Top 8 Things to Do in Northern New Jersey

It’s incredibly easy to find great things to do in Northern New Jersey. The hard part is narrowing down your possibilities from your vast swath of options! To make things a little simpler, we’ve assigned our top selections to categories that address a wide range of moods and preferences. 

So go ahead and carpe diem — no matter which one of these things to do in Northern New Jersey you decide to do, you’ll be delighted.

This huge tract of public land in Bergen County encompasses over 4,000 acres of pure relaxation. This park features scenic views, including the river, forests, hills, valleys, ponds, and even a waterfall. You can opt for a casual stroll or a more intense hike. Hikers who enjoy a challenge can get an excellent workout on the miles (and miles) of clearly-marked trails for easy navigation. Dog lovers enjoy bringing their leashed furry friends since it’s a very canine-friendly park. If you want to immerse yourself in nature for an extended period at Ramapo Valley, you can pitch a tent for your chosen duration at one of the campsites lining Scarlet Oak Pond. 

You won’t find many places like this — the Blauvelt Art Museum is one of only five institutions nationwide to exclusively showcase art inspired by wildlife. The museum and its artists work to support and protect endangered species by building awareness of the animals and their habitats. Tucked into a grove of oak trees, this museum is a magical space lined with magnificent drawings, paintings, and sculptures. Since the museum isn’t too well-known, it’s likely that you won’t encounter the same crowds as you would at larger metropolitan museums. 

This market only accepts vendors within 100 miles, so everything on offer is fresh and local. They’re open on Sundays year-round at the Main Street train station. (Unless the weather is very severe — but a little sprinkle or snowfall won’t stop them.) If you’re craving some local Garden State produce, you’ll be pleased to discover an excellent selection of farmers selling fruits, vegetables, and herbs. A selection of pre-made foods is always on offer, often including baked goods, soups, and international foods. There’s enough variety here that you can literally become a “locavore,” supplying your dietary needs and desires for the entire week.

Visitors come from far and wide to this impressive space with views of the New York skyline. You’ll be sure to find something new in the 300,000-square-foot space no matter how many times you visit. Exhibitions are plentiful, immersive, and fascinating — stimulating the senses through audio, visual, and tactile means. If you want to get up close with a wide variety of animals, you’ll enjoy the Science Center’s aquarium and animal exhibits. The building also hosts the largest planetarium in the Western Hemisphere, which features mind-blowing space shows and IMAX movies.

If scrambling among the treetops is your idea of fun, then you’ll have a blast at this ropes course in Ledgewood. The course caters to groups and individuals, and it’s designed to build connectivity and confidence through teamwork. A color-coding system makes it easy to identify the challenge level of each circuit, with five levels of challenge on offer. If you choose to complete the entire course, it will take around three hours, but you can also opt to exit early with walking paths that bring you back to the entrance.

This scenic course offers a spectacular setting with pristine greens to go along with it. A members-only facility, this club prides itself on maintaining immaculate facilities, which are also on offer for private events. Arcola hosts its own in-house tournaments as well as invitationals with other well-regarded clubs. The club was established in 1909 and continues to attract a loyal and talented roster of players. The food is also known to be very good, so if you end up at a reception at Arcola, you can look forward to a very satisfying meal. 

If you’d like to enjoy a laid-back “day at the park,” you’ll do no better than this stadium at Montclair University. Every seat here offers an easy view of the action on the field. You can get in and out of Yogi Berra Stadium without too much of a hassle, which is a lot to say for such a popular destination. If you’re interested in baseball history, you’ll also enjoy the building next to the stadium, the Yogi Berra Museum and Learning Center. This space sometimes offers programs open to the public for discussions of current events in sports. 

This Ridgewood spa has a mellow atmosphere that will reset and restore you for your day-to-day. You can take advantage of any number of well-regarded treatments here, with a variety of naturally-derived products in use. Some treatments on offer at this spa are quite unique, and you’ll be hard-pressed to find them elsewhere. Consider the “four-hand massage,” which will raise you up onto a puffy cloud of calm. Or, try the Fijian warm-oil scalp treatment for luxuriously scented and soft hair. The men’s salt stone massage is also a winner, using hand-carved Himalayan stones to work out any deep-seated tension knots while providing nutrients to the skin.

Now that you’ve found plenty of things to do in Northern New Jersey, it might be time to find a place to live! If you’re looking for a place to call home in North Jersey, reach out to local real estate expert Taylor at the Taylor Lucyk Group. Taylor would be happy to show you the best homes on offer, putting you within easy reach of enjoyment, entertainment, and relaxation. Whether you’re already a resident of the area or moving in from somewhere else, Taylor will make the process easier.