New Jersey

Here are 12 ways to beat the summer heat in North Jersey

Published

2 years ago

August 3, 2024

Here are 12 ways to beat the summer heat in North Jersey

We’re in the midst of yet another summer heatwave, and we can all probably agree that it’s been a struggle staying cool. And while we’d probably all like to stay inside our homes with the air conditioner blasting, that’s not a fun way to seize the summer.

Whether you’d prefer to handle the heat by jumping into a body of water and zipping down a water slide, or are looking for some fun activities indoors, there are an abundance of options across North Jersey. And if you have a restless kid out on summer break, there’s many ways to keep them occupied, too.

Here are 12 ways to beat the heat in North Jersey:

Cool off at Van Saun County Park’s splash pad

While the splash pad at Van Saun County Park would have typically opened at the beginning of the summer, it has been closed for months of renovations. But with upgraded safety flooring, fixed water sprinklers and a new control system, the splash pad is officially reopened to the public.

This means that for the remainder of the summer, your family can cool off at one of Bergen County’s most popular parks for free. And while you’re there you can explore the park’s other attractions, which including recently reopened pony rides, playgrounds, a carousal, a miniature train ride and, of course, the Bergen County Zoo.

Hours: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily until Labor Day.

Go: 216 Forest Ave., Paramus; 201-336-7275, co.bergen.nj.us/parks-recreation-areas/van-saun-county-park.

Swim laps at the Palisades Park Swim Club

While it may be too hot to go for a walk or a run, you can easily get some exercise by swimming laps at the Palisades Park Swim Club instead. Open to the public — daily passes are $15 for Palisades Park residents and $20 for other New Jersey residents — Palisades Park Swim Club features a 25-meter swimming pool with diving boards and a separate kiddie pool area. There are also picnic tables and areas to barbecue available, as well as a snack bar.

Hours: Noon to 7 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday; noon to 8 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday; 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. for members and noon to 7 p.m. for daily pass holders on Saturday and Sunday.

Go: 200 Roosevelt Place, Palisades Park; 201-585-4140, facebook.com/PalisadesParkSwimClub.

Take a dip in the Highlands Natural Pool

If you want to go for a swim, but still want to be among some of New Jersey’s most beautiful natural sites, you can. The Highlands Natural Pool is an Olympic-sized, stream fed pool located along Norvin Green State Forest in Ringwood. With cement walls, a clay bottom and ranging from four to 10 feet deep, the natural pool is a unique option for staying cool.

The pool’s deck area includes chairs and a diving board, as well as a small kiddie area with a sandbox near the pool’s shallow section. There are also several tables available and a snack stand full of food items, drinks and snacks.

The Highlands Natural Pool is open to the general public, and day passes can be purchased at the entrance. Admission is $20 for adults; $15 for seniors, active military and veterans; $10 for children ages three to 17; and free for children ages two and under.

Hours: Noon to 6 p.m. daily until Labor Day.

Go: 180 Snake Den Road, Ringwood; 973-835-4299, highlandsnaturalpool.org.

Splash around at Mountain Creek Water Park

For those looking to cool off while also appeasing their adventurous side, Mountain Creek Water Park is the perfect place to visit. The waterpark has more than a dozen waterslides for adults and young children, including attractions like the Colorado River Rapids, Surf Hill, the High Tide Wave Pool, Legendary Canyon Cliffs and more.

The waterpark also has a variety of food and drink options available to refuel your energy for the fun. Day passes to the waterpark are $49.99, and season passes for $89.99, which include 15% off food and drinks, as well as free parking.

Hours: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Go: 200 NJ-94, Vernon Township; 973-827-2000, mountaincreek.com.

Sit back and relax at a cool movie theater

Catching one of today’s hottest new movie releases is one of the best ways to sit back, relax and escape the heat. And there’s so much movie theaters throughout North Jersey that it’s nearly impossible to count them all.

