Laurel Hill Park

(42 reviews)

3.7 mi

If you're looking for one of the best skyline views of New York City, Hamilton Park is a must. No…read morematter the season, the view is breathtaking especially at sunrise or sunset, when the city is painted in golden tones. This spot feels like a hidden gem only locals know about. It's peaceful, scenic, and perfect for a quiet walk, a photo session, or just relaxing with a coffee while enjoying the view. There's public parking, and depending on the day, you might even find an ice cream truck. A few blocks away, you'll find restaurants and cafes, making it a great stop before or after a meal. You can even walk or bike the entire stretch from Weehawken to West New York along the waterfront. Whenever I'm in the area, I make it a point to stop here even just for a few minutes. It never disappoints.

Hey hey Adventurers! I took the drive out here this past weekend on a whim and boy did it deliver…read more Beautiful small walking front with gorgeous views of the city skyline, quiet area, and quaint areas to sit and chat. Weehawken to get to is sometimes a pain due to the congestion but the architecture surrounding this park is just a perk of the park itself. Victorian style Charmed looking houses and greenery everywhere. Highly recommend if you can come take in the view of this location. Bring a picnic blanket and your camera, well worth the drive!

| #intenselypassionatephotography

May 2022 - Hamilton Park NJ

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Yanticaw Park

4.8

(12 reviews)

5.3 mi

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.

View from bridge

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Clearly not enough signs

Waterfront Park And Recreation Field

4.6

(10 reviews)

3.6 mi

Visited to check it out as we were interested in a day visit but they don't offer weekend visitor…read morevisits even if paying. Non members are only able to visit on a weekday. I can respect that. If I lived in the area I would totally become a member. Perfect for swimmers because they have a large lap pool. They also have a slide and splash pad as well as a small pool for kids. Not large by any means but intimate with Gorg views of the city skyline and river. Located near tennis courts, soccer fields, track etc.

The workers in the recreation department are so nice and with their amazing support to try to…read moreaccommodate all the people. I like to acknowledge Hanice Dennis and Katie. Thank you for your extreme professionalism and assistance.

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Kingsland Park

4.6

(8 reviews)

5.3 mi

This is definitely one of my favorite parks. It has a dog park and so many places to sit, walk,…read morejog and basically enjoy. It's quiet and not overcrowded. My husband and I had a picnic there this weekend and we spent it well. Found a nice shaded area right alone the stream and laid down a blanket and set up our two chairs and watched a documentary. while sharing a meal, snacks and drinks. It was definitely a well spent afternoon.

Nice long walk along the river. We didn't make it to the waterfall. It was too windy. Paved walk so…read morevery easy to follow. The park has a playground. Good for kids to run around. Many different kinds of swings. I will try to come and visit in summer. I think it will be better.

Historic House

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Overpeck County Park-Ridgefield Park Area

4.4

(66 reviews)

7.3 mi

Great park with huge playground area with areas for various age ranges. Plenty of parking and…read morewalking options. This park also has pickleball courts. The only downside is that the park has minimal trees so hardly any natural shade from the sun.

Forth of July celebration awesome music awesome food awesome people-crowd is amazing-police are…read morefantastic will go again next year for sure

Scenic, relaxing, and a great place to get your steps in.

Beef Patty with a view

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Buchmuller Park

5.0

(1 review)

2.5 mi

This park is geared towards toddlers Completely fenced in…read more(although it is attached to a tennis court and the door to that was open one of the days we went. I noticed some of the kids would run into the court area... luckily no one was playing tennis) Swings - two baby swings (the bushes nearby provided some shade in this area) and two of the swings that have a regular seat and a baby seat attached to the same thing. Gazebo - there's a gazebo in the center that was on an elevated cement platform. Baby play House - there was a little play house that looked like it was for babies, like new walker age... Two play structures for kids - lots of slides Plenty of benches around the park A giant pig statue and cow statue to play on Dinosaur, airplane, and police car ride up Pretend nature themed house with a little bench in it A splash pad that was dirty and not open yet. I assume it will be cleaned first. Looks like it'll be like a couple inches of water with a giant flower shooting water down onto the kids. We have been to this park 3 times now and def will return Street parking Has restrooms Basketball courts An ice cream truck pulled up one of the times

Whale from teeter totter... pretty worn

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schmidts woods park

3.0

(1 review)

3.3 mi

Lots of shade from all the trees in this park. It's in the middle of the woods…read moreParking lot nearby and there is street parking also Big covered picnic area where someone was having a birthday party. My kids got bored of this park pretty quickly though. Tire swing A small rope climbing structure A random egg thing that you sit in but I think it was broken. A hexagon structure that kind of reminded me of something you'd have for cats to play in

Climbing structure my 4.5yo had no trouble with but still gave me anxiety

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River Barge Park

4.0

(2 reviews)

3.5 mi

We were at River Barge Park to take a boat ride on the Hackensack river. It's a great place to…read morejust sit on the water, and watch all the birds. We saw eagles, kestrels, ospreys - and enjoyed a sunny, unseasonably warm day. We decided we need to come back in the spring/summer and rent kayaks to have our own adventure on the river.

