Verona/Montclair, NJ - this medieval castle-like mansion was the cozy home of industrialist…read moreFrederic Ellsworth Kip in the early 1900s, and, saved from the ignominious fate of being developed into a row of townhouses during the modern era, the estate is now part of the historic Essex County Park System and thankfully is being preserved as an eventual resource center for the arts & culture. Although the 11-acre grounds of Kip's Castle Park is open from dawn to dusk year-round, the house itself is normally closed to the public except for a brief few days around Christmas, when the home is decorated in vintage holiday splendor and the first floor is open to viewing. The home looks grand but is charmingly intimate inside. It doesn't take long to tour but makes for a lovely little visit if you happen to find yourself in the area over the holidays.

I absolutely love castles! First visit!…read more Kips Castle is a replica of a Medieval Castle! Located in Verona and Montclair New Jersey. The Castle was closed but you can explore the 11 acres of land on the ridge of First Mountain. You have beautiful views of the New York skyline. On our way out, saw the deers!!

On our random visit, entrances to the Lambert Castle and Tower were closed, but the road was open…read more We were able to admire this lovely structure from outside. Our intention anyway was to go hiking. That was accomplished. From the area of the tower, which sits higher than the castle, some panoramic views can be seen ofthe surrounding cityscape. You can also find other hiking trails that lead you further along the hilltop. A perfectly beautiful day also makes this spot... - lovely for a picnic - picturesque for a photoshoot - ideal for a background in your vlog - an escape from the noise of a busy week - nice for a nap or daydream - sweet for something romantic - zen for meditation

I took a tour of Lambert Castle a couple days prior and felt the need to explore the tower up the…read morehill. It was beautiful! Elegant stone work. A trellis covered in vines. Views of nature all the way to NYC that would've been glorious many decades ago. The valley is a bit over developed now, but still impressive. This tower would've been an extension of the extravagant home below. Just walking around it gives you a sense of power and incorporation into nature on this unique mountain in the middle of a densely populated city. Garret mountain, holds this gem, and many others. Well worth a visit!

Came here at night. It was so beautiful and amazing. Truly breathtaking…read more I want to come back and see it during the day.

Growing up in Garfield, I never even knew that we had waterfalls b/c river road wasn't the nicest…read moreroad to drive down. Now, they really changed it. They paved the entire street, added a sidewalk, a playground, and a ramp down to the waterfall. It definitely adds beauty to our town. I now run down there and enjoy the sites. Now this isn't the Niagara Falls by any measure, but its a simple citys gem.. I think its great and i'll be running around here a lot more often... not to mention- they will be opening up a new wawa right around here very shortly!!

I always see this as the "hub" before going on a hike in the reservation or perhaps before a fancy…read moreouting to the nearby Highlawn Restaurant. The Memorial is a sort of nook with a nice amount of benches, honorable memorials remembering 9/11 appropriately framed with a great view on New York City in the distance. There is a fair amount of parking and nearby there is a gazebo, field for open play with children and picnics. With that memorial is a good brief history lesson should you come up here accompanying children. Another reason I also call this the hub because although you can park near your desired trail, or outside the restaurant, this can be your first stop before or after going on to do any other activities - hiking or dining. The memorial area always appears to be well kept and visitors seem to do their part as well which is of course appreciated so coming here can be all the more enjoyable.

I'm surprised this doesn't have a page yet. Its a memorial built after 9/11 from one of the…read morehighest points in Montclair that has a terrific view of Manhattan. Its where tons of people went to watch on that fateful day. And for days afterward. Next to the Pavillion, which is a nice place to eat or go to a wedding/event, is this space. It was always there, offering a great view of NYC skyline. Now its a Memorial. Easy parking, its free of course and well landscaped and taken care of. I spent a lot of time in Montclair after 9/11 (after we were allowed to leave the city anyway), and had been coming to the vantage point for years already. Great hiking nearby. It can get windy up here, so be aware of that if coming on a windy day. If you come from the Montclair side you drive up a beautiful road to get here. Great place to come and reflect.

Inspirational historical spot! Visited on a rainy day. It is the perfect place to reflect on…read moretechnology.Edison didn't invent the lightbulb. He improved the filament to make it accessible.This mirrors today's AI wave. Big tech controls the major models. However, the real revolution will be turning AI into everyday productivity tools.AI needs its "highway" to transform how the masses work.Highly recommend visiting for tech inspiration.

