM Sunday - Thursday
11 - 10:30 PM Friday - Saturday
Gyro Platter
We headed for home so we could set up Ashley's birthday safari party at home. Unless you're going to keep things uber simple, this is a party better thrown at home than on the road if you want to bring a WOW! factor to your party.
I've thrown several Safari parties over the years (and this will be a bit of a compliation of all of them) but Ashley's Safari party was the most ambitious
endeavor ever - in that Jay and I had to load many party supplies on his plane and fly them to New York along with myself. Which made it a feat of weight and balance to say the least when it came to loading the plane.
It was all hands on deck in getting Ashley's party set up.
Focal Wall
Ashley's mom, Dee and I wanted a waterfall watering hole like the one I had at other Safari parties so we had a partial remake of a one I'd made previously given I couldn't fly all my cardboard box kraft paper rocks to NY.
The 'rocks' surrounding the waterfall are cardboard boxes with krinkled up kraft paper hot glued to them.
The water in the waterfall is an inexpensive metallic blue fringe curtain. The foam at the bottom of the waterfall is cotton. The water for the stream are light blue shower curtain liners from the Dollar Store. I used 4 of them.
The rocks in the stream are again just krinkled up kraft paper.
The greenery came from the Dollar Store as well. You can just wedge it between your rocks or glue it to the rocks.
Jay furnished the life-sized stuffed animals for around the watering hole. These are about $100 apiece and come from Melissa & Doug. Available through Amazon.
But there's a much cheaper alternative - this inflatable trio available from Amazon for $40 for all 3 animals.
Cardboard standups are another more inexpensive option.
Because Ashley had invited so many guests, her parents decided to rent a big event tent and hold the party in their backyard. They wisely went with one with roll down sides that would completely enclose the tent in the case of bad weather.
This isn't to scale but if you're planning on an outdoor party, this is how Ashley's parents staged their backyard.
Staging the inside of the tent
Dee had found and purchased this plant wall photo backdrop from Light In The Box for $50.74. We used one of my photo backdrop frames to hang this backdrop on one wall of the tent and set up a table to put birthday gifts on in front of it.
Dee loved the dining set up I'd done for another of my Safari parties so we repeated that in the tent.
We used my hunting nets for the ceiling over the dining tables and twisted kraft paper for vines we attached to the netting.
I still had the giraffe print tablecloths from another of my parties so we used those on the tables. I'd gotten them on a discontinued merchandise sale for $7 each.
Dee got the DIY refurbishing bug from me apparently because she surprised me with her own DIY project she'd done.
She'd scoured thrift shops, garage sales and flea markets and got enough chairs that she painted and reupholstered in leopard print fabric. A+ Dee!
That the chair styles didn't match each other made it all the more visually interesting.
When it came to the table centerpieces we used ones I had made for other Safari parties.
That they weren't all matching like the chairs just pulled the whole thing together.
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The place settings were kind of a conglomeration of items from my previous Safari parties and items Dee had purchased.
I thought the place settings turned out really cute.
Banana & pretzel giraffes
Assorted snack bags
Zebra cakes
Monkey cups (we used trail mix and added some animal crackers to it)
Ashley's parents ordered the birthday cake from a NY bakery so I can't give you a whole lot of info on the cake other than to say it was a work of art.
And yes, everything on it was edible.
Sleeping lions
Sleeping Lions is easy to set up and requires no props—just a good sense of humor and a bit of imagination.
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Number of players: Minimum of 6 children
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Ages: 6 years and older
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Setting: Indoors or outdoors
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Materials needed: None
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Play time: Around 10 minutes
Set the tone of the game by explaining the roles clearly. Here’s how to organize it:
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Choose the Hunter: Select one child to be the “hunter.” Their job is to make the other kids laugh or move—without ever touching them.
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Sleeping Lions Lie Down: All other players lie down on the floor like “sleeping lions,” remaining perfectly still and silent.
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Start the Game: The hunter walks around, telling jokes, making silly faces, dancing, or imitating animal sounds to get reactions. No physical contact is allowed.
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Awakening the Lions: If a lion laughs, giggles, or moves, they become part of the hunter team.
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Winning the Game: The last remaining lion who hasn’t moved wins the round.
The music we used:
Fun Variations to Keep the Game Fresh
If you plan to play multiple rounds or want to increase the challenge, try one of these versions:
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Blindfolded Hunter: Adds difficulty and heightens the sensory fun.
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Silent Hunter: Only gestures allowed—no speaking!
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Team Challenge: Start with two hunters working together.
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Strategic Lions: Let lions adjust their position slowly for more dynamic play.
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Reverse Focus: Have multiple hunters team up to get one lion to react.
King of the jungle
After arranging chairs and seating the players in a circle, it’s time to assign roles and begin the jungle mayhem.
1. Assign animals and gestures
Each child is assigned an animal along with a unique gesture or sound. You can let them choose, or assign from this fun list:
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Gorilla – Pound your chest and grunt
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Elephant – Use one arm as a trunk
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Bird – Flap your arms like wings
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Chicken – Tuck hands in armpits and flap
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Alligator – Make a chomping motion with both arms
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Bear – Curl fingers into claws
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Lion – Frame your face with your arms and growl
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Snake – Wiggle your arms like slithering
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Fish – Pucker lips and mimic gills with hands
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Monkey – Puff cheeks and pull ears
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Worm – Wiggle a pinky finger
2. Establish the rhythm
The game leader—“the King”—starts a 5-beat rhythm that all players follow:
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Pat knees
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Clap hands
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Point left thumb left
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Point right thumb right
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Make another player’s animal gesture
The player whose animal was just mimicked must repeat the rhythm and call out a new animal gesture on beat 5 to pass play.
