The winter wonderland was the biggest waste of money. It was also not very organized at the entranceway. The web site also needs to be more specific. read more

Bergen County's own version of Central Park. 146 acres of park, it has kids playgrounds, a dog run, a Carosel, a train and lastly a wonderful zoo. Fun for the whole family in all 4 seasons. A gem in the county. read more

I'm a Bergen county resident for over 20 years. Over those years working in youth behavior, I have brought many children to Vansaun to participate in various activities from sleigh, carousel or train rides, to visiting the zoo, riding horses, taking photos in the gardens and picnicking or just plain having fun on the playground. Recently, I feel the place has gone down hill. The fountains are rarely on on hot days, some bathrooms are not assessable, and port o' johns are abysmal. Moreover, the people working the train are unfriendly. I am not one to usually complain; but this is a KIDS' attraction and one year ago, I was here, bought 4 tickets for the train and then they cancelled the ride due to weather. When I attempted to get a refund, I was told tickets never expire. Today, I tried to use my tickets and was told they were "no good" that "they don't sell blue tickets". That may be true now and perhaps I did even bring a wrong ticket from elsewhere but I have some doubts because of the way the conductors addressed me. When I questioned them as to what I should do both were very rude and told me to get my children off the train! I wasn't trying to get a free ride. I would have paid out of pocket. If it was truly my mistake it was an honest one. However, it was the last ride of the day and the box office was closed so I was trying to figure out a way to resolve. The rudeness was totally unacceptable. I will never bring another youth back to this park. Turtle Back zoo is better anyway. read more

Been coming here for decades. Same as it ever was, mostly. I'm with Mick L. and others ... this is a cool, local, warm weather destination with kids and pups ... even on the weekends. Despite parking woes at times owing to volume, the new infrastructure and multiple options for recreation make for several hours of simple pleasure. We caught the zoo on a free Sunday (no dogs in the zoo - unnerves the animals) -- but the new dog run is a great addition. Off the beaten path, it is easy to overlook this useful product of our stiff Bergen County tax base. read more

Van Saun County Park - Parks Near Me - Paramus, New Jersey

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Great place to bring the kids to tire them out! I visited this Zoo during summer 2021, and please remember to pack a bathing suit for the kiddies! There are multiple playground sections and a splash pad area. And that's all before entering the Zoo. The zoo is cute, not big at all but just right for a day out of the house. Bring cash for the additional attractions, the bird feeding house, carousel and train ride are nice to take a moment to be relaxed. I read there are events that take place throughout the year, and Halloween. So check out their site and see if it's something you're looking for. read more

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One of the nicest parks in Bergen county. You could spend an entire day here with all the activities. My only criticism is the bird poop around the lake can get out of control read more

Van Saun County Park - Ducks! - Parks Near Me - Paramus, New Jersey

Even in the winter (as long as it's not TOO cold) this is a great place to spend a few hours with your child. The zoo is free this time of year. While some of the animals are taken off exhibit, there are still some other things to see here, including a little indoor area. The best part is, it's not going to be crowded. read more

My little 3 1/2 year old nephew gave this place 10 stars rating out of 10 and I am sticking by it. Personally, this place is not for me but really great for toddlers. There is a train ride and carousel too. Bring your little ones here! I think it is free admission for the whole month of November so run, don't walk to this place. read more

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Van Saun County Park has a diverse zoo, authentic train ride, carousel, pony rides and wonderful age appropriate play grounds. Park is well maintained and has adequate free parking. The park has various special events through out the year. Well worth the trip! read more

Love this park and little zoo is actually not so little. Great place. Lots to see. Friendly staff.

