If you are looking for a fun summer trip for your entire family, American Dream Mall in East Rutherford, NJ, might make a perfect choice. Located in northern New Jersey, close to New York City, this sprawling mall is full of kosher food, including some chain stores that have a kosher location! So, not only can you be entertained all day long with loads of activities but you don’t have to pack food! They have meal food and snack food, great for a variety of needs.
It’s Kosher!
If you’re looking for a meal, the kosher food court (Level 3) has three
options: Bravo Pizza, Chickies, and Falafel & Chips. Fish Grill
is coming soon. There is ample seating (as long as it’s not an overly busy
time) and washing stations. The kosher food court is located all the way
to the right of the regular food court, above the skating rink.
Red Mango and Mrs. Fields are located on the first floor, just when you
come up from Parking Area A. Red Mango is a smoothie and acai bowl place. Mrs.
Fields has cookies in many flavors and sizes, as well as brownies. Tip:
They will warm them up if you ask!
Oreo Café is on the top floor of IT’SUGAR, a candy store with a
dedicated kosher section! Oreo Café is next to the water park and
amusement park, so it’s a great stop when you’re coming or going from your
activities there.
On the first floor of Toys “R” Us is Geoffrey’s Cafe. They have a
variety of foods, including chalav Yisrael
ice cream! This is also just outside the water park and amusement park.
Next to Toys “R” US, on the first floor, is Tanghulu, featuring
candy-coated fruit on a stick. It’s one of the few pareve foods at the mall.
They have a variety of choices, such as green grapes, strawberries, mandarin
oranges, and blueberries. You can get them individually or mixed on a stick. It
was delicious. The fruit was fresh, and the candy coating was just enough for a
sweet taste and crunch. Small is $6 and large is $10. Buy four, get one free!
Candy Land Shake Bar has two types of shakes, as well as scoops of
ice cream. The fancy shakes are absolutely beautiful works of food art.
They are $18 each. The regular flavors are $10 each. Candy Land Shake Bar
is located inside the Hasbro game room on the second floor.
Haagen-Dazs, located on the third floor, at the top of the escalators by
the food court, has many flavors and several types of cones. It’s not cheap,
but it’s worth it for quality ice cream. Cinnabon and Dunkin’ are next to
each other.
Things to Do
Dream Works Water Park: If you like water activities and
water parks for toddlers through adults, this is the place for you. There is a
large kiddy play area, with slides from small to medium, different areas to
climb, and tons of water in which to splash around. Across from that are
even more slides for younger kids. The height minimum is about the height of an
average four- to five-year-old. Life jackets in a variety of sizes are
available for those who need them.
There is a large wave pool that functions as a regular pool when it’s
not full of waves. It’s a zero-entry (sloping entrance) pool. A lazy
river allows you to lay in an inflatable and go around while either trying to
avoid and/or getting sprayed by water. There are two hot tubs right by the lazy
river.
For older kids and adults, there are many large water slides. Lockers
hold your valuables, both in the changing rooms and out in the park, and you
can lay your belongings on the many deck chairs. The earlier you get there, the
more likely you will get a chair! They do not provide towels, so make sure you bring your own. Officially,
food and drink are not allowed, but
nobody is checking, and there is no kosher food to buy inside the park. Certifikid.com
has a deal to save 15%. You can also check americandream.com to see if there are any deals. When booking
ahead of time, you have to pick your date.
Nickelodeon Universe Theme Park: Nickelodeon Universe is a large
amusement park, located next to the water park. You can buy a pass ahead
of time, in person, or pay for individual tickets at the ride (with a
smartphone). You do not need tickets to enter the park, just for the
individual rides. With many options for different ages and sizes, there is
something for everyone: roller coasters, swings, a carousel, small kids rides,
and much more. One of the food stands has kosher snack foods (freshly
baked vs. packaged snacks).
Check Certifikid.com
as well as Americandream.com to see if there are any deals. When booking
ahead of time, you have to pick your date.
