Top 5 Day Trips from Ridgewood, NJ

Need a getaway? Nothing like a quick day trip to clear the mind.

There are so many amazing places to visit and explore not far from us here in NW Bergen County. It was hard to pick just five!

Here are my top picks for day trips this 2020 Summer season:

Back in the 1800s, Spring Lake, NJ, was a summer getaway for wealthy city dwellers. This small beach resort community has kept the elegance and character of its heyday with the large Victorian homes, manicured lawns, tree lined streets and pretty flower filled parks.

Best of all, the two miles of Spring Lake beaches are beautiful. In addition, the Spring Lake boardwalk has a more low key, peaceful vibe – not as touristy as some of the other New Jersey boardwalk areas.

Don’t forget to purchase your Spring Lake beach badges online!

Go to this website to order Spring Lake Daily Beach Badges. Then, you’ll pick them up at the Spring Lake Train Station. Before you go to the beachfront, be sure to have your beach badges in hand because – NO BEACH BADGES ARE SOLD AT THE BEACHFRONT – only online for pick up at the train station.

Stop by Tom Bailey’s Gourmet Market for some lunch, and then head to the beach only a few blocks away. Enjoy the beach! Nothing like the sand and surf to clear your head!

2. Storm King Art Center in New Windsor, NY

Explore art in nature – literally! Storm King Art Center is an impressive 500 acre outdoor museum. Located in New York’s Hudson Valley, Storm King Art Center contains one of the largest collections of contemporary outdoor sculptures in the United States.

Storm King Art Center was founded on the principle of supporting artists and some of their most ambitious works while taking care of the landscape of hills, meadows and forest as the natural backdrop.

2020 season opens on July 15th, so make your reservations early!

Before you plan your trip to Storm King Art Center, click this link about Storm King’s Timed-Entry Tickets. Due to limited capacity, make sure you reserve your tickets early. According to the website, “ALL VISITORS ARE REQUIRED TO PURCHASE TIMED-ENTRY TICKETS IN ADVANCE OF YOUR VISIT.”

3. Morning Hike at Bear Mountain, NY

Bear Mountain State Park is the perfect place for a morning hike. Situated in the hills and rugged mountains on the west bank of the Hudson River, Bear Mountain offers breathtaking views on many of the well marked hiking trails in the park.

Click this link for more information about Bear Mountain State Park (including daily closure information, etc).

Plan an early start!

Many popular parks fill to capacity before noon, so it’s best to plan to visit Bear Mountain in the morning. Plus, with a morning hike you can beat the summer heat!

4. Visit Piermont, NY – Lunch or Dinner Overlooking the Hudson

You’ll work up an appetite on during your morning hike at Bear Mountain (see #3 above). What better reward after your hike than a delicious seafood lunch? Or, just skip the hike and head directly to Piermont, NY for a leisurely lunch or dinner “al fresco” while overlooking the Hudson.

Pier 701 in Piermont, NY is a great place for lunch or dinner, and they offer outdoor dining overlooking the Hudson River. Also, Cornettas Restaurant is a casual seafood spot at the marina also offering outdoor river view dining.

5. The High Line Park in New York City

Located on the west side of Manhattan, The High Line Park has some really beautiful panoramic views of NYC, the Hudson River and the New Jersey waterfront. It’s a great day trip from our area.

The High Line Park was created on a former New York Central Railroad freight spur and is a 1.45-mile-long elevated linear park. This elevated promenade spans from from Gansevoort Street in the Meatpacking District to 34th Street in Chelsea along Tenth Avenue, curving west to Twelfth Avenue and around Hudson Yards. There are entrances to the park every few blocks along its length.

Make your reservations ahead of time!

The High Line Park in New York City will reopen to the public on Thursday, July 16, 2020, with a free timed-entry reservation system and limited capacity to allow for social distancing.

Before you plan your day trip, reserve your free timed-entry passes for the High Line Park here.

Here are a couple restaurant suggestions near the High Line

After your stroll on the High Line, you can take advantage of some of the NYC restaurants offering outdoor dining. Make your reservations for lunch or dinner in the outdoor garden at Bottino which is a Tuscan Italian restaurant only 2 minutes from the High Line Park at 246 10th Avenue between 24th and 25th Street.

The Catch Rooftop is another great place to grab a drink and dinner, and it’s located near the High Line at 88 Ninth Avenue in the Meatpacking District. Reservations are definitely needed for most outdoor dining venues these days because of limited capacity due to the social distancing requirements.

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Do you have other day trip ideas?

We’re always looking for great get-away ideas. Where do you like to go?

Let us know in the comments below.

Happy travels!

PS – That incredible photo of the Spring Lake beach featured at the top of this post was taken by Photo by Ryan Loughlin on Unsplash.