Be careful with your little ones on the pony rides...the saddle wasn't secure and it slid down causing my son to fall off the pony. Of course he's 6 and now terrified to ever get on a pony/horse again now. Really should be checking the safety measures better especially when kids are involved. Sad because we love this place. read more

Looking for a family friendly park in Bergen county with things to do for your little ones, then look no more! My extended family and I came here for a picnic and first thing I've noticed is the parking lot numbers are alphabet areas, which is much appreciated when traveling with groups of people in multiple cars. All you had to do is schedule a time and location of the parking area to meet up. We decided to picnic near the carousel area. It's seems a very popular ride for the children at this park. There's a tennis court but you'd pay to rent and play. The zoo is small but entertaining for all. They also have train rides and pony rides for nominal fee of course. I noticed the numerous benches and many picnic tables. There is also a nice size playground. The restroom is clean. It's definitely a cute park and very family friendly. Too bad there's no basketball court! read more

This park is great. One of my many favorites for my son to play in. It's huge, it's clean and they have so many things to do. When we are done my son knocks out in the car ride going home. The zoo is small and very cute. Enough to keep a 2 year old entertained and not get bored, since you know a child's attention span is super short. They have a variety of animals. The price range is high for non Bergen residents at $8 a ticket. $4 for residents with ID. The train and carousel is $1.50 each and free for 2 and under. Can't beat that!!! The playground is huge. And the flooring is soft with wood chips. Super busy on the weekend so we go during the weekday. My son loves it!! And my big baby a.k.a my husband can go down the slide with him. The zoo, carousel and train ride have different operating times during the weekday. So check out their website for more info!!! You'll definitely have lots of fun! read more

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What's not to love about this park for the kiddos and their parents who just want them to have fun in a safe environment. Carousel, train, zoo, park, mist splash space, ample green space and parking. My kid is happy and so am I. The park only gets too crowded on warm weekends but what better place to reinforce "sharing is caring". Note: the children's park usually doesn't get any action until after 10:30am on weekends. read more

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Cute little zoo inside of a county park. Despite its small size the Bergen County Zoo is maintained quite well and the animals looked lively and upbeat when I visited this past weekend. It was quite surprising to find admission to be free before May as quite a lot of animals are already out and about. Definitely a great visit for kids and adults alike. I think they have mostly mammals and birds from Central and South America outside of the domesticated varieties that are located close to the entrance. The layout is not as straightforward as I thought but given its small size you should be able to finish the visit within an hour or so. The train ride is a nice little bonus with very reasonable costs $1.50 per person. Unfortunately the line was pretty long so we didn't take advantage of the ride. The rest of the park is quite nice as well. The playground is quite large and well maintained most of the equipment look only few years old. They have a really nice bike/walk trail that loops along the lake to the south if you want to get away from the noisy and crowd zoo and playground area. Definitely a great visit here at Van Saun County Park. It's a shame I didn't learn about this place while I was living in NJ until now. read more

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first off, this is the most underwhelming place ive been to this year. they sold me the wrong tickets. there was a full size ice scating rink, but only not even 15 people allowed?! reediculis. then we went on the train which was PACKED and the driver was depressingly crouching? not to mention the STENCH. there was a laying down port-a-john as an exhibit. #unfriendly staff. he made me walk. secondly, the carousel. need i say more? well i will. there was green SERAN WAP on every other animal. animal abuse? and then, get this, they didnt wipe down the pig and my brother felt coerced into sitting on it. but then they didn't leave the gorilla open and the tiger and giraffe didnt bounce. they SCREECHED at us to walk in a certain direction. once this heck of a ride was over, and may I add that it should be marked 13+, I MEAN CHILDREN WERE SCREAMING. overall, i would come back. read more

Van Saun County Park - Parks Near Me - Paramus, New Jersey

Came to Van Saun Park as a family outing on a beautiful summer day. We first went to the Bergen County Zoo. The wait was quite long, it took about 20 minutes from the end of the line to the cashier. They offer County and non county prices which are both reasonable. Also, don't forget to buy the train tickets at the same window. Once inside the zoo though it did not feel crowded and was a good size for kids. They had a nice variety of animals, many that were endangered species. The animals were interesting enough for the price. The train and Carousel were a great follow up to the zoo. The train gave us a grand tour of the zoo, and allowed us to see some animals at a different angle. The carousel has a permanent covering which allows it to be kept beautiful and in great condition. The playground is large and is good for kids of all ages. The playground set has to be roughly 3-4 years old, it is in great condition. There is also a splash pad right next to the playground. They're multiple parking lots but the ones closer to the playground and zoo are typically fully. Overall, Van Saun park is big, and great for kids and family. We will definitely be back. read more

