Only for few places I've selfishly felt writing about it will make it more popular and I might not…read moreenjoy the place all by myself - this is one among them. Just while searching for beaches in a 30 minute driving radius, we ran into this gem of a park that's so well maintained. They have ample free parking and the walk to the bay is so quick. The bay might not be the best to walk on as sand is relatively less with more gravels and getting down to it from the stairs is little difficult even for well grown adults. This could definitely be wheelchair accessible in a certain way. They also have few picnic enclosures and a memorial to one of their town's fallen soldiers. The walking pavement is neatly laid out for a calm, peaceful and relaxing walk. We went on overcast conditions and had to return to the car just before the rain caught up. Will definitely return here for summers to watch the sunset in this beautiful bay/park.

It's a pretty cool and fun park.,... Have gone there with my girlfriend many times.... Usually…read moredrove by mostly

Been coming to this park for years. It is right next to Menlo Park mall. Has a great sized lake…read morefor fishing. It is kept clean, has a playground area, skating rink in the winter

I love this park! Great for walking my dog Cooper, he loves the streams, the bridges, ponds, miles…read moreof paths, lush green fields, trees. So much to do here I'll just ramble off a list of what you can find here: walking and biking the miles of paths, tennis courts, grassy areas for solitude, a reflection park with landscaping and stone benches arranged in an oval, barbecue and picnic areas with built in stand up grills, picnic benches and a few covered large areas for entertaining large groups with nearby running water from a hand pump (check park website for availability but I believe it's first come first served for the covered picnic areas), TONS of parking all around the park for easy access, babbling brooks, cute bridges, a really nice man made pond with an island and best yet, BATHROOMS all over!

Love visiting Rutgers Gardens through the seasons! If you come in fall, don't expect much in bloom,…read morebut this place is wonderful to hike and stroll through with its various paths. If you visit in spring or summer, get ready for stunning flora and fauna that is cared for by Rutgers staff and students. I adore the lilacs that's smell delicious and envelope a walkway like a natural ceiling. So amazing! Also, I adore the wide open fields and spaces that lend themselves perfectly for a picnic or spot to lay down a blanket and enjoy a nap out in the open. PS. Very romantic spot- if you're coming here for a date, you will not be disappointed!

Really this should be a 4.5 but I rounded up to five to encourage people to come. Really worth it!…read more So let me tell you the negatives first, some of which were covered by some other reviewers. First, there are ticks and you should spray before you start. Second, the directions to get off Route 1 to the gardens is confusing, even for someone from New Jersey who is used to jug handles, but you'll get there eventually. Third, you can hear the traffic from route 1 as you walk through various parts of the gardens and the adjacent woods. And fourth, some toilets are in sad shape. To me, no showstoppers but more you should be aware. Best thing is to print out a map of Rutgers Gardens and Helyar Woods first. It's good to have with you as you walk about although signs are about. This is a really a beautiful garden set out in a very approachable way. Well documented and you can use those maps so you can find and explore the Asian Hill garden, Holly Collection, the Succulent Gardens and, my favorite, the Bamboo Grove. All in all there are 23 gardens and 8 structures, most of which are research sites. The gardens are adjacent to the Helyar Woods. The woods has 7 viewpoint spots and 5 marked trails ranging in length from 0.4 MI to 1.6 MI. Within the forest is a forested wetland, a meadows, a pine grove and just plain old Forest. Most of the trees are old-growth beech, birch, maple and oak trees. It's really wonderful. Note the gardens are closed on Mondays.

We enjoyed this park. There is an easy trail, less than a mile long, so even the little ones can do…read moreit. No large elevation changes, and most of it is paved. It's nice that there are parts by the water. Apart from that, there is a play area, which is right by the entrance to the trail. There are also tennis courts, beach volleyball and bbq.

Great local lakeside park with short easy trails, playground, tennis courts, basketball courts and…read morepicnic areas located between North & East Brunswick NJ . Beautiful view of Farrington Lake with background of Fall foliage colors.

** 4-Star Review for John A. Phillips Cricket Ground**…read more John A. Phillips is a very well-maintained cricket ground with one of the better outfields I've seen lately. It's rare to find grounds these days with even a little bit of grass, and this one delivers -- the outfield is lush, making it a great place to play. The ground itself is huge, which makes clearing the boundary quite a task -- lots of running involved! The AstroTurf wicket has a nice bounce to it, which adds a good challenge for both batters and bowlers. Parking is decent but a little walk away from the actual field. The one downside is the lack of shade -- on a hot day, it can get brutal with almost no trees around. Also, no restrooms close by, which is definitely something to keep in mind. Overall, a solid ground for competitive cricket with a few areas that could make it even better. Four stars!

cute small park with some outdoor things for the kids baseball field basketball little gym and…read morebathrooms when they're working

Live coming here. It is peaceful, calm, such great way to be in nature. There is a little zoo,…read morelake, playground, fields, courts and picnic areas. You can reserve picnic areas for your events like birthday parties, baby showers or any other small gatherings. You can get food trucks with permissions.

