Manalapan Township · New Jersey
Anne Ellen Christmas Tree Farm
Walk mixed fir, spruce and pine fields, or choose a pre-cut tree under the lights; the shops and separately ticketed Village offer different ways to extend the visit.
At a glance
Plan your visit.
- Tree season
- Field cutting from November 13; pre-cut and shop calendar differs
Hours: Fields daily 9am–4pm sharp; pre-cut trees follow shop hours
Dates & hours ↓
Dates & hours.
Official visit information ↗Tree season: Field cutting from November 13; pre-cut and shop calendar differs
| Christmas tree visit | Hours |
|---|---|
| October 23–25 and October 30–November 1 · shops/pre-cut | 9am–5pm |
| November 6–December 23 · shops/pre-cut | Daily 9am–8pm, except November 9–12: 9am–5pm |
| From November 13 · cutting fields | Daily 9am–4pm sharp; may close early for stock |
| December 24 · cutting fields, if still open for the season | Calendar lists 9am–4pm; confirm remaining field availability |
| December 24 · shops/pre-cut | 9am–1pm |
| December 26–30 · shops | 5pm–8pm |
Choose your Christmas tree.
Anne Ellen offers a field walk and a ready-cut alternative at the same Manalapan farm. Blue and Norway spruce, white pine and Canaan and Douglas fir grow mixed throughout the cutting fields. Borrow a saw or bring your own, then walk the rows to compare the trees rather than looking for a separate field for each variety.
After cutting, bring the tree to a main road in the farm. The team collects it there and returns it to the main area; pay at the Red Barn, then have it baled for the trip home. Field trees are priced by the foot. Free advance tagging is available without a reservation, but a tag does not reserve or guarantee the tree: the fields remain open to other shoppers.
The pre-cut racks offer Fraser, balsam, Douglas, noble and Nordmann fir plus blue spruce, depending on supply. These trees are individually priced by height, variety, quality and the particular tree. Pre-cut shopping follows the shop timetable, including a 1pm Christmas Eve close; the calendar separately lists field cutting until 4pm that day if the fields remain open. Contact the farm first for a particular variety and remaining field availability.
For the trip home and display, Anne Ellen recommends a fresh 1–2-inch cut across the base, prompt water, and a stand that never dries out. Keep the tree away from heat and draft sources, and check its water regularly rather than relying on a promised number of days of freshness.
Tree species
- Blue spruce
- Norway spruce
- White pine
- Canaan fir
- Douglas fir
- Fraser fir (pre-cut)
- Balsam fir (pre-cut)
- Noble fir (pre-cut)
- Nordmann fir (pre-cut)
The farm visit.
Shops, greenery and a daytime farm visit
Ordinary farm and shop visits require neither a ticket nor a reservation. The shops accept cash and cards, and an ATM is available. Leashed dogs may visit the farm, although they cannot enter The Village. On ordinary selling days the 4pm field cutoff precedes the main shop and pre-cut closing time. Christmas Eve differs: the calendar lists cutting 9am–4pm if the fields remain open, but shops and pre-cut trees 9am–1pm. Confirm field availability because cutting can finish for the season before then.
The greenery team hand-decorates balsam and Fraser fir wreaths from 12 to 72 inches and makes grave blankets in different styles, colours and sizes. Cemetery cones, swags, roping, decorative sleds, reindeer and holiday arrangements broaden the choice. Pick from the available pieces or ask for a custom design and individual quote; ask the farm for current tree and greenery prices.
Free daytime Santa visits run on Black Friday November 27 and weekends November 28–December 20, 9am–4pm. A professional photograph is a separate paid choice. Farm animals, feeding opportunities and photo settings by vintage tractors, firetrucks, painted scenes and the red truck can extend a daytime stop; ask about the day’s availability.
Train, bear-making and refreshments
The train runs Friday–Sunday, November 20–December 20, 9am–3:30pm, touring the farm with a look at Christmas-tree growing and its history. Board at the parking-lot ticket stand behind the pre-cut trees. Check the fare when planning; the operator’s attraction page does not print an amount.
