This is a somewhat unique rating for me, because I'm giving it 5 stars based on its objective…read moreexcellence. For me, personally? Not my favorite of the 3 parks that are in the immediate vicinity of where I live. That's a purely subjective evaluation. There's Mountain Park in Basking Ridge, heading in the direction of Martinsville. I've reviewed that 1. There's Harry Dunham Park in Basking Ridge, near Liberty Corner. I've reviewed that 1 too. I walk/run in both of these parks on a fairly regular basis. Pleasant Valley? Not so much. Pleasant Valley has a playground, 4 multipurpose fields, a softball field, a baseball field, 2 "youth" baseball fields, 6 tennis courts, 6 pickleball courts (I've asked this before, but I'll ask it again-- when did pickleball become a "thing?"), 4 "lighted platform" tennis courts, a basketball court, a sand volleyball court, a pond for fishing, an amphitheater, picnic shelters, indoor rooms available for rental, walking trails, and restrooms. Why would I subjectively give this less than 5 stars? Because the walking trails aren't my favorite, and walking trails are what I utilize these parks for. Anyone who has ever read anything I've ever written knows sports are, and always have been, anathema to me, but I do like doing exercises that hopefully will allow me to live a bit longer than I might without the exercise (funny story-- my oldest friend went to a high school reunion, and the others there said enviously, "You've aged very well!" My friend laughs when he tells me this and says, "Like it just happened! I work hard at it! I didn't just age well! I worked my ass off exercising and eating right, and they didn't. That's the difference. It's that simple."). I lift weights, and I walk/run, and walking/running the wooded trails has made me feel better physically (although it doesn't melt the fat off as easily as it once did) as well as put me in closer proximity, at least in my own mind, to the inchoate and unknowable nature of whatever "God" might be or the source of all creation and nature. It's in the sunlight filtering through the trees, it's in the cloud-filled or cloudless sky that I get glimpses of through the trees as I walk, it's in the sounds of birds and insects, the deer and other small animals crashing through the brush (not long ago, there was a bear sighting not too far away, and that would just be my bad luck-- all this exercise only to get mangled to death by a bear!), it's in the fragrant flowers sprouting up from the soil, the invigorating fresh air itself. There's a stretch of woods in the Dunham Park that's lovely. It's not a long walk, but it passes beneath the towering trees, and alongside a gurgling brook. If it's not the pristine beauty of the northwest CT countryside, it's pretty close. Mountain Park also has magnificent trails. At 1 point, I followed 1 down a hill to a river, but didn't go further, as I didn't know where it was leading to and I wasn't prepared for an extended hike through unknown wilderness. But you can walk the trails for a considerable distance and actually imagine you're far from any last vestiges of civilization (which might not be a positive, depending on your mood or disposition or anxiety level). All alone with nature! I found it exhilarating and spiritually restorative. Pleasant Valley? I occasionally ran the trails at Pleasant Valley with a running/drinking buddy of mine. At that time, we partied a lot (with a group of friends), but we exercised a lot too (just her and me); she ultimately married and moved to the Virgin Islands, and we sort of lost touch. But...hope she's doing well and... keep up the running, old friend! A few weeks ago, I returned to Pleasant Valley, to take a walk. The trails wind upward and certainly serve their purpose, but I prefer the trails of the other 2 parks. With them, at least you get the illusion that you're in the middle of nowhere, enjoying the mystery and majesty of God's green earth. With the Pleasant Valley trails, there's a uniform sameness to them, and when I deviated off the main trail onto a side offshoot, I ended up in a housing development. Again, maybe that's just my own personal quirk and won't mean anything to somebody else of a more "social" disposition. Me? I prefer to pretend I'm the pioneering hermit, the isolated "Stranger in a Strange Land," the searcher for solitude and tranquility, at least for an hour or so. So... objectively...this is a great park, with a lot of amenities and activities. Parking seems plentiful enough (although I have to agree with 1 previous reviewer who said that if the park gets crowded, parking could potentially prove a problem). I can't say I won't return on occasion to walk the trails. But...subjectively...it's not my 1st choice. Or 2nd.

