“This year is our biggest year ever for adding new things,” said Emily Peck, daughter of Eileen and Ken Gedicke, adding that the addition of three new rental cabins means the park now has four cabins and nine cottages.
The park is just getting started on its petting zoo, with the addition of two goats, which are being relocated to the park this week. The zoo features rescued and adopted animals, including two miniature horses, two goats and two retired show ponies, who will provide rides for children under 120 pounds during the summer months.
This year’s improvements also include a renovated park ranger station and arts and crafts room.
Peck said the park is also no longer charging rental fees for paddle boats, kayaks and Aqua Trikes. “It’s all included in the overnight rate,” she said.
The Gedicke family has been making improvements to the 220-site Jellystone Park since they converted the campground to a Jellystone Park in 2011.
Jellystone Parks are unique because they offer organized family activities and themed weekends with Yogi Bear, Boo Boo and Cindy Bear, which help families create unique memories.
Activities include arts and crafts, scavenger hunts, and face painting, as well as evening campfires and birthday parties with the bears.
The themed weekends, which are scheduled from March through mid-November, include a chocolate themed weekend with a chocolate pie eating contests, chocolate crafts and chocolate finger painting; Christmas in July weekends with campsite decorating, gingerbread house making activities, and visits by Santa Claus as well as pre-Halloween themed weekends with costume contests, campsite decorating and trick or treating.
The Gedickes are also adding new themed weekends this year, including a game board weekend with life-size games of chess, Twister and other board games.
Other new themed weekends include the Boo Boo Barnyard Birthday Weekend and the Yogi Bear Food Frenzy Birthday Weekend, which will include a chocolate Slip N Slide, finger painting with food and other fun activities with food.
The Jellystone Park at Gloucester Point also features several recreational amenities, including a water zone with a swimming pool, kiddie pool, splash park and two 70-foot long waterslides; a jumping pillow; and fishing and crabbing on the Severn River, which is a tributary to the Chesapeake Bay.
For more information about upcoming activities, please visit www.jellystonegp.com.
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