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    Van Vleck House & Gardens

    4.6 (53 reviews)
    Closed 9:00 am - 7:00 pm
    Updated 2 months ago

    Services - Van Vleck House & Gardens

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    Van Vleck House & Gardens Botanical Gardens Photos

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    Recommended Reviews - Van Vleck House & Gardens

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    Hwal L.

    Any green space gets extra love from me, and Van Vleck House and Gardens is no exception. This seems like a peaceful oasis in a residential neighbourhood, and although reportedly 6 acres in size, it's just big enough to get lost in the themed pathways, walks, gardens, and courtyards for 15+ minutes. Parking is free, and the gates on Van Vleck St and North Mountain Ave open automatically (and slowly) upon approaching. Van Vleck House appears to be available for tours and events with advance bookings, so we didn't get to see the inside of the house. There are benches throughout, and most of the grounds are flat. I appreciate this space being maintained, open, and available freely to the community.

    Mother's Garden
    Linda L.

    Lovely place to take a stroll - not a big place but peaceful. It is basically an estate with a very big garden that is split into sections.

    Helen Z.

    Beautiful free gardens to visit. We visited at the end of March when not many flowers were blooming but I do want to check it out again now that everything is probably in full bloom.

    Suzette S.

    My photos don't do any justice for how beautiful and romantic this location is!! The VAN VLECK HOUSE & GARDENS! I can picture a vow renewal ceremony or wedding! Lovely stroll through the garden! Beautiful flowers and cherry blossoms!

    Gardens
    Veronika B.

    Grab a coffee and a pal and enter a moment of relaxation and serenity. Stroll through the gardens and fest your eyes on range of flowers, plants, trees, shrubs, and even a fairy garden. All the beauties are labeled so if you fall in love you know what to grow in your garden next year. Plenty of benches and little walkways makes the grounds feel bigger then they are. Not crowded even on the weekend, with parking in front. Looks like they have an annual photography competition in the spring also, as well as other events. This place offers something for everyone and if you have little kids they will likely enjoy the fairy garden. Free, no admission. I'll stop by here again.

    This garden is very beautiful and child friendly. They have a great variety of plants. We went there during Iris and rhododendron season and it was amazing. My baby loved the fairytales trail so much!

    Vanessa H.

    The experience, of this place, is so much better than looking at pictures. I only took a few but there were so many beautiful trees and flowers and plants. So many bunnies running around and chipmunks!!! Also so many birds. The place is gorgeous. My teen son loved it. We were reading the history on all the spots! I definitely recommend going on a beautiful day with your friends or family or both! Theres a bunch of benches to sit and talk and lot of large grass areas to lay out.

    Jeannette M.

    Lovely place. Great for a quiet stroller thro8gh beautiful grounds. There is no charge. Parking on premises.

    Denise S.

    Very beautiful and free!! I am in love with this place. Went with my mom and we spent and amazing afternoon. What a treasure so close by!

    Marcus S.

    The Van Vleck house and Gardens is a beautiful little piece of preserved botanics right in montclair. You can take a small tour of the estate but the draw are the plants. Depending when you visit, different plants may be in bloom but all sorts are here perennial, annuals and more. What is also nice are the birds and butterfly that you may see around the gardens. There is a green house you can peak into to see what's up to be planted and they host plant sales occasionally. There are plenty of opportunities to take nice photos for shoots or just appreciation of the nature. There is an education center for youngsters and plenty of benches to sit on, donated by benefactors. Access to the house and gardens is free but like many museums they kindly ask for donations which there are a few containers around to be deposited into and goes to upkeep of the gardens. A great little place for many things.

    The view from where we were sitting
    Constance A.

    I learned about this place via Instagram. I've lived near Montclair for a long time and never heard anyone talk about this place. That might be a good thing since it was not crowded when my partner and I went there on a Sunday afternoon. Very peaceful spot. Beautiful flowers everywhere. If you love nature, then this is a must. The garden is not big. My partner and I ended up staying here for about 45 minutes. It can take about 15 minutes to see the place. There were many outdoor seating areas. So we stopped, sat, and talked for a bit. There was a family there taking professional photoshoot and a young lady taking graduation pictures with her family. I'm sure those pictures came out amazing. My partner and I did not attempt to go inside the house. We weren't even sure if it was open. Because the garden is small, the free onsite parking lot is also small. We parked on the street right next to the garden. All and all, I have nothing negative to say. It's free to visit but donations are appreciated.

    Inside the house
    Eloy Y.

    New Jersey is often stereotyped as a State full of oil refineries and other industries. However, local residents also know their State as the Garden State for many good reasons. This surely is one of them. Located in the posh suburb of Upper Montclair this is a hidden gem where houses could run in the millions. It's a six acre property with a U-shaped Italianate Villa belonging to the Van Vleck family before it was gifted to the non profit Montclair Foundation which now provides public access to the garden year round. Due to the current situation, the visiting center and restrooms were closed. While visiting the formal garden, they were setting up for the annual spring plant sale taking place this week. The main house could also be available for rental events (excluding weddings) by non profit organizations. Parking is available limited on site and free on the surrounding streets. A visit is recommended to all who live or visit northern Jersey.

    Annual Plant sale

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    8 months ago

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    15 days ago

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    8 months ago

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    1 year ago

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    29 days ago

    They do not allow even amateur photos, so sad my daughter just wanted nice for her graduation.