12/7/25: (Update) We stopped in the visitors center to pick up a visitors pass to the Glenmont…read moreEstate of Thomas Edison in Lewellyn Park (West Orange, NJ). We had previously purchased Glenmont Estate tickets online. After a visit to estate, we stopped back in again to view several of films: The Wizard of W.Orange The Glenmont Estate Tour The Invention Factory The Great Train Robbery (Silent Movie) The Visitor center has restrooms along with a nice gift shop of cool Thomas Edison souvenirs. A large parking lot is available across from the historical park.

This is a beautiful park. When you look at it on Google Earth it's huge, but it's quite small…read more There are many picturesque locations here. I'm sure many know about this park, but it's a hidden gem to me. It's perfect for a short romantic walk. Will be back.

Verona park is one of my favorites in essex county! There is plenty of parking available. It's a…read morecool place to go just to relax and people-watch, if that's your thing. I like the open space and tall trees; it feels inviting and comforting. This park is beautiful in all seasons! Also, it is a good place to walk for exercise.

Interesting history lesson in the shadows of the Manhattan skyscrapers…read more Excellent presentation by the docent. Both park employees were quite knowledgeable about various topics. The tour covered many different topics of that era. You could see yourself imagining what life was like at that time. Don't miss the portrait painting on the 2nd floor.

Soooo if you happen to live in Northern NJ and happen to have family visiting, and that family…read morehappens to be huuuuge history buffs -- then y'all should probably visit the Dey Mansion, aka George Washington's Headquarters way back in the late 1700's. Full disclosure: it was my mother who looked up the Dey Mansion and requested to go there on a recent-ish visit. It wouldn't have been my first choice of things to do on a sunny Saturday but she's the guest and a total history nerd and it was something to check out. I can't say I didn't enjoy it at least a little bit... while my mom is a history nerd, I'm a design nerd and the house itself, built by the Dey Family, is beauuuuuufitul. The brick, the wide plank wood floors inside, the gorgeous [paint] colors used throughout were just striking on every level. Then the layout and design and function of the house back in the 1700's is so different then how we live in our homes now -- so interesting. The gardens surrounding the property are also so lovely. Here's my one issue with the historical site and tour -- when we inquired we were told it was 'less than an hour for sure' depending on how many people/questions. While the tour guide was nice enough, he was verrrrrrry long winded. There were 6 of us.. and that tour was most definitely longer than an hour. Not sure if that's the case every time but just something to be prepared for should you decide to visit. Cost for the tours was supposed to be $5 but during out visit they had just begun some restorations and certain spaces were closed off... so they didn't insist on guest paying. They still accepted donations though. Parking is also free, fyi. And the mansion is easy to get to from routes 23, 46 and 80.

I had my wedding here. The catering and everybody we hired to put together the event did a great…read morejob. We wanted to have an outdoor party. I assume this mansion is owned by somebody who rents it out. There was an older lady hanging out in the background at the venue. Because of the creepy photos, I thought she may have been a ghost but my wife saw her too, so I'm pretty sure she's real. Anyway, I was able to go out through the kitchen to sneak a smoke while our guests were enjoying cocktail hour before our entrance for the ceremony. Anyway, I go to sneak back through the kitchen, and the owner refused to let me in though the back door. Our wedding was the only thing going on there that night and I tried to convince her to let me in and pointed out that I was the only person wearing a tux. Anyway, I had to go through the main entrance and everybody knew I had been smoking. I wasn't ready to make my "entrance", and instead of "congratulations".... it was "Brian were you smoking? " Now when I look back at my wedding, all I remember is the embarrassment I felt after I was allowed out the back door and this mean old lady would not let me back the way I came. if you are considering this for your venue, yes it's a nice place, but consider how uncomfortable a mean old lady hanging around in the background watching your party because it is her property may make you and your guests feel. She was totally real.

The Oakeside Mansion in Bloomfield is a stunning venue if you love dramatic backdrops, victorian…read moreaesthetics, and dream of living in the past. It was the perfect location for my 1920s speakeasy wedding. Pricing was very affordable, especially compared to what a typical North Jersey wedding would cost. With that said, you have to be mindful and vigilant of timelines and plans. Be prepared to stay on top of them in regards to communication, it was a hassle to get answers or finalize things. (It was honestly the most stressful part of planning my wedding - just the lack of timely communication and confirmation) Be sure to keep documentation/copies of everything. Despite the communication hiccups though, it all worked out beautifully in the end. Remember that It's an old mansion, with lots of history and character. Play those details up!