Nice trails both for hiking and mountain biking. The best sledding hill in the area during the…read morewinter.

You'll like this spot whether you're a plant expert or a casual observer like me who may need to…read moreuse "Shazam for plants" to identify garden croton. There's plenty to see outdoors, including a twisty tree and a koi pond, but when open, the showstopper is the greenhouse, with cacti and much more. And it's free!

Gorgeous free entry park! It was an amazing gem to find in my area. The diversity of plants is…read moreincredible. The green house had an amazing selection as well. Peaceful.

This park is great for those for beginning hikers, the outdoorsy type and anyone who loves nature…read more They have about 4 long hiking trails, some even have stone steps and wooden bridges. They also have plenty of gardens, with beautiful flowers, and in the summer season, they even have a butterfly house! The decorations are beautiful that they set up. It is definitely worth the trip.

Went for a short hike at Davidson's Mill Pond Park on Sunday afternoon. Not much to see, but there…read moreare a few paths to walk along. Quality: Davidson's Mill Pond Park is a simple park. It is fine for locals to visit, as it has several easy trails to explore. Nothing about it should draw folks to come out of their way. Quantity: None of the trails are very long. Value: Free to visit. Ambiance: Davidson's Mill Pond Park is a small park and agricultural center in central New Jersey. Very easy to miss, as it is hidden right off a busy road. However, it provides several short trails along a pond. No elevation and nothing particularly exciting to see, but the rocky trail provides a fun and easy path for children and dogs. Crowd: A good number of people with their dogs. Service: Clean and well marked trails. Parking: Two small parking lots.

Such a great park. You have a huge open space for kids to…read morerun around and play... on this particular day, a lot of kids were out playing soccer.. Nice size playground with swings and such.. Decent amount of benches and there is a nice table under a gazebo type situation.. perfect for enjoying a lunch in the park. The best part are the trees!! I had no idea that there were many different trees planted in the park--with the added value of being able to read what kind of tree you were lucky enough to come across. I find that so dope and a great unexpected lesson in science for my LO. She found it quite interesting. And the best kept secret.. there is a butterfly park in the back of the park with seems to be a cool trail.. I was just too chicken to go since it was about dusk and no one else accompanied us. Just another reason to come back really soon!

This park is a great, safe place for families to take their kids in the surrounding neighborhood…read more Alongside the main playground area, there are water fountains, a gazebo, and seating areas below the great oak tree. There is also a cute butterfly garden adorned with colorful stones, benches, and paintings. Not much has changed since I came here as a little kid- there are still long walkways in which kids can learn how to ride their bikes, big trees to charade around, and park benches to rest on. Would highly recommend for any family or person looking for a nice place to walk and play.

Easily my favorite trail in the New Jersey area! Breathtaking views on both sides with canals and…read morerivers. Spectacular choice for fall foliage viewing! This is my hands-down winner for the best trail in New Jersey, I've hiked it, and I have biked it! I love all of the other trails in New Jersey, but this one rises to the top for a few reasons. Often there is water on both sides of the trail. There's a man-made canal on one side and sometimes either a river or a lake on the other side. Plus, it's lush with trees and vegetation. Also, the trail is really great if you wanna go biking. You can't go wrong wherever you decide to explore. I would recommend biking since it's such a beautiful trail and you'd want to see as much as you can. Also, the trail is very flat and easy to ride. It's not paved, but it is a wonderful easy riding surface without dust. I recommend parking either at Kingston, which is my favorite. Or at Rocky Hill. You could also park in Princeton along Washington Street near the kayak rental place. If you park at the Kingston trailhead, if you turn one way and head towards Rocky Hill you will see the most breathtaking views I feel the trail has to offer with majestic Streams and canals with cliffs and trees, and all directions. If you take this trail in the fall, you will be blown away by nature! If you ride in the other direction from Kingston towards the Princeton trailhead, you will pass a long and beautiful lake on your right hand side with beautiful views and trees on your left! If you love trails, this one put to the top of your list if you live in New Jersey or nearby Princeton! Super highly recommended! Going in October during the fall can be a transcending experience!

There are over 70 miles of paths/trails along the D&R canal, passing through many historic towns…read moreand landmarks in NJ with some pretty houses along the way, from near Frenchtown down to Trenton, then up to New Brunswick, in a V shape. The D&R runs parallel to the Delaware & Lehigh (D&L) trail on the Pennsylvania side, so you're also getting a view of the Delaware River on that part of the track. The trail is mostly flat and is suitable for walking or biking. We love riding this trail and exploring sections of it at a time and the surrounding towns. Some sections are more scenic than others. A favorite easy ride (or hike) of ours is to start in Lambertville NJ, ride up to Stockton, cross over Center Bridge to the PA side, grab a burger at Dilly's, then ride down to New Hope, PA, walk around town, and return to Lambertville via the New Hope-Lambertville Bridge. It's only about 8 miles roundtrip and makes for a leisurely day, and is very doable even for kids.