A few years ago my brother and sister in law got married at the Smithville Inn. I had never been to Smithville, NJ before and honestly had never even heard of it. We had the best time – both at their wedding and in the Smithville area. Since then we have visited a couple more times, most recently this Spring Break. We always have such a great time. If you’re looking for a fun little New Jersey getaway (or even day trip if you’re at the Shore), here’s why we love Smithville, NJ with kids:

Smithville NJ with Kids

Where to Stay in Smithville:

We love Marriott’s Fairway Villas in Galloway. They are a quick drive over to Smithville and perfect for families. The villas has 2 bedrooms, a kitchen, porch and big dining table. There’s an indoor pool and an awesome outside pool and splash pad. There’s a new area outfront with lots of gas fire pits that you can use to sit around or roast marshmallows and there are tons of family events going on each day.

Where to Eat in Smithville:

Since the Marriott Villas have a kitchen and big dining table, we like to do one night eating there. We let the kids enjoy the pool while we order take out and then head back for showers and dinner at the villa. This time we got Vincenzo’s Smithville takeout and it was great. 

For breakfast we love Smithville Bakery! It’s a great place to bring kids and the breakfast food is delicious. On the way out you can grab some baked goods for later. This year we also ate breakfast one morning at Fred and Ethel’s for their Breakfast with the Easter Bunny which was a lot of fun.

For lunch and dinner try to grab a reservation at Smithville Inn. It’s a really nice place but they’re friendly and welcoming to families. The food and drinks are excellent. If you happen to visit around the holidays, we did their lunch with Santa one year and it was so much fun.

Make sure to grab some Scoop’s Ice Cream while you are walking around!

What to do in Smithville with Kids:

Walk Around Smithville: Walking around Smithville with kids is a lot of fun. There are shops to pop in for both adults and kids, no cars and lots of ducks walking around too! The toy store and the candy store are two favorites for us.

Here’s a map of Smithville to check out before you go: Map of Smithville NJ

Ride the Train & Carousel: While you’re walking around Smithville you can stop for a ride on the carousel and the train. Both have a real old fashioned feel and are a lot of fun. Both are cash only.

Head to the Beach: There are a few great beaches within a short drive. You can head to Brigantine Beach, Longport, Atlantic City and plenty of other NJ beaches.

Rockin’ J Ranch: On our recent trip to Smithville we took the kids to Rockin’ J Ranch for the afternoon. I can’t say enough great things about this place. My kids didn’t want to leave. The staff is wonderful with kids and they can meet the horses and cows, do a trail ride and even learn to move cattle on horseback.

Port Republic & Maxwells: This is on our list for next time – Port Republic has it’s own river beach and Maxwells does a raw bar and byo on Friday nights. here are real working boats that the kids can see.

Enjoy Smithville!