3. Handle mistakes
If a player messes up the rhythm or does the wrong gesture, they move to the left of the King, and everyone between them and the King shifts seats clockwise. Players then take the animal assigned to their new seat—meaning everyone has to stay alert and adapt!
This continues until everyone has had a turn or the group decides to restart.
safari scavenger hunt
Regardless of what themed party I was throwing, if I found a game or activity the kids really loved, I'd reuse it by putting a twist on it that fit the theme of the party I was currently doing. A scavenger hunt was always a hit with the kids. I repurposed this hunt by simply putting mini plastic jungle animals in the plastic eggs instead of dragons for the medieval party. (Make sure you get the LARGE plastic eggs!)
I put animals in some of the eggs but not all of them. If a child found an egg with an animal in it, he/she won a small prize. The prize can even be the animal they found in the egg. If they found an empty egg, they were instructed to leave it where they found it so another child could find it. I'd also hide dollar bills in a few of the eggs and a $10 bill in just one of the eggs. This made the game far more interesting as every kid wanted to be the one who found that $10 egg!
diy animal masks
Another activity the kids really liked was making their own animal masks. You can go really simple making these masks or more complex depending on the ages of your party guests.
diy animal binoculars
alligator ring toss
You can make a ring toss plywood board with holes in it through which to toss beanbags or Amazon sells this ring toss game for $11. Whoever gets the most rings on the alligator wins. We used the game itself as the prize to the winner.
animal costume contest
On the invitation, include that there will be an animal costume contest. When everyone gets there, have a competition to decide who has the best costume. Bonus points if they do an impression of the animal they are dressed up as!
take advantage of inexpensive printables
You can find inexpensive game printables all over the Internet.
The kids liked Wild Animal Bingo.
Let them use mini plastic animals or Animal Crackers as Bingo markers.
For inexpensive prizes and party favors I could buy in bulk, I went to Oriental Trading Company.
They also carry safari themed party decorations in bulk.
adopt an animal
Set up an Adopt An Animal station. Before the kids leave, let them adopt a stuffed animal. Adoption certificate included.
For older kids who could read I made up stories about each one on a string tag and attached a story to each animal.
jungle animal trivia
For older kids I made up my own Jungle Animal Trivia Game. I wrote the trivia questions and answers on index cards. The child who got the most answers correct won a prize.
For example:
What is the ancestor of all cats?
What is the fastest land animal?
What type of animal is a Gorilla?
What is the largest land animal in the world?
What animal has the longest tail?
What animal lives in the Amazon rainforest? Jungle Animal Trivia For Kids
lion, lion are you hungry?
I used this one to burn off the kids excess energy when they were getting a bit too wound up.
One person is the lion, and stands at one end of the yard. The kids are at the other end of the yard. The kids yell together, “Lion, Lion, are you hungry?” to which the Lion will say “No, not really, come closer”. The kids will all come a little closer and ask the question again. This happens over and over, until the Lion finally answers “Yes”! At this point he tries to catch as many children as possible and they become lions too. The game starts over, with the new lions on one side of the yard and the other kids at the other side of the yard.
loose animals
This is always a fun jungle theme party game and involves a game keeper trying to round up some loose animals. In advance make some cards (one for each child) and stick a picture of a wild animal on each. Mark out 2 lines several feet (or yards) apart on the ground and have the kids stand in between the two lines.
Choose one child to be the gamekeeper and the others are all given an animal card. Tell them to keep their animal identity secret from the gamekeeper. The gamekeeper then patrols the park and shouts out the name of an animal.
If an animal hears his name he must run past the gamekeeper wherever he may be and touch the other chalk line before the gamekeeper catches him. If caught he must leave the playing area and is said to have been put back in the game park. The last animal caught becomes the next gamekeeper.
tarzan swing
The kids loved this one no matter what their age. Just be sure to tell your party guests to bring their swimsuit and a towel to dry off with BECAUSE THEY WILL GET WET! This one is great for a hot summer day too.
You'll need:
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A very sturdy tree limb
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A very sturdy rope with a couple of knots tied in it near the end of the rope
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A kids wading pool
I bought one of those 3 in 1 kiddie pools that sprayed water jets. ($30)
Fill up one or more wading pools with water and place them under a strong branch of the tree. Put plastic crocodiles in the water to make it "swampy." Tie a jungle rope to the branch and let it hang down so the kids can easily reach it. Tie in a couple of knots to make the rope easier to grab.
The kids take turns to see if they can swing across the swampy water without falling in. Naturally they are going to want to get in at some time so be prepared for lots of wet kids!
I found that 3 in 1 pool was the best $30 I could have spent. The kids would have played Tarzan Swing for the rest of the party if I'd let them! They WANTED to get soaked and the spraying jets of water helped them do just that.
The cost of costumes has gotten ridiculous. We wanted a safari outfit for each child to put at their seats at the table.
We really had to dig but found this 12 count set for $42.
If you'd rather just go with a pith helmet, Oriental Trading has several inexpensive styles.
NOTE; Check out Oriental Trading for a bunch of different safari themed party items.
Amazon carries a great variety of party favors and inexpensive prizes in bulk.