Build-Your-Bear has its own room in the shops, where visitors choose and make a stuffed animal during shop hours. S’mores are offered on weekends from November 20 and on Village nights at the paver patio; the coffee trailer operates on weekends and Village nights, and food trucks visit on weekends. These purchases and projects are separate choices, with prices and availability to check rather than assumed tree-purchase inclusions.
| Offering | When and where | Cost or condition |
|---|---|---|
| Train tour | Friday–Sunday, November 20–December 20, 9am–3:30pm; board behind pre-cut trees | Ask the ticket stand for the fare |
| Build-Your-Bear | Dedicated room in the shops during shop hours | Project price and available animals to confirm |
| S’mores station | Weekends from November 20 and Village nights; paver patio | Separate purchase |
| Coffee trailer and food trucks | Coffee on weekends/Village nights; food trucks on weekends | Separate purchases; vendors may vary |
| Santa at the farm | Black Friday November 27 and weekends November 28–December 20, 9am–4pm | Visit free; professional photographs extra |
Arrange your own photographer’s session
For a scheduled photo session, bring your own photographer and props and buy an online photography permit in advance. It is valid only for the booked date, time, setting and listed clients. The field permit covers the tree fields, excluding the truck, tractor, firetruck and Village; the truck and tractor permits each cover only that selected setting. The 1930s Ford flatbed stays stationary, with photographs taken from its front or in its bed.
The tree-field booking schedule displays a $60 base for a 30-minute permit covering up to two clients, or $120 for a 60-minute permit covering up to four clients. These are permit-duration prices, not charges per client; confirm taxes, fees and the final total for your chosen booking. Truck and tractor permit prices must be checked separately.
A “client” means one separately scheduled individual, couple, family or group, rather than one person. Mini-sessions must fit the permit’s time and client limits. Every client must be named on the digital Photography Permit Waiver supplied by the booking system; unused time does not permit additional or unregistered clients. Photographers and clients check in at the office before starting and present a scannable mobile or printed permit. The field, truck and tractor providers warn that skipping office check-in can result in a charge to the card on file; confirm the applicable charge before the session.
All sales are final. The current main photography page describes one free customer-portal reschedule at least 12 hours before the session, subject to availability; the field, truck and tractor booking providers instead require at least 24 hours. The linked detailed photography terms also retain an earlier-season heading. Ask the farm to confirm the rule for the particular permit you select before paying. Farm closures offer another available date in the same season, without a refund. Truck and tractor permit holders must return the gate key and relock the area; an unreturned key costs $20.
This is setting access for an arranged session, separate from buying a Santa portrait. The photography page also links to the photographer’s service for finding and purchasing earlier Santa photographs after a visit.
| Setting or condition | Duration and published price | Scope and limits |
|---|---|---|
| Tree fields · 30-minute permit | $60 displayed schedule base; taxes/fees and checkout total to confirm | Up to 2 clients; fields only, other named settings excluded |
| Tree fields · 60-minute permit | $120 displayed schedule base; taxes/fees and checkout total to confirm | Up to 4 clients; fields only, other named settings excluded |
| 1930s Ford flatbed truck | 30 minutes; permit price to check | Up to 2 clients; stationary truck setting only |
| Tractor | 30 minutes; permit price to check | Up to 2 clients; tractor setting only |
| One permitted reschedule | Field, truck and tractor providers: at least 24 hours ahead; main photography page: at least 12 hours ahead | Main page says one free portal change, subject to availability; confirm selected-permit rule |
| Office check-in | Required before the session | All three providers warn of a card-on-file charge if skipped; amount to confirm |
| Unreturned truck/tractor gate key | $20 replacement charge | Return the key and relock after the session |
The Village: a separate evening outing
On selected nights from November 6 through December 30, The Village opens from 5pm. Check in on the main farm, take the hayride through the fields, then follow the illuminated walking route past houses and interactive scenes such as the Gingerbread House, Candy Cane Factory, Ice Castle and Yeti Tunnel. A standard Santa House visit is part of Village admission; professional photographs, food, hot drinks, merchandise and separately priced activities cost extra.
The ticket calendar explicitly closes The Village on Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. The daytime shops’ Christmas Eve hours are separate. Buy Village tickets online with a card: none are sold at the door. Each date has its own admission price, and the published range is not a guaranteed fee-inclusive total. Check the selected night’s final charge and availability before committing.
The booking provider describes an average visit of about 90 minutes, with no time limit. Its price description gives $24 adult/$14 child non-prime nights and $26 adult/$16 child prime nights, while the calendar also shows a $28 tier. Use the selected date’s quote rather than treating the description as a price ceiling. Village food vendors take cash only; an ATM is available on the farm.
| Ticket or visit | Published price or opening | Conditions |
|---|---|---|
| Adult Village admission | $24–$28 | Date/demand varies; confirm selected night’s final charge |
| Child Village admission, ages 3–12 | $14–$18 | Date/demand varies; confirm selected night’s final charge |
| Under 3 | Free Village admission | Check the selected booking’s ticket arrangements |
| Village nights | Selected November 6–December 30 nights, from 5pm | Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day; online tickets only |
| Base experience | Hayride, illuminated walk, standard displays and Santa House | Food, drink, merchandise, professional photos and extra paid activities separate |
Village arrival, access and ticket conditions
Arrive for your booked entry time; early arrivals wait, and the ticket ceases to be valid 30 minutes after its start time. Keep a scannable phone or printed ticket ready for both the hayride and trail entrance. The hayride is required in both directions: visitors cannot walk through the tree fields after dark.
