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Community Corner

In And Out: Have a Fun Time at 'Fun Time,' Or Brave the Outdoors

The winter-spring transition is an unpredictable one. It's good to have options.

Mom and Dad, we really do understand. You love your kids, but over the past several weeks, it seems like their energy level has doubled. And yours has been chopped in half.

You’re looking for a place to tire them out.

The only problem with that (debates about parenting philosophy aside) is that the weather's been topsy-turvy. You've got no idea if you should be headed for shelter or the great outdoors.

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So this week’s Day Tripper highlights not one, but two places relatively close to each other; each place presents its own ways to get your family moving.

Fun Time America, 111 Highway 35 in Cliffwood, is an indoor amusement park with rides, an arcade, bumper cars and even the Himalaya, a mini-roller coaster, all under one roof.

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But if you're looking for a bigger path than the laser-tag maze lays out, Cheesequake State Park, at 300 Gordon Road in Matawan, features 1569 acres of land for hiking, fields on which to play ball and playgrounds with slides and swings. It's easily accessible via the Garden State Parkway. In fact, the park spans areas on both sides of the GSP.

And if you're really looking to take on a full day of family fun, you can get from one to the other in about 10 to 15 minutes. That's why we've selected both locations for this week's Day Tripper, a weekly look at destinations that are out of town, but in reach, and worth the trip.

DAY TRIPPER DIGEST

Estimated Travel Time: About 75 minutes.

How to Get There from Here: Both locations are easily accessible from the Route 287 South. Detailed driving directions to Fun Time America,Cheesequake State Park,

Why it’s Worth the Trip:  While these are two very different destinations, their close proximity will give you  options. Both are guaranteed to give your kids a chance to cut loose and have fun.

You’ll Probably Get Hungry: Fun Time America has the on-site Winners Café which serves pizza, sandwiches and even Caesar salad, if you so choose. Cheesequake does not have food facilities, but is close to several pizzerias and convenience stores (at the corner of Gordon Road-connected Cliffwood Road and County Road 689, you have Pizza Hut, 7-11, Blue Wasabi, Ming’s Garden, Dunkin' Donuts and Attilio’s Pizza and Sub). Better yet, pack a picnic lunch and bring it with you.

While You’re in the Area: Fun Time America is on Route 35 and Cheesequake Park is only a few short miles from Route 34. Both highways will get you to various stores and restaurants. If you’re looking for more shopping options, get on the GSP to exit 105 and check out the Monmouth Mall in Eatontown

Fran DeGennaro, event coordinator and sales manager for Fun Time America, invites the whole family to come out.

“For most of the activities, parents can ride with their children, but if they don’t want to, we have the full arcade facilities and plenty of seating for them,” he said. 

Of the activities, DeGennaro points out the indoor rock-climbing wall, the Flight Simulation unit, the indoor bumper car track and an attraction she believes is their most popular one currently.

“Our biggest draw is the two-story laser tag arena which is an indoor maze lit with black-light fixtures," he said.

Over at Cheesequake Park, the snow has melted and the grounds are ready for activities. Even during the winter season, the park has several attractions available to the public including hills for sledding and snow-shoe hiking.

Late-winter/early-spring brings a wider variety of options including the mountain bike trails, hikes organized by James Faczak of the park’s Nature Center, along with several different playground sets in many locations around the park for the younger kids in the family. 

Access to the park is free until the Memorial Day to Labor Day timeframe, where entry prices will be $5 for weekdays and $10 on the weekends. During the peak season times, the park offers a large camping area, a lake that is stocked with trout and crabs, and large fields that are perfect for any outdoor event, from kite-flying to barbecue get-togethers.

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