Day Trip to Field Station: Dinosaurs

“Nine minutes from Manhattan, 90 million years back in time.” That’s the description you’ll find for Field Station: Dinosaurs, a unique family attraction at Overpeck Park in Leonia, NJ. If you like to think big, this outdoor prehistoric theme park may be just the right day trip for you and your crew, with awe-inspiring attractions designed for kids from age three to 11.

Open from June through November, Field Station: Dinosaurs is a destination that emerged from a combination of state-of-the-art science and creative artistry. It offers a one-of-a-kind experience that is equally thrilling and educational, with a herd of 32 life-sized, realistic-looking animatronic dinosaurs towering in the fields – and views of New York City seen in the distance. The park lies on the banks of a creek, amid natural woods.

Through cutting-edge engineering by the world’s leading roboticists and employing the latest theories and discoveries in paleontology, geology, and environmental studies, this oversized exhibit illustrates the history of dinosaurs, connects this knowledge to today’s world, and explains their extinction. Visitors can enjoy more than 40 live shows, games, and other activities as they explore…and roar!

At the site’s amphitheater, you’ll find shows such as the merrily musical Dinosaur Dance Party, the meat-eating T-Rex Feeding Frenzy, and the T-Rex Games, which is an Olympics-style team competition of dinosaur knowledge, skill, and luck. Workshops and games include the Field Station Challenge, Mesozoic Concentration, and a Scavenger Hunt. Do some digging at the Fossil Dig Site to unearth giant dinosaur skeletons and prehistoric fossils! 

For an additional $5 fee, guests can head to the Black Light Theater for “Dinosaur Daredevil! Archeopteryx Cleared for Take Off!,” where they will learn about the origins of animal flight – and the tale of one brave little dinosaur – in a live, 20-minute musical performed with glow-in-the-dark puppetry. For $10, you can try your skills as a junior bone hunter at the Paleontologists’ Laboratory and take home your discoveries in a souvenir pouch.

For the 2018 fall season from September 22 through November 11, the park is open, rain or shine, on Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. It will also be open on Thursday, November 8 and Friday, November 9, which is the weekend of the NJEA Teachers’ Convention, when New Jersey public schools are closed. For Dinosaurs After Dark, the park is open on Friday and Saturday evenings from 7 to 9:30 p.m., September 28 through October 27. During this nocturnal adventure, guests are guided through the grounds by lanterns, play themed games, feast on roasted marshmallows, and enjoy a special screening – all with a T-Rex on the loose!

Day Pass admission, which provides all-day access to the park, for ages two and up is $15.50 online (plus a $3.50 transaction fee) or $16.75 (plus tax) at the box office. Children under age two are free. The Explorer’s Pass, with park access plus the black light puppet show, for age two and up is $20.50 online or $21.75 at the box office. Free parking is available in the lot next to the front entrance.

If you’d like to give your young paleontologist-in-training an exciting start to the new school year, you won’t have to travel far to travel back in time. Field Station: Dinosaurs is located at 40 Fort Lee Road, Leonia, NJ. Plan your expedition by visiting their website at www.fieldstationdinosaurs.com, call 855-999-9010, or email info@fieldstationdinosaurs.com.