Land of Make Believe
360 Delaware Rd, Blairstown, NJ
Blairstown, NJ
A gentle, old-fashioned family amusement park tucked in the northwest hills, where a haunted barn, a hay-bale maze, and a splash park have delighted small children for generations.
Land of Make Believe is the kind of family amusement park that feels made for the youngest visitors, a gentle, storybook place in the northwest New Jersey countryside where small children can ride, splash, and roam without the overwhelm of a giant theme park. Its rides are scaled for little ones, its pace is easygoing, and its signature attractions have been passed down through generations of local families.
The park opened in 1954 and has stayed in the same family ever since, growing over the decades from a simple set of storybook attractions into a combined amusement and water park. Its beloved Haunted House, set in an old barn, and its country setting give it a nostalgic charm that keeps parents bringing their own children back to the place they loved as kids.
What Guests Love
- Gentle, kid-scaled rides designed for the youngest visitors
- The Haunted House barn, a signature attraction beloved and just spooky enough
- A large water park with a splash area and slides to cool off on a hot day
- A relaxed, unhurried country setting far from the crowds of the big parks
Worth Knowing
- The park is aimed at young children, so it is ideal for families with little ones
- Bring swimwear and towels if you plan to enjoy the water park in summer
- It is a seasonal park that runs mainly in the warmer months, so check the calendar before you go
- The rural setting means limited services nearby, so plan meals and fuel around the visit
Details
Blairstown, NJ
Learn about Land of Make Believe
A family park since 1954
Land of Make Believe opened its gates in 1954, built on the idea of a storybook park where fairy-tale characters and gentle attractions could enchant young children. It arrived in the golden age of the American roadside attraction, when families piled into cars for day trips into the country, and it found a lasting audience among the towns of the northwest corner of the state.
The park has remained family-owned across the decades, and that continuity shows in its unhurried character and its careful preservation of the attractions people remember. Rather than chasing bigger and faster thrills, it has grown gradually, adding a water park and new rides while keeping the small-scale, storybook feel that has always been its heart.
Rides, the haunted barn, and the water park
The rides at Land of Make Believe are chosen with young children in mind, gentle spinning cars, a train, a carousel, and other attractions sized so that even the smallest visitors can join in. The signature attraction is the Haunted House, set inside an old barn, a walk-through that is spooky enough to thrill without truly frightening, and a rite of passage for many a local childhood.
In the warm months the water park comes into its own, with a large splash area, slides, and pools that give families a way to cool off after a day of rides. Between the dry rides, the water play, and the shaded picnic areas, the park offers an easy full day for families with young children, all in one compact and manageable place.
Country setting in the Skylands
Part of the park's charm is its setting in the rural hills of the Skylands, New Jersey's northwestern highlands. The surrounding country of farms, forests, and ridges feels a world away from the crowded shore and the suburbs, and the drive to reach the park winds through some of the prettiest landscape in the state.
The location makes Land of Make Believe a natural centerpiece for a country outing, easily paired with the nearby Delaware Water Gap, the historic village of Hope, or a hike along the Kittatinny Ridge. It is the kind of place families fold into a larger day of exploring the hills and river country of the northwest.
Season by season
Land of Make Believe is a seasonal park, opening for the warm months and closing for the winter. Late spring is a fresh, quieter time to visit as the park comes to life and the surrounding hills turn green.
Summer is the peak season, when the water park draws families on hot days and the rides run at full swing, making it the busiest and most festive time to go. Early fall can bring cooler, pleasant days and thinner crowds before the season winds down, with the northwest hills beginning to turn color. The park closes over the cold months and reopens with the return of warm weather.
Closest Boutels
The closest Boutel™ stays, so you can turn this stop into an overnight. Each is an independently owned, editorially selected place to stay.
Things to Do Near Blairstown
Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area
About 10 miles west
A dramatic river gap where the Delaware cuts through the Kittatinny Ridge, with waterfalls, trails, and river recreation.
Hope
About 5 miles south
A well-preserved historic village founded by Moravian settlers, with old stone buildings and a walkable center.
Jenny Jump State Forest
About 8 miles south
A ridge-top forest with hiking trails, boulder-strewn woods, and an observatory for stargazing.
Blairstown
About 4 miles north
A small historic town with a mill, a creek-side walk, and a downtown known to fans of a certain classic horror film.