8 Activities For Your Summer To-Do List
The beach and pool are great, but these fun ideas belong on your Bergen County summer bucket list too.
Summer fun means much more than going down the Shore or jet-setting to a tropical destination. Soaking up the season also means taking advantage of everything your hometown has to offer, from the town swimming pools to the outdoor fairs and festivals. But wait, there’s more!
This season, why not take your family or gather a group of friends to try something different—but an activity that’s just as fun and relaxing as your usual plans. Below are eight ideas:
Listen to The Bard. Continue a long-standing summer tradition of enjoying Shakespeare in the Park when the Hackensack Performing Arts Center stages “Twelfth Night” at Atlantic Street Park. Free performances take place July 10, 17 and 24. Return in August when HACPAC stages “Romeo and Juliet.”
Witness history. You’ve seen documentaries and even watched “Hamilton” on Broadway, but there’s nothing like seeing American history brought to life at a Revolutionary War reenactment. On July 13, visit the Hermitage in Ho-Ho-Kus to see Gen. George Washington lead American troops to battle.
Enjoy the pastime’s past. Ditch the pitch clock and the designated hitter because Vintage Baseball at Historic New Bridge Landing in River Edge uses old-timey rules—as well as uniforms, umpires and even language and terminology. Head to the park on July 13 to see the Flemington Neshanock take on the Enterprise Club of New Bridge in a mid-summer classic.
Paddle against the current. For the third straight year, the Hackensack Riverkeeper maintains a kayak rental and boat launch along the Hackensack River in Oradell. From the dock, boaters can paddle north along the river. You’re not exactly navigating the waters of the Amazon, but the relatively easy journey will take you through the lush woods, home to a variety of plant and animal life.
Explore a defunct highway. Motorists and cyclists share the road on modern-day Route 9W, which begins in Fort Lee and heads north to the New York border (it goes even farther, up to Albany). Once upon a time—before the completion of the George Washington Bridge and Palisades Parkway rerouted it—9W’s path looked a lot different, and its corridor in Alpine and Closter took drivers along the edge of the Palisades cliffs. That section, known as Old Route 9W, is now closed to motorists, but the concrete path is accessible from the Stateline Lookout and perfect for pedestrians and bicyclists.
Make a splash. Sometimes making plans to go to the beach takes too much stress. Thankfully, Teaneck has an easy solution: a splash pad. The township’s Votee Park on Palisade Avenue offers a large splash pad with plenty of misters for families, providing a quick, easy and free way to cool down during summer scorchers. The water is filtered and sanitized, and the non-slip surface keeps everyone safe. Just bring your towels and enjoy!
Wander an enchanted forest. Bergen County’s woodlands are filled with furry creatures that are worth admiring and photographing, but some trails are even more magical. Take the entire family into Emerson Woods or the Tenafly Nature Center and keep your eyes peeled when you wander onto a fairy trail. Be on the lookout for fairy houses and other signs of these mystical creatures.
Trek along the Hudson. The best view of the New York City skyline is from Jersey, and the Hudson River Walkway gives you the best vantage point. The flat, walkable (or bikeable) pathway is an 18.5-mile, point-to-point paved trail along Hudson River towns, including Fort Lee and Edgewater. Along the way, you’ll see many shorebirds as well as sailboats, barges and jet skis on one side of the path and fancy coffeeshops, restaurants and more on the other.
Do you have fun plans this summer in Bergen County? Remember to tag us in all your Instagram photos @bergenmagnj.
