This was a wonderful spot for a walk on a brisk and sunny winter day!…read more I've always heard great things about the Reservation and have been dying to visit. It's safe to say that I'll be back, especially when temps are on the up. The entire walk around the lake takes around 30 minutes. It's a very popular walk and on a sunny day there were a ton of people out and about. There are plenty of benches along the way and there is also a large sitting area with adirondack chairs. There is a really nice playground and when my daughter is a little older I think she'll really enjoy it. You can also rent a paddleboat in the summer. The Reservation is around the corner from the Zoo and a large outdoor ropes course. I like how there is so much to do in one area -- you can come for a really action packed day or just take a quick stroll to get some fresh air.

A nice area for hiking/walking that has some wide paths and not so overgrown. There are plenty of…read moretrails to diverge from. Hemlock Falls seems to be a draw and is very nice to relax around but can get a little crowded. Because there are multiple parking lots with easy accessibility, there's a bit of trash and broken glass here and there which is unfortunate. There were quite a few hikers, trail runners and dogs but it never felt claustrophobic. The hikes aren't that difficult but there are quite a few rocks and protruding tree roots. Montclair is less than 10 minutes if you want a bite to eat afterwards.

I love this park because it's so peaceful. Tucked in South Orange, it's easy to find street parking…read morearound its perimeter. It's quiet is only disturbed by the soothing sounds of nature (birds chirping) and the fountain. The trees are bright and plenty all around. There's also benches scattered about with an enormous open green space, too. Good for picnics or just relaxing with a good book.

I love Meadowland Park. My favorite thing to do is to walk around the Duck Pond. Meadowlands Park…read moreis a great resource for locals in the area. In addition to the Pond, there are Flood Hill, the tennis courts, ball fields, basketball courts, and Beard Center. The Park is easy to get to from downtown if you live in the area closer to the train station, but you can also drive here and find street parking.

Note: So there are actually two Memorial Parks on Valley - one is in Maplewood and one is in South…read moreOrange between 4th and 5th street. This is a Yelp review of the South Orange one. Memorial Park in South Orange is a small park. It's a good park for parents with small children. You can take young children here because of the playground and the swings. The playground set is for younger kids, like 2-4 years old maybe. It's also a nice little park where you can get in a quick stroll on the walkways, especially if you are pushing stroller or with kids. There is a circular path towards the back of the park farther away from Valley Street.

What I enjoy most about this location is the Live Music series they host during the summer. Usually…read moretakes place on Friday and/or Saturday evenings; the line-up contains a variety of talent. That aside, parking is scarce on site but plentiful nearby and surrounding area (near/at SOPAC). There's no shortage of eateries, at all!! So it's a great central location.

Nothing better than free summer concerts at this park. There's a seat behind the fountain where…read moreyou get to be close to the band while enjoying the misty water spray.

Grove Park is one of my favorites in the Essex County vicinity. It's great for relaxing, people…read morewatching, exercising (jogging or walking), and there's always parking available within its four corners. The grounds are clean and manicured. Not much shade, but the trees are around for a little relief if the sun shines too brightly for you! Nestled right off of the bustling South Orange Avenue street.

Having grown up in the area this park is very nostalgic and familiar to me. It's changed a lot over…read morethe years and though it's on the small side it has a big things going for it. The playground is the obvious attraction for youngsters but there is huge open field space perfect for picnics, kite flying, Frisbee, playing catch and much more. Framing the open field is a walking path that wraps around at about a 1/2 a mile. probably most widely used part of the park for walkers or people passing through off the main road. It can get crowded, especially when people ride on it with their bikes. There are adequate benches around the park, trash receptacles and a water fountain which is nice. The park is regularly cared for and for it's size, is a nice little place to people watch or bring the little ones if you have any.

Cameron Field is the third "part" of Meadowlands park (see my Meadowlands park review) - The other…read moreparts included within are - Duck Pond, Floods Hill, The Baird Center and of course Cameron Field. To look at, Cameron field may be the least "interesting". It is an open field perfect for soccer or American football practice. There is a baseball field where practices are also held. Just beyond the field is a playground and just beyond that is the community pool. Cameron Field has a lot of nostalgia for me as I recall little league baseball (competitive games) would take place here and the playground used to be a place of fun and a place to hang out before and after leaving the pool. I love that the Baseball scoreboard remains intact, though I am not sure how often it is still used, if at all.

Cameron field is the area of the park with the most athletic fields. While there are other parks in…read moreSouth Orange that have fields for younger kids (like little league age tikes), Cameron field has a regulation baseball diamond for older people. The field is lighted for night games, as well. Technically, the town's swimming pool and the tennis courts are here, as well. I've never been to the community pool, but have been to the tennis courts. It's never been terribly crowded when I've gone.

Also colloquially known as "Walton Park," Farrell Field is on Walton Road near the border of South…read moreOrange and Maplewood. Unlike some of the other parks and playgrounds in the area that are brimming with little people and their caregivers at all hours, this spot somehow manages to fly under the radar a bit. It's modest, offering a playground area for both little tots and bigger children, as well as two fenced-in tennis courts, a baseball field and plenty of open, grassy space. As far as these things go, this is one of my favorite go-to spots when the kids need to release some energy or just goof off for a while.

Ivy hill park offers several well-marked trails, each leading to a different corner of the park…read more The Trail" winds through a dense grove, its soft earth inviting you to explore. For a more challenging hike, take the "walk Trail," which rewards you with panoramic vistas

Was in town visiting family and needed a place to exercise. Fortunately Ivy Hill Park was less than…read morea five minute walk. The park is chock full of things for the entire family: bathroom facilities, tennis court, basketball court, play area for the little kiddos, walking trail and the most cool park, an exercise area complete with illustrations on how to use the area and execute the exercises properly, to prevent injury. There weren't lots of people out during our visit, but certainly people of all ages which was nice to see. Shout out to the city, county, or state, whichever is responsible for prioritizing creating free access to resources for the community to get healthy. Lovely park, Ivy Hill will be our workout location when visiting town.

The most amazing hidden gem in Bergen County, NJ. Family…read morefriendly, easy trails and so beautiful. One of our most favorite places .

This is a wonderful place to bring the whole family. They have about 12 different trails, all…read moreseparated in different levels of difficulty. The trails are free to enter but they do request for volunteer donation for non members. Different tiers of annul membership available to purchase at main office that comes with some wonderful perks, such as free access to trails and special events. The main office also has some of the exhibition items like insect box and turtle box. Outside the office there's also bird and butterfly cages. We went to the center for our daughter to participate in butterfly feeding event. Upon arrival we found out we had to buy the tickets for one of the two scheduled events. Luckily there were slots available to the second event on the day. The ticket was reasonably cheap, only $8. It also came with an additional bird's exhibition that took place right in front of office deck. All the stuff members were very friendly, informative and interactive. We spent wonderful couple of hours here on beautiful warm summer day.