DAY TRIP: Jenkinson's Aquarium — Sharks, Penguins & Boardwalk Fun in Point Pleasant Beach, NJ

 

When the summer crowds leave the Jersey Shore, Point Pleasant Beach gets quiet — and that is exactly why November is a wonderful time to visit Jenkinson's Aquarium. The boardwalk is peaceful, parking is easy, and the aquarium itself is open all year round, so you get all the sharks, penguins, and touch tanks without the summer crush. It is a perfect cold-weather day trip when the beach is too chilly but the kids still need an adventure.

📍 Place

Jenkinson's Aquarium, 300 Ocean Ave, Point Pleasant Beach, NJ 08742. This two-story, AZA-accredited aquarium has sat right on the boardwalk since 1991, and it is small enough to explore comfortably with little kids but packed with enough to fill a happy morning or afternoon. Inside you will find Atlantic and Pacific sharks gliding through a large tank, a colony of African penguins, harbor seals, a coral reef, colorful tropical fish, and even a rainforest area and a Pine Barrens exhibit with turtles, frogs, and owls. The aquarium is open daily from 10 AM to 5 PM in the off-season (hours run later in summer) and is closed only on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day. Admission is $19 for adults, $13 for children ages 3–11, $15 for seniors 65+, and free for children 2 and under. Your ticket allows same-day re-entry, so you can pop out to the boardwalk and come back for a feeding. Check jenkinsons.com before you go, as hours and feeding times can change.

🚗 Drive Time

About 1 hour 15 minutes from Tenafly, Fort Lee, or Palisades Park via the Garden State Parkway (Exit 98), depending on traffic. It is an easy, straight shot down the Parkway, which makes it one of the most low-stress Shore day trips from Bergen County — no complicated back roads, and plenty of places to stop for lunch on the way home.

👶 What Kids Can Do

• Watch the African penguins waddle and swim — the penguin exhibit is the star of the show for most kids, and feeding times are the best moment to catch them at their liveliest.
• Stand eye-to-eye with sharks — the big shark tank, including sand tiger sharks, puts kids face-to-face with these giants through the glass, and it never fails to get a gasp.
• Touch a sea star or a stingray — the touch tank lets little hands gently touch live sea stars and stingrays under staff supervision, a hands-on memory kids talk about for weeks.
• Catch a seal feeding — the harbor seals are crowd favorites, and watching them eat and play is pure joy for toddlers and preschoolers.
• Explore the rainforest and Pine Barrens rooms — parrots, a sloth, turtles, and owls give kids a fun change of scenery from the underwater world.
• Pick a souvenir in the gift shop — the marine-themed gift shop on the way out is a good place for a small penguin or shark keepsake.

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 What Adults Can Do

• Actually enjoy the exhibits — because the aquarium is compact and stroller-friendly, you can see everything at a relaxed pace instead of chasing kids through a giant facility.
• Learn something new — the staff are friendly and happy to answer questions, and the aquarium's conservation mission (it is AZA-accredited and involved in rescue and rehabilitation work) adds real depth to the visit.
• Take the boardwalk at your own pace — with same-day re-entry, you can step out for coffee or lunch and return for an afternoon feeding without paying twice.
• Enjoy the off-season calm — in November the boardwalk is quiet, the ocean air is crisp, and you can stroll without dodging summer crowds.
• Snap great photos — the penguin and shark tanks photograph beautifully, and the pink aquarium building itself is a classic boardwalk photo stop.
• Plan a low-key lunch nearby — Point Pleasant Beach has plenty of casual seafood spots and cafes within a short walk of the boardwalk.

🧭 Things to Do Nearby

• Stroll Jenkinson's Boardwalk — walking the boardwalk is free, and in November it is wonderfully uncrowded. The arcades and the Sweet Shop stay open year-round, even when the rides wind down for the season.
• Watch the boats at Manasquan Inlet — a five-minute drive south, the inlet is a great spot to watch fishing boats come and go and to feel the ocean breeze.
• Wander Arnold Avenue — Point Pleasant Beach's main street has cafes, ice cream shops, and small stores that are perfect for a slow browse after the aquarium.
• Grab hot chocolate to go — on a chilly November day, a warm drink and a boardwalk bench with an ocean view is the simplest, happiest way to end the trip.

Tip for parents: time your visit around a feeding if you can — penguin and seal feedings are the highlights — and bring layers, because the boardwalk wind is colder than it looks from the car. This is one of those rare day trips that works just as well in November as it does in July, and your toddler will be talking about the penguins all the way home.