Great park. Very well maintained. Pickleball courts redone (summer 2026) and there look and play…read moregreat.

My boyfriend and I booked an overnight canoe trip with KC this past weekend. We originally booked 2…read morekayaks but since we packed a lot of stuff for camping, we decided to rent 1 canoe instead. Carrie (our bus driver) was SO awesome that she was able to call the office and switch our rentals to a canoe and she made it happen! Carrie was a great bus driver + she was funny/friendly. That's what I like - friendly staff, people who love what they do. She also gave us great tips such as bringing our canoes more up the bank wherever we camped because the water levels were high this past weekend. Only reason why I'm not giving 5 stars is because of the prices. I think it's overly expensive that 1 canoe rental for renting it for Saturday and basically half day on Sunday is $100 per person. We were finished at 12pm (to Smithfield Beach) which is half a day. Way too expensive to charge us that. They should have at least gave us a discount for Sunday since the current was extremely fast this past weekend. I have always rented with Edge of the Woods Outfitters because it's $72 per person for an overnight canoe trip, but they couldn't accommodate because they didn't have enough vans.

You lost out on $900 this season, and annually. Agree with the recent reviews. Take the Dingman's…read moreparking option and route off your website entirely. Emails and calls for months, constantly got the run around and was told on the phone I need a group of 30 in order to park there and be taken to River Beach and float down, instead of the 14 that I was bringing to your company. Gladly chose Adventure Sports for $200 less and canoeing the lower river. Will actively use other outfitters going forward for our annual reunion trips. You tried to undo last years trip and sorry I gave the benefit of the doubt that a group would be honored this year.

been coming here since 1997love this place. beautiful clean pool and great friendly staff. we felt…read morevery welcomed this season by the lifeguards and manager Chris thanks for making it an enjoyable summer

It wasn't it for me today at this pool. I was here in 2019 and the entrance fee was $14 today it…read morewas $20. The pool was crowded with so many kids whose behavior was Obnoxious. There were more kids than adults. These kids continously kept throwing themselves off the ledges and splashing the adults that were in the pool, including myself. I understand it's a pool, but 1) why are they jumping literally on me 2) I wear contacts and that chlorine water burns 3) the pool is large enough where you should NOT be splashing on people. 4) Its dangerous. The parents did not correct this behavior and neither did the lifeguards. The pool's lining was literally floating in the water and under my feet as I swam or walked in the water. This is unacceptable. I posted pics of the lifeguards picking this crap up. Very disappointed with my experience and I don't expect to return.

My husband and I had a fab time with Edge of the Woods! We rented a raft and a tandem tube…read more Service was friendly and the Delaware Water Gap is goooooorgeous. Highly recommended!

(This was a few months ago so the details could be a bit iffy.)…read more This was a very impromptu trip and everything at Edge of the Woods makes doing that easy. Head to the website, book the date & time you want and you're done. www.watergapadventure.com/river-trips A few things worth noting: They offer multiple trip lengths. The standard 4-, 6- and 10-mile trip (Smithfield to Portland) are all booked generically and then when you get there you tell them what you want to do. All pricing is the same which believe me compared to others companies, that's very different - in a good way. They do offer two other longer trips but those require calls to the main office I assume to assess river conditions; your own competency and shuttle availability. The main office in Delaware Water Gap is very easy to find and there was plenty of parking on a quiet post-Labor Day Monday. You check in, you're handed a laminated map, life jacket and given a brief route explanation and then you're off in the van. One problem arose and it was kind of a PIA but it was worked around. Most companies have different types/sizes/models of kayaks and quite often, will ask you what you prefer. Not here. When we left the office, the guy driving didn't say a word to me until we get to Smithfield Beach to unload. He had a few kayaks pre-loaded in the carrier but definitely did not look at them before we left. One of them had a broken foot pedal that he said couldn't be used, another was very much designed for a smaller individual (i.e. if you're taller and/or taller & larger it ain't happening safely) which only left two tandem models. Using a tandem as a single individual is not the end of the world but especially when the seats are still left in the two person configuration (i.e. one front and one back versus the rear one being placed more towards the middle), it's a PIA to maneuver the craft and you are paddling harder to get the job done compared to a single. The scenery along the route was decent. You could see a bit of the Shawnee Resort and Golf Course, an old stone bridge abutment in the middle of the river, under and along 80 and then when you get into the Water Gap itself with the high cliff sides. Very picturesque. Once you go under the old train viaduct in Portland, you give the office a call for the shuttle to meet you at the out point which is at the Portland Pedestrian Bridge. The whole experience was about four hours door to door to cover the ten miles on the water plus the shuttle to & from the pick up and drop off points. Lots of nice scenery, due to the low water level there wasn't much in the way of current except for the area around viaduqt in Portland and even that wasn't bad. I'm not a big fan of the equipment here but I wouldn't let that deter me from coming back in the future for one of their northern longer trips.

