Without owning a time-traveling DeLorean, taking a trip to Field Station: Dinosaurs is the easiest way to go back to the Mesozoic Period. I think it’s safe to say that most of us were fascinated by dinosaurs at one time in our lives and many of us still are, including myself. When I read about a new dinosaur-themed park opening up in Secaucus, NJ, I couldn’t wait to go and mingle with my old pals Hadrosaurus and T-Rex.
You already know T-Rex, but you may not know that Hadrosaurus is the official dinosaur of New Jersey. Haddy roamed around Jersey during the late Cretaceous period and has made his return to the Garden State at Field Station Dinosaur. In addition to Haddy, the attraction boasts over 30 life sized roaring dinosaurs, including the largest animatronic dinosaur ever made, the Argentinosaurus which is 90 feet long! It’s quite a site to see.
Last weekend I scooped up my niece and nephew and headed to Field Station. We all had a fun time and the kids waltzed right into workshops and got involved in the various little activities going on. The kids both sat front and center and interacted in a seminar about avian dinosaurs and my niece also got a dinosaur tattoo. Aside from the towering animatronic dinosaurs, Field Station offers dinosaur meet and greets, fossil digs, shows and games. With all that stuff it’s easy to forget your kids are actually doing something educational.
Field Station is closest thing we’ll have to Jurassic Park in New Jersey. It’s very cool concept and it’s awesome that it’s so close to home. At some point I’d like to see the park expand to include a dark ride and possibly other theme park attractions. According to their website, the park closes down on November 11th and these additions would keep them open through the winter months. I’d really hate to see this park go extinct.
If you have kids and live in the NY/NJ/PA area I highly recommend making a day of Field Station. The walk through park isn’t anywhere near as scary as the Dinosaur! ride at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, so the kids won’t be petrified. Plus, you can even go on a rainy summer day and avoid crowds because the park is still open and free ponchos are provided.
Their official websites offers discounted admission:
Laurel Hill Park, One Dinosaur Way
Secaucus, NJ 07094