The route is outdoors in the cold, over rough ground that may be wet or muddy. Strollers and wheelchairs can struggle, so ask the farm about conditions for your needs before booking. Dogs, professional photographers and professional photography equipment are not permitted in The Village.
All sales are final. The booking guide and rescheduling section describe a $20 nonrefundable fee per booking to move the entire order at least six hours before its ticket time, subject to availability. A higher-priced night requires the difference; a lower-priced night does not return the difference. However, the same published terms also contain blanket no-change and no-rebooking wording. Ask the farm to confirm the selected order’s rescheduling eligibility before relying on that exception.
The provider states that weather, illness and scheduling conflicts do not qualify for refunds. If the farm closes for safety, the published terms offer another available date in the same season rather than a refund. Changes to individual amenities do not promise a refund. Read the actual waiver and selected booking conditions, including publicity photo/video-use terms. The linked waiver retains an earlier-season heading; its adult or parent/guardian signature requirement should be checked in the current booking.
| Planning point | What to know |
|---|---|
| Arrival | Booked time only; no early entry; ticket expires 30 minutes after start |
| Transport | Hayride both ways required; no walking across fields after dark |
| Published rescheduling option | $20 per booking at least 6 hours ahead; all order tickets move together; conflicting blanket no-change wording requires confirmation |
| Moving ticket prices | Pay any higher-price difference; lower-price difference not refunded |
| Outdoor access | Cold, rough, possibly wet/muddy paths; ask about wheelchair/stroller conditions |
| Farm safety closure | Same-season reschedule subject to available dates; no refund promised |
Add the Village Greene
The Village Greene adds a lighted maze, Naughty or Nice interactive chair, Christmas mini golf, animated displays, drums that light the surrounding trees, a giant snowglobe and a fire-pit gathering area. Access costs an additional $5 per person. Add it when booking to guarantee access; upgrades inside The Village depend on availability and are nonrefundable.
Once inside, the individual Greene attractions have no additional attraction charge, subject to operation. That upgrade does not include the 4D Sleigh Ride, shooting range, food, drink, merchandise or professional photo packages.
| Offer | Price and conditions |
|---|---|
| Greene access | Additional $5 per person; Village admission also required |
| Advance add-on | Book with Village admission to guarantee access |
| On-site upgrade | Only if available; nonrefundable |
| Within the Greene | Individual Greene attractions included, subject to operation; other paid activities excluded |
Santa’s 4D Sleigh Ride
The separately purchased 4D ride uses motion seats that rock, dip and sway, with 360-degree visuals, surround sound, wind and gentle snow effects to simulate Santa’s journey. Buy it on site on a Village-open night; it is included in neither ordinary Village admission nor the Greene upgrade. The published guide does not state a ride price.
Children under 13 must ride with a parent or guardian. The operator asks visitors with motion-sickness or health concerns to speak to staff before boarding and to follow staff instructions; check suitability for your group rather than assuming a minimum height or other unprinted eligibility rule.
| Visit or condition | What to know |
|---|---|
| When and how | On site on any Village-open night; separate price to confirm |
| Children under 13 | Must ride with a parent or guardian |
| Motion and effects | Moving seats, wraparound visuals, sound, wind and gentle snow; ask staff about suitability |
Before you go.
- Tagging is free but does not guarantee a tree.
- Leashed dogs are welcome on the farm; no dogs in The Village.
- Christmas Eve: field calendar 9am–4pm if cutting remains open; shops/pre-cut 9am–1pm; The Village closed.
Other farms to compare.
- Conover’s FarmWall Township, New Jersey
Select and tag a field tree for staff cutting, with heights from four feet to more than twelve and a separate reservation-and-pickup routine.
- Keris Tree Farm & Christmas ShopUpper Freehold Township, New Jersey
Compare field-grown fir, spruce and pine with pre-cut noble and Fraser fir, then browse a Christmas shop with handmade bells, ornaments and fresh greenery.
- The Fir FarmColts Neck Township, New Jersey
Choose a Christmas tree, browse individually handmade wreaths and farm honey, and take a family tree photograph at the little red barn.