The Garden State is full of wonderful parks to visit, and Van Saun County Park in Bergen County is no exception. Located in Paramus, this family-friendly park in New Jersey is the perfect day trip destination. The park sits on over 130 acres, with ball fields, tennis courts, playgrounds, pony rides, and more! It’s even home to the nationally accredited Bergen County Zoo, where you’ll find animals ranging from mountain lions and alligators to domesticated horses and goats.

Van Saun County Park has peaceful walking paths, with benches lined along the route so you can stop and rest, if need be.

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The Van Saun & Zoo Loop is about 2.1 miles long and is perfect for walking, biking, or running. It’s stroller and wheelchair friendly, and welcomes leashed dogs as well.

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Kids will love the well-maintained and colorful playground, with picnic tables nearby, so you can stop for a lunch break.

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And the Bergen County Zoo is a gem, with a variety of animals to see and a strong focus on conservation efforts. In fact, the Bergen County Zoo was a founding member of a Brazilian ocelot conservation program.

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Enter the zoo, and you’ll be captivated by charming capybaras, playful monkeys, and more. You’ll also find domesticated animals like the Belgian draft horse and Belted Galloway cow.

Bergen County Zoo/Facebook

The zoo’s brightly colored Millennium Carousel beckons, with all kinds of animals to ride - along with the traditional horses, of course.

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Kids can also climb aboard the Van Saun Railroad miniature train ride, or try a real live pony ride!

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The zoo isn’t the only animal-friendly area of the park. There’s also a dog run within Van Saun County Park, where your canine family members can run and play with other dogs in a safely enclosed area. This really is the perfect day trip for the entire family.

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To learn more about Van Saun County Park, visit the Bergen County parks website.

Dave Overcash/Flickr

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Bergen County Zoo/Facebook

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Looking for more parks to visit in the Garden State? Check out our list of the best state parks in New Jersey.

 

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Address: Van Saun County Park, 216 Forest Ave, Paramus, NJ 07652, USA