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We had a horrible experience visiting Winter Wonderland section of the park because of the person that called himself a manager in the skating rentals section. He was extremely rude answering an innocent question. After I inquired about his name so I can address this issue with someone else, he not only refused it, he threatened me with forceful removal from the premises. The whole "holiday" experience was ruined by one incredibly unprofessional man that treated me and my friend as we were dirt. I tried contacting their office but they have no contact phone at all. I hope someone will see my inquiry and do something about it because this person should not be working with people! read more

Went to the zoo on 5/26/23. There must have been a dozen school buses there. It was noisy and crowded which was surprising because there was nothing to see. It was very disappointing. There were very few animals. Most exhibits were closed. read more

We are from out of state but took our 3 year old nephew here for the day. We were able to spend half the day here at the Zoo, ride the mini train, go on the carousel, have a picnic, play at the playground and play in the splash pad area. The prices are cheap and everything was close together. I recommend having a blanket and bring packed lunch just in case all the picnic tables are taken or you want to be under a shade. Parking gets filled, but definitely best to come early. We parked closest to the zoo because of the distance to everything. We brought a stroller just to be able to carry snacks and changed of clothes, wipes, and our own drinks. Zoo -- it's small but enough animals to see and they have a small educational building with turtles and bugs/insects and bathrooms to use. There are events scheduled (example: story time at the amphitheater-- they read a book and met an animal; a show chicken named Sharon and got to pet it) throughout the day. You can also see the train drive around the little zoo. There are farm animals as well as big birds and llamas! Train -- cheap and goes around the Bergen County Zoo. Carousel -- cheap and like the classic carousel. Playground -- had space for little and bigger kids to play on. Slides do get hot since it's not shaded or all covered. Splash pad -- this def gets crowded when it's nice and hot out. Recommend wearing water shoes or some kind of sandals/flip flops. You will definitely get wet. I recommend this park, it's secluded but there are lots to do. There isn't a snack vendor permanent on premises, but there was a hot dog food truck when we went. No food places walking distance because this is in the middle of a neighborhood. It was clean and very family friendly. read more

We live close and visit frequently. Saturday mornings are the least crowded weekend times. It's heaven for families of toddlers and preschoolers, and probably the best thing that Bergen County offers (go to Morris County if you want a robust assortment of events, a good website, etc.) Information given is often wrong. This year, the website was updated May 1 to say that pony rides are available, but it looks like it's actually not till Memorial Day weekend (plus signs are up that point where the pony rides are). Secondly, for some reason, literally every slide in the playground and about 99% of benches are in the hot sun. So poorly planned, it's maddening. How difficult was it to place the benches 3 feet over so they're under trees and plant more trees in the playground? Also note that there are few food options, just some overpriced $4 ice cream carts and a hot dog truck (albeit a good one). But no place to sit near the ice cream anyway except in the blazing sun. One hidden gem is the garden behind the restrooms by the playground. Apparently Washington's troops had a rest there...nicely landscaped and very shady (but only a couple of benches. Sheesh). read more

Love Van Saun so much. My parents used to take me when I was little and I carried on the tradition with my kids. Zoo is amazing. It's laid out intelligently and features a variety of animals and fowl that you may not have seen elsewhere. Arboretum is also incredible and features an aqueous environment chock full of birds, water fowl, turtles and some really cool plants and trees. When you've had your fill of animals take a spin around the property on the train ride, hit up the carousel of take the kids to the massive play ground. It's such a fun and educational place that your kids will barely know they're learning :) Admission to the zoo, train, carousel and any other pop up attraction is more than reasonable and represents one of the best values for family fun in all of North Jersey. You can also picnic or barbecue on their spacious, wooded grounds. The only negative is that on weekends, especially Sunday, they get packed and parking can be an issue. I have driven around sometimes for as long as 1/2 hour trying to park. Since this is a Bergen County property supported by Bergen County taxpayers, they really should limit entrance to residents during weekends and peak hours. While everyone should be welcome, priority should be given to those who foot the bill. Crowds and parking aside, this really is a magical place. Love it! read more

Thank God For Open Spaces The Bergen County Park System is something I don't mind my tax dollars financing. All the parks are great in the Saddle River Park System, each having it's own unique charm. Van Saun is the crown jewel, with it's zoo, pony rides, miniature railroad, great tennis courts and beautiful carousel. I mostly go here to walk my dogs and spend some time out of doors year round. Weekends see huge crowds so I try to avoid it during that time, unless you get there around 7-8am. after breakfast and walk the park end to end. Keep The Parks Clean And Your Dog On A Leash! read more

