There are some very unique attractions in NJ. Of course, I mean unique in the kindest of ways. There are Jersey Devils and Vortexes, albinos who attack cars, and of course enough ghosts and aliens for even the most hard-core skeptic to get goose bumps. (Have you ever read an issue of Weird NJ? You totally have to!) Today we are checking out Lucy the Elephant in Margate Beach, NJ. Lucy is a building in the shape of an elephant that you can actually go inside of. Lucy the Elephant is a part of New Jersey history.

Lucy was built by a real estate investor who was trying to drum up interest in the area in hope of pulling in investors, land owners, and tourists. The idea worked and Lucy was first built-in 1881 for the cost of $38,000- which at the time was quite the fortune. Lucy has acted as quite a few humble abodes as well as vacation homes and now a hot tourist spot. I would personally love to be able to say, “We are staying at the elephant, drive into town and figure it out, you can’t miss it.” I love how visitors are able to climb up into Lucy and on top of her- while it is quite odd hanging out inside an elephant, it is a fun and unique experience for sure. (And will most likely have your children requesting an oddly shaped tree house in the yard once home. I would suggest a big parakeet in a tree, LOL.) Maybe a T-Shirt or stuffed animal of Lucy possibly suffice- it did for Little Man, haha. There is, of course, a gift shop and if you think you can leave without at least a shirt or a stuffed animal you are mistaken, and honestly who is going to believe you spent the afternoon in an elephant tummy? LOL. Eh, it’s all for a good cause!

Happy travels- this one is to cool to miss