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
