SPORTS & RECREATION / PARKS & NATURE

Throughout Central New Jersey are lush parks and premier recreational facilities developed and managed by boroughs, cities, counties, and the federal government. Lush parks, wooded retreats, sparkling lakes, rolling rivers, rushing streams, and patchwork fields encourage biking, hiking, horseback riding, fishing, swimming, wildlife viewing, bird watching, camping, and winter sports. From celebrated battlefields and historic sites to nature preserves and municipal parks, the region draws residents from their homes to enjoy nature’s gracious bounty.

Regional State Parks & Forests

Allaire State Park
Allaire 732-938-2371
https://www.state.nj.us/dep/parksandforests

Barnegat Lighthouse State Park
Barnegat Light 609-494-2016
https://www.state.nj.us/dep/parksandforests

Bass River State Forest
Egg Harbor City 609-296-1114
https://www.state.nj.us/dep/parksandforests

Brendan T. Byrne State Forest
South Hampton Township 609-726-1191
https://www.state.nj.us/dep/parksandforests

Cheesequake State Park
Matawan 732-566-2161
https://www.state.nj.us/dep/parksandforests

Delaware Canal State Park
Upper Black Eddy, PA 610-982-5560
https://www.dcnr.pa.gov/Pages/default.aspx

Double Trouble State Park
Lacey Township 732-341-6662
https://www.state.nj.us/dep/parksandforests

Forked River State Marina
Forked River 609-693-5045
https://www.state.nj.us/dep/parksandforests

Island Beach State Park
Seaside Park 732-793-0506
https://www.state.nj.us/dep/parksandforests

Monmouth Battlefield State Park
Manalapan 732-462-9616
https://www.state.nj.us/dep/parksandforests

Nockamixon State Park
Quakertown, PA 215-529-7300
https://www.dcnr.pa.gov

Parvin State Park
Pittsgrove 856-358-8616
https://www.state.nj.us/dep/parksandforests

Penn State Forest
New Gretna 609-296-1114
https://www.state.nj.us/dep/parksandforests

Princeton Battlefield State Park
Princeton 609-921-0074
https://www.state.nj.us/dep/parksandforests

Rancocas State Park
New Lisbon 609-726-1191
https://www.state.nj.us/dep/parksandforests

Tyler State Park
Newtown, PA 215-968-2021
https://www.dcnr.pa.gov

Voorhees State Park
Glen Gardner 908-638-8572
https://www.state.nj.us/dep/parksandforests

Washington Crossing State Park
Titusville 609-737-0623
https://www.state.nj.us/dep/parksandforests

Wharton State Forest
Hammonton 609-561-0024
https://www.state.nj.us/dep/parksandforests

Parks & Recreation Contacts

Hunterdon County
Parks 908-782-1158
https://www.co.hunterdon.nj.us

Mercer County
Parks 609-989-6530
Equestrian Center 609-730-9059
Tennis Center 609-883-5768
Marina 609-448-4004
Skating Center 609-371-1669
http://www.mercercounty.org

Middlesex County
Parks 732-745-3900
Culture 732-548-2884
Sports 732-745-3900
Ice Rink 732-494-3785
https://www.middlesexcountynj.gov

Monmouth County
Parks Information 732-842-4000
Golf Tee Times 732-758-8383
Manasquan Reservoir 732-919-0996
Monmouth Cove Marina 732-495-9440
Equestrian Center 732-224-1367
Nature Programs 732-872-7369
https://www.monmouthcountyparks.com

Ocean County
Parks 877-OC-PARKS
Beaches 877-627-2757
Arts/Crafts 877-627-2757
Sports 877-627-2757
https://www.co.ocean.nj.us

Somerset County
Parks 908-722-1200
Stable 908-766-5955
Recreation 908-722-1200
www.somersetcountyparks.org

Union County
Parks 908-527-4900
https://ucnj.org/parks-recreation


Nature Centers

Bird & Butterfly Garden
2121 Larger Cross Road
Bedminster 908-234-1852
https://www.raritanheadwaters.org

Buttinger Nature Center
31 Titus Mill Road
Pennington 609-737-3735
https://thewatershed.org

Cooper Environmental Center
Cattus Island Park
1170 Cattus Island Boulevard
Toms River 732-270-6960
https://oceancountyparks.org

Fairview Farm Wildlife Preserve
2121 Larger Cross Road
Bedminster 908-234-1852
https://www.raritanheadwaters.org

The Gardens at Duke Farms
1112 Dukes Parkway West
Hillsborough 908-722-3700
https://www.dukefarms.org

Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge
241 Pleasant Plains Road
Basking Ridge 973-425-1222
https://www.fws.gov/about/region/northeast

Howell Living History Farm
70 Wooden’s Lane
Lambertville 609-737-3299
https://howellfarm.org

Huber Woods Environmental Center
25 Browns Dock Road
Locust 732-872-2670
https://www.monmouthcountyparks.com

Longstreet Farm
50 Longstreet Road
Holmdel 732-946-3758
https://www.monmouthcountyparks.com

Manasquan Reservoir Environmental Center
331 Georgia Tavern Road
Howell 732-751-9453
https://www.monmouthcountyparks.com

Mercer County Wildlife Center
1748 River Road
Titusville 609-303-0552
https://www.mercercounty.org

Plainsboro Preserve
80 Scotts Corner Road
Cranbury 609-897-9400
https://njaudubon.org

Scherman Hoffman Wildlife Sanctuary
11 Hardscrabble Road
Bernardsville 908-766-5787
https://njaudubon.org

Trailside Nature & Science Center
452 New Providence Road
Mountainside 908-789-3670
https://ucnj.org/trailside-nature-and-science-center

Wells Mills Nature Center
905 Wells Mill Road
Waretown 609-971-3085
https://www.co.ocean.nj.us

Gardens & Arboretums

Colonial Park Arboretum
156 Mettlers Road
Somerset 732-873-2459
www.somersetcountyparks.org

Cross Estate Gardens
Morristown National Historic Park
61 Jockey Hollow Road
Bernardsville 973-539-2016
https://www.crossestategardens.org

Deep Cut Gardens
152 Red Hill Road
Middletown 732-671-6050
https://www.monmouthcountyparks.com

Edith Duff Gwinn Gardens
5th Street & Central Avenue
Barnegat Light 609-494-7211
https://visitlbiregion.com

Fragrance & Sensory Garden
156 Mettlers Road
Somerset 732-873-2459
http://www.somersetcountyparks.org

Frank C. Helyar Woods & Rutgers Gardens
112 Ryders Lane
New Brunswick 732-932-8519
https://rutgersgardens.rutgers.edu

The Gardens at Rockingham
Rockingham State Historic Site
Kingston 609-683-7132
https://www.rockingham.net

Grounds for Sculpture
80 Sculptors Way
Hamilton 609-586-0616
https://www.groundsforsculpture.org

Henry S. Chatfield Memorial Garden
Warinanco Park Garden
St. Georges Avenue
Roselle 908-527-4000
https://ucnj.org

Herrontown Woods Arboretum
Snowden lane
Princeton Township 609-303-0700
https://www.state.nj.us

Historic Morven Gardens
55 Stockton Street
Princeton 609-924-8144
https://www.morven.org

Holmdel Arboretum
Longstreet Road
Holmdel 732-842-4000
https://www.monmouthcountyparks.com

Hunterdon County Arboretum
1020 Highway 31
Lebanon 908-782-1158
https://www.co.hunterdon.nj.us

Kuser Farm Mansion Gardens
390 Newkirk Avenue
Hamilton 609-890-3630
https://www.hamiltonnj.com/kusermansion

Leonard J. Buck Garden
11 Layton Road
Far Hills 908-234-2677
www.somersetcountyparks.org

Prospect House Garden
Princeton University
Princeton 609-258-3455
www.princeton.edu/prospecthouse

Reeves-Reed Arboretum
165 Hobart Avenue
Summit 908-273-8787
https://www.reeves-reedarboretum.org

Rudolf W. van der Goot Rose Garden
156 Mettlers Road
Somerset 732-873-2459
www.somersetcountyparks.org

Sister Mary Grace Burns Arboretum
Georgian Court University
900 Lakewood Avenue
Lakewood 732-364-2200
https://georgian.edu

William Trent House Gardens
15 Market Street
Trenton 609-989-3027
https://www.williamtrenthouse.org


Jersey Shores Information

Statewide Information
800-VISITNJ
609-599-6540
https://visitnj.org

Atlantic City
609-348-7100
888-AC-VISIT
https://www.atlanticcitynj.com

Avalon Beach
609-967-3936
https://www.visitavalonnj.com

Cape May
609-884-5508
https://www.capemaychamber.com

Long Beach Island
609-494-7211
https://www.visitlbiregion.com

Ocean City
800-BEACH-NJ
https://oceancityvacation.com

Point Pleasant Beach
732-892-1118
https://pointpleasantbeach.org

Sea Isle City
609-263-9090
https://www.seaislechamber.com

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