216 Forest Avenue in Paramus on the GPS is only going to take you to someone's house that's almost 2 miles away from the actual park... Aside from that blip trying to find it - the park is amazing. The zoo is cleaner and classier than Turtle Back. The jungle gyms are cleaner and better than those at Liberty State Park. The train ride and carousel (the volume is not deafening like at other places) are also top-notch. And there are cool trails to walk and explore as well. Highly recommended if you have young ones. read more

Took a friend's 5 y/o daughter to their zoo recently.. we were pretty impressed. Admission fee was pretty low: $4 for adult and $1 for children (if you are not Bergen county resident, the price double). The zoo was small but it was well kept and there's a tranquil air about it - nice place for a relaxing stroll. It was a hot day but there was a lot of trees sheltering us from the sun. We were there for a few hours, saw a lot of animals. Saw a 20-minutes educational 'Reptile Show' (inclusive). At the end of the show, we had the opportunity to pet the "stars" of the show: a lizard and a tortoise. The featured exhibition for the season was: Australia & South Pacific - they charged an additional $1 per person - saw some cute animals (e.g. Wallaby) so it was worth it. Apart from the zoo, the park also offers nostalgic train ride, large playground with big toy, carousel, pony rides, picnic areas. read more

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Beautiful park and zoo. Great for kids and family fun. Discounted ticket prices for Bergen County residents. The zoo is small-ish. Will probably take you 30-60 minutes to see everything depending on how fast you move around. There's a train that goes around the entire zoo that's like 5 minutes long. Little kids love it! For myself and a 7 year old child it cost $9 for 2 zoo tickets and 2 train tickets (I'm a Bergen County resident). There are a bunch of different playgrounds ranging from ages 2-12. They tell you which playground is appropriate for what ages. Plus there's a nice carousel with a popcorn and cotton candy stand. $1.50 per ticket. There are tennis courts and soccer fields from what I've seen but probably other stuff too. There's a lot of land on Van Saun. Good for jogging around. Sledding in the winter. Large picnic areas. I see BBQ's and cookouts here all the time. Honestly, this is a great park. I'm so glad it's local and right around the corner from me. read more

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I love this park and have been coming here since I was a child. I suggest updating the ticket system! Also why are the pony rides never open when I go on a Saturday- you're lucky I like the park more for nostalgia than practicality read more

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What a great find... Van Saun Park was recommended to us by a family friend. Located a few miles from the Rt. 17 \ Rt. 4 interchange in Paramus. The park is a great way to spend the day especially with small children. Daddy and DD took a trip here today. We started the day with a pony \ donkey ride (I'm surprised PETA hasn't shut this down, this day and age ;-) From there we walked over to the zoo. A good selection of animals, although it was kinda chilly and some of the animals were not to be seen. We did get to see cows, pigs, mountain lions, bobcats, ducks, and bison oh my! Enough to keep my DD interested for a few hours. After we finished seeing all the animals we jumped on the train which takes you around the perimeter of the zoo. On the way back to the car, we jumped on the Carousel. All in all a great way to spend a few hours. Would definitely go here again... Maybe we'll take mommy with us next time. read more

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Great for kids first Zoo experience. Pay extra for the bird house. You'll be up close feeding this little guys as they perch on your hand. Sunday's are vey crowded. Be warned. Bergen County residents with a valid ID get a discount. read more

I really like how large this park is and how easily it is to get lost in it. There are some great hidden areas around here. Some areas are so peaceful and away from the main crowds that you can just sit there and read peacefully. Why only 4 stars? You sometimes have to cross the car lane to get to one part of the park to the other and some people do drive a little fast on it. Weekends are horrendous at the park as it's overly crowded. Definitely stick to the weekdays instead. read more