This is not really a review of River Barge Park.It is from here you take the pontoon boat for the…read moreMeadowlands Boat tour sponsored by the NJ Sports and Exposition Authority. This is a a fascinating tour of approximately 2 hours for $15.The boat is comfortable and you'll learn a lot and see alot. Ever ride through on the train and notice those egrets and cormorants?They are there waiting for you .Interestingly right now there is an osprey nest on one of the train bridges and the osprey is there making high pitched noises at us and the train.Bring mosquito repellent and sun protection .The boat is open.Fortunately it's not very loud.I twill not go out in rain.You'll go from Carlstadt down to , I think Kearney. You get pretty close to Snake Hill which used to have those creepy buildings visible from the highway when i was a kid. This is a well worthwhile experience that you should take advantage of.Go to NJSEA website if interested.

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Hudson River Park

4.6

(198 reviews)

4.1 mi

Such a beautiful park , very clean and full of beautiful flowers . It's a long one and they have…read morebathrooms , tennis courts , a children's playground, a dog park , restaurants , plenty of benches , tables and off course the beautiful view on the river . Love this place

Beautiful outdoor option to have in the city. It goes up and down the whole west side. You're able…read moreto bike, walk, roller skate, etc. on the trails. There are a variety of courts to play on throughout the park.

Hudson River cruise in New York City

Hudson River Cruise to the Statue of Liberty

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Lincoln Park

4.4

(48 reviews)

3.2 mi

Love this park. Came on a Sunday before 12, and I was able to find parking but it was pretty full…read more Walked around the walk oath a bit. Then got a blanket and chilled out and read. There are so many fields and courts to play on. I'll definitely be back.

Came here to play pickleball, and it's pretty clean and well maintained. I'd review the men's…read morerestroom near the courts as negative 10 stars since there's no soap and one of the urinals is busted, but I guess it could be worse. The reservations for the courts are free! They have a bunch of events here, I stopped by and saw some sort of fair with rides, fried Oreos and games. There's probably a good path for jogging, but it's a bit far from downtown Jersey City for me to jog here.

Small bridge near golf course

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Pier 51 Playground

(8 reviews)

4.4 mi

Great views at this playground. We love to visit around sunset. Play area for tots and older…read morekiddos. A splash pad area that runs seasonally. My kids are huge fans of this playground and love the monkey cars and rock climbing with the rope. One of our top 5 parks in the area. Highly recommend.

Amazingly beautiful pier…read more Some of the best views of the city are from here. I can come by this pier & relax honestly for the remainder of my life. Will for sure be back.

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Laurel Hill Park - parks - Updated August 2026

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Weasel Brook Park

3.7

(6 reviews)

Excellent park. 1)…read moreIt has an excellent loop to have a nice walk around the stream. 2) There are good amount of parking. 3) There is a shed if it rains.

Nice park, but here's my problem, what happened to all the lights at night?? That has to be…read morecorrected so people can take walks, cause the park itself is open at night and it's kind of dangerous, it's pretty nice in the morning though...

Brookdale Park

(66 reviews)

This park is huge with plenty to do but I only came for the rose garden. It is small, some labels…read moreare missing, and several beds need maintenance. It feels more like a city park than a quiet garden. I personally would not return, though I see why neighbors enjoy having green space nearby. When I visited, a large group had formed a circle that occupied an entire section of the small rose garden. There were no signs indicating the area was reserved, and their gathering unintentionally made the space feel closed off to other visitors. In shared public spaces like this, especially in smaller gardens, it is important for any group, whether local or new to the community, to be mindful of the park's norms and not treat the small public garden like it's only for them. Many people visiting or living here may not be aware of how these spaces are typically used, so a little consideration goes a long way in keeping the park welcoming for everyone.

I grew up with Brookdale Park. I would bike over with Daddy - or in the beginning, trike over - and…read morewe would ride the paths together. Down the little dirt trail by the stream near Watchung Ave., see if I could make it down the ditch under the bridge, then back up near the duck pond to look at the birds. Over to the playground, down the tall metal slide (burning in the hot sun), on and under the wooden playground (splinters and the occasional scary bee), and riding the swings, both pony-themed and regular. Slow forward to 2025. Brookdale still has the same paved paths. The old dirt trail gradually became a bunch of bumps for dirt bikes instead of my regular bike. The duck pond was filled in years ago but is now a wetlands area. The playground has been modernized a couple of times and is now modern, safe plastic. Still pony-themed swings. The old gravel track is now modern plastic for running or similar sports - though there was something special about sliding my bike around the turns on that gravel track. You just can't ride on a running track. There's an annual softball tournament there we still play, and the fields really haven't changed, though I've heard it's been getting tougher to get things reserved properly. So it's still a wonderful park, but without the ducks and with the complications to holding in park events, the fifth star has gone away with my childhood. That's OK. It will always be 5 stars in my heart.

Garret Mountain Reservation

4.1

(48 reviews)

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.

