Great view! Hidden gem. Great view of NYC! A nice tribute of 9-11 here. A restaurant near by…read morerecommend reservations. Nice to park and take in the views.

This is a beautifully maintained park in Essex County, good for biking, walking, jogging,…read morepicnicking, and other leisurely activities.

EVENT VENUE REVIEW ONLY:…read more Last night, my husband and I attended a board meeting held at Van Vleck House & Gardens. I've driven past its gates many times over the years, but this was my first opportunity to visit Van Vleck in Montclair. The meeting took place at 6:30pm, but the hour leading up to it was allowed for check-in, picking up name tags, and a light cocktail hour with food and refreshments. The organization had the check-in outside of the main house's entrance way. When we walked inside, there were cocktail tables covered in white cloth and adorned with floral center pieces and tealight candles. There was a buffet table in one of the first floor rooms to the left. There was also a bar setup in that room, as well as some seating. The library was rearranged for another bar setup and more cocktail tables. The library has windows that let in natural lighting and there is also beautiful fireplace. The catering and bartending team did a great job. The food spread was high quality and delicious. My vegetarian husband gave two thumbs up for the butternut squash ravioli, mushroom penne, and goat cheese salad. The bartender in the library was great. The people offering hors d'oeuvres were all professional and kind. It was a lovely hour before the meeting. The meeting was held in the room where most likely wedding ceremonies or event activities take place. That night, they had a stage set up for speakers and performers, and white wooden fold-up chairs for attendees. The room acoustics are good. At this meeting, there was short musical performance from two string musicians, and you could hear every detail of the notes played (i.e. great sound). After the meeting concluded, attendees began to exit. There were desserts by the front entrance for people, which was a nice surprise. It's a very special venue. My only note would be - and it's because I'm always looking out for this stuff - the pathway from the front door to the gate opening has very low lighting. Our meeting ended at 8pm and it was already sundown. While my husband and I were fine, another attendee exclaimed how it was so dark. We offered the flash lighting feature on our phones to help her out and lit up the path to avoid any falls. This may not be the usual for events as I imagine many people have them during the day to enjoy the lush gardens and natural beauty of the property... but I'm just saying should this apply to you.

We went here for Mother's Day, so it was exceptionally crowded as expected. It is a lovely smaller…read moresized garden. There aren't many walking trails available, but nice flowers, trees, and open areas to roam around for a bit. It's a nice spot to go and enjoy some outdoor time. It isn't someplace that you could really get some farther walking in. But nice mini escape.

I gotta tell you... I love this little park…read more First visit - okay, I dug it. Second visit - more time to explore and continually found new and interesting reasons to enjoy Essex County's seventh-largest park (I totally stole that tidbit from Wikipedia). Third visit - okay, okay - I'm officially smitten! A (small-ish) pond complete with locals fishing? Tennis and pickleball courts? Horseshoe pits? Bocce court? Paved trails (both in the main/open portion of the park as well as tucked-away under dense forest)? Baseball field (as a bonus - a group of kids always practicing cricket off to the side)? A tiny little spot consisting of parallel bars and (uneven) pull-up bars - for aspiring gymnasts or American Ninja contestants? An aqueduct (complete with a handful of little bridges to cross over) running throughout the entire park? A damn fine playground (with interesting and in-good-shape equipment) for kids (from 2 to 12 years old)? Plenty of tables (old-school picnic style as well as more modern/sleek)? Those clunky-but-sturdy BBQ grills that are drilled into the ground for you to use but can't take home with you? Rock cairns to find and admire while walking through along the tree-covered trail? A few strategically-placed water fountains to rehydrate and cool down? Plenty of Porta-Potties and trash receptacles (including freebie baggies so you can scoop up your pet's droppings)? A random deer (or doe) sighting in or near the park every single time I've visited? Yes! A resounding "yes!" to all of it.

Tiny county park in a residential area, so no trails. You can walk around the park in about 15…read moreminutes. Small stocked pond with ice skating when safe and allowed, children's swings and slide and a small tennis court. Benches all around. Well kept by the county. Parking on the street and a small lot with a few handicapped spaces. Bicycling not allowed due the size of the park and amount of people. Playing field up and behind the park area. Events held occasionally.

Love this garden! It's my favorite picnic spot and it makes for some great photos. It has several…read morebenches and labels on most of the flowers. Definitely recommend checking it out!

