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    Thompson Park

    4.4 (57 reviews)

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    Reviews With Photos

    Deer.
    Tara R.

    I spent many years going to Thompson Park and still visit when up in New Jersey to visit family. Now that I have a dog, we visit the dog park which has plenty of room for the pup to run around and socialize with other dogs. There is ample parking, picnic areas and trails to walk or run. My favorite has always been looking at the animals and feeding the deer. This is definitely a family friendly park that I wish I still lived close to!

    Enjoying life. Happy and carefree times.
    Brenda C.

    Lions, tigers, and bears, oh my! Well maybe not those animals but this developed park has an animal haven housing a variety of farm and exotic animals on display with fenced-in areas. The time I went, I saw a rabbit, pot bellied pig, goats, deers, an emu, two peacocks (one was the elusive and exotic white peacock), wild turkeys, ducks, and silkie chickens. This is my favorite Middlesex park of all time! This 675 acre features Manalapan Lake, a 30 acre lake where you can canoe, kayak, fish (State Division of Fish and Wildlife periodically stock the lake with fish), or have fun with electric motor boats (you need to provide your own). The trails are light and perfect for you and your pets. There are even Dog parks. Your dogs can run around in two different sections - one for large dogs and one for smaller dogs. There are 3 distinct playgrounds for the little children near the Manalapan Lake to enjoy. For the older kids and adults, they have 4 tennis courts, 4 basketball courts, 2 handball courts and baseball fields, plenty of picnic areas with several picnic groves.

    Raj S.

    Nice park . First timer. Lots and lots of space for kids to play around . Has a small lake where people were fishing. Had volleyball courts , basketball courts, tennis courts , soccer practice courts .. a full fledged Disc golf course , many many barbeque stations , lots of parking , restrooms, dog park, , kids play area etc etc etc .. it's has everything . Also haas a nice trail around the park to walk. It also has a small zoo for kids . They loved it . Lots of restaurants nearby . No money for parking. Overall a good / relaxing time ! Thumbs up :)

    Train tracks behind the playground (grove 4)
    Jennifer D.

    My kids LOVE this park because of the animals here. There is a nice fenced in area with deer, pigs, chickens, goats and emu. Bring your own snacks for the animals. We usually bring a bag of carrots. In the fall you can just pick up the acorns, the deer love them. I do wish there were more staff here to monitor visitors though because people are pretty awful. I've watched people throw complete crap at the animals (including sticks, rocks and junk food). There are several playgrounds here but we always stick to the one closest to the animals. They recently replaced the mulch with soft rubber mats which is awesome. There are picnic areas with barbecues, a volleyball court, a lake to fish, basketball courts, trails and a sledding hill in the winter. There is something for everyone here.

    Diego P.

    Came here to see the Fourth of July fire works they have it was very nice the show lasted about 20 minutes it's free to watch basically it's a first come first serve you find a spot in the park and sit down they had food trucks and vendors along with a DJ playing music the family has a great time and enjoyed the festivities

    The field lol
    Jonathan R.

    Great layout There are animals to pet and feed (behind fences) by the lake. Beautiful playgrounds, a dog park and a ton of parking. Why not 5 stars you might ask? The fields are a weed infested disaster, hardly leveled or cut for that matter. I travel to other towns and by far we are in the bottom half of quality.

    Mayden T.

    It's a big park, it's FREE, and interesting. kid friendly alot of parking they even have a public zoo. they had kids feeding the animals which i don't think matters, but they should know not feed the birds bread.. They also have trails alot of trails so make sure to wear your tennis shoes. And they have a dog park so bring your dog but please pick up the poop we almost stepped in multiple dog poop piles.

    GT M.

    Lovely free, clean and safe park with three playgrounds (i.e.: near "Groove 4" and "Open groove"), a lake, basket ball courts, restrooms, ample free parking lot, barbecue area, a zoo area with goats, an emu from Australia, turkeys, gooses, ducks, seers, peacock, pig, rabbits, hens and two roasters, etc. Some people were fishing in the lake. There was a white ice-cream truck going around the park.

    Manpreet S.

    Several playgrounds , huge park , lake view , some animals which are behind the cage ( deer , rabbits , duck , peacock and few more ) . It's a hidden gem if you are in the area.

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    3 years ago

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    10 months ago

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

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    2 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Bathrooms. Trails. Basketball courts. Playground. Good parking. Lots to do. Sandy beach.

