Popular Bergen County Playgrounds and Parks

Where are the best Bergen County parks and playgrounds for kids in 2024?

This is a great question we frequently hear from our local audience, particularly those new to the area.

Kids love parks because they offer a fun and safe environment to explore, play, and socialize with other children. Parks also provide excellent opportunities for physical activity, imagination, and discovery. Even parents can get in on the fun, with playdates at local parks providing a practical way to fit in quality time with the kids while socializing with other parents and friends.

We’re Bergen County Parents, Too!

Bergen County offers a wide range of public parks and recreational options for people of all ages. From small neighborhood playgrounds to vast county parks that span across multiple towns, the county has it all. Our team at mybergen.com has compiled a list of the best parks and playgrounds in Bergen County for kids, based on our personal experiences as parents living in the area. We have explored numerous parks in and around Bergen County and have come up with a list of our current favorites, sorted by town.

We’ll continue adding to this list as we visit more Bergen County parks and playgrounds throughout 2024!

Bergen County Parks and Playgrounds for Kids!

Bogota

Oscar E. Olsen Park

Generations of Bogotians have made many happy memories at this popular multi-use park. Situated on the West Main Street Extension, just a few blocks from Bogota’s Main Street retail area and a stone’s throw from Hackensack, Olsen Park packs a lot of family fun, athletics, and fitness options into this small town’s primary recreation destination.

Olsen Park features a small children’s playground, swings for the older kids, tennis courts, basketball courts, a few picnic tables, and a covered pavilion that is popular with the locals for community events, private parties, or just a small family picnic.

Directly across the West Main Street Extension are two baseball fields, a soccer area, and a 1,683-foot walkway that is perfect for walkers and joggers. While there are crosswalks to get to the ball fields and a pedestrian walkway, not every driver yields to pedestrians, so hold the little ones’ hands tightly when crossing.

Olsen Park is also the staging area for many community events, usually listed on the mybergen.com Events Calendar.

The Park has parking from dawn to dusk, with access from the West Main Street Extension for the playground area and from River Road for the ball fields and walkway.

Closter

Ruckman Park

Looking for a fun and family-friendly spot to spend some quality time in Closter’s Northern Valley? Look no further than Ruckman Park Playground! This popular local park is located at the intersection of Ruckman Road and Piermont Road, and it’s the perfect place for a day of outdoor fun.

Whether you’re looking to hit the Little League baseball field named after the Closter Lions, play some basketball on one of the four hoops, or enjoy a game of tennis on the well-lit court (open until 10 pm!), there’s something for everyone here. Kids aged three to fourteen will love the playground equipment, and there’s even a picnic area for a relaxing lunch or snack. Plus, there’s a walking and jogging track that’s cleared during the winter months so that you can stay active all year round. Don’t forget to check out the snack stand, too!

Fair Lawn

Berdan Grove Park

Located on Berdan Avenue, this local playground has slides, swings, and plenty of things to climb on. Berdan Grove Park also offers basketball, tennis, and handball courts and a baseball field.

The paved path surrounding Berdan Grove Park is great for a walk or jog, and it also features a StoryWalk courtesy of the Fair Lawn Library. Read a picture book from start to finish as you stroll along the path with your little ones.

Don’t be surprised to find a sizeable crowd of kids and parents at Berdan Grove Park. Although it’s tucked away in a quiet residential section of town, this park is very popular, and local families put these facilities to good use! We love it!

The playground at Berdan Grove Park is handicap-accessible.

Fort Lee

Firemen’s Memorial Park 

This quiet, relatively small Fort Lee park is located at 272 Whiteman Street near the Whiteman and Gerome Avenue intersection.

Firemen’s Memorial Park offers multiple rides, swings, tunnels, plenty of things to climb on, benches, picnic tables, and more. The wading pool is accessible to Fort Lee residents.

Let us not forget that this wonderful family destination is dedicated to Fort Lee’s brave firefighters, past and present.

Hackensack

Johnson Park 

Johnson Park is located in the heart of Hackensack, a city in the midst of major redevelopment and change. New luxury residential buildings are opening all over Hackensack, and new residents are moving into the city at a rapid rate.

For those of us who have lived in the Hackensack area for a while, Johnson Park, located at 490 River Street near the Anderson Street Bridge, is a great local recreation and family fun destination. Situated near the banks of the Hackensack River, a short distance from Hackensack’s downtown shopping and dining district and Cedar Lane in nearby Teaneck, Johnson Park boasts a playground for the kids with tunnels, monkey bars, rope climbing, a playhouse, and more. The park also features multiple soccer fields and tennis courts.

There is a really nice boardwalk-like walking path that circles half of Johnson Park and then follows the Hackensack River north, all the way to the Bergen Academies campus.