Absolutely amazing park! There's asphalt trails all around, children's playgrounds, sports fields,…read moreand water fountains. Several parking lots are around too

One of the best parks in the northern NJ area for a family friendly walk. No through traffic while…read morein the park. The park has a basketball court, baseball field, bathrooms, and picnic tables. One of the best features is that there's a stream that runs through the park with a small waterfall at the end. Plenty of restaurants within a 5 minute walk of the park

We passed by this park by accident when we were grabbing desserts. It was so pretty with the fall…read moreleaves I had to stop real quick to take a photo. It is a big park we drove around it to get to a different location we were going to. I saw teenagers playing around the park and people walking their dogs. A great place for a chill, relaxing day to walk around or spend time in.

This park a really cute playground that I never knew existed. The path that goes around the park…read moreis beautiful. There is also a lot of open field if you want to have a picnic.

I went here after work to enjoy a nice walk. It is quite a lovely park which has something for…read moreeveryone.There is a big pond with 2 long paths, a baseball field, as well as a playground. It does get crowded but it's very manageable. The grass is clean and well kept and perfect for a picnic .There is also a lovely WWI memorial and a beautiful cherry blossom tree. I am definitely coming back !

Such an incredible playground! We went here twice with our young boys while visiting my in laws,…read morethey had a blast. Love the structures, it's fully fenced in, and there are tons if chairs on the sides for parents to sit. My kids could stay here all day if we let them. Wish there was a little more shade, but you can find some spots.

Located at the South Mountain Waterfront, the Essex County Regatta Playground is a nautical-themed…read moreplay area for kids and little ones. Nearby are the swan paddle boats, which can be rented. Also, the public bathrooms are near the Regatta Playground, as well as a picnic area and wooden lawn chairs. Note: The picnic area is sometimes reserved for private events/groups, but is otherwise available most of the time.

Cedar grove community park, is about 6 acres of awesomeness!!!! Lol the amenities in this park…read moreinclude a public pool with changing areas and diving boards, deep end and kiddie pool. A beautifully landscaped garden and ball field. The baseball field has 2 sets of 60+ person sitting bleachers, well lit night lights and pitchers pen. Plenty of park benches and trash cans for having bday parties. Also Built in BBQ pits. Parking is free and very conveniently accessible with over 120 spots, with RV parking. Public bathrooms are available and opened and cleaned daily. There are 2 massive playgrounds available for all ages. One is located next to the park benches and BBQ puts and the other right behind the ball field. My daughter and I had an amazing time at cedar grove community park. Very clean and safe atmosphere. YES!!!! It's open to the public. Reviews Yelp!!!! David $ Erica.

This is a beautiful park. When you look at it on Google Earth it's huge, but it's quite small…read more There are many picturesque locations here. I'm sure many know about this park, but it's a hidden gem to me. It's perfect for a short romantic walk. Will be back.

Verona park is one of my favorites in essex county! There is plenty of parking available. It's a…read morecool place to go just to relax and people-watch, if that's your thing. I like the open space and tall trees; it feels inviting and comforting. This park is beautiful in all seasons! Also, it is a good place to walk for exercise.

Come here for a quick workout . You can do 2 miles and see horses and other wildlife. This place is…read moresecure there's camera surveillance. Such a great place to come and relax. They also have fitness bars to do pull-ups however I'm not at that level yet.

Happy New Year friends!…read more 2026 is my year (I say this every year) and I wanted to center my well-being today. So I joined my body affirming hiking group (ask about us!) for our Jan. 1 First Day Hike to Garret Mountain. Imagine our collective surprise when we woke up to a phantom overnight snowstorm! Still we persisted. Our group of 6 was suited and hiking booted for the wooded trails only to discover a thick layer of ice under and over the rocks headed into the forests. Even our microspikes wouldn't have been much help due to the steep declines. So we backtracked and decided to walk the auto loop instead. We got a mile into our 3 miles and Passaic County PD came around and announced the park was closing due to ice and dangerous conditions. So we walked back up to the auto lookout and headed out. 2 of 3 miles wasn't bad considering that I was cold in places I've never been cold before, and had just said to my friend, "I have a bad feeling about this hike today" right before we had to come out of the woods due to ice. Listen to your intuition! I know this park will be stunning in spring so I can't wait to return. The mountain views and gorgeous NYC skyline are not to be missed. Keep in mind: -The Tower was closed for maintenance so check before you go -Microspikes are a must in the winter - and even then... -It's a good 7-8 degrees colder up high in the park. 22 felt like 15. -the wildlife does not gaf. The deer stepped to us as if WE were the exhibit. Love that for them tbh.