Berkeley Heights
Berkeley Heights is a town in Union County that was originally a summer resort community and has grown with the establishment of Bell Laboratories in the 1940's. It is bordered by Chatham, New Providence, Mountainside, Long Hill, and Watchung. Home values have historically been strong but was boosted by the implementation of the mid-town direct train line. There are under 15k people living in Berkeley Heights and was ranked #6 in “Best Places to Live-America's Top 50 Small Towns” report by CNN/
Landscape
Berkeley Heights is located in the Watchung Mountains. As a result, neighborhoods and land can vary from area to area. Some neighborhoods have a 'hilly' feel while others are flat. Driving around, you will see neighborhoods connected by sidewalks and neighborhoods with a slightly more rural feel. There is not a 'cookie cutter' feel to the area as you can find colonials, ranches, splits, bi-levels, townhomes and condos. Most homes tend to be built with a little more land than the neighboring communities to the east. Berkeley Heights is also home to Free Acres which is a association of about 75 acres and 85 households with a community farmhouse and pool.
AREA ROADS/ MANHATTAN/ AIRPORTS
In addition to having a train station, there is access to bus routes that take you to NYC as well as direct access to Rte 78. The Garden State Parkway, NJ Turnpike and Rte 287 are within close proximity. Off peak drive time is approximately 40 minutes to NYC and approximately 1 1/5 hours to Philadelphia. Major airports are Newark International Airport (under 20 miles), John F. Kennedy International Airport (approx. 50 miles).
SCHOOLS
Although school selection is very personal and should be researched thoroughly, it should be noted that the township's public schools are consistently top rated.
The district serves students in pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade and operates six schools:
- Mary K McMillan (grades pre-k, K, 1)
- William Woodruff School (K-1)
- Mountain Park Elementary School (grades 2-5)
- Thomas P. Hughes Elementary School (grades 2-5)
- Columbia Middle School (grades 6-8)
- Governor Livingston High School (grades 9-12)
There is not a town wide preschool program. Instead, there is a smaller program that encompasses special needs students as well as a lottery for other residents. The district has full day kindergarten. There are several programs in the immediate area for grammar school children that offer private schooling and extended care options including the local YMCA which has traditionally done both onsite extended care as well as care in their facility. High school students attending Governor Livingston are joined by students in the neighboring town of Mountainside.
In addition to the public schools, Berkeley Heights is surrounded by a number of highly rated private high schools that BH students have a history of acceptance. Finally, the county has several magnet schools and vocational school opportunities.
WHAT TO DO
NYC is a popular destination for day trips but the gem of Berkeley Heights is that it's surrounded by open space. Just a block from the center of town, is the Passaic River County Park offers trails that offer a respite from the sun on those hot days and a soccer field that also hosts our local Rubber Ducky Festival. The Watchung Reservation, at just under 2000 acres, borders the southern part of town with trails, a playground, a historic town and a horse stable. People go there to hike, fish, canoe, ride horses and picnic. Seeley's Pond, part of the Watchung reservation, features a waterfall that can be seen as you drive north along Diamond Hill Rd and is a great spot for exploration.
Community events, in the past, have included the famous Annual Feast of Mt. Carmel in July with two nights of spectacular fireworks display, the Summer Block Party, summer concerts in the park, the Annual Winter Walk in early December, Hanukkah celebration, annual PBA Fishing Derby, Halloween Trunk-or-Treat, “Police Santa,” Lunar New Year celebration, Diwali Celebration, Wine Festival, Car show, Rubber Ducky Festival, Vegan Fest and charity 5K.
The restaurants in Berkeley Heights offer a lot of diversity cuisine including Thai, Mexican, Italian, Indian, Korean, Chinese, Jewish Deli, Japanese, Portuguese cuisines. We even have our very own brewery in town. In addition, the surrounding communities offer even more options within just a short drive.
If fitness is important to you, there are several gyms in the area including Lifetime Fitness, a brand new YMCA, Gabriele Fitness & Performance, CrossFit 908, Peak Performance
School age children have a plethora of opportunity as well. The community and its surrounding towns have many activities starting with more affordable classes offered by the town's recreational department or the local YMCAs or the Connection in Summit, all the way to specialized businesses willing to cater to the youth. Music lessons, acting classes, gymnastics, year round baseball, ice or field hockey, fencing, casual and renowned swimming facilities, horseback riding to name just a few. There are even ski clubs in the winter. If you can think of it, NJ is most likely offering it.
HOSPITALS
Area hospitals include Morristown Memorial, Overlook and St. Barnabus are all rated highly and each have their own specialty they are know for. Before an emergency occurs, it is best to understand
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