NJ Venue Review & Giveaway (closed): Visit Field Station: Dinosaurs

We live several miles away from the Museum of Natural History in NYC, so we know dinosaur bones. But then we were invited to meet some dinosaurs in Secaucus, New Jersey and my three-year-old son’s life has not been the same. All he wants to talk about is his trip to what he calls “Station Dinosaur.”

Field Station: Dinosaur in the New Jersey Meadowlands is a must-see-destinations for dinosaur lovers. It’s a twenty acre wooded park with walking trails and pathways that families can follow to discover more than 30 life-sized dinosaur replicas, see dinosaur shows,  play dinosaur game shows and dig for dinosaur fossils.

Meeting the Dinosaurs Up Close

Chatting with the Dinosaurs

Unfortunately the weather was stormy during our visit, so we donned rain ponchos (provided by Field Station: Dinosaurs) and got a little wet as we toured the park.  My five year old was instantly in love once she realized that the automated dinosaurs reacted to both her physical and vocal presence. She would run up and roar at the large dinosaurs and wait for their eyes to follow her, their tails to swing and a response roar to come.  My three-year-old dinosaur hunter was bit less aggressive from his position wrapped around my leg and peeping out curiously and frequently.

My favorite was the Argentinosaurus, a ninety-foot-long dinosaur that swings its gigantic tail over the walking path so that visitors have to duck to avoid its slow, swooping motion.

Most Photographed: T-Rex with Empire State Building

Eventually the sun did come out and the regularly scheduled shows were able to go on. We loved the “T-Rex Feeding” and “Dinosaur Meet & Greet” shows in the outdoor amphitheater.  Using puppets and lots of theatrics by the host and dinosaur handlers, the kids truly felt like they were getting to interact with real live dinosaurs. It was fantastic and one of the highlights of our visit.

Due to the rain, the Fossil Dig Site was closed on our first visit. But by our second loop the rain stopped and the sun came out, so it was open for digging. It was only the third week in operation, so there were a couple of hiccups. The area was understaffed and there weren’t enough digging tools for the children. Thankfully my little ones used their hands so it all turned out fine. We were told there were plaster cast fossils in the large sand pit for our junior palentologists to discover.

Happy Dinosaur Hunters!

Park hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekends until June 19. Hours June 20 to Sept. 4 are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. For advance tickets and more information, visit www.fieldstationdinosaurs.com or call (855) 999-9010. Ticket prices on-line and by phone are $20 for adults and $17.50 for kids (12 and under) and seniors. Tickets at the box office are $25 for adults and $20 for kids (12 and under) and seniors. Children two years old and under are free.