5 Summer Activities To Do With Your Kids in Jersey City
Updated: June 2026
Jersey City keeps the bar high for family-friendly summers. Within a few square miles you have a world-class science museum, a free waterfront splash pad, indoor play built for toddlers, go-kart racing for older kids, and ferry access to the Statue of Liberty. The five places below are the ones worth planning around this season. For a full picture of what makes this city worth living in year-round, our Jersey City community guide has everything you need.
Liberty Science Center
222 Jersey City Blvd · lsc.org
Newport Green Park
700 Washington Blvd · Splash pad · Playground · Beach
Catch Air Jersey City
2 Garfield Ave · Indoor play · Climate-controlled · catchair.com
RPM Raceway
99 Caven Point Rd · Electric go-karts · Indoor · rpmraceway.com
Statue City Cruises
1 Audrey Zapp Dr · Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island ferry · statuecitycruises.com
Five venues, a few square miles apart — Jersey City delivers one of the most accessible urban summers for families in New Jersey.
1. Liberty Science Center
222 Jersey City Blvd, Jersey City, NJ 07305
(201) 200-1000 · lsc.org
The Liberty Science Center is a consistent anchor of the summer calendar for a reason. The building covers 300,000 square feet and moves at a pace that keeps kids engaged for a full day without running dry. For summer 2026, notable exhibits include “Microbes Rule!” (a look at the microscopic biological world), “Bees to Bots” (connecting natural pollinator ecosystems to robotic engineering), and “Pixel Art,” which blends digital creativity with visual mechanics. The Jennifer Chalsty Planetarium, the largest in the Western Hemisphere, runs its own programming separately and is worth adding to your visit.
| Category | At the Door | Online (Save) |
|---|---|---|
| Adults | $36 | $31 |
| Children | $31 | $26 |
| 3D Movies / Planetarium | $8 add-on | $8 add-on |
Buy tickets online before you go. NJ Transit riders get a $5 per-person discount at the door. Parking in the state-owned lot runs $7 per day.
Liberty Science Center in Jersey City — 300,000 square feet of exhibits, the largest planetarium in the Western Hemisphere, and a full-day destination for families.
2. Newport Green Park
700 Washington Blvd, Jersey City, NJ 07310
(201) 626-5000
Newport Green is the free option on this list and probably the one you will use most often through July and August. The park sits along the Hudson River with unobstructed Manhattan views and covers enough ground to spend several hours without running out of things to do.
The splash pad runs daily from 8am to 6pm throughout the summer at no charge. It has a zero-depth design for toddlers, with elevated dumping buckets and ground-level spray jets for older kids. The Playport playground is a 17,000-square-foot structure with rope-climbing webs, a two-level pirate ship, and age-divided sections. There is also a 7,500-square-foot sandy urban beach along the waterfront.
Splash Pad
Zero-depth design for toddlers · Dumping buckets and spray jets · 8am–6pm daily
FreePlayport Playground
17,000 sq ft · Rope-climbing webs · Two-level pirate ship · Age-divided sections
FreeUrban Sandy Beach
7,500 sq ft waterfront beach · Unobstructed Manhattan views from the Hudson River
FreeNewport Carousel
$6 per ride · $55 for 10-ride pack · Seasonal · Free WiFi across the whole park
$6/rideBest for: All ages. Free except for the carousel. The splash pad is the move for hot afternoons with younger kids.
Newport Green Park along the Hudson River — free splash pad, playground, and urban beach all summer long.
3. Catch Air Jersey City
2 Garfield Ave, Suite 2-8, Jersey City, NJ 07305
(201) 273-9457 · catchair.com
Catch Air fills a specific need: a climate-controlled indoor space for children under eight to burn serious energy when the weather does not cooperate or the heat index is too high for the splash pad. The facility runs ball pits, soft play areas, varied climbing structures, and interactive lighting displays across a large, well-maintained floor.
| Category | Weekday | Weekend |
|---|---|---|
| Children ages 1–2 | $15.99 | $17.49 |
| Children ages 3+ | $24.99 | $26.49 |
| Adults | $7.99 | $7.99 |
| Infants under 1 | Free w/ paid sibling | $15.99 otherwise |
For dining nearby, our Jersey City Eats guide has the neighborhood covered.
4. RPM Raceway
99 Caven Point Rd, Jersey City, NJ 07305
(201) 333-7223 · rpmraceway.com
RPM Raceway is the entry on this list for older kids: anyone eight years old and over who is done with playgrounds and needs something with more challenge. The facility runs all-electric go-karts on an indoor track, with two distinct circuits. The MegaTrack configuration combines both into a 3,000-foot circuit with European-style bends and extended straightaways.
Junior Karts
Minimum age: 8 years old · Minimum height: 50 inches
Adult Karts
Minimum age: 13 years old · Minimum height: 58 inches
| Races | Non-Member | Member |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Race | $30 | $23 |
| 2 Races | $60 | $44 |
| 3 Races | $90 | $63 |
| Hologate VR / Simulators | $12 · No height requirement | |
RPM Raceway runs all-electric go-karts on a covered indoor track — 3,000 feet of circuit on the MegaTrack configuration.
5. Statue City Cruises from Liberty State Park
CRRNJ Terminal Building, 1 Audrey Zapp Drive, Jersey City, NJ 07305
1-877-LADY-TIX (877-523-9849) · statuecitycruises.com
The ferry to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island leaves from Jersey City, which puts this trip closer to most Hudson County families than it is to people crossing from Manhattan. Departures from the CRRNJ Terminal at Liberty State Park board without the Battery Park crowd, which on a summer Saturday is a meaningful difference.
Adults (ages 13+)
General admission ferry · Statue of Liberty + Ellis Island
Children (ages 4–12)
General admission ferry
Children under 4
With paying adult
Crown Reserve (ages 13+)
Timed entry to crown · Extremely limited · Book weeks in advance
July 4 — Jersey City Freedom Fireworks Festival
The festival runs noon to 10pm at Exchange Place on July 4, 2026. Free to attend. Over 100,000 attendees — live music across two stages, carnival rides, food village, and the best view of the harbor fireworks anywhere in Hudson County.
Buy tickets through the official app or site before you go. Crown access sells out weeks ahead. Security check-in starts at 9am.
Statue City Cruises departs from Liberty State Park in Jersey City — the closest Statue of Liberty ferry departure in Hudson County.
Frequently Asked Questions
Jersey City has enough to fill an entire summer without repeating yourself. For more ideas across all seasons, our things to do in Jersey City guide covers the city year-round. For anyone thinking about the real estate side, our team works Jersey City full time.
Thinking about raising a family in Jersey City?
The neighborhoods, the schools, the waterfront — our team works Jersey City full time and knows it street by street. Whether you're looking to buy, sell, or just understand what your options are, we're here to help.