Anderson Park

4.3

(19 reviews)

Decided to get in a morning walk at Anderson Park and as per usual it was great! The park is always…read morewell kept and the variety of trees along the walking paths are always so beautiful. There's always ample parking along the surrounding streets despite how busy the park may be. This park is truly just walking paths with benches and a large field in the middle so if you're looking for a playground this may not be the park for you.

Anderson Park opened in 1905. John Charles Olmsted designed this lovely small park. The park is on…read morethe National Registry of Historic Places. In Anderson Park, you'll see every type of Pedigree dog imaginable walking on the trail. During the last couple of years, I've noticed more fences around the plants, most likely due to the growing deer population. The park is located by the Upper Montclair train station.

Nishuane Park

4.3

A park I used to frequent often in my youth and even now occasionally if there is an event such as…read morethe Jazz Festival. The park has a neighborhood-like setting with houses and even the aforementioned elementary school across the street compared to some other parks in Essex county that are a bit more removed. The park has a nice mixture of park staples for its size. This includes a basketball, baseball field, tennis courts and open field. The unique part of this park is the community pool, another place I'd frequent, but on my most recent visit it was not open despite being a nice day so hopefully it is still being operated. The park has a few paths for walking but not as extensive as some other parks in Essex county. The park has a nice amount of benches, parking lot along with street parking and a nice MLK memorial as you make your way around the park. Not the biggest park, but a lively and decent one a little off from the growing center of downtown Montclair.

I checked out Nishuane Park a few weekends ago for the Montclair Jazz Festival. It's held here…read moreevery year. I've driven past the park on so many times, but never realized from Harrison Ave just how expansive the park is. If you drive past the fire station on the corner of Harrison and Cedar, you won't see the sprawling passive green, walking paths, baseball field, basketball courts, and playground. Apparently, there's also a public pool (I didn't see that when I visited). So the day of the Jazz Festival, I was surprised that Nishuane was able to contain all festival goers that Saturday. There was even an area in the park where there were a slew of food trucks and vendor stands. It's nice to know that this park serves as the locations for this and other community events. Also, if you like to walk, I'd also recommend checking out the massive mansions on Stonebridge Road, between Sutherland and Llewelyn. Stonebridge is parallel with Harrison Ave. Beautiful, old homes. It's a very family friendly park and a wonderful place to spend your Saturday.

Hofstra Park

3.8

If you're looking for a place to play basketball, look no further this is one of the few places…read morearound that has a court. There's a few baseball fields. One of them is used for soccer and there's also a tennis court. I saw some weird court that had some structures on it that I have no idea what it's used for. There's a pavilion and a jungle gym for kids as well. There's a bike trail if you don't mind riding up hill, you will be rewarded on the way down when it's time to leave and get to ride down. There's a trail in the surrounding woods as well. On one side, there's a view into the quarry and on the other side a view of the city. And if you're at the park and we get invaded, no worries there is a tank occupying the high grounds as well.

Nice gated picnic area with swings, playground, and open area. It has electricity, too and a nice…read morecement area to put all the food. Limited parking right next to it but you can walk a bit to get another spot. There is a baseball bark beside it with extra parking too

Nichols Park

4.7

(3 reviews)

This park is located on Bloomfield Ave. near Kingsland Rd. and is a great little park that is well…read morekept by Nutley as are all their other parks. There is a basketball court, soccer field, and softball field all within close proximity. The playground is small but that's a good thing if you have a couple of speedy kids to keep an eye on which I do. On the far end of the park there is a creek with a walkway for any nature walk enthusiasts out there. A restroom and water fountain is also located on grounds. It is also a regular stop for an ice cream truck so be prepared to buy ice cream. A really nice park to enjoy with kids.

I really like parks that have something for everyone. it has a softball field and basketball…read morecourts. You can find swing sets for children of any age as well as some really good slides. My daughters love coming here and hanging out for the day. When we are done with this section you can go for a nice walk along the paths located in the park. Park has a bathroom and water fountain for kids that is kept pretty clean. An ice cream truck does stop by regularly but unfortunately it's not Mr Softee and only specializes in ice creams bars. If your looking for a nice place to sit back relax and watch your kids play I recommend stopping by. If you're hungry stop by Louis Place Pizzeria for a slice, which is only to blocks away

20th Century Park

You should visit this park because it feels very nice and chill but also it is very big and you…read morecould get a nice morning walk in this great park

Such a clean park! Nice paved trail to run, walk, bike, or even skate on. Loads of benches and…read morepicnic tables. Restrooms to use. Baseball field. Playground for children. This will definitely be a place I visit again soon for another walk

Samuel Nelkin County Park

3.3

My two last visits to this park led to my dog getting sick for three weeks…read more Geese poop on the trails, leads to dogs getting sick with parasites. Spent time in the gated section for dogs led to a flea bath. I will no longer be taking my dog to this park. Be ware of dangers to your dogs.

Love the walking path and dog park. Love that the park is dog-friendly and has lots of room for…read moresports.

Branch Brook Park