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    2 years ago

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    5 years ago

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    1 year ago

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    1 year ago

    Such a quaint garden, really quick to get through. Some of the gardens needed weeding but a hidden gem in Montclair

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    3 years ago

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    5 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Absolutely gorgeous! It's such a treat to escape to this oasis and for it to be free to guests. Such a nice way to spend the day.

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    9 years ago

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    6 years ago

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    5 years ago

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    5 years ago

    A lovely FREE garden! The experience was quite enjoyable. They accept donations both in person and online.

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    7 years ago

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    Page 1 of 2

    Ask the Community - Van Vleck House & Gardens

    Is there an admission fee?

    No x there is no entry fee .

    Can you have picnics on the grounds?

    Yup bring a blanket and food, but take your trash when finished.

    View All 3 Questions

    Review Highlights - Van Vleck House & Gardens

    Stroll through the gardens and fest your eyes on range of flowers, plants, trees, shrubs, and even a fairy garden.

    Mentioned in 5 reviews

    Read more highlights

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    The Loft - Table and chairs

    The Loft

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    Great place to throw a party! Went to our friends 50th (twins) surprise birthday party! They…read moresevered hors d'oeuvre all night long! The place is pretty big on the first floor! They served coconut shrimp, mini burgers, empanadas, meatballs, potstickers, and more. Had a great time at this place!

    We recently hosted our baby shower at The Loft in Montclair, NJ and it was truly an incredible…read moreexperience. From start to finish everything went smoothly thanks to the amazing team especially Te'Niijah and A'tasia. The space itself was beautiful modern and spacious with a great layout that worked perfectly for our event. One of the things we really appreciated was that they provided tables and chairs which made planning so much easier. It's a great setup and the venue is very well maintained. Te'Niijah and A'tasia were an absolute dream to work with. They were professional friendly and always accessible whenever we had questions. They offered helpful recommendations and made us feel supported throughout the planning process. You can tell they genuinely care about making your event special and stress free. On the day of the shower everything went off without a hitch. We were able to enjoy ourselves and be present with our guests while knowing that everything behind the scenes was being handled. We're already looking forward to rebooking The Loft Montclair for future events. Huge thanks and major kudos to Te'Niijah and A'tasia for their incredible work collaborating with us, and our vendors. We wholeheartedly recommend this venue and team to anyone planning a special celebration.

    Chill - Our club

    Chill

    (7 reviews)

    When I inquired about this space Allyson immediately sent me a contract advising that I sign it and…read moresend it back to her. ? How does one ask this if you have not even seen the space? So, I made an appt. for 4:30pm with Allyson on a rainy Saturday afternoon. I was 10 min early and knocked on the door and there was no answer. At 4:30pm I see a call pull up in the back lot and the person sat in their car for 10 min. Low and Behold it was her. LATE and NO call. When I called her to advise that we left due to her being late and NO RESPECT OF PEOPLES TIME, she proceeded to tell me that she has an event anyway and it seems as she didn't care that I was a possible client too. No apology at all, she didn't care if I was standing in the rain waiting for her. Outside if building looks dingy, no professional sign on building just some light up letters in the dirty window from the dollar store with the events name. SMH good luck if you choose to book.

    Cool place! I was here for a birthday/halloween party. They…read morehave a large dance floor with the works. DJ on a raised stage, lots of lights and FX, etc. They provide many package deals depending on your event. Birthdays, special occasions, after prom parties,etc. For this occasion they had a slush bar, an ice cream bar and a buffet table with hot and cold food. Various sandwich wraps and pene vodka was served. It was all really delicious. Especially the wraps with sliced chicken breast, roasted peppers and balsamic vinegar. Non alcoholic beverages are provided and you can supply your own alcohol. There is also a photo area and several TV monitors on all the walls that constantly cycle the pics. Guests can then download their pics. The entire staff was very pleasant and professional and saw to everything. There was even a door man checking names. Definitely a nice touch. A fun night! I'd use them!

    Greenwood Gardens - Main house.

    Greenwood Gardens

    (24 reviews)

    A dreamy, charming little escape with tons of greenery, statues, structures, and fountains. Even on…read morea weekend it wasn't crowded, so my fam could take pictures without cropping out strangers. Really friendly staff gave the kids a scavenger hunt page that turned our visit into part garden tour, part treasure hunt. Between the terraces, tile work, grottoes, and gardens, the whole place blends European formality with a whimsical, art nouveau vibe. Plenty of benches invite you to sit and talk, while fenced-in chickens, geese, and beehives bring the grounds to life. The gardens feel peaceful, playful, and magical all at once. The beauty here is truly un-beleaf-able! NOTES/TIPS: **Admission is $15 for adults, $10 for seniors/students, and $5 for kids, with free parking close by. **Very limited wheelchair-accessibility: okay for the Main Terrace and some flat areas, but most paths are sloped or uneven, so access is limited. **Restrooms near the entrance.

    This place is a true paradise garden hidden somewhere in New Jersey !!!…read more The whole place is so beautiful , very serene , easy to navigate and kept very clean and green . It is definitely somewhere to go for a romantic date . The only issue I found with the place is that we couldn't find the gift shop or the little concession stand - coffee and snack . That was disappointing. Also staff is friendly but doesn't seem to be very good at giving directions . Aside from that it is such a beautiful place to visit

    Van Vleck House & Gardens - gardens - Updated May 2026

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