Lyndhurst and North Arlington

Riverside County Park

A popular destination for residents of southern Bergen County and nearby Passaic and Hudson County communities, Riverside County Park offers 85 acres of parkland along the Passaic River in the Lyndhurst and North Arlington municipalities.

The Joseph Carucci park area in Lyndhurst offers a pedestrian pathway, an off-leash dog park, a children’s playground, a fitness center, tennis courts (lighted) and practice wall, a picnicking pavilion with electric and athletic fields (by permit) for softball and baseball.

The North Arlington park area offers a pedestrian pathway, a children’s playground, a picnicking pavilion (no electricity and permit required), tennis courts and practice wall, and athletic fields (by permit) for soccer, baseball, and softball. Riverside County Park is a short distance from Routes 3, 21, and 17. Get directions here.

Mahwah

Continental Soldiers Park 

Continental Soldiers Park is located a short distance from Route 17, and just across the road from the Ramapo College campus, in Mahwah, New Jersey.

The Park features a relatively small but very cool playground with multiple slides and swings, climbing rings, monkey bars, step bars, and more. The little ones can easily spend a few hours running from one thing to the next in this action-packed compact play space! The playground is situated next to an outdoor pavilion with multiple picnic tables. Continental Soldiers Park also offers soccer and baseball fields, a skateboard park, an exercise area, and a walking/jogging path that circles the park.

But wait…there’s more! Just behind the Park, you’ll find easy access to a beautiful nature path that winds its way around a lovely pond that is home to waterfowl, turtles, and more. Here’s a tip: This nature walk is a great alternative to the often too-crowded Ramapo Valley Reservation!

Continental Soldiers Park is located at 550 Ramapo Valley Road (Route 202), Mahwah, New Jersey.

Moonachie

Joseph Street Park 

This relatively small park and playground, tucked away in a quiet neighborhood in Moonachie, has a lot to offer! Talk about good use of space! This playground features multiple slides, a climbing area, basketball courts, and more.

Joseph Street Park is located a few blocks from Moonachie Road at 19 East Joseph Street in Moonachie.

Paramus

Van Saun Park Playground

When it comes to variety and sheer excitement, the playground at Van Saun Park in Paramus stands out as a must-visit spot for families in Bergen County. The sprawling play area boasts multiple sections catering to different age groups, ensuring that both my toddler and older child have a blast. From classic swings and slides to elaborate jungle gyms and climbing nets, this playground is a hub of energy and laughter.

I appreciate the safety measures in place, including soft rubber surfaces to cushion falls. The adjacent Bergen County Zoo, carousel and train ride make it a perfect destination for a full day of entertainment and learning.

Van Saun Park is located just a short distance from Routes 4 and 17 and the Garden State Parkway at 216 East Forest Avenue, Paramus, New Jersey.

Ramsey

Finch Park

If you’re planning a play date in the Ramsey area and need to decide where to go, you should consider Finch Park. The kids will love it, and so will you!

The play areas at Finch Park are separated by age group. The toddler area looks like a pirate ship, while the larger playground looks like a castle. This park also offers swings, bars, rings, stairs, chains, fireman’s pole, mushroom caps, tic-tac-toe, steering wheels, a playhouse, puzzles, rock walls, very cool twisty tunnels, a sandbox, slides (chute, double, bumps, corkscrew) baseball fields, full basketball court, picnic tables and more.

Finch Park boasts a concession stand that is open during local baseball games and special events. You won’t want to miss the Fourth of July celebration at Finch Park, complete with live musical entertainment and a spectacular fireworks display.

The little ones will love Finch Park, so why not make a day of it? The park is just five minutes from downtown Ramsey, a wonderful dining and shopping district with plenty of family-friendly places to grab a bite. For lunch, try Pietro’s Pizza on the corner of Main Street and North Central Avenue or Brady’s at the Station on Main Street. Main Street in Ramsey has several other eateries and a number of ice cream parlors to choose from too.

Finch Park is located a few blocks from Route 17, at 194 Church Street in Ramsey.

Teaneck

Milton A. Votee Park

One of our all-time favorite Bergen County family spots is Milton A. Votee Park in Teaneck.

Votee Park, the largest completely developed park in Teaneck, is a popular destination for residents of the Central Bergen County area. Located in the north-central section of Teaneck, Votee Park is big, spanning the entire area between Queen Anne Road and Palisade Avenue from Colonial Court to Court Street.

Facilities at Votee Park include an in-ground swimming pool, a children’s wading pool, restrooms, an amphitheater, three soccer fields (two lighted), five baseball fields (two lighted with field houses and refreshment stands), a double handball court, four tennis courts (lighted), and a lighted and enclosed two court basketball facility.

