Construction Adventures at Diggerland USA

Bulldozers, skid steers, excavators, and diggers… I can’t seem to keep them all straight but my boys definitely can, so they were beyond excited to hear that we were being hosted at Diggerland USA!  If your family is looking for a fun day trip, I suggest Diggerland! Diggerland is a CONSTRUCTION themed adventure park located about 2 ½ – 3 hours from the DC/Maryland area in West Berlin, NJ. This is not your typical adventure park – head to the park and trade in the minivan for a mini digger for the day!

This was my first trip to Diggerland and I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. I dressed my kids ready to play and was ready for a construction adventure. I had visions of trucking the kids through the mud and was so pleasantly surprised by how clean and organized the park was run! We went on a day that it was not too busy but all of the areas appeared very clean (especially for a construction area) and new.

We arrived when the park opened and we stayed until last call. We spent hours playing in the diggers looking for treasures and catching ducks, sitting in the Greased Beast, a demolition trailer that raises you 34 ft before a simulated dump of its cargo, racing in a digger derby and taking rides in skid steers, backhoes, and excavators.

I knew my two boys would be amazed at the park but I was a little concerned that my daughter would be as enthralled. However, that concern was very short lived. She was so enthralled with playing with the diggers and riding on the excavator express but was beyond ecstatic to ride the sky shuttle (a telehandler that takes you straight up 50 ft) and climb the rock wall (sorry kiddos, the request to replace our stairs with a rock wall to get to your bedroom, is a no!). Don’t tell my kids but they spent the day exploring the basics of physics and engineering, they thought we were just playing!

 Know Before You Go:

• There are height requirements so ensure that you know what fun the kids will be tall enough for.
• There is no food allowed in the park but they do sell food and they also have picnic tables right outside the entrance if you choose to pack a picnic (you can leave and come back).
• The rides on the bigger trucks and some that go high are all secured with belts that are only unlocked by the operators’ key so no little kids can unbuckle during the ride.
• They do offer yearly passes and it generally pays for itself in two trips! (you can apply the cost of the days adventure to a yearly pass if you fall in love with it on first visit as much as my kids did!)  If you are looking for holiday gifts, check out the sale they are having in December – On December 15th, Diggerland will host a 72 hour sale on daily and yearly passes! Check it out here.
•  We enjoyed the park during the late fall so the park was not crowded. We waited a very short time ride for most rides. If you plan your trip for the summer, please be aware that with the warmer weather the park does get busy.
• To exit the park, you do need to leave through the retail store so parents, be prepared ?
• BONUS: This is a great way to introduce boys and girls to how things are made and how they move!