You can opt to visit and support one of our area’s local movie theaters, like The Clairidge in Montclair, Landmark Theater in Closter, Hawthorne Theaters in Hawthorne, Township Theatre in Washington Township and Westwood Cinemas in Westwood. But there are also several AMC movie theaters scattered throughout North Jersey, such as in towns like Paramus, Wayne, Clifton, Hackensack, West Orange, Rockaway.

Get energy out at Urban Air Trampoline and Adventure Park

For some, staying cool in high temperatures means simply staying out of the high temperatures altogether. Staying inside during the summer can be just as fun, especially at Urban Air Trampoline and Adventure Park. Between climbing hills and walls, the tubes playground, dodgeball, the battle beam, a warrior course, classic trampolines and more, there’s plenty of activities to keep the whole family entertained for hours. And the biggest bonus? You can enjoy all of these things in the comfort of air conditioning.

There are three main admission packages available: basic attractions for $25.99, deluxe attractions for $28.99 and ultimate attractions for $33.99. There’s also a $16.99 pass for children five years old and younger.

Hours: 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday; 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

Go: 69 Wesley St., South Hackensack; 201-212-6454, urbanair.com/new-jersey-south-hackensack.

Putt around at Monster Mini Golf

Nothing quite says summer like battling it out on a mini golf course, and luckily you don’t have to sweat outside to play. At Monster Mini Golf, an indoor course in Paramus, you can putt among a world of flourescent monsters and neon lights while navigating an array of spooky obstacles. And after you play your way through all 18 holes, you can keep the fun going with arcade games and bowling.

Admission to mini golf is $13 for children, $14 for adults and $11 for seniors, members of the military, first responders and college students. Prices vary for the arcade games and bowling, and there are also combination packages available for access to all of the attractions.

Go: 49 E Midland Ave., Paramus; 201-261-0032, monsterminigolf.com/locations/us/nj/paramus.

Play laser tag, ride bumper cars and climb a maze at FunTime Junction

FunTime Junction is another entertainment destination filled with attractions that kids of all ages will enjoy, all while staying out of the heat. Here you can enjoy a climbing maze, laser tag, bumper cars, a giant LiteBrite, a funcade, crane machines and more. Admission is $13.95 for children 10 months to 15 years and $9.99 for adults ages 16 years and up.

Hours: Noon to 5:30 p.m. Thursday and Friday; 10 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Saturday; and 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Sunday. Preregistration is required to book an hour and a half timeslot.

Go: 400 Fairfield Road, Fairfield; 973-882-9777, funtimejunction.com.

Learn about the world at Liberty Science Center

Founded in 1993 and located within Liberty State Park, Liberty Science Center is the perfect place to stay cool while also fueling those inquisitive minds. The center consists of 12 museum exhibition halls, a live animal collection with 110 species, large aquariums, a 3D theater and the country’s largest planetarium, among other attractions. Exhibitions here are changed regularly, so there’s almost always something new to explore.

For admission, tickets are $30 for adults and $25.99 for children ages 2 to 12 when purchased in advance. Tickets for same-day general admission are $32,99 for adults and $27.99 for children ages 2 to 12. You can also pay an additional $8 for access to the center’s theater shows or premium exhibitions.

Hours: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Go: 222 Jersey City Blvd., Jersey City; 201-200-1000, lsc.org.

Take in sights at the Montclair Art Museum

If you’re going to stay inside, you might as well do it somewhere filled with unique and eye-catching artwork. The Montclair Art Museum is filled with more than 12,000 works of Native American and American artwork, including paintings, works on paper, ceramics, basketry, sculpture, beadwork and more.

For the remainder of the summer, Montclair Art Museum is offering discounted tickets for all guests. Admission is $5 for adults, $3 for students and seniors, and free for children and members.

Hours: Closed Monday through Thursday; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday; and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.

Go: 3 S Mountain Ave., Montclair; 973-746-5555, montclairartmuseum.org.