I think other reviews said it but I'll include my thoughts too -- the noise curfew is non-existent…read more We are night owls so we didn't mind. Let's dive in ... Campsite (3/5): These are a bit stacked on top of each other but our group had two next to each other so it didn't impact us too much. Ambiance (4/5): These campsites are right on the water which is absolutely stunning! You really feel like you're in nature, but there is a major road near the top campsites and even by the water you can hear road noise. There was a huge group at the top which partied into the night though we're up late anyhow and it was no issue for us. Consider earplugs if you're not like us. Bathrooms (4/5): These were relatively clean for a campground bathroom. Minus a star here because on the last day the women's room was out of order -- but I believe it was due to another guest, as a member of our party heard someone say "oh no it's not flushing!" TL;DR: Great for those late-into-the-night campers. If you stay here make sure you get a waterfront spot.

This is my second time doing a float trip with Kittatinny Canoes, but my first time from this base…read morecamp and I would never do it again. The employees working there were not helpful at all. After we were dropped off at the launch point, one employee gave a quick safety speech and then disappeared. No one helped us tie our tubes together or navigate the steep drop-off with our tubes to get into the water, which was extremely slippery and rocky. We were told the float would take 2-2.5 hours. This was wildly inaccurate. It took us an hour to float from the drop-off point back to camp. When we previously did the trip from Barryville, the float was much longer. For what we paid, this was a complete waste of money. Then, when we reached the ending point around 4 p.m., we were harassed by three teenage employees who were yelling at us and demanding that we bring up our tubes immediately. There was no one else going out with those tubes at that time, and we simply wanted to sit and relax for a few minutes since the float had been so short. The employees were unnecessarily rude and nasty about it. I feel bad for the people who paid to camp out on this site. It was pathetically small and claustrophobic. Do yourself a favor and book a float trip with another company. After this experience, I would not return to or recommend Kittatinny Canoes at either base camp. EDIT/UPDATE: After the owner's response, I wanted to provide some additional context because I don't feel her response accurately reflects what we experienced. First, regarding the float time: the website states that the trip is 2-3 hours, not 2-2.5 hours. I understand that river conditions can affect the timing, but the conditions on Saturday were considered normal summer levels, with no flood warnings or high water advisories. Our float was significantly shorter than the advertised timeframe. We were also surprised by how close the drop-off point was. The bus barely drove us up the road before letting us out, and the location itself seemed like an odd place to start the trip, being let out in what appeared to be a vacant grassy field directly next to the Riverside on the Delaware townhomes, not even 3 full miles away. I feel bad for the people who live there. It did not feel like we were out in nature, enjoying lush vegetation. I could literally hear landscaping equipment buzzing along the float. As far as the landing area, we did not see anyone trying to get out of the water with kayaks while we were there, nor did the teenage employees tell us that kayakers were waiting to come through. They were not helping people navigate the landing area; they were primarily standing around and yelling at guests to bring their tubes over to the trailer. If they had politely explained that we were blocking kayakers or asked us to move for that reason, that would have been completely understandable. That is not how the situation was handled. Our issue was not being asked to move. It was the attitude and lack of helpfulness from the staff from the moment we arrived. We would have been happy to cooperate if the situation had simply been explained to us. Unfortunately, that was not our experience, and the owner's response does not change what we personally witnessed during our trip

