19 things to do at American Dream mall (that aren’t shopping)

You might expect that a four-day visit to New Jersey’s American Dream mall would’ve meant we came home well over our shopping declaration limit, especially since the state doesn’t charge tax on clothes and shoes. But, no. We might have squeezed in a mere two hours of shopping despite spending a total of eight to 10 hours there each day.

And that’s because American Dream isn’t a mall. It’s an entertainment paradise with more family-fun attractions than you can get to in a single long weekend. (Trust me — we tried.) Oh, and I’ve got discount codes for you to enjoy a bunch of them, too!

But first, a bit about the place. With more than 400 stores and attractions under one roof, it’s a formidable structure. If you think of American Dream‘s three million square feet as more than 46 football fields put together, maybe that’ll help paint a picture. The closest comparison you’ll find to it in Canada is the West Edmonton Mall — and there’s no indoor skiing there. The only other place where you’ll find that? The Dubai Mall. Frankly, that’s a helluva commute for most of us. So, New Jersey it is.

Here are 19 things you’ve gotta try at the American Dream mall:

1. Splash around North America’s biggest indoor water park.

The DreamWorks Water Park (where you can use my American Dream discount code for 15% off tickets: MOMMYG15, expires 12/31/2025) will go down as my teens’ favourite thing about our visit to the American Dream mall. We spent more than six solid hours there and they still wanted more. Penguin Plummet was The K Man’s go-to slide, while Miss Q and I went on the DreamWorks Dream Runner more times than I can count. It’s the world’s longest hydromagnetic rocket coaster and, my goodness, is it a BLAST! It goes around the entire perimeter of the park, up near the ceiling, and is part-waterslide, part-roller coaster. If you visit on a holiday or weekend, the TurboPass is worth every penny (the Dream Runner line was 30 to 60 minutes long, but less than five minutes with our TurboPasses).

Pro tip: bring your own towels (even if you’re at a hotel!) and flip flops. We had neither and regretted it, but also refused to pay USD$26 for a single towel. 

2. Take a Dream Ride.

These giant, motorized animal plushies are the brainchild of Dream Riders and, wow, are they ever fun! Sure, it’s $10 for 10 minutes, but I promise that 10 minutes actually feels longer than you might expect and parents with small children can ride together as a parent-and-child duo.

3. Go skiing — indoors!

Big SNOW is so cool. (Cool…see what I did there?) It’s North America’s first (and currently only) snow dome and it’s got a pretty decent footprint. It was our first ski of the season and turned out to be a great warm-up for the real thing. There’s a learning zone with a magic carpet and a chair lift that takes you to one slope divided in half; one side is just snow and the other side has some jumps and boxes. You can even take lessons! Oh, and please do if you’ve never skied before. My husband and I had to coach a few never-evers back to the bottom after they ignored the “this is not a beginner trail” sign at the base of the lift. You can bring your own ski gear and outerwear but rest assured if you’re not a local that their rentals will be just fine for your two-hour slot.

4. Get lost in your reflection.

The Mirror Maze is a close-second for my kids’ favourite things at the American Dream mall. We’ve done these elsewhere but on a much smaller scale. This one takes longer to get through and is guaranteed to have your whole family laughing hysterically as you inevitably take a wrong turn. And then another. And another. (Use my American Dream discount code for 15% off tickets at Mirror Maze: MOMMYG15, expires 12/31/2025.)

5. See the Manhattan skyline from a gondola in New Jersey.

Much like the London Eye or Montreal’s La Grande Roue, The Dream Wheel has a series of climate-controlled gondolas that slowly rise 300 feet to give you an incredible view of the adjacent MetLife Stadium, an aerial view of the DreamWorks Water Park and a spectacular panorama of the NYC skyline along the Hudson River. It takes less than 30 minutes for one full rotation and, having done it both during the day and at night, my vote is for a nighttime ride. Seeing the city lights at night is just a little more special, but a clear day ain’t nothin’ to sneeze at either.

