Cumberland County Parks and Cohanzick Zoo Offer Free, Year-Round Recreation

Free admission. A thousand-acre park. New Jersey's oldest zoo. Most Cumberland County residents drive right past the Route 55 exit without knowing what's tucked a few minutes off the highway in Bridgeton. Bridgeton City Park is its own destination, featuring everything from walking trails and picnic areas to playing fields, basketball courts, and a 7,500-square-foot Splash Park next to the Cohanzick Zoo, one of Cumberland County's most visited attractions.

Bridgeton City Park: 1,100 Acres Along the Cohansey River

The park contains an outdoor amphitheater at Sunset Lake with a swimming beach, a network of guided nature trails, walking and wooded trails at Piney Point Woods, Mary Elmer Lake, playground areas, tennis courts, and the Southern New Jersey All Sports Museum and Hall of Fame. That's a genuinely remarkable roster for a municipal park, and it barely scratches the surface.

For gatherings, cookouts, small events, or family get-togethers, the city park features four picnic areas. The Sunset Lake Amphitheater is a tiered space in a bucolic natural setting along Sunset Lake, which can be rented for events and programs, and during the summer months it hosts "Movies in the Park" on second Saturdays.

In 2012, Mayor Albert Kelly cut the ribbon on three new courts along Mayor Aitken Drive that added to two refurbished "upper courts" across from the Southern NJ All Sports Museum and Hall of Fame, giving the park five full-length basketball courts. Beyond those venues, the park hosts various organized sports including Babe Ruth Baseball, Little League Baseball, a variety of softball teams and leagues, Midget League Football, Adult Soccer Leagues, and girls' softball and basketball leagues.

The park also houses the Swedish Village Living History Display, which is slated to undergo renovations and upgrades in the future. Whether it's competitive sports, strapping on headphones to jog or walk the wooded trails, or simply enjoying some fresh air and sunshine with family after a busy week, there's something for everyone at Bridgeton City Park.

The Cohanzick Zoo: New Jersey's First, and Still Free

The Cohanzick Zoo opened its gates as New Jersey's first zoo in 1934. It all began when the City of Bridgeton found itself in possession of a small herd of deer which the citizens thought should be exhibited. More than nine decades later, the place still doesn't charge admission.

This small zoo, nestled among the woods and waterways of Bridgeton City Park, is one of the last free zoos in the nation, and it displays more than 100 animals in modern, naturalistic exhibits. The zoo features over 100 individual animals accounting for 47 different species across 25 separate exhibits. Families can see wildlife ranging from a gangly goose or swan to a zebra, monkeys, and tigers.

The zoo was originally named the "Bridgeton Zoo" and was later renamed the Cohanzick Zoo in 1972, "Cohanzick" coming from the band of Lenape Indians who resided in the area alongside the Cohansey River. Today, the Cohansey River peacefully flows through the park, adding a unique and intimate feel to the zoo setting.

The zoo is open seven days a week, Monday through Sunday, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. It is a great place to visit all year round, with special events including a September Community Fun Day, Boo at the Zoo in October, Zoo Camp for kids during the summer, the Out-to-Lunch Mad Scientist show, and more.

How a Free Zoo Stays Open: The Cohanzick Zoological Society

Free admission doesn't sustain itself. The zoo is free, but would not exist without the generosity of visitors and the work of its non-profit funding arm, the Cohanzick Zoological Society; every penny donated to the Society purchases medications, veterinary care and equipment, specialty feeds, and enrichment items for the animals, and provides funding for renovations and new habitats.

Part of the city's Department of Recreation and Public Affairs, the zoo is also supported by the Cumberland County government and donations, and it operates an "adopt-an-animal" program to sponsor animal welfare. The City of Bridgeton, with the help and support of the Cohanzick Zoological Society, is working to grow and expand the zoo as one of the premier family-oriented attractions in Cumberland County, with a focus that includes a robust plan for the zoo infrastructure itself and the long-term goal of achieving accreditation status.

No Concessions: What to Pack

One practical note before arriving: there are currently no food concessions available in the zoo, but there is a nice picnic grove overlooking the scenic raceway that runs through the park. Visitors should either pack a lunch or plan to try a local restaurant. The picnic grove adjacent to the zoo makes a natural stopping point between the animal exhibits and the Splash Park next door.

The Splash Park: 28 Fixtures, Zoo-Themed, and Right Next Door

After watching kids at play in a splash park in Pottstown, PA, Bridgeton Mayor Albert Kelly saw the concept as a natural fit for the city park, and on June 1, 2013, he cut the ribbon on this zero-depth water venue to mark the official start of the summer season in Bridgeton.

The 7,500-square-foot venue contains 28 fixtures featuring everything from buckets and fountains to water wheels and cannons, all designed to shoot, spray, mist, and pour water on hot bathers looking to beat the heat on steamy summer days. The fixtures are designed with a zoo theme, with shapes and forms suggesting ladybugs, tigers, and frogs, so the playful animal atmosphere carries right over from the exhibits next door.

The seasonal schedule matters if you're planning a trip. Beginning Memorial Day, the Splash Park is open on weekends (Saturday and Sunday) only from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. (weather permitting) until the school year ends; once school lets out in June, the Splash Park opens seven days per week from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., continuing through summer up to Labor Day. Additional hours are added for the months of July and August. Water shoes are required for any person entering the Splash Park; flip-flops are expressly prohibited for both children and adults, including parents and guardians supervising younger children.

The Splash Park is also available for private bookings and birthday parties; for information about reservations or hours of operation, contact the Bridgeton Recreation Department at 856-453-1675.

Getting There

The zoo and park can be found in Bridgeton just minutes off Route 55; it's a leisurely 40 to 45-minute drive south from the Philadelphia metropolitan area and 45 to 50 minutes northwest from the Atlantic City area. The address for the park and zoo is 45 Mayor Aitken Drive, Bridgeton, NJ 08302. The zoo's direct phone number is 856-453-1658.

For a county where outdoor recreation options are spread across the region, Bridgeton City Park concentrates an unusual amount under one address: a 90-year-old zoo that still charges nothing, a summer water park, a lakeside amphitheater with movies under the stars, and miles of wooded trails. The only real cost is the drive.