Six Flags Great Adventure - Jackson, NJ

Planning a vacation for this summer down to Six Flags, hoping things begin to return to normal by then. We'll be flying into NYC, spending a day there and then planning on heading down to NJ for the next 3 days.

We're going to be getting a rental car but debating the best NJ Transit station to get one at. I can't seem to find any that have a car rental outlet in the station (I checked Mattawan, South Amboy, Metropark and Trenton, which are the biggest stations near Jackson, NJ).

If someone could recommend a station that has a car rental outlet or has one close by that would be great.

I've played this game many times before and it's always amazed me how NJT doesn't team up with rental agencies to site locations close to train stations. Unfortunately the pickings are slim. The "easiest", if you can call it that, is the Avis location at the Newport Mall, which is accessible via a multitude of modes.

Given that there are no tolls westbound, it might honestly be easier and cheaper to just rent the car at your arrival airport.

Huh. Never knew that all these train stations didn’t have rental car service close by.

I tried looking around and didn’t really find much. There is an Avis rental lot three blocks from Red Bank Station and an Enterprise several blocks south, but that appears to be all there is.

NJ Transit also has seasonal bus service from Trenton Station to Six Flags.

Hope this helps.

There's a Budget Rent a Car a block down the street from Metropark on Wood Ave (on the north side of 27). Google says it's 0.2 miles/4 minutes walking, which is not a big hassle.

There is an Enterprise location near both Trenton or Hamilton. Enterprise will pick you up (although check local locations during COVIDness), or you can take Uber/Lyft. Pretty quick drive to Six Flags. On the way back, stop in Robbinsville to get some great pizza at DeLorenzos in Robbinsville. The Grounds for Sculpture is also pretty awesome right in Hamilton as well.

And as mentioned, there is seasonal bus service to Six Flags from NY.

We'll be flying into NYC,

Fly into Newark and just rent a car there, OR fly into Trenton on Frontier looks like they still serve Atlanta, Tampa and Ft Myers from Trenton.

BUT your location shows as Manhattan.....so is that Kansas?????????

Thanks for the suggestions everyone.

Updated my location, previously lived in NYC ~5 years ago, now will be flying in from the West Coast.

We want to have a day or two in Manhattan, so flying into EWR, JFK, LGA or even TRE really doesn't change the plan, we'll be leaving from Manhattan. I'm really not a big fan of driving the NYC area roads, which is why I was looking to do NJT to somewhere like Metropark or Trenton or somewhere on the Jersey shore line. It seems like Hamilton is a solid contender and good suggestion on Enterprise. It is too bad none of the stations have an outlet right at the station. I know Metro North has a few, surprised NJ Transit didn't do the same.

I'll second the recommendation for Metropark. Coming from the city, if you are riding at the front of an NJT train then the walk to the AVIS location is probably only a couple hundred yards longer than it is to the Metropark station ticket office. It is then easy to get from there onto the Garden State Parkway and NJ Turnpike. Almost no navigation of local streets required.

It's worth pointing out, however, that this Avis location appears to only be open on weekdays between 8 and 5 -- so if that doesn't work for you then you should use another option.

Enterprise has a rental location directly across the plaza from the main entrance of Newark, NJ Penn Station. I've used it several times by renting a car the day before an Amtrak trip, simply drop off the car the next day and board Amtrak, thus avoiding the need for an expensive cab ride or parking. https://www.enterprise.com/en/car-renta ... -24vj.html

i'm wondering now if we should put together a sticky post with all this info? i realize now that my info was incomplete because i generally only looked in the central/northern part of the state, so e.g. Hamilton was never part of the picture. And I've sworn never to use Enterprise…

CTG: I remember that Metropark Station once had no direct access to NJ 27 between the westbound platform
and the roadway even though they are right next to one another. I recall once having to climb over a fence from
the low alternate platform on the GSP end after discovering there was no exit to NJ 27 back in the late 80s.
The westbound platform was once only accessible by the underpass at the center of the platform to MET's
main entrance and ticket office areas.

From a Google Streetview I noticed that there is now two access points to the westbound platform from NJ 27
on either end at Metropark which I find to be a good improvement that I was previously unaware of.

Hi55us: I noticed that Great Adventure now requires all visitors to make reservations ahead of time:
www.sixflags.com/greatadventure

When do you plan to make your upcoming NY/NJ trip? Hopefully we will see some return to a state of normal
later this year with more C-19 controls and not restrictions for venues such as theme parks still in effect.

MACTRAXX

MACTRAXX wrote: ↑Thu Jan 07, 2021 12:40 pm CTG: I remember that Metropark Station once had no direct access to NJ 27 between the westbound platform
and the roadway even though they are right next to one another. I recall once having to climb over a fence from
the low alternate platform on the GSP end after discovering there was no exit to NJ 27 back in the late 80s.
The westbound platform was once only accessible by the underpass at the center of the platform to MET's
main entrance and ticket office areas.

From a Google Streetview I noticed that there is now two access points to the westbound platform from NJ 27
on either end at Metropark which I find to be a good improvement that I was previously unaware of.

...

Yes, your memory is correct. I lived down that way in the late 80's and early 90's and the only way out was through the tunnel to the station. This seems like a huge improvement, though it may be a nuisance to Route 27 traffic if people are using it as a pick-up / drop-off during rush hours in normal times.

MACTRAXX wrote:CTG: I remember that Metropark Station once had no direct access to NJ 27 between the westbound platform
and the roadway even though they are right next to one another. I recall once having to climb over a fence from
the low alternate platform on the GSP end after discovering there was no exit to NJ 27 back in the late 80s.
The westbound platform was once only accessible by the underpass at the center of the platform to MET's
main entrance and ticket office areas.

From a Google Streetview I noticed that there is now two access points to the westbound platform from NJ 27
on either end at Metropark which I find to be a good improvement that I was previously unaware of.

Hi55us: I noticed that Great Adventure now requires all visitors to make reservations ahead of time:
www.sixflags.com/greatadventure

When do you plan to make your upcoming NY/NJ trip? Hopefully we will see some return to a state of normal
later this year with more C-19 controls and not restrictions for venues such as theme parks still in effect.

MACTRAXX

Planning on making this trip this summer, July or August presuming we have the vaccine by then. We have a Six Flags season pass and eventually want to make it to every park in the country!

Appreciate the suggestions everyone. Actually thinking about taking the NJT to Point Pleasant Beach or Bayhead now and making the drive from there. Hopefully the traffic on 195 through central jersey won't be as bad and we'll have a chance to see the shore for a little bit.

You have got to be dreaming,that's beach season,traffic will be the pits!

If the plan is North Jersey Coast Line, just plan for Monday - Thursday to avoid the worst of the beach traffic that @Backshopboss mentioned. The worst traffic is Friday afternoon through Sunday night. I've lived in the area for 64 years and know it well. My son actually worked at Six Flags one summer. My suggestion is Belmar as Enterprise has a location there and they will pick you up, just reserve ahead and call when you get close. A very easy drive (NJ-138 / I-195) from their office on NJ Route 35 to Great Adventure. The only thing to be aware of is the possible train change at Long Branch. The line is only electrified down to Long Branch. From there south is diesel territory. Cross-platform change at LB.