A beautiful mix of gardens, meadows and forests, Willowwood Arboretum is home to more than 3,500 plant species. We love the variety here – from daffodil fields to bamboo forests, cherry blossoms to towering Norway Spruce, Willowwood Arboretum is breathtakingly beautiful, peaceful, and fun. Adjacent to the parking lot are tons of daffodils just beggingContinue reading “Willowwood Arboretum: Far Hills, NJ”
Tag Archives: Picnics
Spring at Reeves-Reade Arboretum: Summit, NJ
Spring has sprung at Reeves-Reade Arboretum! We visited earlier this week to take a peek at the daffodil bowl. After reading the featured story on the storybook trail and admiring the hummingbird sculpture, we stumbled upon Peter’s Pond, a tranquil little spot to watch goldfish swim. Tucked behind the pond are a few picnic tablesContinue reading “Spring at Reeves-Reade Arboretum: Summit, NJ”
Verona Park: Verona, NJ
Part of the Essex County Park System, Verona Park offers a little something for everyone. There’s a 1.2 mile paved loop surrounded by weeping willows (this will be especially beautiful in April), a lake with seasonal paddle boating and fishing, a boathouse restaurant, a softball field and bocce courts, a children’s garden, and plenty ofContinue reading “Verona Park: Verona, NJ”
Hemlock Falls: West Orange, NJ
Hemlock Falls is on a 5.8 mile loop in South Mountain Reservation, but there’s a 1.2 mile toddler-friendly shortcut. It was easy enough for my 2.5 year old and 4.5 year old to do (with snack bribes and plenty of stops to throw rocks in the brook along the way). Big plus: It’s in aContinue reading “Hemlock Falls: West Orange, NJ”
Anderson Park: Montclair, NJ
Anderson Park is the perfect place to teach a child how to ride a bike, scooter, or skateboard. It’s also stroller-friendly and wheelchair accessible. There is a small 3/5 mile flat, paved loop with plenty of benches for snacking or resting, and a large field that’s great for picnicking and ballgames. You can even bringContinue reading “Anderson Park: Montclair, NJ”
Reeves-Reade Arboretum: Summit, NJ
When we’re not adventuring, you can find us cuddled up with a good book, so when we discovered that the red trail at Reeves-Reede Arboretum was a storybook trail that led to a fun teepee, well, that was just the best of both worlds. There’s a few arboretums across the Garden State that feature storybookContinue reading “Reeves-Reade Arboretum: Summit, NJ”
Watchung Reservation Sensory Friendly Trail: Mountainside, NJ
We visited Watchung Reservation’s Sensory Friendly Trail today with our 2 year old and 4 year old after hearing such wonderful things about it from other local families. Wow, what a cool place! It’s wheelchair accessible, stroller friendly, offers educational signage with audio and Braille, and is a short little 0.3 mile loop just perfectContinue reading “Watchung Reservation Sensory Friendly Trail: Mountainside, NJ”
Frelinghuysen Arboretum: Morris Township, NJ
Peaceful. Vibrant. Colorful. Educational. Fun. That’s how I would describe Frelinghuysen Arboretum. We went on a scarecrow scavenger hunt through gardens bursting with fresh produce destined for thoughtful donation to those in need. Woodland trails – both gravel and paved – were drenched in sunlight and, much to our surprise this late in the season,Continue reading “Frelinghuysen Arboretum: Morris Township, NJ”
Fall at Cheesequake State Park: Matawan, NJ
We visited Hooks Creek Lake at Cheesequake State Park in the summer, but didn’t make it past the sand pit with our enthusiastic little diggers, so we were excited to explore more of the park last weekend. Autumn has most certainly arrived here, and the trees are dressed as stoplights, shining brightly in crimson, gold,Continue reading “Fall at Cheesequake State Park: Matawan, NJ”
Clarke’s Family Farm: Modena, NY
Honeycrisp apples are my favorite, and Clarke’s Family Farm in Modena, NY has the best ones I’ve ever eaten. Juicy, delicious, and ripe this weekend, you’ll find Honeycrisp, Macintosh, Macoun, Early Fuji, Gala, and Snap Dragon, Honeycrisp’s crunchier cousin. As a mama of two littles, I appreciate that this 7th generation farm uses low sprayContinue reading “Clarke’s Family Farm: Modena, NY”