Unearth The Voyage
There is a place in New Jersey where a lion, a bear, a monkey, and a donkey named Jezebel all live under the same roof of care and compassion. It sits quietly in Ocean County, drawing in families, animal lovers, and curious visitors who leave with a full heart and a new perspective on what it means to give an animal a real home.
This refuge has been doing its work for decades, long before animal sanctuaries became trendy, and the loyalty of its visitors speaks for itself. Some people have been coming back for over 20 years.
The animals here are not exhibits. Every single one of them has a backstory, and the staff knows those stories by heart.
If you have ever wondered what a second chance looks like for a rescued lion or an abandoned peacock, this article is going to show you exactly that.
Where It All Begins: The Address and Location
Popcorn Park Animal Refuge sits at 1 Humane Way, Forked River, NJ 08731, tucked into a quiet stretch of Ocean County in southern New Jersey. The name of the street alone tells you something important about the spirit of the place.
Getting there involves a scenic drive through the Pine Barrens region, which makes the arrival feel like a proper adventure even before you step through the gate.
The refuge is operated by the Associated Humane Societies, a New Jersey-based nonprofit that has been caring for animals in need for many years. The organization runs both an animal shelter and the refuge itself, meaning the work happening here goes well beyond what visitors see on a casual weekend trip.
The refuge is open Friday through Tuesday from 10 AM to 4 PM, and closed on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Free parking is available on-site, which is always a welcome bonus for families planning a full day out.
The Mission Behind the Name
The name Popcorn Park has a cheerful ring to it, and the story behind it is just as warm. The refuge was founded to give a permanent home to animals that had nowhere else to go, including those that were abandoned, abused, injured, or simply too old to be placed in a traditional shelter setting.
Over the decades, it has grown into one of the most well-known animal sanctuaries in the state.
What makes this place stand apart from a standard zoo is the philosophy driving every decision. The animals are not here to perform or to fill enclosures for the sake of ticket sales.
Each one arrived with a need, and the refuge answered that need with a long-term commitment.
All admission proceeds go directly back into the care of the animals, which means every visit is also a small act of support. That connection between visitor and mission is something people feel the moment they walk through the gate.
The Animals You Will Meet Here
The range of animals at this refuge is genuinely surprising for a facility of its size. Lions, bears, tigers, monkeys, llamas, turtles, foxes, pigs, horses, donkeys, and a reptile house all share space within the same circular walking path.
Peacocks roam freely throughout the grounds, and they are not shy about showing off their feathers to anyone who pauses long enough to look.
Mickey, an Appaloosa horse known for his friendly personality, has won over plenty of visitors. Jezebel the donkey is described as cute but impressively loud, which tends to get a laugh from anyone nearby when she decides to make herself heard.
The monkey enclosure draws consistent crowds, and the big cats, especially the lions and tigers, are active enough to make for a memorable up-close experience. Many visitors note that seeing a lion that close, in a setting built around care rather than spectacle, feels completely different from a traditional zoo visit.
Every Animal Has a Story
One of the most meaningful details at Popcorn Park Animal Refuge is that every animal enclosure includes information about how that particular animal ended up there. Some stories are straightforward, involving animals that were surrendered by owners who could no longer care for them.
Others are harder to read, involving neglect or injury, but all of them end in the same place: a safe home with people who care.
Visitors consistently mention that reading these stories adds a completely different layer to the experience. It turns a walk through an animal park into something closer to a conversation about responsibility, compassion, and what happens when humans step up for creatures that cannot speak for themselves.
Children respond to this in a powerful way. Parents have noted that their kids leave asking thoughtful questions about animal welfare, which suggests the refuge is doing something that goes well beyond a fun afternoon outing.
It plants a seed that tends to stick.
A Walk Through the Grounds
The layout of the refuge is a simple circular path that loops around the various animal habitats, making it easy to navigate without a map. The whole walk takes somewhere between 35 and 60 minutes depending on how long you stop at each enclosure, which makes it a manageable outing even for younger children or visitors with limited mobility.
The grounds are unpaved and a bit rocky in places, so comfortable walking shoes are a practical necessity. Families with strollers have found the terrain a little tricky, and the general recommendation from experienced visitors is to bring a wagon instead, which handles the uneven surface much better.
The grounds are kept clean and well-maintained, and the layout never feels chaotic or overwhelming. There is enough shade in various spots to make a warm-day visit comfortable, and the open-air design means the animals are visible without the barrier of heavy glass or solid walls separating you from them.
The Roaming Peacocks That Steal the Show
If there is one animal at Popcorn Park Animal Refuge that consistently upstages everyone else, it is the peacock. Multiple peacocks roam freely throughout the grounds, and they have absolutely no interest in staying in one place or keeping a low profile.
They strut, fan their feathers, and generally conduct themselves as though the entire refuge was built for their benefit.
Children find them absolutely captivating, partly because the peacocks are at eye level and completely unafraid of people. There is something genuinely delightful about rounding a corner on the walking path and coming face to face with a bird that looks like it belongs in a painting.
The peacocks have become something of an unofficial mascot for the refuge, appearing in visitor photos and mentioned in nearly every review with unmistakable enthusiasm. They are a small but perfect example of what makes this place feel different from a conventional animal facility: the unexpected moments of joy are built right into the experience.
