If you’ve always wondered about what the festive season looks like in New Jersey, maybe this is the clue for you to find out. And by that we mean, not just via our words and this feature, or by romcoms and what’s on telly. Sure those are good ways to let your imagination fly, and there are joys of being an armchair traveller as well.
But you can find out for yourself. Be there in person. And even if you have been to New Jersey before, it’s always good to be there for Christmas.
This is because New Jersey comes alive with the Christmas spirit during the holiday season, with events, tours and displays taking place across the state throughout November and December. It helps that there are multiple daily direct flights from London Heathrow, Edinburgh and Dublin into Newark. Add to it a great choice of accommodation to suit all budgets and some great bargains to be found as well if you want to do a little tax-free Christmas shopping. That is why, now is a great time to take a trip to the Garden State.
Here’s all the travel inspiration to get you in the mood for a New Jersey Christmas.
Light Displays
Dasher’s Newark Drive-Through Christmas Light Show
This spectacular Christmas drive-through celebration features the syncing of over one million lights choreographed to holiday music played through your car radio on 97.5 FM. Running at Newark Moonlight Cinema from 25th November 25th until 31st December. Read more here.
Orchard of Lights – Drive-Through
From 23rd November until 1st January 2023 Demarest Farms in Hillsdale will be running their annual festival drive-through, with 32 acres of brilliant holiday light displays. In addition, there is a fire pit to sit around and enjoy hot cocoa and treats from the farm market, make your own S’mores, take pictures with Santa and listen to the singing Reindeer. Intrigued?
Skylands Stadium’s Light Show and Christmas Village
Sussex County’s Skyland Stadium transforms into a dazzling winter wonderland from 23rd November to 31st December, showcasing a mile-long drive-through Christmas light display and a Christmas Village full of fun-filled activities, delicious treats and memory-making photo opportunities.
Christmas Markets
The German Christmas Market of New Jersey
Enjoy the sights, sounds and smells of a German Christmas Market at Sussex County Fairground. The largest Christmas market in New Jersey, where you can visit over 100 vendors located in the authentic wooden huts, enjoy Christmas entertainment, food, Christmas lights and displays, Santa visits, wagon rides and a fairground. Taking place on 2nd to 4th of December.
Christmas Train & Trolley Rides
Cape May’s Trolley Rides
The charming Victorian town of Cape May is the perfect destination for immersing yourself in the Christmas Spirit. A number of festival trolley tours are put on over the festive season, these include Santa’s Trolley Ride where Mrs. Claus takes to the wheel as she shares Christmas stories and songs and The Holiday Lights Trolley Ride which tours the historic streets of Cape May teaching guests about the history of many of the Christmas traditions of today.
Phillipsburg’s Polar Express Christmas Train
This one hour, 45-minute vintage train excursion along the Delaware River is inspired by the hit movie and the award-winning book by Chris Van Allsburg. A hugely popular family Christmas event that includes storytelling, Christmas sing-alongs, performances and a meeting with Santa himself.
Parades
Christmas Parade, Ocean City
Ocean City’s 2022 Christmas Parade will take place on Friday, 2nds December 2nd, going down Asbury Avenue beginning at 6th street and ending at 12th street. This wonderful family friendly parade includes floats, musical acts, dance and cheers teams.
Greater Wildwood Jaycees Christmas Parade
The popular Jaycee Christmas Parade takes place on 2nd December, starting at 6pm, the parade is followed by a Tree Lighting Ceremony & Parade Awards.
Walking Tours
Cape May Candlelit House Tours
This tour has been a beloved annual tradition in America’s only National Historic Landmark City since 1974. Celebrating the best of Cape May at Christmas, the tour travels through Cape May’s gas-lit streets, giving guests the chance to hear musicians and carollers, and visit more than a dozen homes, inns, B&Bs, churches and hotels and see both Victorian and more modern interiors beautifully decorated for the Christmas season.
Christmas Shows
Cirque Dreams Holidaze, Atlantic City
A specially themed holiday show, Holidaze sees various Christmas ornaments magicked to life as the seasoned troupe of acrobats and singers perform a Broadway-style musical infused with contemporary circus. The show takes place at the Ovation Hall at Ocean Casino Resort on 11th December.
Christmas Shopping
A shopper’s paradise, New Jersey is home to more malls per square mile than any other U.S. state. With the exchange rate not being in our favour at the moment, bargain shopping is all the more important so it is great to know that there are a number of discount outlets throughout New Jersey so you can make your pound stratch a little further.
The Mills at Jersey Gardens is New Jersey’s largest outlet mall with more than 200 stores located just five minutes from Newark Liberty International Airport is makes a great stop off on your way home. Jersey Shore Premium Outlets, Tinton Falls has 120 outlet stores and Tanger Outlets in Atlantic City has more than 90 brand name outlets offering 20 to 40 percent below retail prices. For more information on Christmas shopping in New Jersey click here.