Camden: Waterways, History and Family Experiences

Camden combines waterscapes, vibrant regional history and destinations appealing to a range of interests. Cooper River Park covers 346.55 acres and extends through Pennsauken, Cherry Hill, Collingswood and Haddon Township. Together with the Camden County park system, which includes 21 parks and nature preserves encompassing more than 2,000 acres of natural landscapes, this creates a destination where you can combine culture with outdoor activities.

Experience the Water and Plan Days Outdoors

The Cooper River Water Trail is 15.5 miles long and connects park areas with water access points. For visitors who enjoy spending time on the water, the Camden County park system offers waterways for fishing and boating. At Newton Lake Park, fishing piers are located at Matrimony, Lees Lane and Bettlewood Avenue. Haddon Lake Park has a public boat launch that is suitable only for small car-top boats; motors are not permitted there. You should take this specific restriction into account when planning your own boating excursions.

The Cooper River is also shaped by its sporting use: Cooper River Park hosts rowing regattas, while the river provides a 2,000-meter-long, narrow and protected straight course for them. Those who prefer to stay on land will find a 1.8-mile Watchable Wildlife Trail in Maria Barnaby Greenwald Memorial Park. In addition, a 1.2-mile cycling path runs there between Grove Street and Kings Highway. Depending on your preferred pace of travel, you can combine time by the water, wildlife observation and a bike ride in different ways.

Historic Sites and Maritime Heritage

Camden and Camden County offer numerous starting points for exploring cultural history. The Camden Shipyard and Maritime Museum tells the more than 200-year history of shipbuilding on the Camden Waterfront. The Battleship New Jersey presents its history from World War II through Korea and Vietnam to the 1980s through immersive exhibits and interactive tours.

Historic landmarks can also be found away from the Waterfront. The Peter Mott House was built in 1845 and is considered the oldest known house in the community of Lawnside, which was founded as a settlement of free African Americans. The Burrough-Dover House is an early fieldstone house built in two phases beginning in 1710. The Pennsauken Historical Society offers tours, special events and a small museum there. In Stratford, the present-day Quaker Store was built on the foundation of a general store constructed in 1743. The Historic Berlin Railroad Station is the oldest surviving railway station in New Jersey.

For a thematic exploration of the past, the Camden County Heritage Trails Map & Guide connects historic sites and historical organizations through seven Heritage Trails. Other notable sites include Pomona Hall Historic House, dating from 1726, and Glover Fulling Mill, an archaeological site in a public park. In 1858, William Foulke discovered the world's first nearly complete dinosaur skeleton—a detail that gives the region's history a surprising natural-history dimension.

Outings with Children and Suitable Accommodation Choices

For trips with children, the 4.5-acre (1.8-hectare) Camden Children’s Garden offers themed educational areas as well as opportunities for creative and imaginative play. Diggerland USA has more than 40 attractions for all age groups. The cultural offering also ranges from the Collingswood Community Theater, with short plays through large musicals, to the Urban-BoatWorks program, where middle and high school students learn about building wooden paddle boats, canoes and kayaks.

When looking for a holiday apartment in Camden, you can therefore first determine your preferred focus: access to water and fishing, nature and cycling, historic sites or family-oriented outings. Those who want to combine different interests within their travel group can explore the topics mentioned on different days and choose their location according to their preferred experiences.

For further location options, you have Berlin, Camden, Bellmawr, Gloucester City, Clementon, West Collingswood Heights, Runnemede, Cherry Hill, Voorhees, Pine Hill, Atco, Winslow Township and Pennsauken Township available.

For the broader travel overview: New Jersey.