Birthday Parties and Group Visits
Popcorn Park Animal Refuge offers birthday party packages that have become genuinely popular with local families. The setup typically includes an animal ambassador experience in the picnic area, where an instructor brings out select animals for the group to meet up close, followed by time to explore the refuge.
The coordination process is described as straightforward and easy, which is exactly what you want when planning a party for a group of excited kids.
The picnic area sits just outside the main entrance and serves as a comfortable base for group gatherings. Families are welcome to bring their own food and enjoy the space before or after a refuge visit, making it a practical option for birthday celebrations, school field trips, or any kind of group outing.
What makes the party option especially appealing is the awareness that the money spent goes toward animal care. Parents have noted that it adds a layer of meaning to the celebration that a standard party venue simply cannot offer.
The Reptile House
Tucked within the refuge grounds is a reptile house that tends to catch visitors off guard in the best way. For a facility primarily known for its larger rescued mammals and roaming birds, the addition of a dedicated reptile space shows the breadth of what Popcorn Park Animal Refuge actually takes on.
Reptiles are often among the most misunderstood animals in any sanctuary setting, and having a dedicated space for them gives visitors a chance to look more closely at species they might otherwise overlook. The educational component is consistent with the rest of the refuge, where context and backstory are always part of the experience.
For kids who are more drawn to the unusual or the quietly fascinating, the reptile house tends to be a highlight that parents did not necessarily anticipate. It rounds out the animal variety at the refuge in a way that reinforces just how wide the net of rescue and care is cast here, well beyond the crowd-favorite lions and tigers.
How Donations and Sponsorships Work
Beyond the admission ticket, Popcorn Park Animal Refuge offers visitors a way to stay connected to the animals long after the visit ends. The animal sponsorship program allows individuals or families to sponsor a specific resident, contributing directly to that animal’s ongoing care costs.
It is a concrete way to maintain a relationship with a place and a mission that clearly resonates with people.
Donation drop-offs are also welcome at the shelter located on the grounds, and the staff there is consistently described as warm and appreciative. Some long-time visitors have made donation drop-offs a regular part of their visits, treating it as a natural extension of their connection to the refuge rather than a separate charitable act.
The refuge also maintains a social media presence where it shares updates about the animals, upcoming events, and ways to get involved. For people who visit once and want to stay informed, following along online is a low-effort way to keep supporting the work being done here.
What the Staff Brings to the Experience
The team at Popcorn Park Animal Refuge is one of the most consistently praised elements of the entire experience. Visitors describe the staff as knowledgeable, genuinely caring, and easy to talk to, which is not always a given at facilities that handle this volume of visitors and this complexity of animal care.
Staff members know the animals by name, know their histories, and are happy to share that information with anyone who asks. That personal familiarity with each resident creates a tone across the whole refuge that feels less like a managed attraction and more like a community of people deeply invested in the work they do every day.
One of the more remarkable stories to come out of visitor accounts involves the staff going to extraordinary lengths to reunite a lost pet with its owner, a months-long effort that ultimately succeeded. That kind of dedication does not happen by accident.
It reflects an organizational culture where the animals and the people who care about them are genuinely the priority.
Practical Tips for Planning Your Visit
A few practical details can make the difference between a smooth visit and a frustrating one, so it is worth going over the basics before you head out. The refuge is open Friday through Tuesday, 10 AM to 4 PM, and closed on Wednesdays and Thursdays.
Arriving closer to opening time gives you the best chance of seeing the most active animals before the afternoon heat or fatigue sets in.
Bring a wagon if you are visiting with toddlers or younger children, as the rocky unpaved path is not ideal for standard strollers. Comfortable walking shoes are a must for everyone.
There is a picnic area outside the entrance where you can bring your own snacks or lunch, which is worth planning for since there is currently no food service inside the refuge itself.
Restrooms are available both inside the park and near the entrance, though signage for them is still being improved. The whole loop takes under an hour, so it pairs well with other stops in the Ocean County area.
Why This Place Keeps People Coming Back
There is a particular kind of loyalty that a place earns when it does something genuinely well over a long period of time. Popcorn Park Animal Refuge has visitors who have been returning for over two decades, some of whom now bring their own children and are watching a new generation fall in love with the same animals and the same mission.
That kind of repeat visitation is not built on novelty. It is built on consistency, on a place that keeps its promises to both the animals and the people who care about them.
The refuge has grown and updated over the years, but the core of what it offers has remained steady: a real home for animals that needed one, open to anyone willing to come and pay attention.
The rating of 4.6 stars across nearly 3,000 reviews is not a fluke. It reflects thousands of individual visits that ended with people feeling glad they came, and already thinking about when they can come back again.
A Closing Thought on Second Chances
Popcorn Park Animal Refuge does not try to be the biggest or the flashiest animal facility in New Jersey. That is clearly not the point.
The point is that a lion that once had no safe place to land now has one, and so does a monkey, a fox, a tortoise, and a very vocal donkey named Jezebel. The refuge holds all of them with the same steady commitment it has maintained for decades.
Visiting here is a reminder that second chances are not just a concept. They are a daily practice carried out by a staff that shows up, learns the names, knows the stories, and keeps the gates open for anyone who wants to be part of that work, even just for an afternoon.
For families in New Jersey or anyone passing through Ocean County, a stop at 1 Humane Way is one of the more honest and rewarding ways to spend a few hours. The animals will be there, and so will the people who have chosen to take care of them.
