Walkable downtown with nature very closeby (Trenton, Passaic: rentals, buying a house, buying)

[goeagles77]

Hi folks,

This is more of a "feeler" for when I am considering buying a house down the line, so please bear with me

I am essentially trying to figure out whether my definition of a "perfect" area even exists in NJ. I think what I am looking for would primarily lie on the outskirts of NYC and Phila. suburbs - e.g. Hunterdon/Mercer/Passaic/Sussex/Warren counties in NJ.

I really enjoy outdoor activities of all sorts (biking, hiking, kayaking, running, etc.) so I would like to be within easy access to hiking and nature trails for weekend recreation. I also have some experience with trail maintenance, so could see myself getting involved in the NY/NJ Trail Conference if I lived in northern NJ.

However, I also do genuinely like walkable downtown areas with a handful of local restaurants/bakeries/coffee houses/etc. I'm not looking for big city bustle by any means, but something just feels right to me about walk-ability and having local businesses around. Something similar to Poughkeepsie, NY is what I am have in mind. Maybe I should be looking further north!

From my non-native NJ-ite perspective, it seems that in this state, the areas with downtown areas are either very built-up with lots of amenities (e.g. Bergen/Essex/Middlesex/Union counties) or are more rural-ish....agricultural and nature-oriented (e.g. most of the northwest part of the state bordering NY and PA). There seems to be very little in between, which stands to reason, but differs from where I was raised, and why I am asking the question.

While I think counties in Northwest NJ such as Passaic/Sussex/Warren would offer the most in terms of nearby outdoors fun, they don't seem to offer much as far as walkable downtowns are concerned. I've visited the area many times for day hikes and have driven through a lot of towns up there, and compiled a list of areas which seemed both walkable and within easy access to nature.

Am I missing anything? What are your thoughts on the towns listed below? I realize they might be vastly different from one another, but all seem to fit the bill, to some extent.

Please feel free to suggest any towns / counties which you think I may have overlooked. Also, if there are any non-walkable towns which are in very close proximity to both hiking and walkable downtowns, please list those as well. Many thanks in advance!

Visited and fit the bill:
- Frenchtown
- Hopewell
- Lambertville
- Pennington
- Stockton

Have not visited, but might (?) fit the bill:
- Belvidere
- Lake Hopatcong
- Lake Mohawk / Sparta
- Newton
- Philipsburg

Areas I've visited which sort of fit the bill, but which I would not be interested in and/or able to afford:

- Morristown
- Princeton
- Trenton

[Kthnry]

Maplewood, South Orange, and Millburn have cozy walkable downtowns and are right next to the 2,000-acre South Mountain Reservation. In fact, you can walk from all three downtowns to the reservation in ten minutes or so.

[Retriever]

Somerville--which has a nicely gentrifying downtown--would definitely fill the bill. Duke Farms (the former estate of Doris Duke) is literally only a few minutes away in neighboring Hillsborough. Duke Farms features miles of walking trails, and even offers free bike rentals for those who want to pedal themselves along the trails.

Additionally, Franklin Township is only ~10 miles to the south of Somerville. Franklin Township encompasses Six Mile Run State Park, which is totally undeveloped and is about as close to nature in the nearby metro area as one can find. And, a significant part of the Delaware & Raritan Canal State Park runs through the western part of Franklin. The old towpath for the canal is now used for walking, running, and horseback riding. A walk along the canal usually includes views of several varieties of turtles sunning themselves on logs in good weather, and a wide variety of birds--sometimes including a Great Blue Heron.

[lammius]

Maybe a place like Suffern, NY right on the NJ border. It's at the south end of Bear Mountain State Park, has a walkable (though not very exciting) downtown with a train station, and you can hop on the Thruway to quickly get up to the Shawangunks or toward the Catskills.

[Leps12]

Lambertville all the way in this case. Out of what you listed, I think that's the best choice for you.

For what you have not seen, I might throw in Denville in Morris County.

I do think though that you should explain your work situation so that we can take commutes into account. Also any info regarding the importance of schools, if that matters at all.

[NJhighlands87]

Lambertville struck me as an excellent choice too.

You could also try Chester...cute downtown and close to lots of great natural areas in Morris, Somerset, and Hunterdon Counties. Also, it has no rail service, so you don't have to pay extra for the NYC commute convenience, if you don't need it.

[PDD]

Originally Posted by Retriever

Somerville--which has a nicely gentrifying downtown--would definitely fill the bill. Duke Farms (the former estate of Doris Duke) is literally only a few minutes away in neighboring Hillsborough. Duke Farms features miles of walking trails, and even offers free bike rentals for those who want to pedal themselves along the trails.

Additionally, Franklin Township is only ~10 miles to the south of Somerville. Franklin Township encompasses Six Mile Run State Park, which is totally undeveloped and is about as close to nature in the nearby metro area as one can find. And, a significant part of the Delaware & Raritan Canal State Park runs through the western part of Franklin. The old towpath for the canal is now used for walking, running, and horseback riding. A walk along the canal usually includes views of several varieties of turtles sunning themselves on logs in good weather, and a wide variety of birds--sometimes including a Great Blue Heron.

^^^^ this because you can bicycle from New Brunswick to Princeton on the tow path with out fear of being run over by a truck.

Plus the best mountain biking course in the state is in nearby Martinsville..

You can get anyplace in the NY metro area faster from Somerville which is the most centrally located place among those others recommended.

[spaceman27]

Out of your list, I'd choose either Lambertville or Newton.

[goeagles77]

Originally Posted by spaceman27

Out of your list, I'd choose either Lambertville or Newton.

Thanks @spaceman27. I know Lambertville quite well, but have never been to Newton. I'll have to stop by the next time I make it up to Sussex. Any thoughts/opinions on it?

Does it offer some decent restaurant and shopping options? Or is it more similar to the downtown in Washington Borough, Warren County, which looks like it has the potential to be something nice, but appears pretty tired in its current state. Definitely nowhere near as happening as other downtowns in NJ (Hopewell/Lambertville/Morristown/etc.)

Again, not looking for city-level amenities, but it would be nice to have a small yet decent downtown around. What other downtown in NJ might you compare Newton to?

[goeagles77]

Originally Posted by lammius

Maybe a place like Suffern, NY right on the NJ border. It's at the south end of Bear Mountain State Park, has a walkable (though not very exciting) downtown with a train station, and you can hop on the Thruway to quickly get up to the Shawangunks or toward the Catskills.

Thanks for the rec, @lammius. I will definitely check out Suffern as I know exactly where it is and it definitely offers plenty of outdoor recreation in the near vicinity! I'm not that familiar with the Hudson Valley, but if you have any other recommendations for area which might fit the bill, please let me know!