Explore the attractions at American Dream Mall

Whether you’re looking to shop, dine, splash at a water park, play mini golf or just about anything else, the American Dream Mall has it all on a hot summer day. In addition to more than 450 stores, the mall has attractions like the DreamWorks Water Park, the Nickelodeon Universe Theme Park, blacklight and Angry Birds-themed mini golf, the Legoland Discovery Center and more. With so much to do all in one place, you’ll forget all about the heat — except for when it’s time to leave, of course.

Admission to the American Dream Mall is free, but admission to each of the mall’s attractions vary.

Hours: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday; and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday.

Go: 1 American Dream Way, East Rutherford; 833-263-7326, americandream.com.

Devour a sweet treat

There’s nothing like devouring a sweet treat on a hot summer day, and thankfully North Jersey is full of places for you to get one.

For ice cream, you can visit local gems like Denville Dairy in Denville, Cliff’s in Ledgewood, Conrad’s in Westwood, Van Dyk’s in Ridgewood and Holsten’s in Bloomfield, among many others. But if you’re all ice creamed out — we don’t think that’s possible, but you never know — you can also opt for an ice cold cup of shaved ice. You can find this at places like Sunshine Ice in Weehawken, Little Bear Poke in Montclair and Caffe Benne in Fort Lee.

Maddie McGay is the real estate reporter for NorthJersey.com and The Record, covering all things worth celebrating about living in North Jersey. Find her on Instagram @maddiemcgay, on X @maddiemcgayy, and sign up for her North Jersey Living newsletter. Do you have a tip, trend or terrific house she should know about? Email her at MMcGay@gannett.

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Division 3 NCAA Tournament: Three NJ basketball teams make the bracket

Published

11 hours ago

March 2, 2026

Press Room

Division 3 NCAA Tournament: Three NJ basketball teams make the bracket

Manasquan HS grad Matthew Solomon has special motivation in leading red-hot TCNJ. Montclair State, Stevens also repping the Garden State.

It was the kind of sequence that embodies everything we love about sports – and especially college basketball.

With 10 seconds left in the Saturday’s New Jersey Athletic Conference Tournament final, TCNJ guard David Alexandre drove the lane, got cut off, spun around a whipped a pass into the paint as he fell backward. There to receive it was forward Matthew Solomon, a Manasquan High School grad, who finished his hard cut with a dunk that gave the Lions a two-point lead at Montclair State.

Then, on the other end, Montclair State star Jacob Morales had a long look at a game-winner with two seconds left – but Solomon closed out and blocked the shot as time expired.

Both teams are headed to the Division III NCAA Tournament, which unveiled its bracket today (so is a third New Jersey representative, Stevens Institute of Technology). It was an incredible moment on its face, so exhilarating that former Villanova coach and two-time March Madness champion Jay Wright spotlighted it on social media.

“That’s surreal,” Solomon said. “I grew up watching Nova, so to see that was really cool. He was giving Division 3 basketball some love, which is deserved.”

One of the best-kept secrets in college sports is just how high-quality D-3 hoops is, and Jersey has long been a hotbed, regularly sending squads to the Final Four. On the men’s side the Garden State’s last national champion was Rowan in 1996. That could change in the coming weeks.

But along with quality hoops, Division 3 ball features amazing stories, and the story behind Solomon’s heroics is even more incredible than jaw-dropping end to Saturday’s classic.

On his left wrist, the 6-foot-7 senior out of Spring Lake Heights wore protective tape over a wristband that read, “Paterno Strong” in honor of his cousin Billy Paterno, who died in 2024 at age 3 of leukemia. His parents, Point Pleasant residents Danielle and William, were at the NJAC title game.

“They’re an amazing family,” Solomon said. “The stuff they went through showed me what real strength looks like. Me facing adversity on the basketball court, when I look over and see them and look down on my wrist and see the Paterno Strong wristband, after what they did, I can keep playing for 40 minutes of basketball.”