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    4 years ago

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    6 years ago

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    6 years ago

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    5 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    4 years ago

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    6 years ago

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    9 years ago

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    7 years ago

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    9 years ago

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    17 years ago

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    10 years ago

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    3 years ago

    I love this park. The trails, the small zoo for children, areas to have a picnic. It's one of my favorite parks.

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    10 years ago

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    6 years ago

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    8 years ago

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    4 years ago

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    6 years ago

    Love love this park ! It is an amazing place for us to bring our dog. It's super safe !

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    9 years ago

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    11 years ago

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    13 years ago

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    5 years ago

    We go here to make our own BBQ's. Not bad. A nice park pretty big. Just be careful of the Aunts that bite..

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    13 years ago

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    Page 1 of 2

    Ask the Community - Thompson Park

    Do we reserve a barbecue area or is it first come first serve?

    Depending on the grove some but not many has to be reserved but only the ones closest to the Covered sheds which has to be reserved if having a large gathering.

    Is the zoo open today? Is the kids park open today?

    The animals are in their cages but you can see into them. - 3/24/2020

    View All 4 Questions

    Review Highlights - Thompson Park

    There are tennis fields (lighted), handball courts, softball/baseball fields, and picnic groves with charcoal grills.

    Mentioned in 13 reviews

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    Wheeler Park - The bigger slides

    Wheeler Park

    4.7(7 reviews)
    22.4 mi

    This review is for the awesome splash pad that is located in Wheeler Park. Every time we go we…read morehave a blast! I am also so happy that Wheeler park welcomes everyone from all over NJ (and elsewhere). Coming from out of the county will cost you a bit more, but not much. If you live outside of Union County it is $4.00 for kids ($2.00 in county) and $6.00 for adults ($3.00 in county). This splash pad has every water feature a kid could ever need - from bigger twisty water slides, to a small dragon water slide. Also, water guns that you can shoot each other with, a pirate boat, water shooting up from the ground, and much more. My kids spent a little over 2 hours here and had an absolute blast. We've been here about 3 times and it never disappoints. Just be sure to bring some sort of shade covering. There isn't much cover at the splash pad so we usually bring our small beach tent with us. There is also a dry playground in the splash pad gated area where kids can play too. They have staff who help keep the kids safe and to make sure everyone goes down the water slides safe and sound. I highly recommend Wheeler Spray Park on a hot summer day.

    Came to the waterpark for my niece bday. The park is clean and gets plenty of sun. Cute small…read morewaterslides and water sprays everywhere!!! They allow you to bring food and lay blankets of the grass! Great day to bring the kids for a fun in the sun day and to wear them out lol! Its a county park so u have to pay a small fee at the gate. Under $10

    Photos
    Wheeler Park - Small dragon slide

    Small dragon slide

    Wheeler Park - Water features galore!

    Water features galore!

    Wheeler Park

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    Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park - Ice skating

    Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park

    4.3(32 reviews)
    10.0 mi

    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.

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    Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park - Beautiful in fall!!

    Beautiful in fall!!

    Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park
    Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park

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    Welsh Park - Welsh Park woods alongside trail

    Welsh Park

    4.5(2 reviews)
    6.3 mi

    Welsh Park has something for everyone. It has modern…read moreplayground equipment with a climbing wall. There is also an individual swing set. For those who are older, the park has two paved paths that are maybe .25 miles and uphill. The paths are surrounded by mature deciduous trees. One path leads to the side edge of the park which is closed to cars but can be exited by foot. The other path leads to the baseball diamond. If you take a side path instead of following it up, you will get to the basketball court. The park looks small from the front but it just keeps going back and back and back and up. It was an absolute joy to be able to walk sure-footed on a paved path with my Service Dog yet still be amongst the trees.

    Welsh Park is a peaceful and safe neighborhood park with lots of trees. It's a pleasant shady spot…read moreto eat lunch at a picnic table. The picnic area has plenty of garbage cans which park staff empties regularly. There's a metal and concrete grill available for bbq. Two different jungle gyms with slides and a small climbing wall will keep the little ones entertained. A wooden staircase through the trees leads to a basketball court and baseball field. Bring your own water! This park doesn't have any water spigots, drinking fountains, or flush toilets. There's a port-a-potty at one end of the parking lot. The parking lot is big and free. (The whole park is free). Usually this park doesn't have many people or dogs. The road it's on doesn't get much traffic either, making Welsh Park relaxing and quiet.

    Photos
    Welsh Park
    Welsh Park - Welsh Park woods alongside trail

    Welsh Park woods alongside trail

    Welsh Park - Welsh Park woods alongside trail

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    Welsh Park woods alongside trail

    Thompson Park - parks - Updated May 2026

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