6. Go on a record-breaking indoor roller coaster.

Or just enjoy the kiddie rides like we did! There’s so much happening in such a small space at Nickelodeon Universe that you might wonder why outdoor amusement parks need all of the real estate they take up. This is the Western Hemisphere’s largest indoor theme park and it is packed with adventure. And don’t go thinking it’s just for little kids; nope! There are loads of rides that my nearly 14-year-old kiddo refused to try because they looked so intense. She’s more of a swing girl anyway, so SpongeBob’s Jellyfish Jam was, well, her jam. (Use my American Dream discount code for 15% off tickets at Nickelodeon Universe: MOMMYG15, expires 12/31/2025.)

7. Eat in an arcade.

Well, sort of… The GAMEROOM Powered By Hasbro is an arcade in one section, a laser tag zone in another and a restaurant in yet another space. Note that you can order milkshakes from the Candy Land Shake Bar while you’re having dinner in the GAMEROOM Eats restaurant, which is full of larger-than-life Scrabble and Monopoly decor. The food is kid-friendly and easy on the wallet, with the Bavarian soft pretzel sticks landing as our overall favourite dish. (Seriously, I wish we hadn’t been sharing it!). Obviously, stay and play a few arcade games while you’re here! We LOVE the Connect4 Hoops arcade game, where you shoot basketballs to try and Connect4.

8. Have a blast.

Blast 7D, that is! We’ve done similar 4D experiences before — on our MSC cruise ship, for example — but the 7D was extra-awesome. It’s essentially a mishmash experience; think virtual reality roller coaster meets multiplayer gaming with special effects like wind. We tried “Robot Riot” and agreed it was our favourite among all of the different options, most of which we have tried elsewhere (though with fewer effects). Parent note: this experience uses a gun-like apparatus as part of the game; if you are an anti-gun household, please keep this in mind.

9. Play a round of mini golf!

You’ve got two great options at the American Dream mall: Angry Birds Mini Golf and Blacklight Mini Golf. Angry Birds fans will love seeing their fave characters and scenes built into the course, while those heading to the blacklight course should try to wear white shirts so you glow alongside your golf ball. (Use my American Dream discount code for 15% off tickets at Angry Birds Mini Golf and Blacklight Mini Golf: MOMMYG15, expires 12/31/2025.)

10. Interview Danny DeVito and sing with Gloria Gaynor.

Although the New Jersey Hall of Fame is small, its interactive and immersive exhibits are memorable. Take a ride on a Model T where you’ll meet up with Henry Ford, do a hometown VR tour with a notable NJ native, step on stage and sing with a hologram and do a late-night talk show-style interview with a NJ Hall of Famer. You’re in New Jersey, after all; it’s nice to learn a little more about it while you’re in town.

11. Catch a game and some 48-hour smoked wings.

House of ‘Que is a tasty BBQ smokehouse and sports bar all rolled into one. The music is great, the service is fantastic and the food is even better. The wings are a must, so start there, but be sure to add empanadas and the BBQ quesadilla (stuffed with oodles of brisket) to your order because OMG. Out of all the places they could have gone, my boys chose to come back to the ‘Que to watch some football while Miss Q and I went shopping. High praise!

12. Up your selfie game.

Calling all content creators, influencer hopefuls and families with Gen Zers and Alphas — the iMuseum is the place to be! There are 12 rooms, each dedicated to a different emotion and each equipped with tripods and ring lights to make your photo fantasies a reality. We spent a lot more time here than I thought we would, which speaks to the quality of design in every room. Even the flow between rooms is well-thought-out. Predicably, the almost-14-year-old girlchild self-directed her own photo shoots in all 12 spaces.

13. Go ice skating.

The Rink is an NHL-regulation-size skating rink smack in the middle of the American Dream mall. Yes, yes — an entire rink! The rental skates are actually pretty comfortable, too, and really easy to get on and skate in with no laces or toe picks in sight. If you’re a new skater, there are a few skating aids strewn about The Rink to help you stay upright and I strongly suggest bringing a helmet and mitts if you’re not an experienced skater because, you know, ice is hard and cold. (Use my American Dream discount code for 15% off tickets at The Rink: MOMMYG15, expires 12/31/2025.)