Bubble Planet: This is not a long activity but has several fun
and unique things to do and look at. There is a room full of balloons, a room
with a giant ball pit that is great for all ages, and fun photo opportunities
with unique bubble/water scenes. There are things a toddler could enjoy,
but it’s probably better for ages four or five and up. At the end of the
museum, there is a virtual reality option that you can pre-pay for or add on
right then.
Dream Wheel: Located on Level 3, Court C is a giant
carousel with 27 gondolas large enough for groups or your entire family, as
they allow 16 people in each gondola. The gondolas are climate controlled, with
TV and music if you choose. The thrill is at the top of this 30-minute ride as
you see the incredible NYC skyline.
Geoffrey’s Express: This is a short train ride
around the mall, located outside Toys “R” Us on the second floor. You can
buy tickets on the American dream website or at the train ride itself.
Legoland Discovery Center: Great for Lego lovers of all ages and
people who just like to create, Legoland Discovery Center has Legos
galore. You can build to your heart’s content with colors and pieces you
may never have seen before! They have a specific play area for
toddlers. There are amazing Lego creations to view throughout the center,
including the Statue of Liberty and many iconic New York City buildings. A
small jungle gym play area and an area to color pictures are available. Your
ticket includes a 4D movie. Check if Certifikid has a deal for Legoland
Discovery Center. When buying tickets ahead of time, you pick a date and
time. This activity is good for about two hours. Legoland Discovery Center
is located just past the escalators when you come up from parking area A, near
Mrs. Fields and Red Mango.
New Jersey Hall of Fame: You don’t have to be from New Jersey
to visit this museum, but it will certainly give you some New Jersey pride
if you are! Learn about athletes, inventors, singers, actors, and others from
the great state of New Jersey. See actual relics from these famous people, such
as Jon Bon Jovi’s jacket and Thomas Edison’s light bulbs. You can watch a short
movie about what people from New Jersey have contributed to society and then
sing private karaoke with a singer from New Jersey! Teachers with an ID get in
for free.
Ride on Animals: Across from Red Mango, when you come
in from Parking area A, you will find this fun mall feature. You can pay for
anywhere from 10 to 20 minutes to ride these electric “animals” all around the
immediate vicinity. There is a weight limit. They do allow more than one
child to ride on one, and if a child is under a certain size an adult must
accompany them.
Slide at Toys “R” Us: On the second floor, you’ll find a
slide. It’s small, but it’s free and fun! Near the slide, Toys “R” Us also
has several play areas with different toys.
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The Dream Mall has other
activities for all ages, including ice skating, skiing (!), and miniature golf.
The mall itself is fun to walk around; you’ll see a Harry Potter Jellybean
mosaic, and you can walk through a garden area with a fountain.
Parking in area A will bring you
right to Mrs. Fields, Red Mango, and the ride-on animals feature. But the
activities are spread out throughout the mall, so you can easily check americandream.com for
your most optimal spot to park. The closest kosher restaurants outside the mall
would be in Passaic or Teaneck, which are 10 to 15 minutes by car. There
are many hotels in the area. If you want to be as close as possible, Hampton
Inn is right next to the mall.
If you and your family like science museums, the fantastic Liberty
Science Center is only 18 minutes away, and it’s free with Maryland Science
Center membership, via
their Passport Program! Plus, you can see the Statue of Liberty from the
museum! The Secaucus train station is just 10 minutes
from the mall and is a short ride from there into New York City.
Fallon
Saposnik is a mom, teacher, kosher food enthusiast, and founder of Camp Mommy, the
go-to place for Baltimore family activities. (To join Camp Mommy, go to https://bit.ly/Campmommy.) Fallon loves
helping connect kosher travelers with various options for vacations or day
trips. She has a degree in culinary arts from the Center for Kosher Culinary
Arts and loves cooking and baking for friends and family. She leads a
monthly Cookbook Club with local moms and enjoys trying new recipes from
different cookbooks. Fallon is locally recognized as the go-to expert for any
questions about kosher products at Costco or Aldi. She can be reached at fallon144@gmail.com.
Reprinted with permission from
kosherfoodanddrink.com