"Let It Glow"was beautiful, but the parking was horrendous. And even dangerous.There needs to be more patrol For the traffic.Had to walk with a toddler to the furthest lot.... At least 5-6 blocks in length, one way.The 'pathway'had no lights, except for the parking lot itself..just didn't feel safe...Shuttle service may be a good idea.. It seems even though you need to pick a time slot to pre-pay your tickets ,be prepared to wait over an hour for the train ride! Are ticket sales limited for each time slot?Oh, unless you're of course, some county official who sneaks around the back with his party of 8 healthy adults, as children are anxiously and patiently waiting on line in the cold. Maybe have a pre-season viewing for this elite group! read more

Our family loves this park! We visit a lot during the spring, summer and fall seasons. It has a great playground for kids of all ages. We also enjoy visiting the zoo, carousel and train! So much fun for the whole family! read more

Great time at this park. We have visited a lot of zoos in the northeast over the past two years in DC, NY, CT, RI and NJ. Originally planned on making a trip to Philly Zoo, but the weather was iffy. Lived in Bergen County a few years ago and my parents are still there so I came across this park/zoo while browsing for "zoos" in NJ. I saw that it was conveniently located about 15 minutes away from my parents and not too far from Route 4, as we planned and did make a trip to Bergen Town Center for some shopping afterward. Easy access from Forest Avenue. Lovely park/zoo, especially this time of year when the fall colors take over. We visited the zoo first, which is usually $8 for adults, $5 for children ($4 and $2 for Bergen County Residents). It was free that day!!! I think in the fall and winter months its free, which is great!!! No parking fees either. A bunch of animals to see there including horse, bobcat?, puma, owl, porcupine, elk, bison, prarie dogs and a discovery center which has a bunch of tanks with reptiles, fish and bugs. I believe you can rent out this area for parties as well. There are also other activities there that you pay per activity, such as a little train ride around the park and pony rides which are a few dollars per person, weather permitting. I think I loved the zoo portion, moreso because it was free. If we paid the general admission (8+8+4) $20, I would probably knock it down a star and a half. The park now is great. Free year round it seems to be free. Lovely park with large play area for the kids. A large carousel there as well, but I believe there is a fee for that. Lots of parking available. Lots of picnic benches and trails. Simply spectacular on a fall day with the lovely colors. Recommend both park and zoo to all. read more

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Been coming here for well over 40. Bringing my kids and one theirs here as well. It pays to buy a pass online. You know you're gonna use it! Maybe one day they'll place an aquatic area for adults in the park read more

This is a great place to take the kids during the summer. The zoo is reasonable priced for Bergen County residents. They also have a train ride for the little ones, as well as, a carousel. My daughter loves the train ride, b/c it looks similar to the trolley on Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood. There are also pony rides, and a splash pad. This spot does get pretty crowded so I avoid going there on weekends, but it's a great place to take kids for some entertainment during an ordinary dat. I'm sure I will be back soon. read more

We went for the dog park. Didn't realize there was a fall festival. Took awhile to find it due to that we couldn't just drive through the park. Dog park was pretty large and decent. and the folks who were there were friendly and the small dogs all got along great. Would be nice if there was more than one bench though. read more

My husband or I take our year and a half old daughter to the playground at Van Saun Park multiple times a week. She absolutely loves it, and we are so grateful to have a fun and safe place for her to run and play. This review should have been 5 stars, but I have to add how one of the landscapers whipped around way too fast and for way too long on a large motorized vehicle. He kicked up a huge cloud of dirt, and sped back and forth on the walkways between the playgrounds, which kept kicking up more dirt, freshly trimmed grass clippings, and leaves; all in very close proximity to small children and families. This made it irritating to breath, extremely noisy, and potentially unsafe. read more

I love this park. The kids get so excited and there are so many fun aspects of this place. They had an enjoyable time and we didn't even make the carousel. I hope this place never changes! read more

Van Saun County Park - Exploring - Parks Near Me - Paramus, New Jersey

Family friendly, just enough for the kids! Definitely a favorite! I highly recommend!

We went to Van Saun for a nice family day at the park. It was beautiful. The grounds were well kept and there was a ton of things to do. The zoo was pretty neat and the animals were good shape. The train ride was cute and my son loved it. There's plenty if food vendors also for a quick lunch. However, when we were there the carousel wasn't working so that was a bummer. I highly recommend going here. It's not that expensive and it's a beautiful park. read more

Van Saun County Park - Parks Near Me - Paramus, New Jersey