14. Grab a quick lunch.

You’ll find food courts throughout the American Dream mall where you can whet your whistle or nab some nosh to stay energized for your next attraction. Sushi Express, MrBeast Burger, Best Pizza and Around the Clock Diner are all winners on the quick-serve food front.

15. Take a walk on the weird side.

Artist Tracy Stum has created immersive spaces where you become part of her art. The TiLT 3D Art Experience provides guidance about where to stand and take pictures and also how to get into the photo for the most realistic image to appear. You may find yourself in the screen of an arcade game, perched on a stack of cassette tapes, on a record being spun by a DJ or even jumping across buildings — there are so many neat spaces here and part of the fun is figuring out how to get the best shot. Note that you may have to edit some of your images by cropping and rotating. (Use my American Dream discount code for 15% off tickets at TiLT Museum: MOMMYG15, expires 12/31/2025.)

16. Contradict common sense.

We had so much fun exploring the different rooms, games and experiences at the Paradox Museum. From making it appear that my 5’7″ daughter towered over her 6’6″ father to myriad optical illusions and brain-twisters, the museum blends art, biology, physiology, math and more into family-friendly bite-sized chunks that may make your head spin as you try to make the illogical seem more logical.

17. Grocery shop in a toddler-sized store.

If you grew up with Sesame Street, you probably want your kids to do the same. Even if they aren’t already Elmo fanatics, they will be by the time they leave the Sesame Street Learn & Play edu-tainment space — a first-of-its-kind Sesame Steet Educational Play Center in the USA. There are character meet-and-greets, digital colouring stations, an interactive theatre, playground and — my personal favourite — Hooper’s Store, which is a pint-sized grocery store where littles can grab a shopping cart, fill it up and use a realistic checkout. (Use my American Dream discount code for 15% off tickets at Sesame Street Learn & Play: MOMMYG15, expires 12/31/2025.)

18. Dine at an eight-time James Beard award-winning chef’s restaurant.

Led by Ethiopean-Swedish Chef Marcus Samuelsson, who was the youngest person to ever earn a three-star review from the New York Times, Marcus LIVE Bar + Grille is made for foodies. My Pretty in Pink cocktail kicked things off perfectly and everything from the cornbread with whipped honey butter to the tavern-style pizza hit all the right notes.

19. Stay in a hotel near American Dream mall.

Although the Holiday Inn Hasbrouck Heights-Meadowlands may not be the closest hotel to the American Dream mall, it does offer bigger families or those with older kids like ours newly renovated adjoining rooms, it’s right beside a McDonald’s if the $19.95 breakfast buffet feels a bit too steep to do every morning should your kids be too old to qualify for the “kids eat free” deal, and it has a weekday shuttle that may be able to take you to and from American Dream if you ask really nicely and the driver is available. (If the shuttle is not running during your stay or is unavailable, note that it is approximately USD$25 one way to/from American Dream.)

This property offers an American Dream Shop & Stay package from CAD$265 per night that includes one room plus an additional 1,000 IHG bonus points, breakfast for two, a VIP American Dream Mall Discount Booklet and transportation to American Dream.

That’s not all, folks!

There’s so much more to do at the American Dream mall, like shopping, but we had to tap out. Good news: New Jersey shopping is tax-free for things like clothes and shoes! Additionally, if you drove to New Jersey and you want to take advantage of your mobility, I hope you’ll stay a little longer to explore The Garden State. My post about visiting New Jersey from tip to tail will help you plan.

And, since you’re sooooo close to New York City, consider stopping by Manhattan or Brooklyn for a few days for the ultimate in big-city vibes. From cheap hotels in NYC and NYC restaurants to things to do in NYC with teens and ways to spend time in New York City in the rain, I’ve got a mountain of information to help you plan your side trip.

 

DISCLAIMER: American Dream hosted our visit but did not compensate me nor get to review or approve any content. All opinions and suggestions are my own. I do not benefit financially in any way should you choose to use the American Dream discount code listed above. Attractions are subject to change.