Road Trip This Fall to Union County, New Jersey

New Jersey has so many road trip-worthy destinations, and we have not been shy to share them with you. Some locations have been left out of the mix, not because they aren’t worthy, but because they are lesser-known locations. Places like Vauxhall, Kenilworth, Roselle Park, Linden, Union, Elizabeth, Hillside, and Springfield have so much to offer. We’re here to share them with you.

Check out these lesser-known road trip locations and get to know Union County, New Jersey this fall.

 

West Orange to Vauxhall, New Jersey 

Start your road trip this fall in West Orange, where Eagle Rock Reservation is a great start, featuring hiking trails with views of the Manhattan skyline. Then, head south via the Garden State Parkway or Walton Ave, making sure you pass through South Mountain Reservation which features excellent hiking, foliage spots, waterfalls, and great views of Union County. Also, trip worthy in the reservation is Greenwood Gardens, a 28-acre formal Italian garden that is open to the public on weekends, and South Mountain Fairy Trail, which is great for hiking. Then, continue on to Vauxhall, where you can stop by the Melovino Meadery for a wine or mead (or honey wine) tasting.  Don’t miss the foliage on this short drive, as the colors are sure to be beautiful this time of year.

Kenilworth to Linden, New Jersey

Next, head south and make sure to check out Lenape Park in Kenilworth, a county park with a bicycle path, lake & river fishing, nature trails & a model railroad club. Nearby is also Echo Lake Park, a great place to stop for picnics, pedal boats, ice skating (seasonal), or to let your kids play in the playground. There is also a small dog park if you need to let the pooch out.

Continue your journey south to Roselle Park, where you can find the Crane-Phillips House Museum, a Victorian cottage in the architectural style of Andrew Jackson Downing, the first American architect. The museum, run by the Cranford Historical Society, offers a glimpse into the opulent life of the 19th-century Victorian era and also features a collection of Native American artifacts, American Revolutionary War and American Civil War artifacts.

Continue south to Linden and make sure to pass by Warinanco State Park, a popular 204-acre park that borders the neighboring city of Elizabeth. Another noteworthy place to visit in Linden is Hawk Rise Sanctuary is a 95-acre ecological preserve bordering the Rahway River. Here, a boardwalk and scenic walking trail system winds through the Hawk Rise forest continues along the edge of the former Linden Landfill and leads to an overlook viewing of the Rahway River and adjacent marshes, where you can spot 163 bird species.

 

Linden to Hillside, New Jersey 

Departing Linden, continue east on to Elizabeth, where you can visit the Elizabeth River Parkway, where you can enjoy some sun and take in the views of the Elizabeth River. Nearby Matano Park is a destination for sports & recreation, featuring a playground, splash pad & ball fields. From Elizabeth, head north to Hillside, where you can make a quick visit to Weequahic Park and look out onto Weequahic Lake.

From Elizabeth, head north and don’t miss a stop in Union at the Liberty Hall Museum, an American historic site built in 1772 as a fourteen-room Georgian-style house. Liberty Hall is now a fifty-room Victorian Italian mansion that has been home to many historical figures like Alexander Hamilton, the Kean family, and William Livingston, the first Governor of New Jersey. The mansion is located on the Liberty Hall Campus of Kean University between the Main Campus in Union and East Campus in Hillside, New Jersey.

 

Hillside to Springfield, New Jersey

The final stop on this trip is west in Springfield, which has the beautiful Watchung Reservation, a 2,000+acre preserve, the largest nature reserve in Union County. The preserve features a 6-mile trail that identifies sites of historic interest in Union County.  Closeby is the Cora Hartshorn Arboretum and Bird Sanctuary, whose trails are open to all from dawn to dusk.

We bet you didn’t know all these gems were in Union County! An area of only 105 square miles has dozens of national parks, preserves, and reservations. So pack up the family and head on over for some serious leaf-peeping, hiking, and recreational fun. There’s so much to do from Vauxhall, Kenilworth, Roselle Park, Linden, Union, Elizabeth, Hillside, and Springfield.

  

Want more road trip fun? Make sure to check out our other articles

The Promise of the Open Road – NJ’s most gorgeous drives

New Jersey’s Best Drives to Keep Your Sanity During COVID-19

9 Most Scenic Drives in New Jersey To Uplift Your Sightseeing

 

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