Solomon finished the epic final with 22 points and 17 rebounds on 10-of-13 shooting, but he was quick to credit Saddle River Day grad Alexandre (24 points, 4 assists) and ace point guard and Don Bosco Prep grad Nick Koch (14 points) for their contributions.

For some context on the achievement: Montclair State was 24-0 and ranked No. 1 in all of Division 3 when TCNJ beat the Red Hawks twice in three-game span.

“Jersey basketball, you know how it is – the best in the country,” Solomon said. “We got a taste of playing the top team in the country and that definitely prepared us for what’s next, and hopefully we prepared them, so we can both show the whole country what New Jersey basketball is about.”

There’s one more powerful aspect to Solomon’s story. His father Larry Solomon died of Covid in February 2021, and a month later his brother Andrew Solomon hit the game-winning shot with one second left in the Shore Conference A final, capping a perfect season for Manasquan High. Andrew went on to serve as a manager with Monmouth’s basketball program.

“People are trying to compare my shot to his, but Andrew’s got me topped by a million,” Matthew said.

But between his father and his cousin Billy, “I’ve got people watching me from above,” Matthew said. “All the things I do are for them.”

Keep that in mind as TCNJ (21-6 overall, 14-4 NJAC) opens the Division 3 bracket against Johns Hopkins (20-7) Friday Randolph-Macon in Ashland Virginia. The winner will face either host Randolph-Macon (25-3) or North Carolina Wesleyan (21-6) Saturday at the same site.

“We know we can run with the best of them,” Solomon said. “We’re not pleased with just being here now. Maybe the past two years, just making it was enough. This year that’s not enough. We’ve got a special group.”

In a new wrinkle this year, the D-3 quarterfinals, semifinals and final will take place in Indianapolis, sharing a stage with the Division I Final Four. It’s a fitting reward.

“Playing Division 3 basketball has changed my life,” Solomon said. “You’ve really got to love the game, but I’ve built relationships with teammates, coaches and alumni – connections that I’m going to have the rest of my life. If I were to go back to high school, I would make the same exact decision a thousand times out of a thousand.”

Montclair State (25-1, overall, 17-1 NJAC)

The Red Hawks reached No. 1 in the nation after reeling off 24 straight wins to open the campaign. They average 92.1 points per game shooting a whopping 40.4 percent from 3-point range and hitting 13.1 triples per game.

They will play host to Maine-Farmington (22-5) on Friday, and if they win will host the winner of Bates (18-8) vs. Yeshiva (20-8) in the second round on Saturday.

Leading the way is senior forward Jacob Morales, a Montvale native, Pascack Hills High School grad and former Rutgers walk-on. The NJAC Player of the Year averages 19.0 points, 6.0 rebounds and 3.2 assists while shooting 39 percent from 3-point range.

Sophomore guard and Trenton native Kabrien Goss (14.7 ppg), freshman guard and Morris Catholic grad Cristian Nicholson (11.4 ppg) and sophomore forward and Lenape High School grad Myles Primas (9.1 ppg, 4.1 rpg) are key contributors.

Under head coach Justin Potts, the Red Hawks reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament last year and also made the field in 2022-23.

Stevens (18-9 overall, 10-4 MAC Freedom)

The Ducks are four-time MAAC Freedom champions under head coach Bobby Hurley, who won his 300^th game at the program’s helm in February.

They will visit Christopher Newport (21-5) in Newport News, Va., on Friday, with the winner advancing to Saturday’s second round at the same site against either Mount Union (23-3) or Washington and Jefferson (22-6).

Junior guard Tommy Scholl, the MAC Freedom MVP, averages 18.1 points and 6.6 rebounds per game. Junior forward Harmehar Chhabra, a South Brunswick High School grad, averages 14.3 points, 6.4 rebounds and 4.7 assists and recorded a triple-double (12 points, 11 boards, 11 assists) against Lebanon Valley last month.