Votee is a great spot to bring the kids. Playground equipment consists of a merry-go-round, tot swings, horse swings, a sandbox, two see-saws, a mini-gym climbing structure, and spring toys. Two designated picnic areas are located in the Park equipped with burners and permanent picnic tables.

For walkers and joggers, two paved walking paths are in the park. The longer path measures 1.16 miles and circles the entire park. The smaller path, measuring 1/3 mile, surrounds the two lighted soccer fields.

Votee Park is conveniently located just off Route 4 and is a short distance from Bergenfield, Bogota, and Englewood. The park is also a brief drive from Cedar Lane, a popular central Bergen County shopping and dining destination.

Teaneck

“Together in Teaneck” StoryWalk at Sagamore Park

The Teaneck Public Library recently hosted a ceremony to open the new StoryWalk in the Township of Teaneck’s Sagamore Park.

The StoryWalk project, titled Together in Teaneck, consists of 20 displays, each containing two pages of a picture book behind a plexiglass surface on the theme of diversity and inclusion. Children and families are encouraged to read the stories by walking through the park and stopping at each display sign. Librarians from Teaneck Public Library will select new stories on the theme of diversity and inclusion and rotate the stories on a regular basis.

“The goal of this project,” explained Library Director Allen McGinley, “is to celebrate diversity and inclusiveness in Teaneck while also fulfilling the Library’s mission of promoting a love of reading and encouraging everyone to spend time outdoors exploring Teaneck’s wonderful public parks.” According to Amy Sears, Head of Youth Services, “StoryWalk installations are particularly valuable in helping young children develop literacy skills because they engage children in reading in a unique, active setting.”

Together in Teaneck is made possible by a grant from the New Jersey Council for the Humanities, a state partner of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this StoryWalk do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities or the New Jersey Council for the Humanities. This project was also made possible by a district grant from Rotary International through the Teaneck Rotary Club and in partnership with the Township of Teaneck Recreation and Public Works Departments.

Sagamore Park is located on Belle Avenue in Teaneck. For more information, visit teanecklibrary.org/together-in-Teaneck.

Tenafly

Roosevelt Common 

Roosevelt Common is located a short drive from Knickerbocker Road from the west and Route 9W from the east, at Sunset Lane and Riveredge Road in Tenafly, New Jersey.

This fabulous park features lovely walking paths for a leisurely stroll and two play areas for the kids to enjoy! The Park also offers multiple tennis courts (available for use by residents with permits), the historic Theodore Roosevelt Monument, a pond, and more.

Roosevelt Common is also within easy walking distance of numerous Tenafly shops and restaurants, so allow some extra time to enjoy all downtown Tenafly has to offer.

Waldwick

Kerry’s Garden

Have you visited Kerry’s Garden in Waldwick, New Jersey? Kerry’s Garden is a new daffodil garden located in Waldwick, New Jersey’s Boro Park (98 Pine Street). The garden is at the top of the bike path. You can park in the first lot as you enter from Pennington Avenue, and you’ll find the garden on the left, with the gazebo on the right.

The garden was inspired by Waldwick resident Kerry Sauner, who lost her battle to a rare sarcoma in 2015. The garden was funded by donations to purchase bags of daffodil bulbs in honor of Kerry and in memory of other community family, friends, and pets. Local volunteers helped layout and plant Kerry’s Garden in Waldwick.

Lions Memorial Playground at Waldwick Borough Park is a popular spot for meetups or playdates with Waldwick, Allendale, Ramsey, and Saddle River residents. The park is located at Pennington Avenue and Pine Street, just a short distance from Route 17 and a few minutes from Franklin Turnpike and Wyckoff Avenue.

Lions Memorial Playground features a relatively quiet and natural atmosphere with a pond and stream and the occasional glimpse of wildlife. In addition to squirrels, chipmunks, ducks, and swans, you may encounter turtles and other creatures!

The Park has a large playground area with lots of fun equipment, including slides, swings, bridges, tire swing, monkey bars, rockers, and much more. There is also a paved walking path, gazebo, and picnic area.

Lions Memorial Playground at Waldwick Borough Park is located at 217 Pine Street in Waldwick.

Westwood

McKinley Park

This shady neighborhood park features a playground, basketball court, tennis court, a paved path, and a grassy area where you can toss a ball or just run around.

McKinley Park even has a pickleball court. What is pickleball you ask? Good question! Find out here. Want to try pickleball in Westwood?  Click here for more information.

The town of Westwood also has a vibrant downtown with plenty of eateries and shopping! Check it out before or after your trip to the park.

McKinley Park is located at McKinley Avenue and Lafayette Avenue in Westwood.

Wyckoff

James A. McFaul Environmental Center