Another disappointing experience with swimming lessons, where the assigned instructor would…read moredisappear without notice, to be replaced by one who sitting on the diving board chatting with fellow friends, with his back towards my daughter,not only not paying attention to what she was doing, but if she were still floating or not. No accountability, nothing about progress, no direction to or interest in the child they are teaching , nor honoring what they are being paid to do...what a poor quality and a downfall to the most basic matters in our community... care for the children and honoring what one is being paid to do. Such poor quality, no accountability, no dignity nor appreciation for one's job...or the establishment employing them.

From the owner: Bridgewater YMCA is a branch of Greater Somerset County YMCA and is located on Garretson Road in…read moreBridgewater, NJ. Our members enjoy this aquatics facility with an expansive 10-lane lap pool and a family pool. We offer swim lessons for all ages, aquatics exercise classes, and a vibrant summer camp program nestled on our 13-acre suburban park-like setting. We are home to the Greater Somerset County YMCA STORM Swim Team. Bridgewater YMCA also features a volunteer-led seasonal outdoor community Giving Garden and one of Somerset County’s two 24/7 free food pantries.

My children have been going there for over 5 seasons collectively. Camp Director Johnathan is the…read moreincredible driving force behind this wonderful camp. His entire staff is impeccably trained - everyone always has a smile and warm/welcoming words (and it's not fake, it's the culture there). Not only are the facilities great (GAGA pits, 2 pools, high ropes course, giant zip line, archery, arts & crafts, drama, etc etc and fields for: baseball, soccer, flag football and lacrosse...the kids even get to play dodge ball) but the staff is simply amazing - incredibly supportive and patient, always there to help and encourage. Campers not only learn how to win but more importantly they learn how to lose and have sportsmanship. The camp has an underlying philosophy based around helping each child become their superstar self - excelling at something. They also teach how to be social with their peers, how to be a good citizen, how to take responsibility...basically how to be a good person in all aspects of their lives. The five pillars of Oak Crest's "Code of Living" are" · Integrity · Responsibility · Leadership · Resilience · Fellowship In addition to all of this - Oak Crest offers free lifetime camp experiences to children of Military/Police families that have fallen on hardships!

As an employee, I cherished the memories and friends made at this amazing camp. As a mom I am…read moregrateful for all the wonderful experiences our kids had at Oak Crest. Beautiful facilities and well prepared staff. If you are looking for your kids to become confident, independent and learn something in the process, choose Oak Crest or one of its sister camps Tamarack or Pine Grove.

We took a trip down the River with Whitewater rafting on September 5th, 2026. Our group of 5 had a…read moregreat time. We received safety instructions prior to the trip from the knowledgeable and professional guides. The guides were always visible and helpful throughout the trip. Our group took the EZ whitewater rafting trip as we had a couple novice rafters.

The guides gave a thorough safety and intro talk before our drive to the launch…read more once on the river they guide you as to which side to stay on. It is important to stay on certain sides to avoid bigger rocks and your team has to work together. there are simple showers but you need to supply your own towel, soap and shampoo. We were a group of older adults and had a great time!

It's mostly young people working the river trips. Some of them were great (really), but others…read moreseemed like they couldn't be bothered. In particular, exiting the river at Milford there was no good spot to get out, the rocks were very slippery, and two employees just stood and talked to each other as an elderly man struggled to get out, pretending they didn't see that the man was struggling.

The campsite advertises quiet hours but no one is around to enforce the rules. Guests are…read moredisrespectful of the rules partying until all hours of the morning. When we asked the front desk if they will enforce quiet hours they said we go home at night like it's not their problem. I understand the staff can't work all night but someone should be available to check their guests are behaving appropriately.