Junior guard Kyle Maddison (14.3 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 4.0 apg) and senior guard Matt Leming out of Haddonfield (9.5 ppg, 3.7 rpg) add to an offense that shoots 47 percent from the field.

This is the program’s fourth NCAA Tournament appearance, all under Hurley. The Ducks reached the second round in 2022.

Jerry Carino has covered the New Jersey sports scene since 1996 and the college basketball beat since 2003. Contact him at jcarino@gannettnj.com.

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New Jersey

Blizzard causes heavy damage to New Jersey animal refuge

Published

23 hours ago

March 2, 2026

Press Room

Blizzard causes heavy damage to New Jersey animal refuge

A New Jersey animal shelter is asking for the public’s help after last month’s blizzard did heavy damage to its property in Ocean County.

On social media, Popcorn Park Animal Refuge posted a video and described the fury of the storm. saying that the blizzard “caused unexpected damage… impacting habitats, fencing, structures, and critical infrastructure.”

The nonprofit animal haven says its team “worked tirelessly to keep every animal safe during the storm,” however, “the aftermath has left us facing urgent repairs and significant financial strain.”

Photo: Popcorn Park Animal Refuge

The refuge says this winter has been “especially challenging.” It says “repeated severe weather has forced extended closures to the public, further limiting vital support and creating an added burden during an already difficult recovery period,” adding “we need our community now more than ever.”

Popcorn Park was established in 1977, according to its website. It’s part of the Associated Humane Societies — which bills itself as New Jersey’s largest animal welfare organization. Popcorn Park describes itself as “a sanctuary for abandoned, injured, ill, exploited, abused, or elderly farm animals, birds, and wildlife (domestic and exotic).”

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Natural Daylight Time: What is it, and why New Jersey should adapt this practice instead

Published

1 day ago

March 1, 2026

Press Room

Natural Daylight Time: What is it, and why New Jersey should adapt this practice instead

We’re now officially less than a week before we spring forward in New Jersey, and everyone has an opinion on it. The clock change, by the way, will happen on Sunday, Mar. 8, 2026. We’ll essentially skip the 2 a.m. hour and gain the extra hour of daylight in the evening.

But the reality is, we don’t gain a thing when we do this. We’re so conditioned to believe we gain sunlight, but all we’re doing is shifting the clocks. Animals don’t do this, and are unaffected by what a clock says.

ALSO READ: Snow vs. no snow: How most in NJ feel after latest blizzard

Our pets, on the other hand, are forced to change with our practice of doing this. It really is an outdated practice, but we can’t stop it just like that simply because we’ll either complain about it being too dark during winter mornings under daylight saving, or getting dark too soon during summer nights under standard time.

It should be a lot simpler. And for those of us in New Jersey, it can be. Here’s what I think we should do.

Time clocks calendar thumbs up green check approve sunrise sunset

Canva (Townsquare Illustration)

Leave the clock, adjust our day

When I worked on a golf course, all we did was adjust when we came in based on when the sun came up. During the longer days, we started at 6 a.m. And when the sunrise was later than 6 a.m., we adjusted our start time to 7 a.m.

Why can’t we just do this when it comes to work and school? Leave the clocks in standard time since that’s the one truly aligned with the Earths rotation. During the winter, make the regular workday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., then adjust it to 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the summer. It’s just that simple.

In other words, we’d be following Natural Daylight Time. Just get rid of the clock change, and adjust our day based on the sunrise. Problem solved.

Final flakes: When does snow season end in NJ?

Gallery Credit: Dan Zarrow

Significant or historical events in New Jersey for March (in chronological order)

Here are some of the historical or significant events that impacted New Jersey or happened in the Garden State during March. Is there an event missing? Let us know with an email to dan.alexander@townsquaremedia.com.

Gallery Credit: Dan Alexander

The above post reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 weekend host & content contributor Mike Brant. Any opinions expressed are his own.

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